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Present and past microsatellite variation and assessment of genetic structure in Eurasian badger (Meles meles) in Denmark

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2005

Cino Pertoldi ,
Volker Loeschcke ,
Ettore Randi ,
Aksel Bo Madsen ,
Michael Møller Hansen ,
R. Bijlsma  and
Louis Van De Zande
Cino Pertoldi
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Aarhus, Building 540, Ny Munkegade, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark Department of Applied Biology, Estación Biológica Doñana, CSIC, Pabellón del Perú, Avda. Maria Luisa, s/n 41013 Seville, Spain Department of Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity, National Environmental Research Institute, Kalø Grenåvej 14, DK-8410 Rønde, Denmark
Volker Loeschcke
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Aarhus, Building 540, Ny Munkegade, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
Ettore Randi
Affiliation:
Istituto Nazionale per la Fauna Selvatica, via Ca' Fornacetta 9, I-40064 Ozzano Emilia (Bo), Italy
Aksel Bo Madsen
Affiliation:
Department of Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity, National Environmental Research Institute, Kalø Grenåvej 14, DK-8410 Rønde, Denmark
Michael Møller Hansen
Affiliation:
Danish Institute for Fisheries Research, Department of Inland Fisheries, Vejlsøvej 39, DK-8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
R. Bijlsma
Affiliation:
Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, Kerklaan 30, NL-9751 NN Haren, The Netherlands
Louis Van De Zande
Affiliation:
Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, Kerklaan 30, NL-9751 NN Haren, The Netherlands
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Abstract

During the past 50 years the number of badgers (Meles meles) in Denmark has declined by c. 50%. To assess the genetic consequences of the demographic decline, six DNA-microsatellite loci were used to analyse 139 badger tissue-samples, which were collected in 1995–98 from three zones (1, 2 and 3) in Jutland (Denmark). Results from contemporary samples were compared to data obtained from DNA extracted from teeth belonging to 39 badgers collected from zones 1 and 2 in 1957–66. The microsatellites showed a low to moderate polymorphism, and the within area genetic diversity (HE) was relatively low (0.308≤HE≤0.441) as compared to other carnivores and mustelids. Genetic differentiation among the three recent sampling zones was significant (FST=0.072, P<0.0001). The FST values between the two recent (FST=0.092, P<0.0001) and the two historical samples (zones 1 and 2; FST=0.073, P<0.0001) were significant and similar. The HE and FST of the recent and historical zones were not significantly different (P>0.05). Despite the drastic recent decline, Danish badgers did not show apparent signs of genetic bottlenecks in both recent and historical samples. The use of molecular techniques which allowed us to work with small amounts of degraded DNA extracted from old teeth, allowed us to exclude the hypothesis that genetic differentiation between zones 1 and 2 was owing to a barrier, which has appeared in the last 50 years. Furthermore, the low genetic variability and therefore the relatively high genetic differentiation shown by Danish badgers were also shown not to be the result of the recent drastic population decline.

Keywords

microsatellitesgenetic driftsocial structuredegraded DNAMeles meles
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Zoology , Volume 265 , Issue 4 , April 2005 , pp. 387 - 394
Copyright
2005 The Zoological Society of London

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