Genetic relationships among North American bison populations

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Polziehn, Renee O., Strobeck, Curtis, Beech, Robin, Sheraton, Jane
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1996
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Bison bison athabascae; Wood Bison; Bison bison bison; Plains Bison
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z96-084; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z96-084

North American bison are presently divided into two subspecies: wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) and plains bison (B. b. bison). A survey was undertaken to determine the distribution of mitochondrial DNA haplotypes among subspecies and populations. Twelve haplotypes were identified with sequence data from the control region of mitochondrial DNA from 32 bison. Mitochondrial haplotypes for 269 bison from nine populations were then determined using the polymerase chain reaction and analyzed for restriction fragment length polymorphisms. Haplotype frequencies suggest genetic distances among bison populations from 0.0715 to 0.362. The extent of differentiation varies considerably. Based on the composition and phylogeny of haplotypes in the bison herds, plains bison form a paraphyletic group and wood bison form a polyphyletic group. Because neither subspecies of bison is derived from one lineage, neither is a well-defined taxon.