Genetic census reveals increased but uneven growth of a critically endangered mountain gorilla population
Genetic census reveals increased but uneven growth of a critically endangered mountain gorilla population
复制标题
DOI：
10.1016/j.biocon.2012.09.018
复制
发表时间：
2013-02-01
影响因子：
5.9
通讯作者：
Robbins, Martha M.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Gray, Maryke;Roy, Justin;Robbins, Martha M.
监测濒危物种种群动态变化对制定有效的保护策略至关重要。在过去的40年里，维龙加山脉的山地大猩猩种群一直是密集保护工作、研究和几次人口普查的主题，但该地区也受到政治不稳定和战争的影响。在这里，我们展示了2010年人口普查的结果，这是第一次对整个人口的粪便样本进行基因分析。基因分析发现了几个大猩猩数量被低估或重复计算的例子，从而提高了种群估计的准确性。该种群估计有480只；包括在24个研究和旅游习惯组中发现的349只个体，在12个非习惯组中发现的101只个体，14只独居雄性，以及未被发现的婴儿的校正系数为16。自2003年以来，人口增长了26%（年增长率为3.7%），自1981年以来几乎翻了一番。几乎所有的增长都可以归因于2003年至2010年，以及之前连续人口普查之间的所有五个间隔期间，习惯性群体的相对较高的增长率。尽管如此，由于人类传播疾病的风险、行为障碍和潜在的偷猎脆弱性，使其他群体习惯化是不明智的。结果表明，即使在困难的条件下，保护工作也有可能取得成功，同时突出了管理野生习性大猩猩和非习性大猩猩种群的持续挑战。(C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd.版权所有。
Monitoring changes in the population dynamics of endangered species is crucial to effective conservation strategies. The mountain gorilla population of the Virunga Massif has been the subject of intensive conservation efforts, research and several censuses over the last 40 years, but the region has also been affected by political instability and war. Here we present results from the 2010 census, which was the first to utilize genetic analyses of fecal samples for the entire population. The genetic analyses improved the accuracy of the population estimate by identifying several instances in which gorillas otherwise would have been undercounted or double-counted. The population was estimated to be 480 individuals; including 349 individuals found in 24 groups that were habituated for research and tourism, 101 individuals found in 12 unhabituated groups, fourteen solitary males, and a correction factor of sixteen for undetected infants. The population has increased by 26% since 2003 (an annual rate of 3.7%) and it has almost doubled since 1981. Nearly all of the increase can be attributed to a relatively higher growth rate in the habituated groups from 2003 to 2010, and in all five of the previous intervals between consecutive censuses. Nonetheless, it would be imprudent to habituate additional groups due to the concomitant risks of disease transmission from humans, behavioral disturbance and potential vulnerability to poaching. The results show that it is possible for conservation efforts to succeed even under difficult conditions, while highlighting the continuing challenges of managing a wild population of both habituated and unhabituated gorillas. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.