New insights on African buffalo genetics

Smitz Nathalie, Cornélis Daniel, Chardonnet Philippe, Caron Alexandre, De Garine-Wichatitsky Michel, Jori Ferran, Van Hooft Pim, Heller Rasmus, Michaux Johan. 2015. New insights on African buffalo genetics. Gnusletter (1), « n.spéc. » African Buffalo, Résumé : 19-20. Symposium on African Buffalo. 1, Paris, France, 5 Novembre 2014/6 Novembre 2014.

Résumé : Along with the elephant and the wildbeest, the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is the most dominant species in terms of biomass but also the most widespread herbivore. It exhibits extreme morphological variability at large geographical scale, which has led to controversies about its taxonomic status. Nowadays, the African buffalo experience a severe reduction in population size and geographical distribution, as a result of human demographic expansion, overexploitation, habitat degradation and diseases. Using different kinds of markers on a large sampling set, we aimed to infer the genetic diversity and phylogeographic history of the African buffalo at the pan-African spatial distribution (N=766), as well as to assess the genetic health and the population structure of southern African Cape buffalo populations that face gene flow restriction (N=264). Analyses highlighted the existence of two distinct lineages at the continental scale: West and Central African populations (S.c. nanus, S.c. brachyceros, S.c. aequinoctialis) and East and Southern African populations (S.c. caffer). The two lineages likely expanded and diverged in the late to middle Pleistocene from an ancestral population located around the current-day Central African Republic. They probably adapted their morphology to colonize new habitats, hence developing the variety of ecophenotypes observed today. The finer scale axisconcentrated on southern Africa allowed identifying three genetic clusters. The splitting period suggests that the current pattern results from human-induced factors and/or from the aridification process that occurred during the Holocene. Lower differentiation estimates were observed between localities that experienced translocation over the last century. The two main clusters displayed high intra-cluster genetic diversity, low inter-cluster differentiation, and an absence of inbreeding depression signal, while the third one- a tiny population enclosed within an isolated protected area, experienced genetic drift. All those information are particularly essential within the context of conservation programs currently undertaken to restore genetic diversity of African buffalo populations.

Mots-clés Agrovoc : buffle africain, génétique des populations, évolution, conservation des ressources génétiques, santé animale, provenance

Mots-clés géographiques Agrovoc : Afrique au sud du Sahara, Afrique centrale, Afrique australe, République centrafricaine

Mots-clés libres : African buffalo, Conservation, Santé, Afrique sub-saharienne

Classification Agris : L10 - Génétique et amélioration des animaux
L60 - Taxonomie et géographie animales
P01 - Conservation de la nature et ressources foncières

Champ stratégique Cirad : Axe 6 (2014-2018) - Sociétés, natures et territoires

Auteurs et affiliations

• Smitz Nathalie, Université de Liège (BEL)
• Cornélis Daniel, CIRAD-ES-UPR AGIRs (ZWE)
• Chardonnet Philippe, International Foundation for the Conservation of the Wildlife (FRA)
• Caron Alexandre, CIRAD-ES-UPR AGIRs (MOZ) ORCID: 0000-0002-5213-3273
• De Garine-Wichatitsky Michel, CIRAD-ES-UPR AGIRs (ZWE) ORCID: 0000-0002-5438-1473
• Jori Ferran, CIRAD-ES-UPR AGIRs (BWA) ORCID: 0000-0001-5451-7767
• Van Hooft Pim, Wageningen University (NLD)
• Heller Rasmus, UCPH (DNK)
• Michaux Johan, CIRAD-ES-UPR AGIRs (FRA)

Source : Cirad-Agritrop (https://agritrop.cirad.fr/577471/)

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