Limited gene flow among brown bear populations in far Northern Europe? Genetic analysis of the east–west border population in the Pasvik Valley

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2012.05631.x
• Publication Date: 2012-06-09T12:35:10Z
• Authors: JULIA SCHREGEL; ALEXANDER KOPATZ; SNORRE B. HAGEN; HENRIK BRØSETH; MARTIN E. SMITH; STEINAR WIKAN; INGVILD WARTIAINEN; PAUL E. ASPHOLM; JOUNI ASPI; JON E. SWENSON; OLGA MAKAROVA; NATALIA POLIKARPOVA; MICHAEL SCHNEIDER; PER M. KNAPPSKOG; MINNA RUOKONEN; ILPO KOJOLA; KONSTANTIN F. TIR...; PJOTR I. DANILOV; HANS GEIR EIKEN
• Keywords: Extinction (optical mineralogy); Effective population size; Local extinction

Noninvasively collected genetic data can be used to analyse large-scale connectivity patterns among populations of large predators without disturbing them, which may contribute unravel the species' roles in natural ecosystems and their requirements for long-term survival. The demographic history brown bears (Ursus arctos) Northern Europe indicates several extinction recolonization events, but little is known about present gene flow between east west. We 12 validated microsatellite markers 1580 hair faecal samples during six consecutive years (2005-2010) Pasvik Valley at 70°N on border Norway, Finland Russia. Our results showed an overall high correlation annual estimates population size (N(c) ), density (D), effective (N(e) ) N(e) /N(c) ratio. Furthermore, we observed a heterogeneity ∼0.8 ratios ∼0.6, suggests from east. Thus, expanded study include Karelia (Russia, Finland), Västerbotten (Sweden) Troms (Norway) (477 individuals total) detected four distinct clusters with low migration rates regions. More specifically, found that differentiation was relatively towards south east, whereas, contrast, moderately pairwise F(ST) values (0.91-0.12) were indicate ongoing limits west, existence barriers eastern western bear Europe.