Genetic Consequences of Fence Confinement in a Population of White-Tailed Deer

Latch, Emily K.; Gee, Kenneth L.; Webb, Stephen L.; Honeycutt, Rodney L.; DeYoung, Randy W.; Gonzales, Robert A.; Demarais, Stephen; Toby, Ryan

doi:10.3390/d13030126

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…Our genetic diversity data suggest that more southerly sites resemble patterns expected of range-edge populations (Brussard 1984; Phillips et al . 2008; Langin et al . 2017), supporting the prediction that the rusa deer population is expanding south and west from Royal National Park.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Genetic analysis reveals spatial structure in an expanding introduced rusa deer population

Li-Williams,

Stuart,

Comte

et al. 2023

Wildlife Res.

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Context Rusa deer (Cervus timorensis), originally introduced in the 1860s, are still spreading in eastern Australia. The expanding peri-urban rusa deer population in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia is having undesirable impacts on human and ecological communities, but the spatial structure of this population has not been investigated. Genetic information on invasive species is potentially useful in identifying management units to mitigate undesirable impacts.Aim The aim of this study was to investigate population structure, characterise dispersal, and determine if natural and human-made landscape features affected gene flow in rusa deer invading the Illawarra region of New South Wales.Methods We used reduced representation sequencing (DArT-Seq) to analyse single nucleotide polymorphisms distributed throughout the genomic DNA of rusa deer culled during a management program. We used admixture and Principal Component Analyses to investigate population structure with respect to natural and human-made landscape features, and we investigated whether our genetic data supported the presence of sex-biased dispersal.Key results Genetic diversity was highest in the north, near the original introduction site. A railway line demarcated restricted gene flow. Surprisingly, the Illawarra escarpment, a prominent landscape feature, did not restrict gene flow. There was no evidence of sex-biased dispersal and seven individuals were identified as genetic outliers.Conclusions The genetic structure of the Illawarra rusa deer population is consistent with individuals spreading south from their introduction site in Royal National Park. The population is not panmictic, and a landscape feature associated with urbanisation was associated with increased spatial genetic structure. Outliers could indicate hybridisation or secondary incursion events.Implications Rusa deer can be expected to continue invading southwards in the Illawarra region, but landscape features associated with urbanisation might reduce dispersal across the landscape. The genetic structuring of the population identified three potential management units on which to prioritise ground shooting operations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Roads and railways have caused habitat fragmentation impacting deer (Kuehn et al 2006;Garcia-Gonzalez et al 2012). Furthermore, fences around these transportation structures may impact movement of deer (Latch et al 2021).…”

Section: Rusa Deer Tissue Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic analysis reveals spatial structure in an expanding introduced rusa deer population

Li-Williams,

Stuart,

Comte

et al. 2023

Wildlife Res.

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Testing a Local Inbreeding Hypothesis as a Cause of Observed Antler Characteristics in Managed Populations of White-Tailed Deer

et al. 2021

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The increased use of antler restrictions by state game agencies has led to a focus on antlers by the hunting public, particularly the potential for an association between genetics and antler characteristics. We analyzed microsatellite data from 1231 male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from three states (Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Texas) within USA to determine if genetic relatedness, internal relatedness (IR), homozygosity weighted by locus (HL), or correlations among uniting gametes (Fis) influenced total antler points, antler score, non-typical points or antler malformations. Within each location, deer in the lower and upper quartile intervals for number of antler points and score were unrelated (95% CI included 0 or was <0) and relatively heterozygous for four measures of inbreeding. Antler score and points were positively influenced by age but negatively influenced by IR and HL, except for antler score in Mississippi. Relatedness, HL, IR and Fis did not differ between groups of deer with and without antler malformations. Perceived differences in antler quality do not appear to be affected by heterozygosity or a result of close inbreeding because we found deer were unrelated and measures of inbreeding and genome-wide heterozygosity were not correlated with antler characteristics.

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Genetic Consequences of Fence Confinement in a Population of White-Tailed Deer

Cited by 2 publications

References 54 publications

Genetic analysis reveals spatial structure in an expanding introduced rusa deer population

Genetic analysis reveals spatial structure in an expanding introduced rusa deer population

Testing a Local Inbreeding Hypothesis as a Cause of Observed Antler Characteristics in Managed Populations of White-Tailed Deer

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