The white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) of Missouri have undergone changes in the past 100 years. From a historical estimate of 700,000 individuals, deer were nearly extirpated from the state following overexploitation in the late 1800s. Despite this, deer have since undergone a rapid expansion to the current population of 1.4 million. Because of this complex recent history, we sought to understand the levels and distribution of genetic diversity in deer across Missouri. We genotyped 751 deer at 10 microsatellite loci and used genetic distance metrics and Bayesian clustering analyses to identify distinct genetic groups. We also sequenced the mitochondrial control region from a subset (n = 248) of deer to identify historical lineages. We found high levels of nuclear marker diversity (HE = 0.818) and low, but statistically significant, levels of differentiation among regions. The high level of mitochondrial diversity (48 haplotypes; haplotype diversity = 0.621–0.964) is reflected in a haplotype network that suggests the persistent signature of translocated lineages. Overall, the white‐tailed deer of Missouri now represent a highly diverse population with no indication that there are barriers to gene flow. This will be an important consideration for the management of disease resistance and spread throughout the state. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.
The Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens is native to three major watersheds in the USA: the Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, and Mississippi River drainages. However, they have declined across much of their range due to overfishing, pollution, and major river alterations. After their near extirpation in Missouri, the Missouri Department of Conservation initiated a reintroduction program to restore the Lake Sturgeon in the state's largest waterways. From 1984 to 2015, offspring originating from Lake Winnebago (1984–2001) and from upper Mississippi River tributaries (2004–2015) were reared in captivity and released into portions of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. After 32 years of restorative releases, we screened Lake Sturgeon samples from the state of Missouri by using 11 microsatellite loci and mitochondrial DNA control region sequences. We examined overall genetic diversity and genetic structure of Lake Sturgeon captured in the Mississippi and Missouri rivers for differences between rivers and among groups within rivers. We found high levels of genetic diversity within both rivers, with very little genetic differentiation between them. Higher‐than‐average relatedness within sample groups and heterozygote excess were consistent with the pattern expected from stocked fish and suggested that closely related fish may have aggregated at stocking sites. We detected two genetic groups in Missouri, reflecting the change in stock source. Haplotypes that may be unique to the Mississippi and Ohio River systems were observed at very low frequencies. Though largely the product of stocking, reproductively mature Lake Sturgeon will likely have sufficient genetic diversity and will have experienced selection pressures in Missouri's large rivers, making them the most appropriate source for further supplementation if it is deemed necessary. We recommend continued research and monitoring of reproductive habits and preservation of multiple spawning sites to continue the long path toward a self‐sustaining Lake Sturgeon population in Missouri's waters.
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