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

2. 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

3. “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

4. Caribou are critical components of subsistence lifestyle (ecosystem service) and their persistence is an issue of food security for rural residents

5. 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 subsistence caribou annually, 70% of which come from TCH
Conservation of North Slope herds is central to food security
CARMA Network

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

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

9. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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?

15. 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

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

17. 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

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

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

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

22. 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

23. 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

24. Questions?
Acknowledgments: EPSCoR
IAB
CARMA
CARMA Network

25. Questions?
Acknowledgments: EPSCoR
IAB