Abstract
Abstract We used mitochondrial DNA control-region sequences to investigate the genetic structure of Mexican Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) populations in the southwestern United States. This subspecies is federally listed as threatened, and its preferred habitat is naturally fragmented. We found that intrapopulation genetic diversity was high in all but the southeastern Arizona “sky island” populations, where it was variable. Genetic variance partitioning indicated that ≈17% of the variation was distributed among populations and 7.5% was distributed among physiographic regions. Patterns of genetic correlation with geographic distance indicated that gene flow was substantial among populations within the relatively continuous habitat zone of the Mogollon Rim-Upper Gila Mountains in central Arizona and west-central New Mexico. However, there was significant isolation-by-distance elsewhere, and estimates of genetic divergence increased exponentially with geographic distance among fragmented populatio...
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