大象的分布和种群,同位素和遗传学结合起来,为象牙热点跟踪提供了本地规模的特异性
Thure E Cerling1, Jory C Lerback1,2,3, Diego P Fernandez1
1Department of Geology & Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Isotopes in environmental and health studies
|December 8, 2025
概括
(Sr) 同位素增强了野生动物产品的基于DNA的来源追踪. 这项研究精确地将被扣押的象牙样本定位到肯尼亚和坦桑尼亚的特定地区,帮助野生动物法医.
科学领域:
- 地质化学 地质化学
- 野生动物法医学 野生动物法医学
- 保护遗传学 保护遗传学
背景情况:
- 对野生动物产品的DNA分析提供了初步原产地估计.
- (Sr) 同位素提供了一个补充的地化学方法来完善原产地评估.
- 了解被扣押的野生动物产品的地理来源对于有效的保护和执法至关重要.
研究的目的:
- 将同位素地质化学与基于DNA的方法结合起来,以精确确定象牙的来源.
- 开发和应用Sr同位素大象多边形来确定大象种群来源.
- 评估这种结合方法在野生动物法医学的有效性.
主要方法:
- 在600多个已知来源的大象样本中分析了87Sr/86Sr同位素比率.
- 在肯尼亚和坦桑尼亚开发了25个Sr同位素大象多边形.
- 覆盖DNA衍生的起源区域与 Sr同位素数据和人口估计.
主要成果:
- 遗传数据最初将象牙的起源局限于肯尼亚和坦桑尼亚.
- 对于每个大象多边形,建立了特有的87Sr/86Sr比率.
- 至少75%的被查获的象牙样本被追溯到一个多边形,包括Tsavo国家公园 (肯尼亚) 和Mkomazi国家公园 (坦桑尼亚).
结论:
- 结合同位素,DNA分析和人口数据,可显著提高野生动物产品原产地估计的精度.
- 这种综合方法是野生动物法医学的强大工具,有助于打击非法野生动物贸易.
- 该研究强调了被扣押的象牙的特定来源地区,为有针对性的保护工作提供信息.
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