Open AccessOrigins of Chinese reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) based on mitochondrial DNA analyses
Author(s) -
Shengnan Wang,
Jiancheng Zhai,
Weishi Liu,
Yanling Xia,
Lei Han,
Heping Li
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0225037
Subject(s) - herd , population , geography , mitochondrial dna , tundra , biology , ecology , china , beringia , zoology , arctic , demography , archaeology , genetics , gene , sociology
The most southern population of reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus ) inhabits northeastern China, but the migration route and origin of this population have not been confirmed. The sequences of mitochondrial DNA control regions from domestic and wild herds from Eurasia and China were analysed. The results showed that the Chinese reindeer population originated independently from north-central Russian domestic herds, belonging to a large reindeer population that was present across Beringia during the last glacial period. Some studies have reported that the Chinese reindeer population is closely related to wild forest reindeer herds in Russia. Our results, however, indicate that wild forest reindeer herds of southeastern Russia contributed little or nothing to the Chinese reindeer herd gene pool. Chinese reindeer herds have a much greater genetic similarity to more northerly distributed tundra-type herds that inhabit open areas. The present findings will be essential for future conservation planning for Chinese reindeer.