Topic
Alcelaphus
About: Alcelaphus is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 88 publications have been published within this topic receiving 1470 citations.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
TL;DR: A scenario where these antelopes, previously with wide pan-African distributions, became extinct except in a few refugia is suggested, where the hartebeest, and probably also the topi, survived inRefugia north of the equator, in the east and the west, respectively, as well as one in the south.
Abstract: The phylogeography of three species of African bovids, the hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus), the topi (Damaliscus lunatus), and the wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), is inferred from sequence variation of 345 sequences at the control region (d-loop) of the mtDNA. The three species are closely related (tribe Alcelaphini) and share similar habitat requirements. Moreover, their former distribution extended over Africa, as a probable result of the expansion of open grassland on the continent during the last 2.5 Myr. A combination of population genetics (diversity and structure) and intraspecific phylogeny (tree topology and relative branch length) methods is used to substantiate scenarios of the species history. Population dynamics are inferred from the distribution of sequence pairwise differences within populations. In the three species, there is a significant structuring of the populations, as shown by analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) pairwise and hierarchical differentiation estimations. In the wildebeest, a pattern of colonization from southern Africa toward east Africa is consistent with the asymmetric topology of the gene tree, showing a paraphyletic position of southern lineages, as well as their relatively longer branch lengths, and is supported by a progressive decline in population nucleotide diversity toward east Africa. The phylogenetic pattern found in the topi and the hartebeest differs from that of the wildebeest: lineages split into monophyletic clades, and no geographical trend is detected in population diversity. We suggest a scenario where these antelopes, previously with wide pan-African distributions, became extinct except in a few refugia. The hartebeest, and probably also the topi, survived in refugia north of the equator, in the east and the west, respectively, as well as one in the south. The southern refugium furthermore seems to have been the only place where the wildebeest has survived.
204 citations
TL;DR: Observations strongly suggest that large–scale climatic fluctuations have been a major determinant for the species' evolutionary history and that hartebeest evolution has mainly taken place in isolated yet environmentally favourable refugia during periods of global warming.
Abstract: Global climate fluctuated considerably throughout the Pliocene–Pleistocene period, influencing the evolutionary history of a wide array of species. Using the phylogeographic patterns within the hartebeest ( Alcelaphus buselaphus (Pallas, 1766)) complex, we evaluated the evolutionary consequences of such environmental change for a typical large mammal ranging on the African savannah. Our results, as generated from two mitochondrial DNA markers (the D–loop and cytochrome b ), suggest an origin of the hartebeest in eastern Africa from where the species has colonized other parts of the continent. Phylogenetic analyses revealed an early diversification into southern and northern hartebeest lineages, an event that may be related to the formation of the Rift Valley lakes. The northern lineage has further diverged into eastern and western lineages, most probably as a result of the expanding central African rainforest belt and subsequent contraction of savannah habitats during a period of global warming. The diversification events appear to have coincided with major climatic changes and are highly correlated in time. These observations strongly suggest that large–scale climatic fluctuations have been a major determinant for the species9 evolutionary history and that hartebeest evolution has mainly taken place in isolated yet environmentally favourable refugia during periods of global warming. Indications of sudden population expansion for two putative ancestral hartebeest populations provide further support for a refugia–based explanation of the diversification events. Reciprocal monophyly between southern and northern lineages may suggest that reproductive barriers exist and that the hartebeest complex comprises two different species.
136 citations
TL;DR: The present phylogenetic hypothesis suggests that the Alcelaphini are monophyletic; that the genera Parmularius and Damaliscus share a recent common ancestry; and that the extant Hunter's hartebeest should not be removed from DamalISCus into a separate genus Beatragus as several authors have done.
Abstract: Cladistic principles are applied to a group of antelope species, three-quarters of which are extinct. Only cranial and mandibular characters are used. The present phylogenetic hypothesis suggests diat the Alcelaphini are monophyletic; that the genera Parmularius and Damaliscus share a recent common ancestry; and that die extant Hunter's hartebeest should not be removed from Damaliscus into a separate genus Beatragus as several authors have done. A re-evaluation is suggested of die systematic position of Lichtenstein's hartebeest, as being phylogenetically closer to me wildebeests, genus Connochaetes, than to the type species of the hartebeest genus Alcelaphus. Some problems arising in the application of cladistic principles to such a low ranking group, treating die fossil majority exactly equivalently with recent taxa, are discussed. Comments on recency of common ancestry as it affects hybridization potential in bovids, on speciation and extinction rates arise.
88 citations
TL;DR: Behaviorally sensitive models refine predictions for population viability, specify data required to make predictions robust, and demonstrate the necessity of incorporating behavioral ecological knowledge in conservation and management.
83 citations
TL;DR: All the antelope on this reserve except gemsbok, feed by nibbling the plants here and there, and it was a tedious task to trace the exact feeding spot.
Abstract: The S.A. Lombard Nature Reserve is situated about 12 miles west of Bloemhof, Western Transvaal. The reserve is flat open country with a gentle slope to the east and south. Abandoned alluvial diamond diggings which run from north to south divide the reserve into a western and an eastern area which are geologically different. The region is open grass land with small patches of bush, classified as dry Cymbopogon-Themeda veld. The food habits of black wildebeest Connochaetus gnou, blesbok Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi, Cape eland Taurotragus oryx, Cape oryx Oryx gazella, impala Aepyceros melampus, red hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus, and springbok Antidorcas marsupialis were studied over the three year period, 1958 to 1960. All the antelope on this reserve except gemsbok, feed by nibbling the plants here and there, and it was a tedious task to trace the exact feeding spot.
66 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2015 | 2 |