scholarly journals Evolutionary and demographic processes shaping geographic patterns of genetic diversity in a keystone species, the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis )

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 4919-4931 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuko Ishida ◽  
Natalie A. Gugala ◽  
Nicholas J. Georgiadis ◽  
Alfred L. Roca
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Geographic Patterns ◽  
African Forest Elephant ◽  
Demographic Processes ◽  
Loxodonta Cyclotis ◽  
Forest Elephant

Equinurbia blakei n. sp. (Nematoda: Strongyloidea: Strongylidae) from the African Forest Elephant, Loxodonta cyclotis

2008 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 196-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramon A. Carreno ◽  
John M. Kinsella
Keyword(s):  
African Forest Elephant ◽  
Loxodonta Cyclotis ◽  
Forest Elephant

scholarly journals Abundance, density, and social structure of African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) in a human-modified landscape in southwestern Gabon

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin M. Brand ◽  
Mireille B. Johnson ◽  
Lillian D. Parker ◽  
Jesús E. Maldonado ◽  
Lisa Korte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
Population Size ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Mitochondrial Haplotypes ◽  
Industrial Corridor ◽  
Forest Elephants ◽  
Loxodonta Cyclotis ◽  
Forest Elephant

AbstractThe noninvasive monitoring of population size and demography is critical to effective conservation, but forest living taxa can be difficult to directly observe due to elusiveness and/or inaccessible habitat. This has been true of African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis), for which we have limited information regarding population size and social behavior despite their threatened conservation status. In this study, we estimated demographic parameters focusing specifically on population size and density using genetic capture-recapture of forest elephants in the southern Industrial Corridor of the Gamba Complex of Protected Areas, which is considered a global stronghold for forest elephants in southwestern Gabon. Additionally, we examined forest elephant sociality through analysis of social networks, predicting that we would find matrilineal structure as exhibited by savanna elephants and other forest elephants. Given 95% confidence intervals, we estimate the size of the population in the sampled area to be between 754 and 1,502 individuals and our best density estimate ranges from 0.47 to 0.80 elephants per km2. When extrapolated across the entire Industrial Corridor, this estimate suggests an elephant population size of 3,033 to 6,043 in this area based on abundance or 1,684 to 2,832 based on density, which is 40 – 83% smaller than previously suggested. Furthermore, our social network analysis revealed approximately half of network components included females with different mitochondrial haplotypes; this suggests a wider range of variation in forest elephant sociality than has previously been reported. This study emphasizes the threatened status of forest elephants and demonstrates the need to further refine baseline estimates of population size and knowledge on social behavior in this taxon, both of which will aid in determining how population dynamics in this keystone species may be changing through time in relation to increasing conservation threats.

scholarly journals Development and characterization of microsatellite markers in the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis)

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie A. Gugala ◽  
Yasuko Ishida ◽  
Nicholas J. Georgiadis ◽  
Alfred L. Roca
Keyword(s):  
Microsatellite Markers ◽  
African Forest Elephant ◽  
Loxodonta Cyclotis ◽  
Forest Elephant

scholarly journals Molecular identification and geographic origin of a post-Medieval elephant finding from southwestern Portugal using high-throughput sequencing

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaos Psonis ◽  
Carlos Neto de Carvalho ◽  
Silvério Figueiredo ◽  
Eugenia Tabakaki ◽  
Despoina Vassou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Western Europe ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Geographic Origin ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Wildlife Trade ◽  
African Forest Elephant ◽  
Loxodonta Cyclotis ◽  
Forest Elephant ◽  
Ivory Trade

Abstract Molecular species identification plays a crucial role in archaeology and palaeontology, especially when diagnostic morphological characters are unavailable. Molecular markers have been used in forensic science to trace the geographic origin of wildlife products, such as ivory. So far, only a few studies have applied genetic methods to both identify the species and circumscribe the provenance of historic wildlife trade material. Here, by combining ancient DNA methods and genome skimming on a historical elephantid tooth found in southwestern Portugal, we aimed to identify its species, infer its placement in the elephantid phylogenetic tree, and triangulate its geographic origin. According to our results the specimen dates back to the eighteenth century CE and belongs to a female African forest elephant (non-hybrid Loxodonta cyclotis individual) geographically originated from west—west-central Africa, from areas where one of the four major mitochondrial clades of L. cyclotis is distributed. Historical evidence supports our inference, pointing out that the tooth should be considered as post-Medieval raw ivory trade material between West Africa and Portugal. Our study provides a comprehensive approach to study historical products and artefacts using archaeogenetics and contributes towards enlightening cultural and biological historical aspects of ivory trade in western Europe.

scholarly journals Activity of Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) In Two Clearings within Ogooué Leketi National Park, Congo Brazzaville

2021 ◽  
pp. 67-76
Author(s):  
Clement Inkamba Nkulu ◽  
Jean Malekani ◽  
Mukulire Peter ◽  
Wrege Julien ◽  
Punga Kumanege ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Acoustic Monitoring ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Night Time ◽  
African Forest Elephant ◽  
Opposite Sex ◽  
Loxodonta Cyclotis ◽  
Forest Elephant ◽  
Congo Brazzaville ◽  
Passive Acoustic

In order to increase our understanding of forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) vocal communication, this study examined the spatial and temporal activity of elephants from two forest clearings (Bissoloko and Madjouama). To obtain data on the visit of elephant in the clearings daily, it requires considerable human and financial resources for conservation programs observations. However, we deployed autonomous acoustic recorders “SM2” to assess elephants’ activities both day and night time from 2013 to 2014. Elephant visitation in these clearings depends on certain factors as, seasons, years, and preferences of elephant to use one or more site. As a results this study found that (i) elephants visited Bissoloko clearing more than Madjouama, although these two clearings were within 5 km distant one another; (ii) Eighty six per cent of elephant calls occurred at night, and large changes in call density at night often were not reflected in similar changes during the day; (iii) there were significant differences in the calls made at night; (iv) elephants were found to be visiting clearings more often in the wet season than in the dry season; (v) visitation was significantly higher in 2013 than in 2014. Elephants used randomly one or other clearings. This empirical study suggests that African forest elephant has two vocal communication practices. Spatially separated females engage in rumble exchanges that help them to coordinate their movements and to bring them together. Both male and female elephants produce "mate attraction" rumbles to inform the opposite sex of their reproductive status. These results show the value of acoustic monitoring as a tool for better understanding of forest elephant behaviour. We suggest that passive acoustic monitoring should be incorporated into forest elephant monitoring programs to complement direct observations at forest clearings.

Estimating the defaecation rate of the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) in Banyang-Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary, south-western Cameroon

2008 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Chifu Nchanji ◽  
Philip Forbah Forboseh ◽  
James Arthur Powell
Keyword(s):  
Wildlife Sanctuary ◽  
African Forest Elephant ◽  
Loxodonta Cyclotis ◽  
Forest Elephant

scholarly journals Assessing the feasibility of density estimation methodologies for African forest elephant at large spatial scales

2021 ◽  
pp. e01550
Author(s):  
A. Laguardia ◽  
K.S. Gobush ◽  
S. Bourgeois ◽  
S. Strindberg ◽  
G. Abitsi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Density Estimation ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
African Forest Elephant ◽  
Forest Elephant

Geographic patterns of genetic diversity in North American trees: a continent-wide analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew V. Gougherty
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Population Genetics ◽  
North America ◽  
North American ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Geographic Patterns ◽  
Study Characteristics ◽  
Dispersal Traits ◽  
The Last Glacial Maximum ◽  
The Last Glacial

In the northern hemisphere, many species have been reported to have greater genetic diversity in southern populations than northern populations - ostensibly due to migration northward following the last glacial maximum (LGM). The generality of this pattern, while well-established for some taxa, remains unclear for North American trees. To address this issue, I collected published population genetics data for 73 North American tree species, and tested whether genetic diversity was associated with latitude or longitude and whether geographic trends were associated with dispersal traits, range or study characteristics. I found there were no general geographic patterns in genetic diversity, and the strength of the geographic gradients were not associated with any species or study characteristics. Species in the northern and western regions of North America tended to have more species with genetic diversity that declined with latitude, but most species had no significant trend. This work shows that North American trees have complex, individualistic, patterns of genetic diversity that may negate explanation by any particular dispersal trait or range characteristic.

Groundwater oligochaetes show complex genetic patterns of distribution in the Pilbara region of Western Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Brown ◽  
Terrie Finston ◽  
Garth Humphreys ◽  
Stefan Eberhard ◽  
Adrian Pinder
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Mitochondrial Coi ◽  
Groundwater Fauna ◽  
Ecological Requirements ◽  
Large Size ◽  
Geographic Patterns ◽  
Genetic Patterns

Patterns of genetic diversity in the groundwater fauna of Australia have largely focused on obligate stygobites of relatively large size, namely, crustaceans. Oligochaete worms, with their smaller size and broader ecological niches, provide a contrasting model in which to examine such patterns. Genetic diversity in subterranean oligochaetes in the Pilbara region of Western Australia were examined using one nuclear (18S) and two mitochondrial (COI, 12S) regions. The observed variation was assessed at three levels of hydrology – river basin, creek catchment, and individual bore or site – to document geographic patterns. Most species appeared to be restricted to an individual catchment; however, five species, representing three families, were widespread, with some haplotypes being shared between bores, catchments and even basins. General patterns suggest that while hydrology plays a role in the distribution of oligochaete species, it does not always confine them to catchments, in contrast to patterns observed in groundwater isopods and amphipods in the region. We suggest that intrinsic characteristics of oligochaetes, such as body size, shape, reproductive strategy and ecological requirements, may have allowed them greater dispersal within the subterranean biome of the Pilbara. In particular, oligochaetes may occupy subterranean and surface waters, increasing their opportunities for dispersal.

scholarly journals Distinguishing extant elephants ivory from mammoth ivory using a short sequence of cytochrome b gene

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Njaramba Ngatia ◽  
Tian Ming Lan ◽  
Yue Ma ◽  
Thi Dao Dinh ◽  
Zhen Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Target Sequence ◽  
African Savanna ◽  
Large Gene ◽  
Copy Numbers ◽  
African Forest Elephant ◽  
Savanna Elephant ◽  
Clear Identification ◽  
Elephant Ivory ◽  
Forest Elephant ◽  
Woolly Mammoth

AbstractTrade in ivory from extant elephant species namely Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana) and African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) is regulated internationally, while the trade in ivory from extinct species of Elephantidae, including woolly mammoth, is unregulated. This distinction creates opportunity for laundering and trading elephant ivory as mammoth ivory. The existing morphological and molecular genetics methods do not reliably distinguish the source of ivory items that lack clear identification characteristics or for which the quality of extracted DNA cannot support amplification of large gene fragments. We present a PCR-sequencing method based on 116 bp target sequence of the cytochrome b gene to specifically amplify elephantid DNA while simultaneously excluding non-elephantid species and ivory substitutes, and while avoiding contamination by human DNA. The partial Cytochrome b gene sequence enabled accurate association of ivory samples with their species of origin for all three extant elephants and from mammoth. The detection limit of the PCR system was as low as 10 copy numbers of target DNA. The amplification and sequencing success reached 96.7% for woolly mammoth ivory and 100% for African savanna elephant and African forest elephant ivory. This is the first validated method for distinguishing elephant from mammoth ivory and it provides forensic support for investigation of ivory laundering cases.

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