Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo): A raptor with hyperpolymorphic plumage morphs, but low allozyme heterozygosity

Abstract

The analysis of 25 allozyme loci in up to 469 Common Buzzards (B. b. buteo) from five locations in Germany revealed allelic polymorphism at twelve loci, but a prevalence of rare alleles resulted in a very low heterozygosity of H o = 0.0057. This rather low level of genetic variation characterizes a most abundant raptor species with highly polymorphic plumage pigmentation. The results of monitoring 571 buzzard breeding pairs from the Hakel forest (Sachsen-Anhalt) over 27 years indicate that neither the among-pair fertility variance, which slightly increased the genetically effective population size against the numerical size, nor the yearwise fluctuation of the breeder numbers, nor other population ecological characters were likely to erode the genetic variation of the numerically large buzzard population. One or repeated phyletic or historical bottle-necks are postulated to have diminished the allozyme variability, and at the same time to have created new genetic variance of the pigment-coding genes from non-additive components of genetic variance. Thus, the plumage colour diversity of the Common Buzzard could be a direct result of diminished single-locus genetic variation.

Genetic vs. morphological differentiation of Old World buzzards (genus Buteo, Accipitridae)

“…The following rapid radiation and morphological differentiation were not accompanied by genetic differentiation of the mitochondrial genomes. Historic bottlenecks have been proposed by Schreiber et al . (2001) to explain low allozyme heterozygosity despite hyperpolymorphic plumage morphs in B. b. buteo .…”

Can Ingestion of Lead Shot and Poisons Change Population Trends of Three European Birds: Grey Partridge, Common Buzzard, and Red Kite?

“…For the buzzard, the λ max that was entered into the theta-logistic equation was the average λ max of three observed time series for breeding common buzzards at locations or during time periods when lead shot densities were low (λ max = 1.28 [ 42 ], 1.26 [ 43 ], and 1.17 [ 44 ], average = 1.2). The first two estimates were calculated using methods of Sibly et al [ 41 ] for complete time series of populations growing from low population sizes to carrying capacity, whereas the third estimate was calculated using the exponential equation applicable for an expanding time series with large data gaps.…”

“… One typical stochastic-predicted trajectory is also included to show the variation being modeled. The three observed trajectories are from Reif et al [ 42 ], Schreiber et al [ 43 ], and Krüger and Lindström [ 46 ]. …”

Isolation of microsatellite loci from the common buzzard, Buteo buteo (Aves: Accipitridae)

“…The common buzzard ( Buteo buteo ) is one of the most numerous and widespread raptor species, yet few tools are available to study its population genetic diversity. Both allozyme and mitochondrial DNA diversity are low (Schreiber et al. 2001; Kruckenhauser et al.…”

“…The common buzzard ( Buteo buteo ) is one of the most numerous and widespread raptor species, yet few tools are available to study its population genetic diversity. Both allozyme and mitochondrial DNA diversity are low (Schreiber et al 2001;Kruckenhauser et al 2004). Consequently neither type of genetic marker is suitable for resolving fine-scale population genetic structure or genetic relationships between individual buzzards.…”