{
  "abstract": "The genus Procapra, comprising the Mongolian gazelle (MG, Procapra gutturosa), Przewalski's gazelle (PG, Procapra przewalskii), and Tibetan gazelle (TG, Procapra picticaudata), has experienced substantial range contractions and population declines due to anthropogenic disturbance and habitat degradation. Effective conservation of these species requires a clearer understanding of how distinct demographic histories have shaped their current evolutionary potential and genetic risks. Here, we assembled chromosome-level genomes for all three Procapra species and conducted population genomic analyses using whole-genome resequencing data from 93 individuals. Our findings show that MG underwent substantial historical population expansion and retained the highest genetic diversity and lowest levels of inbreeding. In contrast, TG currently has a relatively large census size, but its historically small effective population size may have contributed to elevated inbreeding and reduced genetic diversity. Despite having the smallest census size among the three species, PG retained intermediate genetic diversity, consistent with its historically larger effective population size, whereas severe contemporary habitat fragmentation is associated with elevated inbreeding and a pronounced demographic decline. Collectively, our results demonstrate that census size alone does not reliably predict genetic risk in closely related Procapra species and highlight the importance of demographic history in shaping evolutionary potential and species-specific conservation needs. Given the escalating anthropogenic fragmentation affecting PG, targeted conservation actions are urgently needed to limit further inbreeding and erosion of genetic diversity and to safeguard its long-term viability.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "State Key Laboratory of Animal Biodiversity Conservation and Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.",
    "University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.",
    "Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China.",
    "Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, China."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 11,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Haoyang Wang",
      "orcid": "0009-0001-4841-1189"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Xiaofan Ma",
      "orcid": "0009-0001-9188-0861"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Xin Huang",
      "orcid": "0009-0008-4403-0849"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Xiaoyu Hu",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4918-538X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Chao Zhang",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9826-1561"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Huayao Gao",
      "orcid": "0009-0007-7865-8063"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Ming Lu",
      "orcid": "0009-0003-7183-3050"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Yalun Wang",
      "orcid": "0009-0002-3822-5072"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Tongzuo Zhang",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5524-4262"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Zexuan Gao",
      "orcid": "0009-0009-8716-5847"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Yonggang Nie",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-7554-979X"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7twj6x8mmjm4q.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1093/molbev/msag258",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13685806",
  "id": "7twj6x8mmjm4q",
  "issns": [
    "0737-4038",
    "1537-1719"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42839738",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1311|Genetic diversity and population structure"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220857247",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13685806?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13685806",
  "pmid": "42839738",
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7twj6x8mmjm4q.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:10Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42839738",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42839738"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:1311|Genetic diversity and population structure",
      "subfield": "genetics-genomics"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Comparative population genomics reveals evolutionary potential and conservation priorities in three Procapra species.",
  "title_text": "Comparative population genomics reveals evolutionary potential and conservation priorities in three Procapra species.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:10Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7twj6x8mmjm4q",
  "venue": "Molecular biology and evolution",
  "versions": []
}