Genetic structure of the world's polar bear populations

doi:10.1046/j.1365-294x.1999.00733.x

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Wiley InterScience

Molecular Ecology

Volume 8 Issue 10, Pages 1571 - 1584

Published Online: 4 Jan 2002

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Genetic structure of the world's polar bear populations

D. Paetkau,* S. C. Amstrup,† E. W. Born,‡ W. Calvert,§ A. E. Derocher,¶ G. W. Garner,†§§ F. Messier,** I. Stirling,*§ M. K. Taylor,†† Ø. Wiig‡‡ and C. Strobeck*

*Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada, †Biological Resource Division, USGS, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Anchorage, AK 99503, USA, ‡Greenland Institute of Natural Resources c/o National Environmental Research Institute, Department of Arctic Environment, Tagensvej 135, 4th floor, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark, §Canadian Wildlife Service, 5320–122 St., Edmonton, AB, T6H 3S5, Canada, ¶Norwegian Polar Institute, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway, **Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada, †† DRWED, Government of the Northwest Territories, PO Box 1870, Iqaluit, NT, X0 A 0H0, Canada, ‡‡Zoological Museum, University of Oslo, Sarsgate 1, N-0562 Oslo, Norway

Correspondence: D. Paetkau. Department of Zoology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld. 4072, Australia. Fax: + 61 7-3365 1655; E-mail:dpaetkau@zoology.uq.edu.au

§§Sadly, Dr Garner died while this manuscript was being prepared.

KEYWORDS

microsatellite • polar bear • population structure • sea ice • Ursus maritimus

ABSTRACT

Abstract

We studied genetic structure in polar bear (Ursus maritimus) populations by typing a sample of 473 individuals spanning the species distribution at 16 highly variable microsatellite loci. No genetic discontinuities were found that would be consistent with evolutionarily significant periods of isolation between groups. Direct comparison of movement data and genetic data from the Canadian Arctic revealed a highly significant correlation. Genetic data generally supported existing population (management unit) designations, although there were two cases where genetic data failed to differentiate between pairs of populations previously resolved by movement data. A sharp contrast was found between the minimal genetic structure observed among populations surrounding the polar basin and the presence of several marked genetic discontinuities in the Canadian Arctic. The discontinuities in the Canadian Arctic caused the appearance of four genetic clusters of polar bear populations. These clusters vary in total estimated population size from 100 to over 10 000, and the smallest may merit a relatively conservative management strategy in consideration of its apparent isolation. We suggest that the observed pattern of genetic discontinuities has developed in response to differences in the seasonal distribution and pattern of sea ice habitat and the effects of these differences on the distribution and abundance of seals.

Received 15 January 1999; revision received 11 May 1999;accepted 11 May 1999

DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER (DOI)

10.1046/j.1365-294x.1999.00733.x About DOI

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Special Issue on Barcoding Life

This supplement to Molecular Ecology Resources is devoted to showcasing current barcoding work and providing a forum for the discussion of issues dealing with barcoding. The supplement grew out of the second Canadian Barcode of Life Network Scientific Symposium devoted to DNA barcoding, held at the Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto, Canada, 28–29 April 2008).

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