Population size estimation of an Asian elephant population in eastern Cambodia through non-invasive mark-recapture sampling

Gray, Thomas N. E.; Vidya, T. N. C.; Potdar, Sheetal; Bharti, D. K.; Prum, Sovanna

doi:10.1007/s10592-014-0579-y

Cited by 41 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…The habitat of the Bornean elephants those are distributed only in Borneo Island and considered as an evolutionarily significant unit (Fernando et al, 2003), was highly fragmented due to land conversion to palm oil plantations and human settlement. Genetic analysis of the Bornean elephants revealed low genetic diversity compared to that of other mainland Asian elephant populations (Goossens et al, 2016) such as populations in Laos (Ahlering et al, 2011) and Cambodia (Gray et al, 2014). Only one mitochondrial haplotype was found in the studied populations (Fernando et al, 2003;Goossens et al, 2016).…”

Section: Population Fragmentation In Human-dominated Areasmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…Analysis of genetic diversity revealed a history of the population in the Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary, Cambodia. The population contained moderate to high microsatellite diversity, though deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was detected, which is possibly due to population decline and fragmentation in the past (Gray et al, 2014).…”

Section: Low Genetic Diversity In the Small Populationsmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Alternative methods such as dung count (Hedges et al, 2005) and noninvasive genetic method (Ahlering et al, 2011;Hedges, Johnson, Ahlering, Tyson, & Eggert, 2013;Gray, Vidya, Potdar, Bharti, & Sovanna, 2014;Moßbrucker et al, 2015) have been applied to obtain data of wild elephant populations in such habitats. One of the advantages of noninvasive genetic method over the dung count method is that the genetic method provides genetic information of the populations that could not be obtained from field data collection alone.…”

Section: Noninvasive Genetic Methods For Wildlife Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Di-, tri-and tetranucleotide microsatellite DNA for the Asian elephant have been developed (Fernando, Vidya, & Melnick, 2001;Kongrit et al, 2008). Multilocus microsatellite genotyping together with mark-recapture analyses allows researchers to reliably estimate population size (Hedges et al, 2013;Gray et al, 2014;Moßbrucker et al, 2015). Cross specific microsatellite primers developed for the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) have also been commonly applied to the Asian elephant populations (Vidya et al, 2007;Flagstad, Pradhan, Kvernstuen, & Wegge, 2012;Moßbrucker et al, 2015).…”

Section: Microsatellite Dnamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The "comparative approach" (Frantz et al, 2003) has been proposed and commonly used by repeating amplification of the microsatellite fragments and scoring the consensus genotypes (e.g. Ahlering et al, 2011;Flagstad et al, 2012;Gray et al, 2014). The analytic software has been developed to examine allelic dropout and null alleles, or to determine problematic loci (Valière, 2002;van Oosterhout et al, 2004;Mckelvey & Schwartz, 2005;Rousset, 2008).…”

Section: Genotyping Errors Due To Noninvasive Sample Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Genetic Tools for the Conservation of Wild Asian Elephants

Kongrit

2017

IJB

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The distribution of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) has been limited to the remaining discontinuous forests, mainly in the South and Southeast Asia. A global number of wild Asian elephants have been declining due to habitat loss, forest fragmentation, and anthropogenic disturbance. Acquiring information of wild populations is important for effective conservation and management plan. This article reviews the applications of noninvasive genetic method as a tool for studying wild Asian elephants. Noninvasive genetic method has been introduced to the field of wildlife conservation for more than two decades. The method provides reliable information of a population and facilitates investigation of genetic effects on small and fragmented populations. Various DNA markers for the Asian elephant, those include mitochondrial DNA, microsatellite DNA, and sex determination markers, have been developed and used to study wild elephant populations across the distribution range. Most of the studies revealed the issues of low genetic diversity in the small populations and interruption of gene flow among the fragmented populations. Tracking of ivory poaching has not yet been done in the Asian elephant. It could be carried out if a reference genetic database of the natural populations is available. Noninvasive genetic method has been proved to be a promising tool for conservation of the wild Asian elephants. Transboundary collaboration would give hope for a successful long-term conservation of this charismatic species in their natural habitats.

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Section: Population Fragmentation In Human-dominated Areasmentioning

confidence: 73%

Section: Low Genetic Diversity In the Small Populationsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Noninvasive Genetic Methods For Wildlife Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Microsatellite Dnamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Genotyping Errors Due To Noninvasive Sample Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Genetic Tools for the Conservation of Wild Asian Elephants

Kongrit

2017

IJB

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Age‐Specific differences in Asian elephant defecation, dung decay, detection and their implication for dung count

Ashokkumar

Chinnaiyan²,

Kaliyaperumal

et al. 2022

Ecol Sol and Evidence

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1. In vertebrate population estimation, converting faecal density into animal density requires information on the faecal production rate, decay rate and faecal density. Differences in the above factors for long-lived species across age classes were not evaluated. We have evaluated these factors associated with the dung count of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in the tropical forest of southern India.2. The defecation rate of elephants was determined in semi-wild elephants at the Mudumalai elephant camp. The relationship between dung bolus diameter and age was determined to estimate the age of the elephant. The total and age-specific elephant density based on dung bolus diameter was estimated. A total of 24 transect lines of 2-4 km (125 km) were sampled in the study area. An experiment was conducted to assess the detection probability across the age classes of dung piles. The dung decay rates across age classes and seasons were determined by marking fresh dung piles (n = 1551). The dung-based age structure assessment and its limitations were evaluated.3. The mean defecation rate was 13.51 ± 0.51 per day. The defecation rate was significantly lower for the younger age class and increased with the age of elephants.Defecation rates were significantly lower in the wet season than in the dry. The dung bolus diameter positively increased with the age of elephants, and the growth curve can be used to predict the age and age structure of elephant populations.4. The disparity in the dung production rate results in the lower availability of younger age class (juvenile and calf) dung in the transect for counting, which results in lower dung abundance. The detection probability of dung piles of younger age classes was low (0.58). The survival rates of dung piles of younger age classes were lower and increased with the age of elephants in the wet season. Hence, the demographic assessment of the population based on dung needs to consider age-specific differences in dung production, decay and detection probability. Although the This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Effects of a hydropower project on a high‐value Asian elephant population

Budd,

Suddychan,

Tyson

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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Habitat loss and fragmentation are leading contributors to the endangered status of species. In 2006, the Nakai Plateau contained the largest known Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) population in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), and the population was among those with the highest genetic diversity reported for Asian elephants. In 2008, completion of the Nam Theun 2 hydroelectric dam inundated much of the Plateau, resulting in the loss of 40% of elephant habitat. We studied elephant presence, movements, and the incidence of human–elephant conflict (HEC) on the Nakai Plateau and surrounding areas from 2004 to 2020, before and for 12 years after dam completion. To examine contemporary population dynamics in the Nakai elephants, we used genetic sampling to compare minimum population numbers, demography, and levels of genetic diversity from the wet and dry seasons in 2018/2019, 10 years after dam completion, with those reported in a pre‐dam‐completion genetic survey. After dam completion, we found a major increase in HEC locally and the creation of new, serious, and persistent HEC problems as far as 100 km away. While we were unable to compare estimated population sizes before and after dam completion, our data revealed a decrease in genetic diversity, a male‐biased sex ratio, and evidence of dispersal from the Plateau by breeding‐age females. Our results raise concerns about the long‐term viability of this important population as well as that of other species in this region. Given that hydropower projects are of economic importance throughout Laos and elsewhere in southeast Asia, this study has important implications for understanding and mitigating their impact.

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Population size estimation of an Asian elephant population in eastern Cambodia through non-invasive mark-recapture sampling

Cited by 41 publications

References 37 publications

Genetic Tools for the Conservation of Wild Asian Elephants

Genetic Tools for the Conservation of Wild Asian Elephants

Age‐Specific differences in Asian elephant defecation, dung decay, detection and their implication for dung count

Effects of a hydropower project on a high‐value Asian elephant population

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