Implications of spatial genetic patterns for conserving African leopards

Comptes rendus biologies
Anne RopiquetConrad A Matthee

Abstract

The leopard (Panthera pardus) is heavily persecuted in areas where it predates livestock and threatens human well-being. Attempts to resolve human-leopard conflict typically involve translocating problem animals; however, these interventions are rarely informed by genetic studies and can unintentionally compromise the natural spatial genetic structure and diversity, and possibly the long-term persistence, of the species. No significant genetic discontinuities were definable within the southern African leopard population. Analysis of fine-scale genetic data derived from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA revealed that the primary natural process shaping the spatial genetic structure of the species is isolation-by-distance (IBD). The effective gene dispersal (σ) index can inform leopard translocations and is estimated to be 82 km for some South African leopards. The importance of adopting an evidence-based strategy is discussed for supporting the integration of genetic data, spatial planning and social learning institutions so as to promote collaboration between land managers, government agency staff and researchers.

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Citations

Apr 21, 2017·Mitochondrial DNA. Part A. DNA Mapping, Sequencing, and Analysis·Corey AncoEvon Hekkala
Apr 22, 2020·Ecology and Evolution·Vincent N NaudeJacqueline M Bishop
Oct 24, 2018·BMC Evolutionary Biology·Johanna L A PaijmansMichael Hofreiter

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