Fine-scale population genetic structure of arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in the High Arctic.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is a circumpolar species inhabiting all accessible Arctic tundra habitats. The species forms a panmictic population over areas connected by sea ice, but recently, kin clustering and population differentiation were detected even in regions where sea ice was present. The purpose of this study was to examine the genetic structure of a population in the High Arctic using a robust panel of highly polymorphic microsatellites.

Results

We analyzed the genotypes of 210 individuals from Bylot Island, Nunavut, Canada, using 15 microsatellite loci. No pattern of isolation-by-distance was detected, but a spatial principal component analysis (sPCA) revealed the presence of genetic subdivisions. Overall, the sPCA revealed two spatially distinct gen

SUBMITTER: Lai S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5710073 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature