Partitioning of genetic (Rapd) variability among sexes and populations of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) in Europe
Details
Serval ID
serval:BIB_5B400ECA19C4
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Partitioning of genetic (Rapd) variability among sexes and populations of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) in Europe
Journal
Journal of Raptor Research.
ISSN
0892-1016
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2005
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
39
Number
2
Pages
142-148
Language
english
Abstract
The white Barn Owl subspecies (Tyto alba alba) is found in southern Europe and the reddish-brown subspecies (T a. guttata) in northern and eastern Europe. In central Europe, the two subspecies interbreed producing a large range of phenotypic variants. Because of the different ratios of the subspecies in different geographic regions, we predict that genetic variation should be greater in Switzerland than in Hungary. We tested this hypothesis by measuring genetic variation with the RAPD method. As predicted, the genetic differentiation within a Swiss population of Barn Owls was significantly greater than the variation within a Hungarian population. This suggests that gene flow is greater in central Europe than at the eastern limit of the Barn Owl distribution in Hungary. In both countries genetic variation was more pronounced in females than in males. As in other birds, this is probably because female Barn Owls are less philopatric than males. The number of migrants between Hungary and Switzerland is ca. 1 individual per generation; if calculated separately for the sexes, then 0.525 for males and ca. I for females (Nm values). The difference in the number of migrants between genders again is likely a consequence of higher male philopatry. The sexual differentiation is greater in the Swiss population than in the Hungarian and the genetic substructuring of the populations of the species is substantial. The reason for the considerable population substructuring could be the nonmigratory behavior and socially monogamous pairing of the species, as well as the geographical barriers (Alps) between the populations examined.
Keywords
Barn Owl, Tyto alba, genetic variability, introgression, RAPD, subspecies
Web of science
Create date
24/01/2008 17:42
Last modification date
20/08/2019 14:14