Microsatellite Analysis And Future Forecast Of Liziping Giant Panda Population Genetic Diversity

Giant panda(Ailuropoda melanoleuca)is the world's flagship species for biodiversity conservation,Which has a history of more than 8 million years.It is now mainly distributed in the mountainous areas of Sichuan,Shaanxi and Gansu provinces at an altitude of 2600-3500 meters,hiding in the dense bamboo forest.It is a national first-class protected animal in China,anda vulnerable specie in IUCN.The Liziping National Nature Reserve is located in the Xiaoxiangling Mountains,which is one of the areas with the most serious habitat fragmentation issues for giant pandas.Due to habitat loss and fragmentation,engineering and road construction and other environmental pressures,isolated small panda populations in protected areas face greater risks of extinction.Reintroduction is an important approach in the conservation of endangered species.To protect this small isolated giant panda population in Liziping Nature Reserve,nine giant pandas have been released to this population,and one of them was successfully breeding offspring with individuals in the local population.In order to further study the genetic diversity of isolated small populations of giant pandas in the region and the changes in the genetic diversity of the population after joining the released pandas,the changes and trends of the genetic diversity of the population in the next 100 years are predicted for protection and rescue.We conducted this study to isolate small populations of giant pandas and provide new scientific evidence for their reintroduction.Here we collected 120 samples of panda hair and feces from the wild over two years,Then extract DNA from the sample to complete the microsatellite reading and gender determination,The software GIMLET 1.3.1,GENEPOP(Version 3.4),Bottleneck V1.2.2 and BottleSim V2.6 were used to analyze the microsatellite reading results,assess the genetic diversity of the population,and predict the future changes of the population.In this study,a total of 28 giant pandas(including fourreintroduced individuals)were identified in the Liziping National Nature reserve.A total of 44 alleles were detected in this small population.The average expected heterozygosity and average observed heterozygosity numerical value were 0.692 and 0.468,the polymorphic information amount was 0.375-0.805,and the average was 0.622.There was inbreeding in the population(Fis = 0.286).Compared with other giant panda populations,this population has medium-level genetic diversity.The predictions for genetic diversityandsurvival of the population in the next 100 years indicate that the population is at a high risk of extinction.We show that released giantpandas can preserve genetic diversity and improve the probability of survivalin this small isolated giant panda population.To promote the recovery of this population,we suggest that panda release should be continued in this area and this population will need to release 10 males and 20 females in the future.