Brown bear (Ursus arctos) population structure, demographic processes and variations in diet in northern Eurasia
Date
2011-07-27
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Abstract
Populatsioonigeneetika ja fülogeograafia on olulised aspektid liikide ja populatsioonide kaitsks ja ohjamiseks, kuna sisaldavad informatsiooni populatsiooni ajaloo, sidususe ja elujõulisuse kohta. Pruunkarude populatsioonigeneetika ja fülogeograafia on pälvinud palju tähelepanu kogu maailmas tulenevalt liigi majandamis- ja kaitsevajadustest ning ka pruunkaru 'mudelliigi' staatuse tõttu fülogeograafias. Käesoleva väitekirja eesmärgiks on uurida Põhja-Euraasia karupopulatsiooni populatsioonigeneetikat, toitumist ja fülogeograafiat, et leida, milline on sealse populatsiooni geneetiline struktuur ja toitumise eripärad ning üritada nende kujunemisele selgitust saada ajaloolistest ja klimaatilis-ökoloogilistest tingimustest.
Populatsioonigeneetiliste ja fülogeograafilise uurimuste vahelised sarnasused võimaldavad järeldada, et tänapäevase Põhja-Euraasia mandriosa pruunkarupopulatsiooni geneetiline struktuur ei ole kujunenud ainult tänapäevaste tegurite mõjul, vaid ka kaugemas minevikus toimunu tagajärjel. Kuigi õnnestus tuvastada laiuskraadiline gradient karu toitumises, siis geneetiline struktuur paistab olema pigem pikkuskraadiline. Mitmete geneetilist struktuuri kujundavate tegurite ilmnemine ja nende mõju ulatus pruunkarupopulatsiooni geneetilise struktuuri kujunemisele sellel ulatuslikul alal vajab edasist uurimist.
Knowledge of population genetics and phylogeography of living organisms are important for conservation and management of species, since they provide information about species viability and integrity. There have been numerous genetic studies of brown bears in parts of the species’ range to inform local management and conservation approaches, and due to the status of the brown bear as a 'model species' in phylogeographic studies. This thesis provide new information about the population genetics, diet and phylogeography of brown bears in northern continental Eurasia, to describe population genetic structure and to assess the importance of historical and ecological conditions in generating and maintaining structure. Similarities between the results of the population genetic and phylogeographic studies allow us to conclude that population structure in modern northern continental Eurasian brown bear population is not only a result of present conditions, but also contains a historical signature. Although we found a latitudinal gradient in brown bear diet, genetic structure appears to be rather longitudinal. Understanding the precise occurrence of factors which have played a role in the formation of genetic structure and the amount of their impact on brown bear genetic structure in this vast area will require further research.
Knowledge of population genetics and phylogeography of living organisms are important for conservation and management of species, since they provide information about species viability and integrity. There have been numerous genetic studies of brown bears in parts of the species’ range to inform local management and conservation approaches, and due to the status of the brown bear as a 'model species' in phylogeographic studies. This thesis provide new information about the population genetics, diet and phylogeography of brown bears in northern continental Eurasia, to describe population genetic structure and to assess the importance of historical and ecological conditions in generating and maintaining structure. Similarities between the results of the population genetic and phylogeographic studies allow us to conclude that population structure in modern northern continental Eurasian brown bear population is not only a result of present conditions, but also contains a historical signature. Although we found a latitudinal gradient in brown bear diet, genetic structure appears to be rather longitudinal. Understanding the precise occurrence of factors which have played a role in the formation of genetic structure and the amount of their impact on brown bear genetic structure in this vast area will require further research.
Description
Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsioone.
Keywords
pruunkaru, populatsioonistruktuur (biol.), populatsiooni dünaamika, toitumiskohastumused, Euraasia, brown bear, population structure (biol.), population dynamics, feeding adaptations, Eurasia