Genotypes for yardstick population from the Nakai Plateau, Lao PDR at 25 loci

Conservation biologists often deal with species that have small,
fragmented populations throughout their range, making it necessary to
prioritize populations for management. Genetics provides tools to assist
with prioritization according to the levels and distribution of genetic
diversity and evolutionary distinctiveness. Many studies have used nuclear
microsatellite loci to measure genetic diversity in disparate populations
and mitochondrial DNA to assess genetic distinctiveness. However,
comparing metrics based on microsatellite genotypes ascertained in
different laboratories is complicated by the selection of different loci
with distinct nucleotide repeat motifs. This issue may be resolved by
comparing metrics to a well-characterized reference population with shared
microsatellite markers. The Asian elephant, Elephas maximus, is an
endangered species with 50–60% of populations in India and Sri Lanka, and
small, fragmented populations throughout southeast and insular Asia. We
assessed range-wide genetic diversity of the Asian elephant by directly
comparing allelic diversity and heterozygosity estimates from 35
populations, overcoming marker selection bias by calibrating metrics to a
large population on the Nakai Plateau, Lao PDR, genotyped at 25 loci. We
coupled these results with mtDNA analysis to evaluate genetic
distinctiveness and identify potential conservation management units. We
found the greatest diversity in the populations of southeast Asia and the
greatest genetic distinctiveness among the subspecies designations,
particularly Borneo and Sumatra, and other southeast Asian populations.
The populations of southeast Asia, albeit small, fragmented, and at high
risk of extirpation, contain valuable diversity and distinctiveness and
are thus of high priority for the preservation of the Asian elephant.