Biology Faculty Articles

Title

Reproductive and Genetic Consequences of Founding Isolated Lion Populations

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-24-1987

Publication Title

Nature

ISSN

0028-0836

Volume

329

Issue/No.

6137

First Page

328

Last Page

3321

Abstract

Species survival is critically dependent on reproductive performance, a complex physiological process under rigorous genetic control. Classical studies of inbreeding in laboratory animals and livestock have shown that increased homozygosity can adversely affect spermatogenesis, ovulation and perinatal mortality and morbidity. For wild populations, the consequences of inbreeding depression have not been examined intensively, although our recent studies of the African cheetah revealed a striking degree of genetic uniformity combined with an extremely high incidence of structurally abnormal spermatozoa (>70%) in captive as well as free-ranging males. In this study, we report definitive evidence that the reproductive function of free-ranging mammals can be impaired as a result of demographic contraction followed by inbreeding. In an examination of three distinct lion populations (two from the Serengeti ecosystem in East Africa and a third descended from lions in the Gir Forest of western India), a direct correlation was observed between genetic variability and two physiological traits, incidence of abnormal sperm and circulating testosterone, a critical hormone for spermatogenesis.

Comments

©1987 Nature Publishing Group

ORCID ID

0000-0001-7353-8301

ResearcherID

N-1726-2015

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Peer Reviewed

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