Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Low genetic diversity in the endangered great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) across India and implications for conservation

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Conservation Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) is an endemic endangered bird of the Indian subcontinent with a declining population, as a result of hunting and continuing habitat loss. In this first genetic study of this little-known species, we investigate the diversity of the mitochondrial DNA (hypervariable control region II and cytochrome b gene) among samples (n = 63) from five states within the current distribution range of great Indian bustards in India. We find just three haplotypes defined by three variable sites, a comparatively low genetic diversity of π = 0.0021 ± 0.0012 for cytochrome b, 0.0008 ± 0.0007 for the control region (CR), and 0.0017 ± 0.0069 for combined regions and no phylogeographic structure between populations. We provide evidence for a bottleneck event, estimate an effective population size (Ne) that is roughly concordant with recent population size estimates based on field surveys (~200 to 400), but extremely low for a widely distributed species. We also discuss the conservation implications. Based on our findings, we strongly recommend upgrading the IUCN threat status from Endangered to Critically Endangered.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  • Ali S (1927) The mogul emperors of India as naturalists and sportsmen. J Bom Nat Hist Soc 32:34–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali S, Ripley SD (1969) Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan, vol 2, 2nd edn. Oxford University Press, Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Amos W, Harwood J (1998) Factors affecting levels of diversity in natural populations. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B 353:177–186

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Avise JC (1994) Molecular markers, natural history and evolution. Chapman and Hall, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandelt H-J, Forster P, Röhl A (1999) Median-joining networks for inferring intraspecific phylogenies. Mol Biol Evol 16:37–48. doi:10.1234/12345678

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beerli P, Felsenstein J (1999) Maximum likelihood estimation of migration rates and population numbers of two populations using a coalescent approach. Genetics 152:763–773. doi:10.1073/pnas.081068098

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • BirdLife International (2001) Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Boom R, Sol CJ, Salimans MM, Jansen CL, Wertheim-van-Dillen PM, van der Noordaa J (1990) Rapid and simple method for purification of nucleic-acids. J Clin Microbiol 28:495–503

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Broderick D, Idaghdour Y, Korrida A, Hellmich J (2003) Gene flow in great bustard populations across the Strait of Gibraltar as elucidated from excremental PCR and mtDNA sequencing. Conserv Genet 4:793–800. doi:10.1023/B:COGE.0000006111.65204.c9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bush KL, Vinsky MD, Aldridge CL, Paszkowski CA (2005) A comparison of sample types varying in invasiveness for use in DNA sex determination in an endangered population of greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus uropihasianus). Conserv Genet 6:867–870. doi:10.1007/s10592-005-9040-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colwell RK (2009) EstimateS: statistical estimation of species richness and shared species from samples, version 8.2 User’s guide and application. http://purl.oclc.org/estimates

  • Colwell RK, Coddington JA (1994) Estimating terrestrial biodiversity through extrapolation. Philos Trans R Soc B 345:101–118

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crochet PA, Desmarais E (2000) Slow rate of evolution in the mitochondrial control region of gulls (Aves: Laridae). Mol Biol Evol 17(12):1797–1806

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J (eds) (1996) Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol 3. Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx edicions, Barcelona

    Google Scholar 

  • Dutta S, Rahmani AR, Jhala YVJ (2010) Running out of time? The great Indian bustard Ardeotis nigriceps—status, viability, and conservation strategies. Eur J Wild Res. doi:10.1007/s10344-010-0472-z

  • Eggert LS, Eggert JA, Woodruff DS (2003) Estimating population sizes for elusive animals: the forest elephants of Kakum National Park, Ghana. Mol Ecol 12:1389–1402

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fleischer RC, McIntosh CE, Tarr CL (1998) Evolution on a volcanic conveyor belt: using phylogeographic reconstructions and KAr-based ages of the Hawaiian Islands to estimate molecular evolutionary rates. Mol Ecol 7:533–545. doi:10.1046/j.1365-294x.1998.00364.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frankham R (1995) Effective population size adult population size ratios in wildlife: a review. Genet Res 56:35–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoelzel AR, Shivji MS, Magnussen J, Francis MP (2006) Low worldwide genetic diversity in the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus). Biol Lett 2:639–664. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2006.0513

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hogan FE, Cooke R, Burridge CP, Norman JA (2008) Optimising the use of shed feathers for genetic analysis. Mol Ecol Resour 8:561–567. doi:10.1111/j.1471-8286.2007.02044.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Idaghdour Y, Broderick D, Korrida A (2003) Faeces as a source of DNA for molecular studies in a threatened population of great bustards in Morocco. Conserv Genet 4:789–792. doi:10.1023/B:COGE.0000006110.03529.95

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Idaghdour Y, Broderick D, Korrida A, Chbel F (2004) Mitochondrial control region diversity of the houbara bustard Chlamydotis undulata complex and genetic structure along the Atlantic seaboard of North Africa. Mol Ecol 13(1):43–54. doi:10.1046/j.1365-294X.2003.02039.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnsgard PA (1991) Bustards hemipodes and sandgrouse. Birds of dry places. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan AA, Khaliq I, Choudhry MJI, Farooq A, Hussain N (2008) Status, threats and conservation of the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors) in Pakistan. Curr Sci 95(8):1079–1082

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohn MH, York EC, Kanradt DA, Haught G, Sauvajot RM, Wayne RK (1999) Estimating population size by genotyping feces. Proc R Soc Lond B 266:657–663

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuhner MK (2006) LAMARC 2.0: maximum likelihood and Bayesian estimation of population parameters. Bioinformatics 22:768–770. doi:10.1093/bioinformatics/btk051

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leonard JA, Vilà C, Wayne RK (2005) Legacy lost: genetic variability and population size of extirpated US grey wolves (Canis lupus). Mol Ecol 14:9–17

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lesobre L, Lacroix F, Caizergues A, Hingrat Y, Chalah T, Saint Jalme M (2010) Conservation genetics of Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis undulata undulata): population structure and its implications for the reinforcement of wild populations. Conserv Genet 11:1489–1497. doi:10.1007/s10592-009-9979-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Librado P, Rozas J (2009) DnaSP v5: a software for comprehensive analysis of DNA polymorphism data. Bioinformatics 25:1451–1452. doi:10.1093/bioinformatics/btp187

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matocq MD, Villablanca FX (2001) Low genetic diversity in an endangered species: recent or historic pattern? Biol Cons 98:61–68. doi:10.1016/S0006-3207(00)00142-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nei M (1987) Molecular evolutionary genetics. Columbia University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Nunney L, Elam DR (1994) Estimating the effective population size of conserved populations. Conserv Biol 8:175–184. doi:10.1046/j.1523-1739.1994.08010175.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pitra C, Lieckfeldt D, Alonso JC (2000) Population subdivision in Europe’s great bustard inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence variation. Mol Ecol 9:1165–1170. doi:10.1046/j.1365-294x.2000.00983.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pitra C, Lieckfeldt D, Frahnert S, Fickel J (2002) Phylogenetic relationships and ancestral areas of the bustards (Gruiformes:Otididae), inferred from mitochondrial DNA and nuclear intron sequences. Mol Phylogenet Evol 23:63–74. doi:10.1006/mpev.2001.1078

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pitra C, D’Aloia M-A, Lieckfeldt D, Combreau O (2004) Genetic variation across the current range of the Asian houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii). Conserv Genet 5:205–215

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rahmani AR (1986) Status of Great Indian Bustard in Rajasthan-I. Technical 1 Report 11. Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai

  • Rahmani AR (2001) The Godwana saga: Great Indian Bustards in decline. Sanctuary 21:24–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Rahmani AR (2006) Need to start project bustards. Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai. Unpublished report

  • Rogers AR, Harpending H (1992) Population growth makes waves in the distribution of pairwise genetic differences. Mol Biol Evol 9:552–569

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sankhala KS (1977) Captive breeding reintroduction and nature protection: the Indian experience. Inter Zoo Yearb 17:98–101. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1090.1977.tb00874.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schroeder MA, Young JR, Braun CE (1999) Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). In: Poole A, Gill F (eds) The birds of North America. The Birds of North America, Inc, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  • Stiver JR, Apa AD, Remington TE, Gibson RM (2008) Polygyny and female breeding failure reduce effective population size in the lekking Gunnison sage-grouse. Biol Conserv 141:472–481. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2007.10.018

    Google Scholar 

  • Soriano BMA, Galdino S (2002) Análise das Condições Climáticas em 2000 na Sub-Região da Nhecolândia, Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Boletim de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Embrapa Pantanal, 30, p 34

  • Tajima F (1989) Statistical method for testing the neutral mutation hypothesis by DNA polymorphism. Genetics 123:585–595

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wenink PW, Baker AJ, Tilanus MGJ (1993) Hypervariable-control-region sequences reveal global population structuring in a long-distance migrant shorebird, the dunlin (Calidris alpina). Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 90:94–98

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Whistler H (1919) Some birds of Ludhiana district, Punjab. J Bom Nat Hist Soc 26:585–598

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiley RH (1974) Evolution of social organization and life history patterns among grouse. Q Rev Biol 49:201–227

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zink RM, Blackwell RC (1998) Molecular systematics and biogeography of aridland gnatcatchers (genus Polioptila) and evidence supporting species status of the California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica). Mol Phyl Evol 9:26–32

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the Wildlife Institute of India. FI was supported by the Marie Curie Fellowship (MIF2-CT-2007-040845), European Commission during this study. We thank the Chief Wildlife Wardens and Forest Departments of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh for logistic support. We are grateful to T. Rao and S. Rajora for providing samples. We would also like to thank Forensic lab, WII, for help with DNA sequencing. We acknowledge I.P. Bopanna, K.K. Maurya, S. Pore, G. Punjabi and Y.C. Krishna for their help during fieldwork. Negi, Ibla, Isaaque, Shankar, Lakhma, Dev, Rekha, Tarun Singh, Ali, Ram, Jampe, Adi Srisaya, Gafur and Shankala are thanked for their sincere field assistance. We would like to thank two anonymous reviewers for their useful comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box 18, Chandrabani, Dehradun, 248001, India

    Farah Ishtiaq, Sutirtha Dutta, Bibek Yumnam & Yadvendradev V. Jhala

Authors
  1. Farah Ishtiaq
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sutirtha Dutta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bibek Yumnam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yadvendradev V. Jhala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Farah Ishtiaq or Yadvendradev V. Jhala.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOC 2718 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ishtiaq, F., Dutta, S., Yumnam, B. et al. Low genetic diversity in the endangered great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) across India and implications for conservation. Conserv Genet 12, 857–863 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-011-0206-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-011-0206-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation