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Genetic structure of the savannah elephant population (Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach 1797)) in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area
Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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University of Pretoria
2014
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| _version_ | 1867613581553434624 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Van Aarde, Rudi J. |
| author_browse | Van Aarde, Rudi J. |
| author_facet | Van Aarde, Rudi J. |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2013 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/41004 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:38:25.653Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publishDateRange | 2014 |
| publishDateSort | 2014 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/41004 Genetic structure of the savannah elephant population (Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach 1797)) in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area Van Aarde, Rudi J. adeflamingh@gmail.com Sole, Catherine L. De Flamingh, Alida Savannah elephant population Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area Genetic structure Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach 1797) UCTD Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013. Earlier studies investigated the genetic structure of fragmented or isolated elephant populations by comparing the genetic characteristics of pre-defined populations. This study aimed to determine if there was genetic evidence for spatial structuring in a continuous elephant population in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA-TFCA). I sequenced one mtDNA gene region for 88 individuals and genotyped 100 individuals for 10 nuclear microsatellite loci. Bayesian Clustering Algorithms incorporated in the program Geneland were used to identify groups of genetically similar individuals. An Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) determined if these groups (henceforth referred to as subpopulations) were significantly differentiated. I used a Geographic Information System (GIS) landscape genetic toolbox to identify areas in the landscape with high genetic divergence between individual samples to determine if there were identifiable genetic barriers in the landscape. There were three significantly differentiated mtDNA sub-populations (Fst = 0.787), and two nDNA sub-populations that were not significantly differentiated (Fst = -0.02; Rst = -0.045), implying obstructed mtDNA, but high nDNA gene flow across the study region. Also, gene flow was apparent between Chobe and Kafue National Parks, where telemetry data has as of yet not recorded inter-population movements between these parks. The three mtDNA sub-populations were geographically differentiated and followed political boundaries as apparent sub-populations in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The differences between mtDNA and nDNA genetic structuring may be explained by i) historical events that shaped the current genetic structure (e.g. through founder-effects and persistent poaching hotspots) and ii) intrinsic variables that influence genetic structure at a local scale (e.g. through resource dependencies and social behaviour). The KAZA elephant population has a genetic diversity (mtDNA diversity as the pairwise number of differences (π) = 2.59; nDNA diversity as the mean alleles/locus and He = 7.5, 0.71) higher than other southern African populations, and inter-population movements may be responsible for maintaining this genetic diversity. I recommend continued support for conservation initiatives that aim at maintaining and restoring connectivity between populations through landscape linkages, which in so doing may ensure inter-population gene flow and uphold the current genetic state of the KAZA-TFCA elephant population. gm2014 Zoology and Entomology unrestricted 2014-07-30T07:39:41Z 2014-07-30T07:39:41Z 2014-04-09 2013 Dissertation De Flamingh, A 2013, Genetic structure of the savannah elephant population (Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach 1797)) in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, MSc dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/41004> E14/4/316/gm http://hdl.handle.net/2263/41004 en © 2013 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | Savannah elephant population Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area Genetic structure Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach 1797) UCTD Genetic structure of the savannah elephant population (Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach 1797)) in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area |
| title | Genetic structure of the savannah elephant population (Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach 1797)) in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area |
| title_full | Genetic structure of the savannah elephant population (Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach 1797)) in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area |
| title_fullStr | Genetic structure of the savannah elephant population (Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach 1797)) in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genetic structure of the savannah elephant population (Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach 1797)) in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area |
| title_short | Genetic structure of the savannah elephant population (Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach 1797)) in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area |
| title_sort | genetic structure of the savannah elephant population loxodonta africana blumenbach 1797 in the kavango zambezi transfrontier conservation area |
| topic | Savannah elephant population Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area Genetic structure Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach 1797) UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/41004 |