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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Fine-scale genetic structure and cryptic associations reveal evidence of kin-based sociality in the African forest elephant
PLoS ONE, Volume 9, No. 2, Article e88074, Year 2014
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Description
Spatial patterns of relatedness within animal populations are important in the evolution of mating and social systems, and have the potential to reveal information on species that are difficult to observe in the wild. This study examines the fine-scale genetic structure and connectivity of groups within African forest elephants, Loxodonta cyclotis, which are often difficult to observe due to forest habitat. We tested the hypothesis that genetic similarity will decline with increasing geographic distance, as we expect kin to be in closer proximity, using spatial autocorrelation analyses and Tau Kr tests. Associations between individuals were investigated through a non-invasive genetic capture-recapture approach using network models, and were predicted to be more extensive than the small groups found in observational studies, similar to fission-fusion sociality found in African savanna (Loxodonta africana) and Asian (Elephas maximus) species. Dung samples were collected in Lopé National Park, Gabon in 2008 and 2010 and genotyped at 10 microsatellite loci, genetically sexed, and sequenced at the mitochondrial DNA control region. We conducted analyses on samples collected at three different temporal scales: a day, within six-day sampling sessions, and within each year. Spatial autocorrelation and Tau Kr tests revealed genetic structure, but results were weak and inconsistent between sampling sessions. Positive spatial autocorrelation was found in distance classes of 0-5 km, and was strongest for the single day session. Despite weak genetic structure, individuals within groups were significantly more related to each other than to individuals between groups. Social networks revealed some components to have large, extensive groups of up to 22 individuals, and most groups were composed of individuals of the same matriline. Although fine-scale population genetic structure was weak, forest elephants are typically found in groups consisting of kin and based on matrilines, with some individuals having more associates than observed from group sizes alone. © 2014 Schuttler et al.
Available Materials
https://efashare.b-cdn.net/share/pmc/articles/PMC3914907/bin/pone.0088074.s001.docx
https://efashare.b-cdn.net/share/pmc/articles/PMC3914907/bin/pone.0088074.s002.docx
Authors & Co-Authors
Schuttler, Stephanie G.
United States, Columbia
University of Missouri
Philbrick, Jessica A.
United States, Columbia
University of Missouri
Jeffery, Kathryn J.
Gabon, Libreville
Agence Nationale Des Parcs Nationaux
United Kingdom, Stirling
University of Stirling
Gabon, Libreville
Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale
Eggert, Lori S.
United States, Columbia
University of Missouri
Statistics
Citations: 36
Authors: 4
Affiliations: 4
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0088074
e-ISSN:
19326203
Research Areas
Genetics And Genomics
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Locations
Gabon