Population genetics reveal potential threats from low maternal genetic diversity in wild Asian elephants in China
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...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989425001040 |
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| author | Minhui Shi Yinping Tian Yongjing Tang Haimeng Li Jishan Wang Yue Ma Xin Liu Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz Fei Chen Tianming Lan |
| author_facet | Minhui Shi Yinping Tian Yongjing Tang Haimeng Li Jishan Wang Yue Ma Xin Liu Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz Fei Chen Tianming Lan |
| author_sort | Minhui Shi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5a39b2f31bec4ea38e9ce03a77607d23 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2351-9894 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj-art-5a39b2f31bec4ea38e9ce03a77607d232025-08-20T02:01:58ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942025-04-0158e0350310.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03503Population genetics reveal potential threats from low maternal genetic diversity in wild Asian elephants in ChinaMinhui Shi0Yinping Tian1Yongjing Tang2Haimeng Li3Jishan Wang4Yue Ma5Xin Liu6Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz7Fei Chen8Tianming Lan9College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaCollege of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, ChinaAsian Elephant Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Southwest Survey and Planning Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming 650031, ChinaCollege of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, ChinaAsian Elephant Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Southwest Survey and Planning Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming 650031, ChinaCollege of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaSoutheast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna 666303, China; Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Southeast Asia Biodiversity Conservation & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Conservation of Tropical Rainforests and Asian Elephants, Xishuangbanna 666303, China; Yunnan International Joint Laboratory for the Conservation and Utilization of Tropical Timber Tree Species, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna 666303, ChinaAsian Elephant Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Southwest Survey and Planning Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming 650031, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China; Corresponding author at: Asian Elephant Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Southwest Survey and Planning Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming 650031, China.College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; Corresponding author.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.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989425001040Asian elephantMitochondrial genomePopulation structureGenetic diversityConservation |
| spellingShingle | Minhui Shi Yinping Tian Yongjing Tang Haimeng Li Jishan Wang Yue Ma Xin Liu Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz Fei Chen Tianming Lan Population genetics reveal potential threats from low maternal genetic diversity in wild Asian elephants in China Global Ecology and Conservation Asian elephant Mitochondrial genome Population structure Genetic diversity Conservation |
| title | Population genetics reveal potential threats from low maternal genetic diversity in wild Asian elephants in China |
| title_full | Population genetics reveal potential threats from low maternal genetic diversity in wild Asian elephants in China |
| title_fullStr | Population genetics reveal potential threats from low maternal genetic diversity in wild Asian elephants in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Population genetics reveal potential threats from low maternal genetic diversity in wild Asian elephants in China |
| title_short | Population genetics reveal potential threats from low maternal genetic diversity in wild Asian elephants in China |
| title_sort | population genetics reveal potential threats from low maternal genetic diversity in wild asian elephants in china |
| topic | Asian elephant Mitochondrial genome Population structure Genetic diversity Conservation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989425001040 |
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