Genetic structure of the Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) population: Are tigers in Sikhote‐Alin and southwest Primorye truly isolated?

Abstract

We used molecular genetic analyses to noninvasively identify individual Amur tigers and define subpopulations of tigers in the Russian Far East. We identified 63 individuals after genotyping 256 feces, 7 hair and 11 blood samples collected within southern, central and northern Sikhote-Alin, as well as Southwest Primorye. Analysis of nuclear DNA at 9 microsatellite loci demonstrated greater genetic similarity between animals from southern and northern Sikhote-Alin (some 500 km apart) than between animals from Ussuriskii State Nature Reserve and Southwest Primorye (less than 10 km apart at their nearest point), suggesting that a true barrier exists preventing movements of tigers between Southwest Primorye and the southern Sikhote-Alin Mountains.

Noninvasive genetics provides insights into the population size and genetic diversity of an Amur tiger population in China

“…In contrast, the Bengal tiger generally has much higher genetic diversity (Bhagavatula & Singh 2006;Mondol et al 2009a;Borthakur et al 2010Borthakur et al , 2013Sugimoto et al 2014), which may result from the historically high population size in the Indian subcontinent (Mondol et al 2009b). However the lower genetic diversity of Amur tigers in Hunchun, China compared to adjacent animals in southwest Primorye, Russia (Henry et al 2009;Sugimoto et al 2012;Sorokin et al 2016) can likely be explained by sampling bias. However the lower genetic diversity of Amur tigers in Hunchun, China compared to adjacent animals in southwest Primorye, Russia (Henry et al 2009;Sugimoto et al 2012;Sorokin et al 2016) can likely be explained by sampling bias.…”

“…Deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for each loci and the population were assessed using an exact probability test implemented in GENEPOP 4.0 (Rousset 2008). To assess the level of genetic diversity of the wild Amur tiger population, we compared our results with those of other noninvasive genetics studies of wild tiger populations (Bhagavatula & Singh 2006;Mondol et al 2009;Borthakur et al 2011Borthakur et al , 2013Sugimoto et al 2012;Caragiulo et al 2015;Sorokin et al 2016). To assess the level of genetic diversity of the wild Amur tiger population, we compared our results with those of other noninvasive genetics studies of wild tiger populations (Bhagavatula & Singh 2006;Mondol et al 2009;Borthakur et al 2011Borthakur et al , 2013Sugimoto et al 2012;Caragiulo et al 2015;Sorokin et al 2016).…”

“…Significance values for multiple comparisons were adjusted using the Bonferroni correction (Rice 1989). To assess the level of genetic diversity of the wild Amur tiger population, we compared our results with those of other noninvasive genetics studies of wild tiger populations (Bhagavatula & Singh 2006;Mondol et al 2009;Borthakur et al 2011Borthakur et al , 2013Sugimoto et al 2012;Caragiulo et al 2015;Sorokin et al 2016).…”

“…In 2000 it was estimated that approximately 20 tigers live in northeast China (Yu et al 2000;Li et al 2001), and probably none in North Korea. No more than 500 tigers habituate the Far East of Russia (Miquelle et al 2010), and the population is divided into 2 subpopulations, with the larger subpopulation located in the Sikhote-Alin Mountains and the smaller subpopulation in southwest Primorye (Henry et al 2009;Sorokin et al 2016).…”

Helminths of Rare Feline Species (Felidae) in Siberia and the Russian Far East

“…Comparison of the helminths presence in the Amur tiger excrements collected in the south, center and north of its range suggests that helminth fauna has certain particularities in different parts of the tiger habitat, with about the same proportion of samples with eggs of helminths found. So, in the Amur tiger population in the Southwest of Primorskii Kray that is considered isolated 11,38 , two specific parasites were discovered (nematoda Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and cestoda Spirometra erinacei). Nematoda Toxocara cati, found in virtually all excrement samples, is the most common species in all parts of the Amur tiger habitat.…”