| Population genetics reveal potential threats from low maternal genetic diversity in wild Asian elephants in China | |
| Shi, Minhui; Tian, Yinping1; Tang, Yongjing2; Li, Haimeng1; Wang, Jishan2; Ma, Yue1; Liu, Xin; Campos-Arceiz, Ahimsa; Chen, Fei2,8; Lan, Tianming1 | |
| 2025 | |
| Source Publication | GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
 |
| ISSN | 2351-9894 |
| Volume | 58Issue:xPages:- |
| Abstract | In China, wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are primarily distributed in three prefectures in Southwest Yunnan, along the border with Laos and Myanmar. These elephants occur in small, fragmented populations and face significant threats from habitat loss and fragmentation. Here, we successfully retrieved 48 mitochondrial genomes, including those from 35 wild Asian elephants in China and those from 13 captive Asian elephants, based on whole genome sequencing data to analyze their maternal population structure and genetic diversity. In addition, we extracted approximately 600 kb of non-coding genomic regions for a comparative analysis of the genetic structure between the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Wild Asian elephants in China exhibited extremely low genetic diversity compared to global populations, with only two haplotypes detected in the Chinese population. Despite limited mitochondrial haplotypes, the Xishuangbanna population maintains gene flow with external populations. In contrast, the genetic diversity in the Cangyuan population was even more severely limited, with no evidence of gene flow with the nearest populations in Myanmar. Given the close genetic relationship between the Cangyuan population and populations in other countries, the most promising strategy for introducing genetic diversity to rescue the Cangyuan population may involve translocating Asian elephants from other countries. This study provides a deeper understanding of the genetic status of wild Asian elephants in China and offers important insights for future conservation efforts in China and elsewhere. |
| Keyword | Asian elephant Mitochondrial genome Population structure Genetic diversity Conservation |
| Subject Area | Biodiversity & Conservation ; Environmental Sciences & Ecology |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03503 |
| Indexed By | SCI |
| Language | 英语 |
| WOS ID | WOS:001432142000001 |
| Citation statistics | |
| Document Type | 期刊论文 |
| Identifier | https://ir.xtbg.ac.cn/handle/353005/14681 |
| Collection | 2012年后新成立研究组 |
| Affiliation | 1.Univ Chinese Acad Sci, Coll Life Sci, Beijing 100049, Peoples R China 2.Northeast Forestry Univ, Coll Wildlife & Protected Area, Harbin 150040, Peoples R China 3.Natl Forestry & Grassland Adm, Southwest Survey & Planning Inst, Asian Elephant Res Ctr, Kunming 650031, Peoples R China 4.Chinese Acad Sci, Southeast Asia Biodivers Res Inst, Xishuangbanna 666303, Peoples R China 5.Chinese Acad Sci, Ctr Integrat Conservat, Xishuangbanna Trop Bot Garden, Xishuangbanna 666303, Peoples R China 6.Yunnan Int Joint Lab Southeast Asia Biodivers Cons, Xishuangbanna 666303, Peoples R China 7.Yunnan Key Lab Conservat Trop Rainforests & Asian, Xishuangbanna 666303, Peoples R China 8.Chinese Acad Sci, Yunnan Int Joint Lab Conservat & Utilizat Trop Tim, Xishuangbanna Trop Bot Garden, Xishuangbanna 666303, Peoples R China 9.Yunnan Univ, Inst Int Rivers & Ecosecur, Kunming 650500, Peoples R China |
| Recommended Citation GB/T 7714 | Shi, Minhui,Tian, Yinping,Tang, Yongjing,et al. Population genetics reveal potential threats from low maternal genetic diversity in wild Asian elephants in China[J]. GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION,2025,58(x):-. |
| APA | Shi, Minhui.,Tian, Yinping.,Tang, Yongjing.,Li, Haimeng.,Wang, Jishan.,...&Lan, Tianming.(2025).Population genetics reveal potential threats from low maternal genetic diversity in wild Asian elephants in China.GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION,58(x),-. |
| MLA | Shi, Minhui,et al."Population genetics reveal potential threats from low maternal genetic diversity in wild Asian elephants in China".GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION 58.x(2025):-. |
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| Population genetics （1529KB） | 期刊论文 | 出版稿 | 开放获取 | CC BY-NC-SA | View Download | |
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