Genetic structure of Eurasian badgers Meles meles (Carnivora: Mustelidae) and the colonization history of Ireland

O'Meara, Denise B., Edwards, Ceiridwen J., Sleeman, D. Paddy, Cross, Tom F., Statham, Mark J., McDowell, Jan R., Dillane, Eileen, Coughlan, Jamie P., O'Leary, David, O'Reilly, Catherine, Bradley, Daniel G. and Carlsson, Jens (2012) Genetic structure of Eurasian badgers Meles meles (Carnivora: Mustelidae) and the colonization history of Ireland. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 106 (4). pp. 893-909. ISSN 0024-4066

Metadata only available from this repository.

Abstract

The present study examined the contemporary genetic composition of the Eurasian badger, Meles meles, in Ireland, Britain and Western Europe, using six nuclear microsatellite loci and a 215-bp fragment of the mitochondrial DNA control region. Significant population structure was evident within Europe (global multilocus microsatellite FST = 0.205, P < 0.001; global mitochondrial control region ΦST = 0.399, P < 0.001). Microsatellite-based cluster analyses detected one population in Ireland, whereas badgers from Britain could be subdivided into several populations. Excluding the island populations of Ireland and Britain, badgers from Western Europe showed further structuring, with evidence of discrete Scandinavian, Central European, and Spanish populations. Mitochondrial DNA cluster analysis grouped the Irish population with Scandinavia and Spain, whereas the majority of British haplotypes grouped with those from Central Europe. The findings of the present study suggest that British and Irish badger populations colonized from different refugial areas, or that there were different waves of colonization from the source population. There are indications for the presence of an Atlantic fringe element, which has been seen in other Irish species. We discuss the results in light of the controversy about natural versus human-mediated introductions

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Q Science > Q Science (General) Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology
Schools:	School of Applied Sciences
Related URLs:	Author
Depositing User:	Elizabeth Boulton
Date Deposited:	29 Jun 2015 11:30
Last Modified:	29 Jun 2015 11:30
URI:	http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/24924

Downloads

Repository Staff Only: item control page

View Item