Testing a Local Inbreeding Hypothesis as a Cause of Observed Antler Characteristics in Managed Populations of White-Tailed Deer
The increased use of antler restrictions by state game agencies has led to a focus on antlers by the hunting public, particularly the potential for an association between genetics and antler characteristics. We analyzed microsatellite data from 1231 male white-tailed deer (<i>Odocoileus virgin...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Diversity |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/3/116 |
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| author | Stephen L. Webb Randy W. DeYoung Stephen Demarais Bronson K. Strickland Kenneth L. Gee |
| author_facet | Stephen L. Webb Randy W. DeYoung Stephen Demarais Bronson K. Strickland Kenneth L. Gee |
| author_sort | Stephen L. Webb |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The increased use of antler restrictions by state game agencies has led to a focus on antlers by the hunting public, particularly the potential for an association between genetics and antler characteristics. We analyzed microsatellite data from 1231 male white-tailed deer (<i>Odocoileus virginianus</i>) from three states (Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Texas) within USA to determine if genetic relatedness, internal relatedness (IR), homozygosity weighted by locus (HL), or correlations among uniting gametes (<i>F</i><sub>is</sub>) influenced total antler points, antler score, non-typical points or antler malformations. Within each location, deer in the lower and upper quartile intervals for number of antler points and score were unrelated (95% CI included 0 or was <0) and relatively heterozygous for four measures of inbreeding. Antler score and points were positively influenced by age but negatively influenced by IR and HL, except for antler score in Mississippi. Relatedness, HL, IR and <i>F</i><sub>is</sub> did not differ between groups of deer with and without antler malformations. Perceived differences in antler quality do not appear to be affected by heterozygosity or a result of close inbreeding because we found deer were unrelated and measures of inbreeding and genome-wide heterozygosity were not correlated with antler characteristics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:24:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-407a5916f86f4f4ba31898396023bf69 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:24:58Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-407a5916f86f4f4ba31898396023bf692023-11-21T09:43:24ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182021-03-0113311610.3390/d13030116Testing a Local Inbreeding Hypothesis as a Cause of Observed Antler Characteristics in Managed Populations of White-Tailed DeerStephen L. Webb0Randy W. DeYoung1Stephen Demarais2Bronson K. Strickland3Kenneth L. Gee4Noble Research Institute, LLC, Ardmore, OK 73401, USACaesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363, USADepartment of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, MS 39762, USADepartment of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, MS 39762, USAOaks and Prairies Joint Venture, Gene Autry, OK 73401, USAThe increased use of antler restrictions by state game agencies has led to a focus on antlers by the hunting public, particularly the potential for an association between genetics and antler characteristics. We analyzed microsatellite data from 1231 male white-tailed deer (<i>Odocoileus virginianus</i>) from three states (Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Texas) within USA to determine if genetic relatedness, internal relatedness (IR), homozygosity weighted by locus (HL), or correlations among uniting gametes (<i>F</i><sub>is</sub>) influenced total antler points, antler score, non-typical points or antler malformations. Within each location, deer in the lower and upper quartile intervals for number of antler points and score were unrelated (95% CI included 0 or was <0) and relatively heterozygous for four measures of inbreeding. Antler score and points were positively influenced by age but negatively influenced by IR and HL, except for antler score in Mississippi. Relatedness, HL, IR and <i>F</i><sub>is</sub> did not differ between groups of deer with and without antler malformations. Perceived differences in antler quality do not appear to be affected by heterozygosity or a result of close inbreeding because we found deer were unrelated and measures of inbreeding and genome-wide heterozygosity were not correlated with antler characteristics.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/3/116antlersgeneticsheterozygosityinbreedingmicrosatellite<i>Odocoileus virginianus</i> |
| spellingShingle | Stephen L. Webb Randy W. DeYoung Stephen Demarais Bronson K. Strickland Kenneth L. Gee Testing a Local Inbreeding Hypothesis as a Cause of Observed Antler Characteristics in Managed Populations of White-Tailed Deer Diversity antlers genetics heterozygosity inbreeding microsatellite <i>Odocoileus virginianus</i> |
| title | Testing a Local Inbreeding Hypothesis as a Cause of Observed Antler Characteristics in Managed Populations of White-Tailed Deer |
| title_full | Testing a Local Inbreeding Hypothesis as a Cause of Observed Antler Characteristics in Managed Populations of White-Tailed Deer |
| title_fullStr | Testing a Local Inbreeding Hypothesis as a Cause of Observed Antler Characteristics in Managed Populations of White-Tailed Deer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Testing a Local Inbreeding Hypothesis as a Cause of Observed Antler Characteristics in Managed Populations of White-Tailed Deer |
| title_short | Testing a Local Inbreeding Hypothesis as a Cause of Observed Antler Characteristics in Managed Populations of White-Tailed Deer |
| title_sort | testing a local inbreeding hypothesis as a cause of observed antler characteristics in managed populations of white tailed deer |
| topic | antlers genetics heterozygosity inbreeding microsatellite <i>Odocoileus virginianus</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/3/116 |
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