Population genetics of the main population of brown bears in southwest Asia
Yükleniyor...
Dosyalar
Tarih
2018
Dergi Başlığı
Dergi ISSN
Cilt Başlığı
Yayıncı
Peerj Inc
Erişim Hakkı
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Özet
Genetic studies of the Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos) have so far focused on populations from Europe and North America, although the largest distribution area of brown bears is in Asia. In this study, we reveal population genetic parameters for the brown bear population inhabiting the Grand Kackar Mountains (GKM) in the north east of Turkey, western Lesser Caucasus. Using both hair (N = 147) and tissue samples (N = 7) collected between 2008 and 2014, we found substantial levels of genetic variation (10 microsatellite loci). Bear samples (hair) taken from rubbing trees worked better for genotyping than those from power poles, regardless of the year collected. Genotyping also revealed that bears moved between habitat patches, despite ongoing massive habitat alterations and the creation of large water reservoirs. This population has the potential to serve as a genetic reserve for future reintroduction in the Middle East. Due to the importance of the GKM population for on-going and future conservation actions, the impacts of habitat alterations in the region ought to be minimized; e.g., by establishing green bridges or corridors over reservoirs and major roads to maintain habitat connectivity and gene flow among populations in the Lesser Caucasus.
Açıklama
Foerster, Daniel/0000-0002-6934-0404; Ambarli, Huseyin/0000-0003-4336-9417; Mengulluoglu, Deniz/0000-0001-5203-4147
WOS: 000446941300010
PubMed: 30258734
WOS: 000446941300010
PubMed: 30258734
Anahtar Kelimeler
Ursus arctos, Microsatellite, Conservation, Anatolia, Isolation, Source population, Noninvasive sampling, Rubbing tree, Turkey
Kaynak
Peerj
WoS Q Değeri
Q2
Scopus Q Değeri
Q1
Cilt
6
