Population structure and gene flow in a recovering brown bear population at the rear-edge of its European range. D-loop sequences of brown bears from Greece

In this study, we explore the recovery genetics at a species’ distribution edge. We performed analyses based on mitochondrial markers and 17 microsatellite loci to determine genetic structure, estimate effective population size and genetic diversity, and infer gene flow between identified subpopulations in a recovering rear-edge population of brown bears at their southernmost European range in Greece. We also compared the observed genetic diversity of each subpopulation with other brown bear populations in the region. Our study outlines the importance of small, persisting populations, which can act as “stepping stones” that enable a rapid population expansion and recovery. This in turn makes their importance much greater than their numeric or genetic contribution to a species as a whole.