Biochemical Variation and Genetic Heterogeneity in South Carolina Deer Populations
1979; Wiley; Volume: 43; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.2307/3800644
ISSN1937-2817
AutoresPaul Ramsey, John C. Avise, M. H. Smith, David F. Urbston,
Tópico(s)Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
ResumoProtein variation in 218 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from the Savannah River Plant in South Carolina was examined by starch gel electrophoresis. Polymorphism occurred for 7 of 21 structural loci coding for 20 protein systems and for a gene duplication of alpha-chain hemoglobin. Seg- regating alleles were detected for esterase, transferrin, phosphoglucomutase, glutamic oxalacetic trans- aminase, malate dehydrogenase, and beta-chain hemoglobin. Swamp and upland subpopulations were recognized from 6 years of data from controlled hunts. The swamp herd had higher but declining density, older age structure, 35% lower fertility among female fawns, and 13% greater mortality of male fawns at the time genetic data were collected. Esterase and hemoglobin loci showed significant differences in genotypic proportions between herds, sexes and age classes. Associated demographic and genetic differ- ences suggest applications of electrophoretic data to management practices by identifying subpopulations, assessing migration, and detecting selection. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 43(1):136-142 Numerous variables relating to geog- raphy, habitat, and demography have been used to define separate populations of game species. With the increased availability and use of techniques such as electrophoresis, genetic variation can be used to further define the biological properties of populations (Selander and Johnson 1973). Electrophoretically deter- mined variants of proteins are used to es- timate the degree of polymorphism at a variety of gene loci. These techniques allow a direct comparison of genetic structure across populations or taxonomic groups, provided that functionally similar proteins are utilized (Gillespie and Koji- ma 1968).
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