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Population subdivision among desert bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis ) ewes revealed by mitochondrial DNA analysis
Author(s) -
Boyce W. M.,
Ramey R. R.,
Rodwell T. C.,
Rubin E. S.,
Singer R. S.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
molecular ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.619
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1365-294X
pISSN - 0962-1083
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-294x.1999.00536.x
Subject(s) - ovis canadensis , biology , mitochondrial dna , ovis , mtdna control region , range (aeronautics) , genetic variation , population , zoology , haplotype , evolutionary biology , genetics , ecology , demography , genotype , gene , materials science , sociology , composite material
We used behavioural observations and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence analysis to examine demographic and genetic structure within and among home‐range groups of desert bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis ) ewes in the Peninsular Ranges of southern California, USA. We identified substantial genetic variation in the first 515 bp of the mtDNA control region and determined that seven haplotypes were distributed in a nonrandom fashion among these ewe subpopulations. Although a significant ( P < 0.01) amount of mtDNA variation (33%) was partitioned among home‐range groups, we did not find strong evidence for matrilineal substructuring within these groups. Based on analyses of molecular variance, and comparisons of behavioural associations and distances between centres of activity, we concluded that within a given home‐range group, bighorn sheep ewes generally associate with other ewes based on their availability rather than their matrilineal relationships. Our results also supported the conclusion that multiple ewe subpopulations exist within the Peninsular Ranges, and that these subpopulations are the most basic demographic and genetic units.