Gobi bear abundance and inter-oases movements, Gobi Desert, Mongolia

Tumendemberel, Odbayar; Proctor, Michael F.; Reynolds, Harry V.; Boulanger, John; Luvsamjamba, Amgalan; Tserenbataa, Tuya; Batmunkh, Mijiddorj; Craighead, Derek; Yanjin, Nyambayar; Paetkau, David

doi:10.2192/ursus-d-15-00001.1

Cited by 50 publications

(21 citation statements)

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“…We chose a set of markers that were polymorphic in Gobi bears to facilitate individual identification of samples collected from hair snares, but 3 of them (G10B, G10L, MU51) were monomorphic for Himalayan bears. Previous studies [66, 67] present more accurate comparisons of genetic diversity of Gobi bears compared to other populations, because they used more microsatellite markers (24 loci) from Gobi and a large sample size of individuals (n = 28) from the Himalaya. Therefore, the previous estimate [67] of overall low diversity (He = 0.29) in Gobi bears, relative to other brown bears around the world, remains the best estimate of genetic diversity of bears in this region.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies [66, 67] present more accurate comparisons of genetic diversity of Gobi bears compared to other populations, because they used more microsatellite markers (24 loci) from Gobi and a large sample size of individuals (n = 28) from the Himalaya. Therefore, the previous estimate [67] of overall low diversity (He = 0.29) in Gobi bears, relative to other brown bears around the world, remains the best estimate of genetic diversity of bears in this region. The Gobi bears have clearly been isolated and low in number (< 40) for many decades, which has created significant genetic drift [68].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Both the STRUCTURE and PCoA analyses indicated that Gobi bears are genetically distinct and divergent from the bears in Himalaya, the Altai-Sayan region, and Khentii (Figs 4 and 5). Small and isolated populations, like Gobi bears [67], are subject to genetic drift, mediating reduction in genetic diversity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Phylogeography, genetic diversity, and connectivity of brown bear populations in Central Asia

Tumendemberel

Zedrosser

Proctor³

et al. 2019

PLoS ONE

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Knowledge of genetic diversity and population structure is critical for conservation and management planning at the population level within a species’ range. Many brown bear populations in Central Asia are small and geographically isolated, yet their phylogeographic relationships, genetic diversity, and contemporary connectivity are poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we collected brown bear samples from the Gobi Desert (n = 2360), Altai, Sayan, Khentii, and Ikh Khyangan mountains of Mongolia (n = 79), and Deosai National Park in the Himalayan Mountain Range of Pakistan (n = 5) and generated 927 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence data and genotypes at 13 nuclear DNA microsatellite loci. We documented high levels of mtDNA and nDNA diversity in the brown bear populations of northern Mongolia (Altai, Sayan, Buteeliin nuruu and Khentii), but substantially lower diversity in brown bear populations in the Gobi Desert and Himalayas of Pakistan. We detected 3 brown bear mtDNA phylogeographic groups among bears of the region, with clade 3a1 in Sayan, Khentii, and Buteeliin nuruu mountains, clade 3b in Altai, Sayan, Buteeliin nuruu, Khentii, and Ikh Khyangan, and clade 6 in Gobi and Pakistan. Our results also clarified the phylogenetic relationships and divergence times with other brown bear mtDNA clades around the world. The nDNA genetic structure analyses revealed distinctiveness of Gobi bears and different population subdivisions compared to mtDNA results. For example, genetic distance for nDNA microsatellite loci between the bears in Gobi and Altai (F ST = 0.147) was less than that of the Gobi and Pakistan (F ST = 0.308) suggesting more recent male-mediated nuclear gene flow between Gobi and Altai than between Gobi and the Pakistan bears. Our results provide valuable information for conservation and management of bears in this understudied region of Central Asia and highlight the need for special protection and additional research on Gobi brown bears.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Phylogeography, genetic diversity, and connectivity of brown bear populations in Central Asia

Tumendemberel

Zedrosser

Proctor³

et al. 2019

PLoS ONE

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“…MIS applications have expanded to include obtaining DNA from saliva on mammalian (Farley, Talbot, Sage, Sinnott, & Coltrane, 2014) and salmonid (Wheat, Allen, Miller, Wilmers, & Levi, 2016) carcasses to conduct species and individual identification. MIS has been the main method used to track small remnant or reintroduced populations in Europe (e.g., De Barba, Waits, Garton, 2010;Karamanlidis et al, 2010), Pakistan (Bellemain, Nawaz, Valentini, Swenson, & Taberlet, 2007), western continental United States (Proctor et al, 2012;Romain-Bondi et al, 2004) and the Gobi desert (McCarthy, Waits, & Mijiddorj, 2009;Tumendemberel et al, 2015). Brown bears have also been an important model system for the transition from genetic to genomic approaches in MIS.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic and genomic monitoring with minimally invasive sampling methods

Carroll

Bruford

DeWoody

et al. 2018

Evolutionary Applications

146

108

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The decreasing cost and increasing scope and power of emerging genomic technologies are reshaping the field of molecular ecology. However, many modern genomic approaches (e.g., RAD‐seq) require large amounts of high‐quality template DNA. This poses a problem for an active branch of conservation biology: genetic monitoring using minimally invasive sampling (MIS) methods. Without handling or even observing an animal, MIS methods (e.g., collection of hair, skin, faeces) can provide genetic information on individuals or populations. Such samples typically yield low‐quality and/or quantities of DNA, restricting the type of molecular methods that can be used. Despite this limitation, genetic monitoring using MIS is an effective tool for estimating population demographic parameters and monitoring genetic diversity in natural populations. Genetic monitoring is likely to become more important in the future as many natural populations are undergoing anthropogenically driven declines, which are unlikely to abate without intensive adaptive management efforts that often include MIS approaches. Here, we profile the expanding suite of genomic methods and platforms compatible with producing genotypes from MIS, considering factors such as development costs and error rates. We evaluate how powerful new approaches will enhance our ability to investigate questions typically answered using genetic monitoring, such as estimating abundance, genetic structure and relatedness. As the field is in a period of unusually rapid transition, we also highlight the importance of legacy data sets and recommend how to address the challenges of moving between traditional and next‐generation genetic monitoring platforms. Finally, we consider how genetic monitoring could move beyond genotypes in the future. For example, assessing microbiomes or epigenetic markers could provide a greater understanding of the relationship between individuals and their environment.

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“…Lower reproductive output could also be due to a long period of population isolation leading to a genetic Allee effect (Keller and Waller, 2002;Laikre et al, 1996). The observed heterozygosity was H o = 0.61 for the MM and H o = 0.51 for the NSN (unpublished data); though both are below the average for North American populations (H o = 0.65; Cronin and MacNeil, 2012) heterozygosity is higher than that observed for other threatened and isolated brown bear populations (e.g., Gobi desert, H o = 0.29, Tumendemberel et al, 2015; Pyrenees prior to augmentation, H o = 0.25, Taberlet et al, 1997). Finally, low reproductive success could also result from sexually selected infanticide exacerbated by small population demographic effects such as skewed sex ratio or years with no reproductively available females (Wielgus and Bunnell, 1994).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Divergent population trends following the cessation of legal grizzly bear hunting in southwestern British Columbia, Canada

McLellan

Sollmann

et al. 2019

Biological Conservation

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We conducted DNA capture-recapture monitoring of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) from 5 to 17 years after hunting was stopped in two adjacent but genetically distinct populations in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. We used spatial capture-recapture and non-spatial Pradel robust design modelling to estimate population density, trends, and the demographic components of population change for each population. The larger population had 21.5 bears/1000 km 2 and was growing (λ Pradel = 1.02 ± 0.02 SE; λ secr = 1.01 ± 4.6 × 10 −5 SE) following the cessation of hunting. The adjacent smaller population had 6.3 bears/1000 km 2 and was likely declining (λ Pradel = 0.95 ± 0.03 SE; λ secr = 0.98 ± 0.02 SE). Estimates of apparent survival and apparent recruitment indicated that lower recruitment was the dominant factor limiting population growth in the smaller population. Factors limiting reproductive rates and population density could include poor habitat quality, particularly the abundance of high-energy foods, genetic Allee effects due to a long period of population isolation, or demographic effects affecting infanticide rates. The cessation of hunting was insufficient to promote population recovery for the low density, isolated population. Our research highlights the importance of considering mortality thresholds in addition to small population effects and habitat quality when recovering large carnivore populations.

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Gobi bear abundance and inter-oases movements, Gobi Desert, Mongolia

Cited by 50 publications

References 40 publications

Phylogeography, genetic diversity, and connectivity of brown bear populations in Central Asia

Phylogeography, genetic diversity, and connectivity of brown bear populations in Central Asia

Genetic and genomic monitoring with minimally invasive sampling methods

Divergent population trends following the cessation of legal grizzly bear hunting in southwestern British Columbia, Canada

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