History and origin of Teshekpuk Lake caribou: development of molecular markers Kris Hundertmark, Kevin Colson & Karen Hibbard Rode CARMA Network

Landscape genetics of Alaska wildlife: effects of changing environments on population structure Objective: determine drivers of structure in natural populations and the effect of change thereon structure is fundamental to population processes such as connectivity, demography, source—sink dynamics Affected by social processes and physical characteristics of environment—what are they? Those characters can change under scenarios of climate change or other anthropogenic activity How will those changes affect population structure? How resilient are caribou populations to projected environmental change? CARMA Network

“Species responses to changing climate, disturbance regimes, and land-use: range shifts, migration and adaptation.”   But what appeared in her recent online questionnaire was: Species response to climate change Disturbance Regimes Human migration and climate change Permafrost: ecosystems interaction/climate change response Social Aspects of frozen ground engineering Ecosystem services in AK rural communities Institutions Promoting Resilience

Caribou are critical components of subsistence lifestyle (ecosystem service) and their persistence is an issue of food security for rural residents http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/caribou/images/herd-map.jpg

Conservation of North Slope herds is central to food security North Slope caribou are critical subsistence resources for local residents Residents of Barrow, Atqasuk, & Nuiqsut harvest 6000-7000 subsistence caribou annually, 70% of which come from TCH Conservation of North Slope herds is central to food security CARMA Network

(Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center (Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center. Library and Archives General Photograph File

Teshekpuk herd TCH recognized as a herd since 1978 Currently ~65,000 animals Anecdotal evidence of interbreeding between caribou and reindeer in area

Caribou populations are irregularly cyclic Teshekpuk and Central Arctic are growing Western Arctic and Porcupine are shrinking Many herds across Canada are decreasing Indirect evidence of population structure on North Slope

Previous work showed little difference among North Slope herds Did not sample Teshekpuk extensively (n = 3) Used markers that were linked to functional genes Results not surprising but not relevant

Central Arctic, Porcupine caribou mingle There is now evidence that caribou mix between all of the North Slope caribou herds, the Porcupine, Central Arctic and Western Arctic herds. Using analysis of DNA, researchers from the University of Alaska, Texas A&M University and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture found that caribou in the three herds are genetically related. This reflects migration of animals between the herds over many generations. Source: ANWR Information Brief, Arctic Power

Questions What are origins of Teshekpuk Herd? Reindeer—caribou hybridization? Satellite of Central Arctic or Western Arctic herds? Always existed but was at low levels when we first started studying caribou?

Objectives Determine potential for molecular markers to differentiate between caribou and reindeer AFLP microsatellites Use markers to detect hybrids Use markers to differentiate among caribou herds

Central Arctic Herd LARS, RRP Caribou, reindeer, hybrids Mulchatna Herd

Animals assigned to group based on genetic similarity AFLP results Animals assigned to group based on genetic similarity RRP reindeer Mulchatna LARS caribou LARS hybrids LARS reindeer

Microsatellite markers—allele size ranges Moose (low diversity) Caribou (high diversity)

What is the most likely number of groups based on microsatellite variation?

Axes 1-3 explain 27, 20 and 15 % of variation respectively.

Conclusions AFLPs not informative for caribou Microsats are useful for discrimination between caribou/reindeer & detection of hybrids Further work may allow discrimination among herds Need to increase sample sizes and include more herds

Extension to other species Muskox genetically depauperate We have generated repeatable AFLP markers Sitka black-tailed deer Use of Structure to differentiate among deer populations at fine scales

Questions? Acknowledgments: EPSCoR IAB CARMA CARMA Network

Questions? Acknowledgments: EPSCoR IAB