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Phylogeography and population structure of Krüper’s Nuthatch Sitta krueperi from Turkey based on microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA

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Abstract

Krüper’s Nuthatch Sitta krueperi is endemic to Anatolia, Lesvos Island and the western Caucasus region where it inhabits coniferous forests. To infer the phylogeographic structure of Krüper’s Nuthatch, we analyzed partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene (COI; 605 bp) and allele variation at eight microsatellite loci from birds sampled across five localities in Turkey. A total of ten COI haplotypes were found among 68 individuals revealing three distinct haplotype groups; one each in northwestern, northeastern, and southern Turkey. However, there was evidence for secondary gene flow between the northwestern and the other two regions. Significant microsatellite differentiation was also found between northern and southern localities, but not between the two northern ones. This genetic structure is consistent with the isolation of these populations in different glacial refugia followed by establishing secondary contact after glacial retreat. The identified populations of this ‘near threatened’ species should be treated as separate conservation units.

Zusammenfassung

Phylogeographie und Populationsstruktur des Türkenkleibers Sitta krueperi in der Türkei auf Grund vom Mikrosatelliten und mitochondrialer DNA

Der Türkenkleiber, Sitta krueperi, ist eine endemische Vogelart in Anatolien, Lesbos und im westlichen Kaukasus, wo er besonders Nadelwälder besiedelt. Zur Untersuchung seiner molekularen Phylogeographie wurden Teilsequenzen der mitochondrialen Cytochrom-Oxidase (COI, 605 Nucleotide) und die Allelvariation von 8 polymorphen Mikrosatellitenloci von 5 Kleiberpopulation in der Türkei untersucht. Unter den 68 untersuchten Individuen wurden 10 COI-Haplotypen ermittelt, die sich in drei Hauptgruppen in der nordwestlichen, nordöstlichen und südlichen Türkei abbilden lassen. Ein sekundärer Genfluss zwischen der nordwestlichen Population zu den beiden anderen wird vermutet. Die Mikrosatelliten-Analyse weist signifikante Unterschiede zwischen den nördlichen und südlichen Populationen, nicht aber zwischen den nördlichen Populationen auf. Die genetischen Daten sprechen für eine Isolierung der Populationen in unterschiedliche Eiszeitrefugien und die Entwicklung sekundärer Kontaktzonen nach der letzten Eiszeit. Die in dieser Arbeit ermittelten genetischen Gruppen sollten als getrennte Conservation Units erhalten werden, um das Überleben dieser auf der Vorwarnliste stehenden Art zu sichern.

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Acknowledgments

This study was partly supported by TUBITAK and DFG (WI 719/32-1, AOBJ: 565239) cooperation. We thank Alice Cibois and Eric Pasquet for valuable comments, Muhammad Arshad and Hedi Sauer-Gürth for technical assistance in the laboratory and Metin Balçay kindly helped in the field work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Art, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Ortulu Yerleskesi, 15030, Burdur, Turkey

    Tamer Albayrak

  2. Department of Biology, Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld, 364, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Javier Gonzalez & Michael Wink

  3. CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos Campus, Agrário de Vairão Rua Padre Armando Quintas - Crasto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal

    Sergei V. Drovetski

Authors
  1. Tamer Albayrak
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  2. Javier Gonzalez
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  3. Sergei V. Drovetski
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  4. Michael Wink
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Correspondence to Tamer Albayrak.

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Communicated by T. Friedl.

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Albayrak, T., Gonzalez, J., Drovetski, S.V. et al. Phylogeography and population structure of Krüper’s Nuthatch Sitta krueperi from Turkey based on microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA. J Ornithol 153, 405–411 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-011-0756-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-011-0756-4

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