Genetic diversity, social structure, and conservation value of the elephants of the Nakai Plateau, Lao PDR, based on non-invasive sampling

摘要: The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) may have the largest Asian elephant population in Indochina. However, elephants on PDR’s Nakai Plateau are potentially threatened by construction of a hydropower dam that will flood important habitat. We conducted non-invasive genetic study this region to provide baseline data diversity and social structure prior construction. For 102 we detected, values observed heterozygosity (0.711) allelic (8.0 alleles/locus) at microsatellite loci were higher than those found populations India Vietnam, while mitochondrial (haplotype 0.741; nucleotide 0.011) was similar reported for Lao/Vietnam region. Six haplotypes representing both major clades previously species. Relatedness estimates between females young detected near each other consistent with familial relationships, relatedness adult males suggest male locational dispersal. Since family group appears be intact region, these likely move as relatively large groups response habitat disturbance. These results positive implications viability demonstrate its conservation significance, valuable predicting monitoring effects over time.