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Selected Works of Nathaniel Jue
Article
Habitat fragmentation and genetic diversity in natural populations of the Bornean elephant: Implications for conservation
Biological Conservation (2016)
  • Benoit Goossens, Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
  • Reeta Sharma, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência
  • Nurzhafarina Othman, Cardiff University
  • Nurzhafarina Othman, Sabah Wildlife Department
  • Célia Kun-Rodrigues, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência
  • Rosdi Sakong, Cardiff University
  • Marc Ancrenaz, HUTAN/Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Programme, PO Box 17793, 88874 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
  • Laurentius N. Ambu, Sabah Wildlife Department
  • Nathaniel K. Jue, University of Connecticut
  • Rachel J. O'Neill, University of Connecticut
  • Michael William Bruford, Cardiff University
  • Lounès Chikhi, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência
  • Lounès Chikhi, Paul Sabatier University
Link
Abstract
The Bornean elephant population in Sabah, with only 2000 individuals, is currently mainly restricted to a limited number of forest reserves. The main threats to the species' survival are population fragmentation and isolation of the existing herds. To support and help monitor future conservation and management measures, we assessed the genetic diversity and population structure of Bornean elephants using mitochondrial DNA, microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms. Our results confirmed a previously reported lack of mitochondrial control region diversity, characterized by a single widespread haplotype. However, we found low but significant degree of genetic differentiation among populations and marked variation in genetic diversity with the other two types of markers among Bornean elephants. Microsatellite data showed that Bornean elephants from the Lower Kinabatangan and North Kinabatangan ranges are differentiated and perhaps isolated from the main elephant populations located in the Central Forest and Tabin Wildlife Reserve. The pairwise FST values between these sites ranged from 0.08 to 0.14 (p < 0.001). Data from these markers also indicate that the Bornean elephant populations from Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary and North Kinabatangan (Deramakot Forest Reserve) possess higher levels of genetic variation compared to the elephant populations from other areas. Our results suggest that (i) Bornean elephants probably derive from a very small female population, (ii) they rarely disperse across current human-dominated landscapes that separate forest fragments, and (iii) forest fragments are predominantly comprised of populations that are already undergoing genetic drift. To maintain the current levels of genetic diversity in fragmented habitats, conservation of the Bornean elephants should aim at securing connectivity between spatially distinct populations.
Keywords
  • Bornean elephant,
  • SNPs,
  • Microsatellites,
  • Population genetics
Disciplines
Publication Date
April, 2016
DOI
10.1016/j.biocon.2016.02.008
Citation Information
Benoit Goossens, Reeta Sharma, Nurzhafarina Othman, Nurzhafarina Othman, et al.. "Habitat fragmentation and genetic diversity in natural populations of the Bornean elephant: Implications for conservation" Biological Conservation Vol. 196 (2016) p. 80 - 92
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jue-nathaniel/8/