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Kotzé A, Smith RM, Moodley Y, Luikart G, Birss C, Van Wyk AM, Grobler JP, Dalton DL. Lessons for conservation management: Monitoring temporal changes in genetic diversity of Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra). PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220331. [PMID: 31365543 PMCID: PMC6668792 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra) is a subspecies of mountain zebra endemic to South Africa. The Cape mountain zebra experienced near extinction in the early 1900's and their numbers have since recovered to more than 4,800 individuals. However, there are still threats to their long-term persistence. A previous study reported that Cape mountain zebra had low genetic diversity in three relict populations and that urgent conservation management actions were needed to mitigate the risk of further loss. As these suggestions went largely unheeded, we undertook the present study, fifteen years later to determine the impact of management on genetic diversity in three key populations. Our results show a substantial loss of heterozygosity across the Cape mountain zebra populations studied. The most severe losses occurred at De Hoop Nature Reserve where expected heterozygosity reduced by 22.85% from 0.385 to 0.297. This is alarming, as the De Hoop Nature Reserve was previously identified as the most genetically diverse population owing to its founders originating from two of the three remaining relict stocks. Furthermore, we observed a complete loss of multiple private alleles from all populations, and a related reduction in genetic structure across the subspecies. These losses could lead to inbreeding depression and reduce the evolutionary potential of the Cape mountain zebra. We recommend immediate implementation of evidence-based genetic management and monitoring to prevent further losses, which could jeopardise the long term survival of Cape mountain zebra, especially in the face of habitat and climate change and emerging diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoinette Kotzé
- National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Genetics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Rae M. Smith
- National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Genetics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Yoshan Moodley
- Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, Republic of South Africa
| | - Gordon Luikart
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, United States of America
- Wildlife Program, Fish and Wildlife Genomics Group, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, United States of America
| | | | - Anna M. Van Wyk
- National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - J. Paul Grobler
- Department of Genetics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Desiré L. Dalton
- National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Genetics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
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Novellie P, Birss C, Cowell C, Kerley GI, Peinke D, Pfab M, Selier J, Zimmermann D. Adaptive Governance of Cape Mountain Zebra, Can It Work? AFRICAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2017. [DOI: 10.3957/056.047.0079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Novellie
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth, 6031 South Africa
| | - Coral Birss
- CapeNature, Private Bag X5014, Stellenbosch, 7599 South Africa
| | - Carly Cowell
- South African National Parks, Cape Research Centre, P.O. Box 216, Steenberg, 7947 South Africa
| | - Graham I.H. Kerley
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth, 6031 South Africa
| | - Dean Peinke
- Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, 17 Fleet Street, East London, 5201 South Africa
| | - Michele Pfab
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Private Bag X101, Silverton, 0184 South Africa
| | - Jeanetta Selier
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Private Bag X101, Silverton, 0184 South Africa
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal South Africa, Private Bag X54001, Durban, 4000 South Africa
| | - David Zimmermann
- South African National Parks, Veterinary Wildlife Services, P.O. Box 76693, NMMU, Port Elizabeth, 6031 South Africa
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Cordingley JE, Sundaresan SR, Larison BJ, Shapiro B, Rubenstein DI. Grevy's zebra conservation: overcoming threats of isolation, genetic hybridization and demographic instability. Anim Conserv 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2009.00336.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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