Current population structure patterns of roe deer Capreolus capreolus in Spain were assessed through the analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. Restriction fragment length polymorphism was detected in the D-loop and NADH-dehydrogenase ND1 segments of mitochondrial DNA. Nuclear variation was investigated using 12 microsatellite loci. A total of 126 roe deer were analysed from fourteen sampling sites across the Iberian peninsula, including the Andalusian population from Sierra de Cádiz, which represents the southwestern limit of the distribution of C. capreolus. Results from both mitochondrial and microsatellite variation revealed a considerable level of structuring for roe deer populations throughout the Spanish range. In particular, evidence was provided from mtDNA of a genetic differentiation of roe deer populations in northern Spain from those occurring in southern areas, with a particular distinctiveness of the Andalusian roe deer. Concordant results were obtained from classical clustering analysis based on microsatellite loci. Furthermore, a Bayesian approach to microsatellite data proved more efficiently that northern roe deer are in turn genetically heterogenous, comprising at least three subpopulations. The phylogeographic pattern suggests a history of long-term isolation of the two main groups of roe deer populations, possibly as a consequence of the climatic changes in the Late Pleistocene. The occurrence of two genetic lineages calls for different strategies of conservation and management of this species in the Iberian Peninsula, according to the geographic distribution of populations.

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. 1995. Socioeconomic, physiognomic, and climatic factors determining the distribution pattern of roe deer Capreolus capreolus in Spain. Acta Theriologica 40: 37-43.In Spain, the highest density of roe deer Capreolus capreolus (Linnaeus, 1758) is found in the northern mountains, whereas towards the south, populations are frag mented into isolated nucleii. In order to analyse the distribution patterns of this species in Spain and its variation during the last five years, a multivariate analysis o f the influences o f several socioeconomic, physiognomic and climatic factors was performed. This species prefers to inhabit damper and colder areas. Its distribution also reflects changes in human population; roe deer are associated with areas of zero growth or an actual decline in population density. An active management is essential to the conservation of the southern populations due to their geographic isolation and the low populational density of each nucleus.

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In this paper we tested whether prenatal expenditure of resources in fallow deer (Dama dama) is affected by the age and reproductive experience of mothers. The study was carried out on the wild fallow deer population in Doñana National Park in southwestern Spain. Between 1985 and 1996 a total of 60 different females were monitored by direct observation during the fawning season. The exact age of 22 of these females was known, and 59 fawns born of these females were captured. The mother's age had more influence on the fawn's birth mass than the mother's experience did. Fallow deer fawns born of adult multiparous mothers (5-8 years old) were heavier than fawns born of young multiparous mothers (3-4 years old), whereas birth masses of fawns born of primiparous mothers (2-3 years) and young multiparous mothers showed no significant difference. Fawns were born earlier in the breeding season as the mother's age increased. The trade-off required between resources allocated to reproduction and resources available for growth and maintenance may limit reproduction and the possibility of increasing prenatal expenditure by both young primiparous and young multiparous female fallow deer. Sexual dimorphism in birth mass was detected, males being heavier than females, independently of the age and parity of the mothers. This confirms the finding that fallow deer mothers are selected to expend more resources on their male offspring.Résumé : Dans cet article, nous nous demandons si la dépense prénatal du daim (Dama dama) est influencé par l'âge et l'expérience reproductive des mères. Le travail a été fait sur une population de daims en liberté du Parc National de Doñana. Entre 1985 et 1996 nous avons observé directement un total de 60 femelles différentes pendant la période des naissances. Nous connaissions l'âge exact de 22 femelles et 59 faons de ces femelles connues furent capturés. L'âge de la mère s'est révélé plus déterminant que sont expérience reproductive sur le poids de naissance des faons. Les petits nés de mères adultes multipares (5-8 ans) furent plus lourds que les petits nés de jeunes mères multipares (3-4 ans); mais les mères primipares (2-3 ans) et les jeunes multipares n'ont pas montré de différence significative dans le poids de leurs petits. Plus les mères étaient agées plus leurs faons sont nés en avance dans la période des naissances. L'équilibre entre les ressources offertes à la reproduction et à la croissance peut limiter la reproduction même et la possibilité d'augmenter la dépense prénatal chez les jeunes mères (aussi bien les primipares que les multipares). Les faons mâles pesérent davantage à la naissance que les femelles indépendamment de l'âge et de l'expérience reproductive de leurs mères. Ce résultat confirme que les mères des daims sont sélectionnées pour dépenser davantage sur leurs petits mâles.[Traduit par la Rédaction] 1722 San José et al.