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Miroslav, P. K., Grachev, A. A., Poyarkov, A. D., Saparbayev, S. K., Hernandez-Blanco, J. A., Bespalov, S. V., Bespalov, M. V., Baidavletov, Y. R., Alexandrov, D. Y., Karnaukhov, A. S., Malykh, S. V., Munkhtsog, B., Bayaraa, M., Rozhnov, V. V. |
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Title |
Evaluating snow leopard population connectivity: is Kazakhstan a bridge for gene flow between the northern and southwestern range? |
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2025 |
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Mammalian Biology |
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1-14 |
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Dzungarian region · Genetic structure · Panthera uncia · Microsatellites · Mitochondrial DNA |
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The number of studies on snow leopard (Panthera uncia) ecology has surged dramatically over the past few decades. However, despite this increase, many essential aspects of the species biology, which are critical for shaping effective conservation and management strategies, remain poorly understood. A particularly crucial area of research is the population connectivity and genetic structure of snow leopards across their naturally fragmented range. In our study, we focused on the Dzungarian region, specifically Kazakhstan, which has been repeatedly identified as a potentially significant area of connectivity between the southwestern and northern portions of the snow leopard range. We analyzed 54 sequences of mtDNA control region and 73 individual microsatellite multilocus genotypes of snow leopards from Russia, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan to recognize both historical and recent signatures of gene flow between the major fragmented regions of the species’ distribution. Our results confirm the Dzungarian region’s role as a crucial area of connectivity between the core and northern populations, thereby providing empirical support for prior habitat- and connectivity-model predictions. However, we did not find clear evidence to unambiguously identify whether Kazakhstan or Chinese Xinjiang serves as the primary corridor linking these two fragmented parts of the snow leopard range. Further research efforts are needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of population connectivity in this focal region. Considering the Dzungarian region’s potential to support gene flow between the two major portions of the snow leopard range, conservation strategies should prioritize the preservation of habitats that can function as “stepping stones” to facilitate migration between the Tian Shan and the northern populations in Mongolia and Russia. |
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1785 |
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