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Estimating the population structure of brown bears in eastern Hokkaido based on microsatellite analysis

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Abstract

Estimating the genetic structure of a population is important for the conservation and management of wildlife. In the present study, our aim was to estimate the genetic structure of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) population in eastern Hokkaido by performing a Bayesian clustering analysis. To accomplish this goal, we used 15 microsatellites to generate genotypic data from tissue samples collected from 646 bears between 1996 and 2008. Using this genotypic data and the geographic locations where the bears were captured, GENELAND analysis detected six subpopulations. Based on the genotypic data, the STRUCTURE analysis revealed three subpopulations. As inferred from the GENELAND analysis, the core zones of the subpopulations (G-a through G-f) were located in the Shiranuka Hills (G-a), the northern area of the Shiranuka Hills (G-b), the eastern slope of the Daisetsuzan Mountains (G-c), the northern slope of the Akan Mountain Range (G-d), the Shiretoko Peninsula (G-e), and Akkeshi District (G-f). The STRUCTURE analysis indicated that G-b and G-d were influenced by gene flow from other subpopulations. National routes, towns, and farm fields were considered to have formed the distribution boundaries among the subpopulations. A high level of genetic differentiation was not observed among the six subpopulations, with the exception of G-f (F st = 1.35–0.176, D s = 0.246–0.349), which showed a geographically discontinuous distribution. We suggest that the loss of forest areas through future regional development and road building should be avoided to facilitate gene flow in brown bears in Hokkaido.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the farmers of Urahoro, the staff of the Urahoro Town Office, the members of the Hunters Association of Urahoro and Kami-Urahoro, the staff of the Urahoro Brown Bear Research Group, the staff of Shiretoko Nature Foundation, and the Hokkaido Institute of Environmental Sciences for their cooperation during sampling and for their support during the present study. We are grateful to T. Urata for his help with sampling and support during fieldwork in the Urahoro region. This research was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B), 19780122, from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan, to Y.S., by research fellowship of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for Young Scientists to T.I., and the Kimunkamui project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Kameino 1866, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 252-0880, Japan

    Tetsuji Itoh

  2. College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Kameino 1866, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 252-0880, Japan

    Yoshikazu Sato & Ryûtarô Iwata

  3. Hokkaido Institute of Environmental Sciences, Sapporo, 060-0819, Japan

    Hifumi Tsuruga & Tsutomu Mano

  4. Shiretoko Nature Foundation, 531 Iwaobetsu, Shari, Hokkaido, 099-4356, Japan

    Masao Kohira, Masami Yamanaka & Shinsuke Kasai

  5. United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai-cho, Fuchu, Tokyo, 183-8509, Japan

    Kyoko Kobayashi

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  1. Tetsuji Itoh
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  2. Yoshikazu Sato
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  3. Hifumi Tsuruga
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  9. Ryûtarô Iwata
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Correspondence to Tetsuji Itoh.

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Communicated by: Allan McDevitt

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Itoh, T., Sato, Y., Tsuruga, H. et al. Estimating the population structure of brown bears in eastern Hokkaido based on microsatellite analysis. Acta Theriol 58, 127–138 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-012-0095-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-012-0095-8

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