Abstract:

Aims: Genetic diversity is an indispensable component of biodiversity conservation and management. Przewalski’s gazelle (Procapra przewalskii) is among the world’s most endangered antelopes. In recent years, its population size has shown demographic recovery. Therefore, investigating the genetic diversity of Procapra przewalskii in the context of population recovery is essential for the effective conservation of this species. 

Methods: We analyzed 287 fecal samples of Procapra przewalskii collected during 2023–2024 using mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite markers. Genetic diversity, genetic structure, and demographic history were assessed. 

Results: Mitochondrial DNA revealed high haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity, while microsatellite markers indicated relatively high nuclear genetic diversity. The genetic diversity of Procapra przewalskii has shown an increasing trend compared with that around 2010, although marked differences in genetic diversity were observed among geographic populations. Genetic variation in extant Procapra przewalskii was mainly distributed within populations. Genetic differentiation among populations was low, no significant phylogeographic structure was detected, and the overall level of inbreeding was moderate to low. Geographic distance was significantly positively correlated with genetic distance among geographical populations. Moreover, genetic differentiation between populations on either side of the Qinghai–Tibet Railway was higher than that across G315 Highway, indicating that the railway impedes gene flow among populations within the core distribution area. Demographic history analyses indicated that Procapra przewalskii experienced a population expansion event, while the effective population size has undergone a rapid decline over the past three to four thousand years, primarily driven by the combined effects of late-Holocene climatic cooling and drying, vegetation pattern shifts, and intensified human agro-pastoral activities. 

Conclusions: Based on the current genetic status of Procapra przewalskii, we recommend that all extant Procapra przewalskii populations be treated as a single evolutionarily significant unit. In addition, ecological corridors should be prioritized on both sides of the Qinghai–Tibet Railway, and the introduction of individuals from external populations into the Bird Island population should be considered after genetic risk assessment, with the aim of achieving genetic rescue of this small population. This study provides a conservation genetic basis for the scientific conservation of extant Procapra przewalskii in the context of population recovery.

Key words: Procapra przewalskii, genetic diversity, genetic structure, demographic history, microsatellites, mitochondrial DNA, conservation