Presentation Detail

Landscape Genetics

Draheim, Hope [1], Moore, Jennifer [2], Fortin, Marie-Jose [3], Winterstein, Scott [4], Scribner, Kim [4].

Evaluating Temporal Variation in Black Bear (Ursus americanus) Spatial Genetic Structure: Application of a Landscape Genetic Approach Using Time Series Data.

Few published landscape genetic studies have evaluated the degree of spatial genetic structure across generations as genetic sampling generally entails one snapshot of genetic processes.However, inference from single snapshots of genetic structure is intrinsically limited and lack of replication restricts our understanding of how spatial genetic structure changes across generations. For example, temporal instability in genetic structure due to changes in effective population size and/or connectivity could introduce error into snapshot estimates of spatial genetic structure. Thus, application of time series analyses is important to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of current analytical approaches or to evaluate spatial genetic structure over time. We used an empirical landscape genetic approach, which includes time series genetic data sets and multiple sample landscapes, to evaluate spatial genetic structure over time in an isolated black bear black bear (Ursus americanus) population in the Northern Lower Peninsula (NLP) of Michigan. The NLP population experiences intensive annual harvest (13-29%), thus potentially exhibits complete turnover in four years. In addition, the NLP is a highly fragmented landscape that regularly undergoes landscape change. Sampling and land cover data representing multiple temporal periods exist. We identified 141 areas of consistent sampling and evaluated black bear spatial genetic structure for two temporal periods (2002 and 2006). Also, we tested a series of landscape models to best explain genetic distance for both years. We found local spatial genetic structure and landscape model performance changed among years and temporal variation may reflect landscape alteration.

1 - Michigan State University, Department of Zoology, 13 Natural Resources, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, United States
2 - Grand Valley State University, Biology Department, 317 Henry Hall, Allendale, MI, 49401, United States
3 - University of Toronto, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology , 25 Harbord Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5, Canada
4 - Michigan State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, 13 Natural Resources, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, United States

Keywords:
none specified

Presentation Type: Regular Oral Presentation
Session: 94
Location: Peruvian B/Snowbird Center
Date: Sunday, June 23rd, 2013
Time: 4:15 PM
Number: 94004
Abstract ID:1034
Candidate for Awards:W.D. Hamilton Award for Outstanding Student Presentation