Abstract

Abstract We conducted a genetic study of the largest cluster of US federally threatened Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) colonies. Our objectives were to (1) identify genetic variation within and among colonies across the landscape; (2) determine which factors are important in affecting genetic variation, including land use, habitat quality, and population size; and (3) determine whether genetic partitioning among populations exists and how this relates to (a) geographic distance between sites, (b) Gopher Tortoise natural history and spatial ecology, and (c) land-use history. We studied genetic variability of nine microsatellite DNA loci for 340 adult tortoises from 34 colonies separated by 1.3–45.1 km across a 56,000-ha military installation. Overall genetic variation was low across the landscape and within colonies. Observed heterozygosity (HO) of tortoise colonies was 49% and allelic richness was 52% of that found in populations located in the eastern portion of the species distribution where habi...

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