On gene pool divergence of the brown hare (Lepus europaeus, Pallas) in Vojvodina

Abstract

Today it is widely accepted that a conservation of genetic diversity increases chances of animal survival. The aim of this study was investigation of gene pool divergence of the brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in Vojvodina. Allozymic diversity of 60 brown hares from different localities in Vojvodina was studied by polyacrylamide and starch gel electrophoresis at 31 putative structural gene loci. Only five loci: Idh-2, Pgd, Pgm, Es-1 and Es-D were polymorphic, possessing 2 to 6 different alleles. The value of average heterozygosity (Ho) was 0.0427, while polymorphism (P99%) was 8.4%. Nei's values of genetic distance (ranged from 0.000 to 0.029) and modified Roger's distance (ranged from 0.030 to 0.181) were calculated among hare populations. Apart from the relatively high values of heterozygosity and polymorphism, the nuclear gene pool diversity of brown hare population in Vojvodina based on allozyme variation is low and corresponds to the data obtained for the populations in Austria and Central Europe.