title: Splitting or lumping? A conservation dilemma exemplified by the critically endangered dama gazelle (Nanger dama).
abstract: Managers of threatened species often face the dilemma of whether to keep populations separate to conserve local adaptations and minimize the risk of outbreeding, or whether to manage populations jointly to reduce loss of genetic diversity and minimise inbreeding. In this study we examine genetic relatedness and diversity in three of the five last remaining wild populations of dama gazelle and a number of captive populations, using mtDNA control region and cytochrome b data. Despite the sampled populations belonging to the three putative subspecies, which are delineated according to phenotypes and geographical location, we find limited evidence for phylogeographical structure within the data and no genetic support for the putative subspecies. In the light of these data we discuss the relevance of inbreeding depression, outbreeding depression, adaptive variation, genetic drift, and phenotypic variation to the conservation of the dama gazelle and make some recommendations for its future conservation management. The genetic data suggest that the best conservation approach is to view the dama gazelle as a single species without subspecific divisions.
authors: WildGenes Laboratory, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors: Helen
authors: H
authors: Senn
authors: Conservation Department, Al Ain Zoo, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
authors: Lisa
authors: L
authors: Banfield
authors: Conservation Programmes, Zoologicial Society of London, Regents Park, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Tim
authors: T
authors: Wacher
authors: Sahara Conservation Fund, L'Isle, Switzerland.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Newby
authors: Sahara Conservation Fund, Niamey, Niger.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Rabeil
authors: WildGenes Laboratory, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Kaden
authors: Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Institute of Geography, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors: Andrew C
authors: AC
authors: Kitchener
authors: Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Almería, Spain.
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Abaigar
authors: CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigção em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos da Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Almería, Spain; Departamento de Biologia da, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors: Teresa Luísa
authors: TL
authors: Silva
authors: College of Arts and Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
authors: Mike
authors: M
authors: Maunder
authors: WildGenes Laboratory, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors: Rob
authors: R
authors: Ogden
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000818:Animals; D000866:Antelopes / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics; D056727:Endangered Species; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005843:Geography; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D058974:Phylogeography; D011157:Population Dynamics
chemical_list: D045303:Cytochromes b