Assessing polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) population structure in the Hudson Bay region using SNPs

Abstract Defining subpopulations using genetics has traditionally used data from microsatellite markers to investigate population structure; however, single‐nucleotide polymorphisms ( SNP s) have emerged as a tool for detection of fine‐scale structure. In Hudson Bay, Canada, three polar bear ( Ursus...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecology and Evolution
Main Authors: Viengkone, Michelle, Derocher, Andrew Edward, Richardson, Evan Shaun, Malenfant, René Michael, Miller, Joshua Moses, Obbard, Martyn E., Dyck, Markus G., Lunn, Nick J., Sahanatien, Vicki, Davis, Corey S.
Other Authors: Environment Canada, World Wildlife Fund
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016
Subjects:
Akimiski Island
Baffin Island
Canada
Foxe Basin
Hudson
Hudson Bay
Southampton Island
Akimiski island
Baffin
Davis Strait
polar bear
Ursus maritimus
James Bay
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2563
https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fece3.2563
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ece3.2563
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/ece3.2563
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Summary:Abstract Defining subpopulations using genetics has traditionally used data from microsatellite markers to investigate population structure; however, single‐nucleotide polymorphisms ( SNP s) have emerged as a tool for detection of fine‐scale structure. In Hudson Bay, Canada, three polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) subpopulations (Foxe Basin ( FB ), Southern Hudson Bay ( SH ), and Western Hudson Bay ( WH )) have been delineated based on mark–recapture studies, radiotelemetry and satellite telemetry, return of marked animals in the subsistence harvest, and population genetics using microsatellites. We used SNP s to detect fine‐scale population structure in polar bears from the Hudson Bay region and compared our results to the current designations using 414 individuals genotyped at 2,603 SNP s. Analyses based on discriminant analysis of principal components ( DAPC ) and STRUCTURE support the presence of four genetic clusters: (i) Western—including individuals sampled in WH , SH (excluding Akimiski Island in James Bay), and southern FB (south of Southampton Island); (ii) Northern—individuals sampled in northern FB (Baffin Island) and Davis Strait ( DS ) (Labrador coast); (iii) Southeast—individuals from SH (Akimiski Island in James Bay); and (iv) Northeast—individuals from DS (Baffin Island). Population structure differed from microsatellite studies and current management designations demonstrating the value of using SNP s for fine‐scale population delineation in polar bears.

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