Hybridization is a natural process at species-range boundaries that may variably promote the speciation process or break down species barriers but minimally will influence management outcomes of distinct populations. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) have broad and overlapping distributions in North America and a recognized capacity for interspecific hybridization.In response to contemporary environmental change to any of one or multiple stillunknown factors, mule deer range is contracting westward accompanied by a westward expansion of white-tailed deer, leading to increasing interactions, opportunities for gene flow, and associated conservation implications. To quantify genetic diversity, phylogenomic structure, and dynamics of hybridization in sympatric populations of white-tailed and mule deer, we used mitochondrial cytochrome b data coupled with SNP loci discovered with double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing.We recovered 25,018 SNPs across 92 deer samples from both species, collected from two regions of western Kansas. Eight individuals with unambiguous external morphology representing both species were of hybrid origin (8.7%), and represented the product of multi-generational backcrossing. Mitochondrial data showed both ancient and recent directional discordance with morphological species assignments, reflecting a legacy of mule deer males mating with white-tailed deer females. Mule deer had lower genetic diversity than white-tailed deer, and both mitochondrial and nuclear data suggest contemporary mule deer effective population decline. Landscape genetic analyses show relative isolation between the two study regions for white-tailed deer, but greater connectivity among mule deer, with predominant movement from north to south. Collectively, our results suggest a long history of gene flow between these species in the Great Plains and hint at evolutionary processes that purge incompatible functional genomic elements as a result of hybridization. Surviving hybrids evidently may be reproductive, but with unknown consequences for the future

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Henslow's Sparrows (Ammodramus henslowii) are known to breed in restored grasslands consisting of either warm-or cool-season grasses, but additional information is needed concerning their breeding biology in these two types of grasslands. We compared the abundance, territory sizes, and pairing success of male Henslow's Sparrows in grasslands in west-central Missouri in 2010 and 2011 using a paired-treatment design, where warmand cool-season grasslands were located in close proximity. Selection indices indicated no apparent preference by male Henslow's Sparrows for either type of grassland, and the territory sizes and pairing success of males in cool-and warm-season grasslands did not differ. In addition, we found no significant differences in habitat structure between these grassland types. Thus, our results suggest that the warm-and cool-season grasslands in our study provided suitable habitat for Henslow's Sparrows. Other investigators have drawn similar conclusions for Henslow's Sparrows and for grassland birds in general, with the structural characteristics and, for some species, the size of grasslands being more important for grassland birds than plant species composition.RESUMEN. Abundancia, tamaño de territorio yéxito de emparejamiento en machos de Ammodramus henslowii en pastizales de temporada caliente y fría, restaurados Se sabe que Ammodramus henslowii se reproduce en pastizales compuestos por pastos de temporadas calientes o frías, pero se necesita información adicional sobre la biología reproductiva en estos dos tipos de pastizales. Comparamos la abundancia, tamaño de territorios yéxito de emparejamiento en machos de A. henslowii en pastizales en el oeste central de Missouri en el 2010 y 2011 usando un diseño pareado, en el cual pastizales de temporada caliente y fría fueron localizados en estrecha proximidad. Losíndices de selección no indican aparente preferencia de machos de A. henslowii por alguno de los tipos de pastizales, y no hubo diferencia en el tamaños del territorio o eléxito de emparejamiento de machos en pastizales de temporada caliente y fría. Adicionalmente, no encontramos diferencias significativas en la estructura del hábitat entre estos tipos de pastizales. Por lo tanto, nuestros resultados sugieren que pastizales de temporada caliente y fría proporcionan hábitat adecuado para A. henslowii. Otros investigadores han llegado a conclusiones similares para A. henslowii y en general para aves de pastizales, en donde características de la estructura y, para algunas especies, el tamaño del pastizal es mas importante para las aves de pastizales que las especies de plantas que lo componen.