Population structure and genetic diversity of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in fragmented landscapes at the northern edge of their range

Krista L. Bush; Christopher K. Dyte; Brendan J. Moynahan; Cameron L. Aldridge; Heather S. Sauls; Angela M. Battazzo; Brett L. Walker; Kevin E. Doherty; Jason Tack; John Carlson; Dale Eslinger; Joel Nicholson; Mark S. Boyce; David E. Naugle; Cynthia A. Paszkowski; David W. Coltman

doi:10.1007/s10592-010-0159-8

Population structure and genetic diversity of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in fragmented landscapes at the northern edge of their range

Krista L. Bush
, Christopher K. Dyte
, Brendan J. Moynahan
, Cameron L. Aldridge
, Heather S. Sauls
, Angela M. Battazzo
, Brett L. Walker
, Kevin E. Doherty
, Jason Tack
, John Carlson
, Dale Eslinger
, Joel Nicholson
, Mark S. Boyce
, David E. Naugle
, Cynthia A. Paszkowski
, David W. Coltman

W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

Range-edge dynamics and anthropogenic fragmentation are expected to impact patterns of genetic diversity, and understanding the influence of both factors is important for effective conservation of threatened wildlife species. To examine these factors, we sampled greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) from a declining, fragmented region at the northern periphery of the species' range and from a stable, contiguous core region. We genotyped 2,519 individuals at 13 microsatellite loci from 104 leks in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, and Wyoming. Birds from northern Montana, Alberta, and Saskatchewan were identified as a single population that exhibited significant isolation by distance, with the Milk River demarcating two subpopulations. Both subpopulations exhibited high genetic diversity with no evidence that peripheral regions were genetically depauperate or highly structured. However, river valleys and a large agricultural region were significant barriers to dispersal. Leks were also composed primarily of non-kin, rejecting the idea that leks form because of male kin association. Northern Montana sage-grouse are maintaining genetic connectivity in fragmented and northern peripheral habitats via dispersal through and around various forms of fragmentation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	527-542
Number of pages	16
Journal	Conservation Genetics
Volume	12
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-010-0159-8
State	Published - Apr 2011

Funding

Association, Saskatchewan Environment, Parks Canada, Montana BLM, and Montana FWP. We thank Pat Fargey, Sue McAdam, Al Rosgaard, Kelvin Johnson, Craig Miller, Mark Sullivan, Fritz Prell-witz, and Randy Matchett for coordinating sample collection. We thank Jennifer Carpenter for 2005/6 Alberta sample collection. We thank Tara Cessford, Brad Necyk, and Andrew Wong for sample preparation, Corey Davis, Lindsey Carmichael, Bryan Stevens, and Greg Wilson for technical and statistical advice, and Curtis Strobeck for lab space in 2003/4. We thank Michael Schroeder for discussions on grouse dispersal and Donna Bush, Robert Gibson, Randy Matchett, Tom Rinkes, and four anonymous reviewers for comments on earlier drafts. This research was funded by WWF Canada ESRF, ACA Grant Eligible Conservation Fund, Parks Canada SARRAEF, the Nature Conservancy, ACA and ACCRU Challenge Grants in Biodiversity, ASRPWF Development Initiatives Program, Montana BLM, WWF USA, APWS Leslie Tassel Fund, SCO Taverner Award, and POP-WA. Krista Bush was supported by NSERC Postgraduate Doctoral and Masters Scholarships, Walter H. Johns Fellowships, McAfee Estate Scholarship in Zoology, SERM Scholarships, GCA Frances Peacock Scholarship for Native Bird Habitat, APWS Charles Sivelle Scholarship, CWF Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarship, and a COPandGA Bob Landon Bursary.

Keywords

Declining population
Genetic diversity
Genetic structure
Periphery
Sage-grouse

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10.1007/s10592-010-0159-8

Cite this

Bush, K. L., Dyte, C. K., Moynahan, B. J., Aldridge, C. L., Sauls, H. S., Battazzo, A. M., Walker, B. L., Doherty, K. E., Tack, J., Carlson, J., Eslinger, D., Nicholson, J., Boyce, M. S., Naugle, D. E., Paszkowski, C. A., & Coltman, D. W. (2011). Population structure and genetic diversity of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in fragmented landscapes at the northern edge of their range. Conservation Genetics, 12(2), 527-542. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-010-0159-8

@article{fa3d9ac3eba54d1eb8b765860c4d4ac7,

title = "Population structure and genetic diversity of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in fragmented landscapes at the northern edge of their range",

abstract = "Range-edge dynamics and anthropogenic fragmentation are expected to impact patterns of genetic diversity, and understanding the influence of both factors is important for effective conservation of threatened wildlife species. To examine these factors, we sampled greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) from a declining, fragmented region at the northern periphery of the species' range and from a stable, contiguous core region. We genotyped 2,519 individuals at 13 microsatellite loci from 104 leks in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, and Wyoming. Birds from northern Montana, Alberta, and Saskatchewan were identified as a single population that exhibited significant isolation by distance, with the Milk River demarcating two subpopulations. Both subpopulations exhibited high genetic diversity with no evidence that peripheral regions were genetically depauperate or highly structured. However, river valleys and a large agricultural region were significant barriers to dispersal. Leks were also composed primarily of non-kin, rejecting the idea that leks form because of male kin association. Northern Montana sage-grouse are maintaining genetic connectivity in fragmented and northern peripheral habitats via dispersal through and around various forms of fragmentation.",

keywords = "Declining population, Genetic diversity, Genetic structure, Periphery, Sage-grouse",

author = "Bush, \{Krista L.\} and Dyte, \{Christopher K.\} and Moynahan, \{Brendan J.\} and Aldridge, \{Cameron L.\} and Sauls, \{Heather S.\} and Battazzo, \{Angela M.\} and Walker, \{Brett L.\} and Doherty, \{Kevin E.\} and Jason Tack and John Carlson and Dale Eslinger and Joel Nicholson and Boyce, \{Mark S.\} and Naugle, \{David E.\} and Paszkowski, \{Cynthia A.\} and Coltman, \{David W.\}",

note = "Funding Information: Association, Saskatchewan Environment, Parks Canada, Montana BLM, and Montana FWP. We thank Pat Fargey, Sue McAdam, Al Rosgaard, Kelvin Johnson, Craig Miller, Mark Sullivan, Fritz Prell-witz, and Randy Matchett for coordinating sample collection. We thank Jennifer Carpenter for 2005/6 Alberta sample collection. We thank Tara Cessford, Brad Necyk, and Andrew Wong for sample preparation, Corey Davis, Lindsey Carmichael, Bryan Stevens, and Greg Wilson for technical and statistical advice, and Curtis Strobeck for lab space in 2003/4. We thank Michael Schroeder for discussions on grouse dispersal and Donna Bush, Robert Gibson, Randy Matchett, Tom Rinkes, and four anonymous reviewers for comments on earlier drafts. This research was funded by WWF Canada ESRF, ACA Grant Eligible Conservation Fund, Parks Canada SARRAEF, the Nature Conservancy, ACA and ACCRU Challenge Grants in Biodiversity, ASRPWF Development Initiatives Program, Montana BLM, WWF USA, APWS Leslie Tassel Fund, SCO Taverner Award, and POP-WA. Krista Bush was supported by NSERC Postgraduate Doctoral and Masters Scholarships, Walter H. Johns Fellowships, McAfee Estate Scholarship in Zoology, SERM Scholarships, GCA Frances Peacock Scholarship for Native Bird Habitat, APWS Charles Sivelle Scholarship, CWF Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarship, and a COPandGA Bob Landon Bursary.",

year = "2011",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1007/s10592-010-0159-8",

language = "English",

volume = "12",

pages = "527--542",

journal = "Conservation Genetics",

issn = "1566-0621",

publisher = "Springer Science and Business Media B.V.",

number = "2",

}

Bush, KL, Dyte, CK, Moynahan, BJ, Aldridge, CL, Sauls, HS, Battazzo, AM, Walker, BL, Doherty, KE, Tack, J, Carlson, J, Eslinger, D, Nicholson, J, Boyce, MS, Naugle, DE, Paszkowski, CA & Coltman, DW 2011, 'Population structure and genetic diversity of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in fragmented landscapes at the northern edge of their range', Conservation Genetics, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 527-542. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-010-0159-8

TY - JOUR

T1 - Population structure and genetic diversity of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in fragmented landscapes at the northern edge of their range

AU - Bush, Krista L.

AU - Dyte, Christopher K.

AU - Moynahan, Brendan J.

AU - Aldridge, Cameron L.

AU - Sauls, Heather S.

AU - Battazzo, Angela M.

AU - Walker, Brett L.

AU - Doherty, Kevin E.

AU - Tack, Jason

AU - Carlson, John

AU - Eslinger, Dale

AU - Nicholson, Joel

AU - Boyce, Mark S.

AU - Naugle, David E.

AU - Paszkowski, Cynthia A.

AU - Coltman, David W.

N1 - Funding Information: Association, Saskatchewan Environment, Parks Canada, Montana BLM, and Montana FWP. We thank Pat Fargey, Sue McAdam, Al Rosgaard, Kelvin Johnson, Craig Miller, Mark Sullivan, Fritz Prell-witz, and Randy Matchett for coordinating sample collection. We thank Jennifer Carpenter for 2005/6 Alberta sample collection. We thank Tara Cessford, Brad Necyk, and Andrew Wong for sample preparation, Corey Davis, Lindsey Carmichael, Bryan Stevens, and Greg Wilson for technical and statistical advice, and Curtis Strobeck for lab space in 2003/4. We thank Michael Schroeder for discussions on grouse dispersal and Donna Bush, Robert Gibson, Randy Matchett, Tom Rinkes, and four anonymous reviewers for comments on earlier drafts. This research was funded by WWF Canada ESRF, ACA Grant Eligible Conservation Fund, Parks Canada SARRAEF, the Nature Conservancy, ACA and ACCRU Challenge Grants in Biodiversity, ASRPWF Development Initiatives Program, Montana BLM, WWF USA, APWS Leslie Tassel Fund, SCO Taverner Award, and POP-WA. Krista Bush was supported by NSERC Postgraduate Doctoral and Masters Scholarships, Walter H. Johns Fellowships, McAfee Estate Scholarship in Zoology, SERM Scholarships, GCA Frances Peacock Scholarship for Native Bird Habitat, APWS Charles Sivelle Scholarship, CWF Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarship, and a COPandGA Bob Landon Bursary.

PY - 2011/4

Y1 - 2011/4

N2 - Range-edge dynamics and anthropogenic fragmentation are expected to impact patterns of genetic diversity, and understanding the influence of both factors is important for effective conservation of threatened wildlife species. To examine these factors, we sampled greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) from a declining, fragmented region at the northern periphery of the species' range and from a stable, contiguous core region. We genotyped 2,519 individuals at 13 microsatellite loci from 104 leks in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, and Wyoming. Birds from northern Montana, Alberta, and Saskatchewan were identified as a single population that exhibited significant isolation by distance, with the Milk River demarcating two subpopulations. Both subpopulations exhibited high genetic diversity with no evidence that peripheral regions were genetically depauperate or highly structured. However, river valleys and a large agricultural region were significant barriers to dispersal. Leks were also composed primarily of non-kin, rejecting the idea that leks form because of male kin association. Northern Montana sage-grouse are maintaining genetic connectivity in fragmented and northern peripheral habitats via dispersal through and around various forms of fragmentation.

AB - Range-edge dynamics and anthropogenic fragmentation are expected to impact patterns of genetic diversity, and understanding the influence of both factors is important for effective conservation of threatened wildlife species. To examine these factors, we sampled greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) from a declining, fragmented region at the northern periphery of the species' range and from a stable, contiguous core region. We genotyped 2,519 individuals at 13 microsatellite loci from 104 leks in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, and Wyoming. Birds from northern Montana, Alberta, and Saskatchewan were identified as a single population that exhibited significant isolation by distance, with the Milk River demarcating two subpopulations. Both subpopulations exhibited high genetic diversity with no evidence that peripheral regions were genetically depauperate or highly structured. However, river valleys and a large agricultural region were significant barriers to dispersal. Leks were also composed primarily of non-kin, rejecting the idea that leks form because of male kin association. Northern Montana sage-grouse are maintaining genetic connectivity in fragmented and northern peripheral habitats via dispersal through and around various forms of fragmentation.

KW - Declining population

KW - Genetic diversity

KW - Genetic structure

KW - Periphery

KW - Sage-grouse

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/79952696142

U2 - 10.1007/s10592-010-0159-8

DO - 10.1007/s10592-010-0159-8

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:79952696142

SN - 1566-0621

VL - 12

SP - 527

EP - 542

JO - Conservation Genetics

JF - Conservation Genetics

IS - 2

ER -

Population structure and genetic diversity of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in fragmented landscapes at the northern edge of their range

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