Effects of habitat loss and limitation on effective population size and inbreeding rates of Walia ibex (Capra walie) in Ethiopia |
| |
Authors: | Kefyalew Alemayehu Tadelle Dessie Yoseph Mekasha |
| |
Affiliation: | 1. Department of Animal Production and Technology, Bahir Dar University, PO Box 21 45, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia;2. International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;3. School of Animal and Range Sciences, Haramaya University, PO Box 138, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia |
| |
Abstract: | The effects of habitat loss and limitation on effective population size and inbreeding rates of Walia ibex (Capra walie) were assessed at Simien Mountains National Park. Total direct census was conducted in 2009. Historical data were obtained from park offices and literatures. Effective population sizes (Ne), inbreeding rates (ΔF) and heterozygosity losses to the whole and subdivided population per habitat were estimated. Correlations (r) between the two repeated direct censuses were positive (r = 0.99, P < 0.01). The mean Ne and ΔF (%/year) per study sites were 65.34 ± 59.45 and 0.0286 ± 0.032, respectively. The ΔF of the whole population of C. walie was 0.228 ± 0.011. The ΔF was negatively correlated with Ne (r = ?0.799, P < 0.05). The mean ΔF per fragmented habitat ranged from 0.3 (Cheneck) to 7.7% (Buait ras). The highest ΔFs per year were observed in Buait ras (7.7%), Adarmaz (7.4%) and Sankaber (4.5%). The mean heterozygosity loss per total population was 0.235 ± 0.42, which was about 23.5%. The differences in Ne and ΔF among the population per habitat were the results of habitat limitation, which in turn reduce the genetic variability and foster losses of heterozygosity. |
| |
Keywords: | heterozygosity home ranges Simien Mountains National Park |
|
|