Inference of the demographic history of the Guinea baboon (Papio papio) in Guinea-Bissau using genomic data and comparison with a demographically stable population

The Near Threatened Guinea baboon (Papio papio) faces human driven hunting pressure in Guinea-Bissau, whereas the Niokolo-Koba National Park (Senegal) population represents an unexploited baseline. This study analyzed whole-genome sequencing data (WGS, ~30x) from 26 non-kin individuals (11 from Guinea-Bissau and 15 from Senegal) to assess diversity, structure, and demography. Results revealed regional differentiation (FST = 0.099-0.153) alongside low heterozygosity (~3.9 * 10^-4), elevated runs of homozygosity (FROH ~0.12), and sharp contemporary effective population size contractions (Ne < 170) across both regions. Low diversity appears driven by an ancestral bottleneck rather than recent exploitation; however, individual inbreeding was significantly higher in Guinea-Bissau (F = 0.07 vs. F = 0.00), with potential genetic time lags and sampling constraints temporarily masking ongoing demographic pressure. Ultimately, this work provides a baseline for P. papio conservation and emphasizes the need for larger and spatially balanced sampling.

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