Regional Variation in mtDNA of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken

The Condor
By: , and 

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Abstract

Cumulative loss of habitat and long-term decline in the populations of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) have led to concerns for the species' viability throughout its range in the southern Great Plains. For more efficient conservation past and present distributions of genetic variation need to be understood. We examined the distribution of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation in the Lesser Prairie-Chicken across Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Throughout the range we found little genetic differentiation except for the population in New Mexico, which was significantly different from most other publications. We did, however, find significant isolation by distance at the rangewide scale (r=0.698). We found no relationship between haplotype phylogeny and geography, and our analyses provide evidence for a post-glacial population expansion within the species that is consistent with the idea that speciation within Tympanuchus is recent. Conservation actions that increase the likelihood of genetically viable populations in the future should be evaluated for implementation.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Regional Variation in mtDNA of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken
Series title The Condor
DOI 10.1525/cond.2010.090150
Volume 112
Issue 1
Year Published 2010
Language English
Publisher Cooper Ornithological Club
Description 9 p.
First page 29
Last page 37
Country United States
State Texas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma
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