Abstract
The Balkan chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica) is widespread on the Balkan Peninsula, along mountain massifs from Croatia in the north to Greece in the south and Bulgaria in the east. Knowledge on the genetic structure of Balkan chamois populations is limited and restricted to local studies. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to use nuclear (16 microsatellites) and mitochondrial (partial 376 base pairs control region) markers to investigate the genetic structure of this chamois subspecies throughout its distribution range and to obtain information on the degree of connectivity of the different (sub)populations. We extracted DNA from bone, dried skin and muscle tissue and successfully genotyped 92 individuals of Balkan chamois and sequenced the partial control region in 44 individuals. The Bayesian analysis suggested 3 genetic clusters and assigned individuals from Serbia and Bulgaria to two separate clusters, while individuals from the other countries belonged to the same cluster. Thirty new haplotypes were obtained from partial mitochondrial DNA sequences, with private haplotypes in all analyzed populations and only two haplotypes shared among populations, indicating the possibility of past translocations. The subspecies genetic composition presented here provides the necessary starting point to assess the conservation status of the Balkan chamois and allows the development of conservation strategies necessary for its sustainable management and conservation.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Croatian Science Foundation [grant number IP 2016-06-5751], ResBios European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program [grant number 872146] and the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development [Agreement on financing the scientific research work of NIO in 2021, registration number 451-03-9/2021-14/200169 dated 05.02.2021]. We would like to thank Sandra Potušek for her help with the laboratory work.
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Nikica Šprem and Elena Bužan conceived and designed the study. Nikica Šprem, Ferdinand Bego, Dragan Gačić, Vladimir Maletić, Georgi Markov, Dragana Milošević, Haritakis Papaioannou collected the samples. Andrea Rezić and Laura Iacolina performed the laboratory analysis. Andrea Rezić, Laura Iacolina, Toni Safner analyzed the data. Andrea Rezić wrote the first draft of the manuscript and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read, revised and approved the final manuscript.
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Rezić, A., Iacolina, L., Bužan, E. et al. The Balkan chamois, an archipelago or a peninsula? Insights from nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Conserv Genet 23, 527–539 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-022-01434-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-022-01434-w