Two reciprocally monophyletic mtDNA lineages elucidate the taxonomic status of Mountain gazelles (Gazella gazella)

Mountain gazelles (Gazella gazella) rank among the most critically endangered mammals on the Arabian Peninsula. Past conservation efforts have been plagued by confusion about the phylogenetic relationship among various ‘phenotypically discernable’ populations, and even the question of species boundaries was far from being certain. This lack of knowledge has had a direct impact on conservation measures, especially ex situ breeding programmes, hampering the assignment of captive stocks to potential conservation units. Here, we provide a phylogenetic framework, based on the analysis of mtDNA sequences (360 bp cytochrome b and 213 bp Control Region) of 126 individuals collected from the wild throughout the Arabian Peninsula and from captive stocks. Our analyses revealed two reciprocally monophyletic genetic lineages within the presumed species Gazella gazella: one ‘northern clade’ on the Golan Heights (Israel/Syrian border) and one genetically diverse larger clade from the rest of the Arabian Peninsula including the Arava Valley (Negev, Israel). Applying the Strict Phylogenetic Species Concept (sensu Mishler & Theriot, 2000 Mishler, B. D. and Theriot, E. C. 2000. “The phylogenetic species concept (sensu Mishler and Theriot): monophyly, apomorphy, and phylogenetic species concepts”. In Species Concepts and Phylogenetic Theory. A Debate, Edited by: Wheeler, Q. D. and Meier, R. 44–54. Columbia University Press, NY.  [Google Scholar]) allows assigning species status to these two major clades.     

环境因子对新疆鹅喉羚群体遗传多样性的影响

环境因素在物种进化和遗传变异过程中起着非常重要的作用。为探讨新疆鹅喉羚遗传多样性与环境因子的关系,本研究采用聚合酶链式反应（PCR）和直接测序的方法,测定了新疆鹅喉羚11个群体84份样本的线粒体DNA Cyt b基因（1140 bp）和D-loop区（1100 bp）序列,分析各群体遗传多样性及环境因子对遗传多样性的影响。结果显示新疆鹅喉羚具有较高的单倍型多样性,较低的核苷酸多样性,表明其遗传多样性处于较低水平。环境因子与群体遗传多样性的相关性分析结果表明,海拔、年均降水量、年均气温、人口数量是影响新疆鹅喉羚遗传多样性的主要环境因子,其中海拔是最关键的环境因子。本研究结论为新疆鹅喉羚群体有效合理的保护与管理提供理论依据。     

Characterization of eight microsatellite loci in Grant's gazelle (Gazella granti)

Eight microsatellite loci were isolated from a genomic DNA library created from Grant's gazelle (Gazella granti). Observed and expected levels of heterozygosity were computed utilizing 20 individuals from a population in Central Kenya. Tests for Hardy–Weinberg equilibria were conducted and found that two of the eight loci deviated from equilibrium in this population. These markers were developed to analyse the genetic effects of culling and isolation on a game preserve in Kenya.     

不同季节鹅喉羚昼间行为时间分配特征

2007 年11 月至2008 年10 月在新疆卡拉麦里山有蹄类野生动物保护区研究了鹅喉羚的昼间行为时间分配,共观察鹅喉羚有效个体1 917 只,采集行为数据时间319.5 h,将鹅喉羚的昼间行为分为采食、移动、警戒、休息和“其它”5 类。结果表明:春季雌性5 种行为分配时间所占比例分别为67.5%、2.5%、2.7%、25.9%、1.4%,雄性分别为63.5%、3.4%、4.3%、27.5%、1.3%; 夏季,雌性:43.7%、7.7%、5.6%、42.1%、1.0%; 雄性:51.9%、1.7%、3.1%、41.4%、1.9%; 秋季,雌性:66.3%、5.1%、4.3%、23.6%、0.7%;雄性:68.9%、6.0%、4.2%、20.7%、0.3%;冬季,雌性:68.0%、5.0%、7.0%、19.6%、0.4%;雄性:29.6%、20.6%、19.2%、29.3%、1.3%。采用卡方检验、秩和检验、方差分析比较同季节不同性别各自行为时间分配、同季节雌雄间行为时间分配、同性别不同季节的行为时间分配。结果表明:四季中雌雄各自5 种行为的时间分配均存在显著差异(P>0.05);比较两性间行为时间分配发现,在春夏季,雌雄间各行为时间分配无差异(P>0.05),秋季移动差异显著(P < 0. 05),而冬季5 种行为间均差异显著(P<0.05);季节因素对雌雄行为时间分配的影响显著。鹅喉羚以特定的行为时间分配模式适应季节更替或变化的生理周期,如温度、性别、水分状况、繁殖期、哺乳期等,满足能量及营养需求。     

Phylogeny and genetic structure of the goitered gazelle (Artiodactyla,Bovidae) in north-western China indicated by the hypervariable mitochondrial control region

The goitered gazelle, Gazella subgutturosa, is a medium-sized ungulate inhabiting arid and semi-arid regions in the Middle East and central Asia. The intraspecific classification of the species remains unclear. We analysed the genetic diversity in mitochondrial DNA control region (CR) sequences (976?bp) from 104 wild samples from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in north-west China, and reconstructed phylogeny with additional sequences from across the species’ range. We detected 58 haplotypes in XUAR populations, all but three of which were specific to single sampling sites. The phylogenetic analysis displayed two obvious clades of mtDNA haplotypes and the other haplotypes differed from the two clades. A median-joining network showed three groups of haplotypes were to a high extent concordant with the phylogenetic tree. The haplotype clustering was consistent with their geographic distribution. Nei’s net sequence divergences amongst the three groups ranged from 0.010 to 0.018 and indicated three subspecies, two of which inhabit XUAR. We detected strong differentiation between northern (NX) and southern (SX) XUAR populations overall (F_ST?=?0.4448, P?相似文献   

Effect of guard dogs on the behavior and reproduction of gazelles in cattle enclosures on the Golan Heights

Cattle on the Golan Heights are kept in enclosures and some of these enclosures have guard dogs. We studied the effect of such dogs on the behavior and breeding success of mountain gazelles Gazella gazella living within enclosures. We found that guard dogs have both direct and indirect effects on gazelles. Gazelles living in enclosures with dogs spent more time in vigilance behavior and running, and less time resting and walking, in comparison with gazelles in dog-free enclosures. In the absence of dogs, gazelle female herds in enclosures tended to stay closer to the cattle, but shunned away from them in the presence of the dogs, which, in turn, remained near the cattle. The percentage of fawns per female was higher in enclosures without dogs in comparison with those with dogs, but the difference was not significant. However, the largest of the enclosures with dogs, which had the largest number of gazelles, had only an average number of dogs in it. Hence, the gazelles in this enclosure were better able to avoid the dogs in comparison with those in smaller enclosures. Removing this enclosure from the overall calculation revealed that guard dogs have a significant negative effect on gazelle reproductive success. In two of the four enclosures with dogs no fawn still survived 6 months after birth, while in each of the four enclosures without dogs some fawns did survive to that age and beyond, suggesting that the dogs themselves may predate the fawns.