Genetic relationships of meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) populations in central Appalachian wetlands
K.E. Francl1, T.C. Glenn2,3, S.B. Castleberry4, and W.M. Ford5
1Department
of Biology, Radford University, Box 6931, Radford, VA 24142, USA
2Environmental Health Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens,
GA 30602, USA
3Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia,
Aiken, SC 29802, USA
4Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University
of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-2152, USA
5USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Parsons,
WV 26282, USA
Abstract:
We
sequenced and compared variation within a 375-base-pair segment of the
mitochondrial DNA control region of 323 meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus
(Ord. 1815)) among 14 populations to determine the influence of past and
present landscape connectivity among isolated wetlands in the central
Appalachian Mountains. To best explain observed differences among sites,
we used genetic and landscape-level (GIS) data to test a null hypothesis
(no genetic differences) and three alternate explanations of significant
variation owing to founder effects, effective population size, or isolation
by distance. Sequencing results revealed 16 distinct haplotypes (1-8 haplotypes/site),
with two present in samples from most wetlands, and half of the remaining
haplotypes concentrated in specific geographic clusters. Our findings
best support the explanation that founder effects have influenced current
genetic patterns among sites. These founder effects are likely due to
historical land-use activities such as exploitative logging (ca. 1880-1920;
creating early successional habitats for voles) and subsequent forest
regeneration over the past half century: they were also likely influenced
by postglacial colonization patterns. Therefore, current genetic diversity
in these populations seems to largely reflect the number and source of
voles that successfully colonized these isolated wetlands during the window
of opportunity immediately following extensive logging.
SREL Reprint #3115
Francl, K.
E., T. C. Glenn, S. B. Castleberry, and W. M. Ford. 2008. Genetic relationships
of meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) populations in central
Appalachian wetlands. Canadian Journal of Zoology 86(2008): 344-355.
