Genetic structure in Mongolian gazelles based on mitochondrial and microsatellite markers

Mongolian gazelles (Procapra gutturosa) are among the last remaining abundant and wide-ranging grassland ungulates, although they have experienced a 75% decline in habitat historically. The effect of their mobility on their genetic structure has not been fully investigated, especially given recent anthropological disturbances. We carried out a molecular study of Mongolian gazelles along the international railroad in the eastern Gobi-steppe of Mongolia using mitochondrial control region sequences and microsatellite markers. Both markers had high genetic diversity with no evidence of a population bottleneck. Genealogies using control region sequences revealed two distinct genetic lineages; however, they were unrelated to geographic location. No significant population genetic structure was found with mtDNA or microsatellites; no isolation-by-distance was detected in our study. Our results suggested that the large population and high mobility of the animals has allowed sufficient gene flow to maintain a homogenous population, and detectable genetic differentiation has not been caused in spite of the anthropologic disturbances including the railroad.