Balakrishnan Christopher N, Monfort Steven L, Gaur Ajay, Singh Lalji, Sorenson Michael D
Boston University, Department of Biology, 5 Cummington Street, Boston MA 02215, USA.
Mol Ecol. 2003 Jan;12(1):1-10. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-294x.2003.01751.x.
Eld's deer (Cervus eldi) is a highly endangered cervid, distributed historically throughout much of South Asia and Indochina. We analysed variation in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region for representatives of all three Eld's deer subspecies to gain a better understanding of the genetic population structure and evolutionary history of this species. A phylogeny of mtDNA haplotypes indicates that the critically endangered and ecologically divergent C. eldi eldi is related more closely to C. e. thamin than to C. e. siamensis, a result that is consistent with biogeographic considerations. The results also suggest a strong degree of phylogeographic structure both between subspecies and among populations within subspecies, suggesting that dispersal of individuals between populations has been very limited historically. Haplotype diversity was relatively high for two of the three subspecies (thamin and siamensis), indicating that recent population declines have not yet substantially eroded genetic diversity. In contrast, we found no haplotype variation within C. eldi eldi or the Hainan Island population of C. eldi siamensis, two populations which are known to have suffered severe population bottlenecks. We also compared levels of haplotype and nucleotide diversity in an unmanaged captive population, a managed captive population and a relatively healthy wild population. Diversity indices were higher in the latter two, suggesting the efficacy of well-designed breeding programmes for maintaining genetic diversity in captivity. Based on significant genetic differentiation among Eld's deer subspecies, we recommend the continued management of this species in three distinct evolutionarily significant units (ESUs). Where possible, it may be advisable to translocate individuals between isolated populations within a subspecies to maintain levels of genetic variation in remaining Eld's deer populations.
Eld's鹿（Cervus eldi）是一种极度濒危的鹿类，历史上分布于南亚和印度支那的大部分地区。我们分析了所有三个 Eld's鹿亚种代表的线粒体DNA（mtDNA）控制区的变异情况，以更好地了解该物种的遗传种群结构和进化历史。mtDNA单倍型的系统发育表明，极度濒危且生态上有差异的C. eldi eldi与C. e. thamin的亲缘关系比与C. e. siamensis更近，这一结果与生物地理学考虑相符。结果还表明，亚种之间以及亚种内种群之间存在很强的系统地理结构，这表明历史上种群间个体的扩散非常有限。三个亚种中的两个（thamin和siamensis）单倍型多样性相对较高，这表明近期种群数量的下降尚未严重侵蚀遗传多样性。相比之下，我们在C. eldi eldi或C. eldi siamensis的海南岛种群中未发现单倍型变异，这两个种群已知经历了严重的种群瓶颈。我们还比较了非管理圈养种群、管理圈养种群和相对健康的野生种群中的单倍型和核苷酸多样性水平。后两者的多样性指数较高，这表明精心设计的育种计划在圈养中维持遗传多样性的有效性。基于Eld's鹿亚种之间显著的遗传分化，我们建议将该物种继续作为三个不同的进化显著单元（ESUs）进行管理。在可能的情况下，在亚种内的孤立种群之间转移个体以维持剩余Eld's鹿种群的遗传变异水平可能是可取的。
