Differentiating Individuals and Populations of Mule Deer Using DNA
Travis SE and Keim P. 1995. Differentiating Individuals and Populations of Mule Deer Using DNA. The Journal of Wildlife Management. 59(4):824-831
We developed individual- and population-specific genetic markers for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) to provide wildlife managers with an efficient means of prosecuting poaching cases and analyzing population structure at the genetic level. We used DNA fingerprinting and analyses of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to investigate genetic variation within and among mule deer populations occupying geographic regions adjacent to the North and South rims of the Grand Canyon, Arizona. No 2 deer shared the same DNA banding pattern (i.e., DNA fingerprints were unique to individuals). Fingerprinting further revealed fixation indices (F-statistics) indicative of little genetic differentiation between populations on the North and South rims, but analyses of single-strand conformation polymorphisms (SSCP) of mtDNA in the control region, or D-loop, revealed differentiation (P < 0.001). We identified 7 mtDNA genotypes with ≥1 mitochondrial type characteristic of subpopulations found on the North and South rims. DNA fingerprinting and SSCP provided useful tools for identifying individuals and populations of mule deer from tissue samples.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Travis, Steven; Keim, Paul
- Units
- GRCA
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Genetics, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)