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.
NSUWorks Citation
Wildt, David E.; Mitchell Bush; K. L. Goodrowe; Craig Packer; A. E. Pusey; J. L. Brown; P. Joslin; and Stephen J. O'Brien. 1987. "Reproductive and Genetic Consequences of Founding Isolated Lion Populations." Nature 329, (6137): 328-3321. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cnso_bio_facarticles/153
ORCID ID
0000-0001-7353-8301
ResearcherID
N-1726-2015
Comments
©1987 Nature Publishing Group