Population genetics of the main population of brown bears in southwest Asia
Genetic studies of the Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos) have so far focused on populations from Europe and North America, although the largest distribution area of brown bears is in Asia. In this study, we reveal population genetic parameters for the brown bear population inhabiting the Grand Kaçk...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PeerJ Inc.
2018-09-01
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| Series: | PeerJ |
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/5660.pdf |
| _version_ | 1827611059147505664 |
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| author | Hüseyin Ambarlı Deniz Mengüllüoğlu Jörns Fickel Daniel W. Förster |
| author_facet | Hüseyin Ambarlı Deniz Mengüllüoğlu Jörns Fickel Daniel W. Förster |
| author_sort | Hüseyin Ambarlı |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Genetic studies of the Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos) have so far focused on populations from Europe and North America, although the largest distribution area of brown bears is in Asia. In this study, we reveal population genetic parameters for the brown bear population inhabiting the Grand Kaçkar Mountains (GKM) in the north east of Turkey, western Lesser Caucasus. Using both hair (N = 147) and tissue samples (N = 7) collected between 2008 and 2014, we found substantial levels of genetic variation (10 microsatellite loci). Bear samples (hair) taken from rubbing trees worked better for genotyping than those from power poles, regardless of the year collected. Genotyping also revealed that bears moved between habitat patches, despite ongoing massive habitat alterations and the creation of large water reservoirs. This population has the potential to serve as a genetic reserve for future reintroductions in the Middle East. Due to the importance of the GKM population for on-going and future conservation actions, the impacts of habitat alterations in the region ought to be minimized; e.g., by establishing green bridges or corridors over reservoirs and major roads to maintain habitat connectivity and gene flow among populations in the Lesser Caucasus. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T07:59:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-824fb18d3df64a53b0c2e41ab73ae64d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T07:59:42Z |
| publishDate | 2018-09-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-824fb18d3df64a53b0c2e41ab73ae64d2023-12-03T00:48:15ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592018-09-016e566010.7717/peerj.5660Population genetics of the main population of brown bears in southwest AsiaHüseyin Ambarlı0Deniz Mengüllüoğlu1Jörns Fickel2Daniel W. Förster3Department of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Düzce Unviersity, Düzce, TurkeyLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, GermanyLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, GermanyLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, GermanyGenetic studies of the Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos) have so far focused on populations from Europe and North America, although the largest distribution area of brown bears is in Asia. In this study, we reveal population genetic parameters for the brown bear population inhabiting the Grand Kaçkar Mountains (GKM) in the north east of Turkey, western Lesser Caucasus. Using both hair (N = 147) and tissue samples (N = 7) collected between 2008 and 2014, we found substantial levels of genetic variation (10 microsatellite loci). Bear samples (hair) taken from rubbing trees worked better for genotyping than those from power poles, regardless of the year collected. Genotyping also revealed that bears moved between habitat patches, despite ongoing massive habitat alterations and the creation of large water reservoirs. This population has the potential to serve as a genetic reserve for future reintroductions in the Middle East. Due to the importance of the GKM population for on-going and future conservation actions, the impacts of habitat alterations in the region ought to be minimized; e.g., by establishing green bridges or corridors over reservoirs and major roads to maintain habitat connectivity and gene flow among populations in the Lesser Caucasus.https://peerj.com/articles/5660.pdfUrsus arctosMicrosatelliteConservationAnatoliaIsolationSource population |
| spellingShingle | Hüseyin Ambarlı Deniz Mengüllüoğlu Jörns Fickel Daniel W. Förster Population genetics of the main population of brown bears in southwest Asia PeerJ Ursus arctos Microsatellite Conservation Anatolia Isolation Source population |
| title | Population genetics of the main population of brown bears in southwest Asia |
| title_full | Population genetics of the main population of brown bears in southwest Asia |
| title_fullStr | Population genetics of the main population of brown bears in southwest Asia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Population genetics of the main population of brown bears in southwest Asia |
| title_short | Population genetics of the main population of brown bears in southwest Asia |
| title_sort | population genetics of the main population of brown bears in southwest asia |
| topic | Ursus arctos Microsatellite Conservation Anatolia Isolation Source population |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/5660.pdf |
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