No evidence for recent introgressive hybridization between the European and Siberian roe deer in Poland

Abstract

Wildlife translocations increase the rate of introgressive hybridization between closely related species. In this study, we investigated the population genetic structure of the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in Poland, affected by widespread ancient mtDNA introgression from Siberian roe deer (C. pygargus), for signs of recent human-mediated admixture. We analysed two nuclear gene sequences (FPGT and LRRIQ3) and 10 microsatellite loci in 258 European roe deer and 78 introgressed individuals (C. capreolus with mtDNA of C. pygargus) collected from 16 populations from Poland. Eighteen Siberian roe deer from Russia were also genotyped. Population genetic structure, assessed using Bayesian analysis and Principal Coordinate Analysis, indicated the existence of one genetic cluster in the European roe deer in Poland and gave no evidence for recent introgression in nuclear markers. Measures of genetic diversity for pure C. capreolus and introgressed individuals did not differ, while species lineages exhibited significant high genetic differentiation from one another (FST = 0.271; P < 0.001). The discordance between previous mtDNA results and the present study based on nuclear markers confirms the impact of ancient natural hybridization process on the genetic structure of European roe deer populations in Poland.