Fine-scale genetic structure of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in a French temperate forest

Abstract

Despite the classic population genetic view of a population as a network of sub-populations consisting of randomly mating individuals, the mating system and dispersal patterns of social animals affect the distribution of genetic variation on a local scale. The spatially open, forestdwelling red deer (Cervus elaphus) population at the Petite Pierre National Reserve in north-eastern France is culled annually, with the management aim of maximising the number of adult males in the population, and is a typical example of an exploited red deer population from continental Europe. Through a change in management policy, the number of adult males in the population has increased over time, leading to a reduction in variance of male reproductive success (Bonenfant et al., Ecography 25:446-458, 2002). In this study, we investigate the fine-scale genetic structure of the population using 14 microsatellite loci and attempt to find evidence for a change in this genetic structure over time. DNA was extracted from bone powder obtained by drilling into antlers and mandibular condyles. DNA was successfully extracted from up to 30-year-old samples, but it was necessary to genotype samples in duplicate to obtain reliable genetic profiles. Our results point towards a pattern of fine-scale spatial structure amongst female red deer in the study area, but not amongst males, as would be expected for a typical mammalian system with male-biased dispersal and female philopatry. In addition, our results hint at a decrease in spatial genetic structure amongst females over time, which might be related to a change in management policy, but small sample size limited the robustness of this conclusion.

Male red deer (Cervus elaphus) dispersal during the breeding season

“…Hinds are faithful to their natal home range, and dispersal seems more a process of expanding home range than a total abandonment (Clutton-Brock et al 1982;Albon et al 1992;Catchpole et al 2004). Male emigration is more common (Clutton-Brock et al 1997, 2002Catchpole et al 2004) and genetic studies confirm the characterisation of red deer as a species with malebiased dispersal and female philopatry (Nussey et al 2005;Frantz et al 2008).…”

Using genetic methods to investigate dispersal in two badger (Meles meles) populations with different ecological characteristics

“…The slope of this relationship, which is approximately linear (Rousset, 2000), offers a convenient measure of the degree of spatial genetic structuring resulting from differences in dispersal behaviour (Hardy and Vekemans, 2002). To perform these spatial autocorrelation analyses in a meaningful way, the analyses were limited to individuals of reproductive age, as inclusion of juveniles potentially biases the results towards greater correlation between spatial and genetic distances (Coltman et al, 2003;Frantz et al, 2008). As suggested by Vekemans and Hardy (2004), the kinship coefficient (F ij ) presented in Loiselle et al (1995) was chosen as a pairwise estimator of genetic relatedness, as it is a relatively unbiased estimator with low sampling variance.…”

“…Within-population dispersal patterns can be analysed by comparing the fine-scale genetic structure of groups of individuals by means of spatial autocorrelation analysis, that is, the statistical correlation analysis between measures of genetic kinship and spatial distance (for example, Frantz et al, 2008). Higher levels of philopatry lead to more pronounced fine-scale genetic structure; if animals do not disperse far from their natal site, individuals living in close proximity will be, on average, more related than individuals taken at random from the population.…”

Population genetic structure of the Daubenton’s bat (Myotis daubentonii) in western Europe and the associated occurrence of rabies

“…Frantz et al 2008;Pope et al 2006;Rivers et al 2005;Wandeler et al 2003) provides a cost efficient, relatively non-invasive method for surveying large groups of otherwise elusive mammals. Population genetics and, in particular, microsatellite analysis can provide an insight into the largest distances and thus fastest rates of spread that zoonotic infections, such as EBLV-2, are likely to travel with their vectors.…”