Studies On Diet And Molecular Ecology Of Procapra Przewalskii

As a rare, endangered and endemic species to China, Przewalski's gazelle {Procapra przewalskii) once distributed in Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Ningxia and Qinghai. The gazelles are now only living around the Qinghai Lake.The gazelles' diet habit was studied in Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve-Bird Island. The conclusion is that the main favorite plants are leguminosae, compositae, gramtneae and etc., and from food consumption, the most is sonchun arvensis (1.93 ± 0.10 kg) and the least artemisia frigida (0.13 ± 0.04 kg) in 20 species supplied plants; from selection index, the ranking of food selection was: medicago sati and etc. (SI > 1.5) > atriplex fera and etc. (1.0 < SI<1.5) > thermopsis lanceolata and etc. (0.5 < SI<1.0) >polygonum sibiricum and etc. (0 < SI<0.5).With 237 vegetation quadrate, 22 footprint chains investigation and field note on diet, we discussed on the relationship of Przewalski's gazelle's diet habit and habitat such as vegetation, exclosure, water and spatial distributio.At the same time, the study is on genetic diversity of the gazelles in Bird Island used the microsatellite DNA markers technology. 18 feces samples were detected by nine polymorphic microsatellite DNA primers - TGLA54, BM1392, OarFCB304, BM1862, MNS61, MNS64, Oarael33, SMHCC and MCM38. By means of nondenature PAGE, we detected PCR product. 42 alleles were detected by 9 microsatellite locus in 18 feces samples of Bird Island and the average is 4.85. The most allele number of Oarar133 is 7. The values of heterozygosity is from 0.650 to 0.815 and the average is 0.735; the values of PIC is from 0.583 to 0.788 and the mean is 0.688; and 16 individuals were identified from 18 feces samples.We quoted literature on the gazelles of Hu Dong. Then we found inbreeding degree of Bird Island population is serious than that of Hu Dong; there is genetic differentiation and no gene flow between the two Przewalski's gazelle populations of Bird Island and Hu Dong (F_ST=0.167 4 > 0.1, N_m=1.2439), by means of population genetics analyzing.At last, we discussed on principles and measures about small population and concluded that the connection of molecular ecology and diet habit will apply a new study means of basic population ecology such as population dynamics and group.