Journal Article

Using Genetic Profiles of African Forest Elephants to Infer Population Structure, Movements, and Habitat Use in a Conservation and Development Landscape in Gabon

MALDONADO, J. E., DALLMEIER, F., LEE, M. E., BUIJ, R., EGGERT, L. S., CAMPBELL, P., FLEISCHER, R. C., ALONSO, A.

2014

Overview

Conservation of wide‐ranging species, such as the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), depends on fully protected areas and multiple‐use areas (MUA) that provide habitat connectivity. In the Gamba Complex of Protected Areas in Gabon, which includes 2 national parks separated by a MUA containing energy and forestry concessions, we studied forest elephants to evaluate the importance of the MUA to wide‐ranging species. We extracted DNA from elephant dung samples and used genetic information to identify over 500 individuals in the MUA and the parks. We then examined patterns of nuclear microsatellites and mitochondrial control‐region sequences to infer population structure, movement patterns, and habitat use by age and sex. Population structure was weak but significant, and differentiation was more pronounced during the wet season. Within the MUA, males were more strongly associated with open habitats, such as wetlands and savannas, than females during the dry season. Many of the movements detected within and between seasons involved the wetlands and bordering lagoons. Our results suggest that the MUA provides year‐round habitat for some elephants and additional habitat for others whose primary range is in the parks. With the continuing loss of roadless wilderness areas in Central Africa, well‐managed MUAs will likely be important to the conservation of wide‐ranging species. Utilización de Perfiles Genéticos de Elefantes Africanos para Inferir su Estructura Poblacional, Movimientos y Uso del Hábitat en un Paisaje con Conservación y Desarrollo en Gabón Resumenfgs

• Publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd,Wiley Periodicals Inc,Wiley-Blackwell
• Subject: Age Distribution / Animal Distribution / Animal populations / Animal, plant and microbial ecology / Animals / Applied ecology / Biological and medical sciences / chemistry / conectividad / connectivity / conservación afuera de parques / conservation areas / Conservation biology / Conservation of Natural Resources / conservation outside parks / Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife / Contributed Papers / crisis / demography / DNA / Dry season / Dry seasons / Dung / Elephantidae / Elephants / Elephants - genetics / Elephants - physiology / Environment / feces / Feces - chemistry / Female / females / Forest conservation / Forest ecology / Forest genetics / Forestry / Forests / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / Gabon / General aspects / General forest ecology / Generalities. Production, biomass. Quality of wood and forest products. General forest ecology / genetics / Habitat utilization / Habitats / Lagoons / loci / Loxodonta / Loxodonta cyclotis / loxodonta-africana / Male / males / microsatellite repeats / Molecular Sequence Data / muestreo no invasivo / multiple-use areas / National parks / national-park / noninvasive sampling / Parks & recreation areas / Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking / patterns / physiology / Polymerase Chain Reaction / Population Dynamics / Population genetics / Population structure / Protected areas / Rainy season / Rainy seasons / relatedness / savanna elephants / savannas / Seasons / Sequence Analysis, DNA / Sex Distribution / wet season / Wetlands / Wilderness / Wilderness areas / Wildlife conservation / áreas de uso múltiple