Genetic architecture of two red ruffed lemur (Varecia rubra) populations of Masoala National Park

Razakamaharavo, Vololoniaina R.; McGuire, Susie M.; Vasey, Natalie; Louis, Edward E.; Brenneman, Rick A.

doi:10.1007/s10329-009-0171-0

Cited by 15 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…Numerous sources of evidence suggest that humans were primarily involved in the extinction of subfossil lemurs; however, the role of humans in shaping the historical population dynamics and behaviors of extant lemurs is less straightforward. The results presented here demonstrate that genetic and demographic analyses can shed light on historical population dynamics of extant species (also see Markolf et al 2008;Olivieri et al 2008;Razakamaharavo et al 2009), and such analyses can be particularly useful when buttressed with additional data from archaeology, paleoecology, and historical records. In the absence of human disturbance, animal population sizes historically fluctuate due to climatic and socioecological factors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Historical demography of a wild lemur population (Propithecus verreauxi) in southwest Madagascar

Lawler

2010

Population Ecology

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The human colonization of Madagascar is associated with the extinction of numerous lemur species. However, the degree to which humans have negatively influenced the historical population dynamics of extant lemur species is not well understood. This study employs genetic and demographic analyses to estimate demographic parameters relating to the historical population dynamics of a wild lemur population, Verreaux's sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi). The genetic analyses are used to determine whether this population experienced a historically recent (i.e., within the last 2000 years) population bottleneck, as well as to estimate the historical population growth rate and the timing of any changes in population size in the past. In addition, a retrospective demographic analysis is used to determine sources of variation and covariation in the sifaka life cycle and how variation in life-cycle transitions contributes to variation in population growth rate. The genetic analyses indicate that the sifaka population did not experience a recent population bottleneck; however, the historical population growth rate was negative, indicating that the ancestral population size was much larger than the current size. The timing of the ancestral population decline has a point estimate of 2300 years ago, but with large credible intervals: 3611-1736 years ago. This point estimate corresponds with the first evidence for human arrival to Madagascar. Climatic variation has also likely influenced past (and current) population dynamics due to stochastic annual rainfall patterns and climatic desiccation, the latter of which began in southwestern Madagascar around 4000 years ago. Variation in the survival of 2-year-old animals as well as large adult females makes the largest contribution to variation in population growth rate. In the absence of more explicit models pertaining to historical population dynamics, it is difficult to attribute the negative population growth rate of this species solely to a single factor (e.g., hunting, habitat destruction).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Historical demography of a wild lemur population (Propithecus verreauxi) in southwest Madagascar

Lawler

2010

Population Ecology

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“… References: (1) Ranaivoarisoa et al,2010; (2) Craul et al,2009; (3) Olivieri et al,2008; (4) Louis et al,2005; (5) Razakamaharavo et al,2010. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating ring‐tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) from southwestern Madagascar for a genetic population bottleneck

Parga

Sauther

Cuozzo

et al. 2011

American J Phys Anthropol

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In light of historical and recent anthropogenic influences on Malagasy primate populations, in this study ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) samples from two sites in southwestern Madagascar, Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR) and Tsimanampetsotsa National Park (TNP), were evaluated for the genetic signature of a population bottleneck. A total of 45 individuals (20 from BMSR and 25 from TNP) were genotyped at seven microsatellite loci. Three methods were used to evaluate these populations for evidence of a historical bottleneck: M-ratio, mode-shift, and heterozygosity excess tests. Three mutation models were used for heterozygosity excess tests: the stepwise mutation model (SMM), two-phase model (TPM), and infinite allele model (IAM). M-ratio estimations indicated a potential bottleneck in both populations under some conditions. Although mode-shift tests did not strongly indicate a population bottleneck in the recent historical past when samples from all individuals were included, a female-only analysis indicated a potential bottleneck in TNP. Heterozygosity excess was indicated under two of the three mutation models (IAM and TPM), with TNP showing stronger evidence of heterozygosity excess than BMSR. Taken together, these results suggest that a bottleneck may have occurred among L. catta in southwestern Madagascar in the recent past. Given knowledge of how current major stochastic climatic events and human-induced change can negatively impact extant lemur populations, it is reasonable that comparable events in the historical past could have caused a population bottleneck. This evaluation additionally functions to highlight the continuing environmental and anthropogenic challenges faced by lemurs in southwestern Madagascar.

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“…Previous studies found some behavioral evidence of male transfer between communities (Morland 1991; Balko 1998), and females are generally considered the philopatric sex (Kappeler 1997; but see Erhart and Overdorff 2008). Accordingly, we predicted that black-and-white ruffed lemur communities would consist of unrelated males and closely related females, although some molecular evidence from red ruffed lemurs ( V. rubra ) suggests that both sexes disperse (Razakamaharavo et al 2010). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species‐level view of population structure and gene flow for a critically endangered primate (Varecia variegata)

Baden

Holmes

Johnson

et al. 2014

Ecology and Evolution

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Lemurs are among the world's most threatened mammals. The critically endangered black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata), in particular, has recently experienced rapid population declines due to habitat loss, ecological sensitivities to habitat degradation, and extensive human hunting pressure. Despite this, a recent study indicates that ruffed lemurs retain among the highest levels of genetic diversity for primates. Identifying how this diversity is apportioned and whether gene flow is maintained among remnant populations will help to diagnose and target conservation priorities. We sampled 209 individuals from 19 sites throughout the remaining V. variegata range. We used 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci and ∼550 bp of mtDNA sequence data to evaluate genetic structure and population dynamics, including dispersal patterns and recent population declines. Bayesian cluster analyses identified two distinct genetic clusters, which optimally partitioned data into populations occurring on either side of the Mangoro River. Localities north of the Mangoro were characterized by greater genetic diversity, greater gene flow (lower genetic differentiation) and higher mtDNA haplotype and nucleotide diversity than those in the south. Despite this, genetic differentiation across all sites was high, as indicated by high average FST (0.247) and ΦST (0.544), and followed a pattern of isolation-by-distance. We use these results to suggest future conservation strategies that include an effort to maintain genetic diversity in the north and restore connectivity in the south. We also note the discordance between patterns of genetic differentiation and current subspecies taxonomy, and encourage a re-evaluation of conservation management units moving forward.

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Genetic architecture of two red ruffed lemur (Varecia rubra) populations of Masoala National Park

Cited by 15 publications

References 61 publications

Historical demography of a wild lemur population (Propithecus verreauxi) in southwest Madagascar

Historical demography of a wild lemur population (Propithecus verreauxi) in southwest Madagascar

Evaluating ring‐tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) from southwestern Madagascar for a genetic population bottleneck

Species‐level view of population structure and gene flow for a critically endangered primate (Varecia variegata)

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