Conservation genetics of Roosevelt Elk in British Columbia

dc.contributor.authorGazeley, Ian Frederick
dc.contributor.authorUniversity of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
dc.contributor.supervisorBurg, Theresa M.
dc.date.accessioned2021-05-12T14:17:46Z
dc.date.available2021-05-12T14:17:46Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.degree.levelMastersen_US
dc.description.abstractSpecies reintroductions have the potential to cause bottleneck events resulting in increased genetic drift, reduced genetic diversity and increased inbreeding, with potentially negative fitness consequences. Wildlife managers must consider how a species’ ecology may affect its genetic diversity. Roosevelt elk, once widespread along the West Coast, were extirpated from the mainland and experienced a substantial population bottleneck on Vancouver Island. The species was reintroduced to the BC mainland in the 1980s, and their descendants used for subsequent reintroductions within the region. To understand genetic diversity in extant and reintroduced populations of Roosevelt elk, we analyzed genetic variation in 355 elk from 13 populations. Molecular analyses showed reduced genetic diversity, genetic isolation of southern Vancouver Island, increased genetic drift resulting in significant differentiation between source and reintroduced herds, and very low effective population size in multiple populations indicating a potential for inbreeding and associated negative fitness consequences.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipUniversity of Lethbridge, British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Developmenten_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10133/5883
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.proquest.subjectEcology [0329]en_US
dc.proquest.subjectMolecular biology [0307]en_US
dc.proquest.subjectGenetics [0369]en_US
dc.proquestyesYesen_US
dc.publisherLethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Biological Sciencesen_US
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_US
dc.publisher.facultyArts and Scienceen_US
dc.relation.ispartofseriesThesis (University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science)en_US
dc.subjectResearch Subject Categories::NATURAL SCIENCES::Biology::Organism biology::Systematics and phylogeneticsen_US
dc.subjectAnimal population geneticsen_US
dc.subjectAnimal populations -- British Columbia -- Researchen_US
dc.subjectDissertations, Academicen_US
dc.subjectRoosevelt elk -- British Columbiaen_US
dc.subjectRoosevelt elk -- Conservation -- British Columbiaen_US
dc.subjectWildlife managementen_US
dc.subjectWildlife recovery plans -- British Columbiaen_US
dc.titleConservation genetics of Roosevelt Elk in British Columbiaen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
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