Genetic support for discrete conservation units of the fossorial rodent, Geomys pinetis.

Knowledge of the population genetic structure and diversity of at-risk species is essential to accurately evaluate population viability and define units for conservation and management. The southeastern pocket gopher, Geomys pinetis, is a fossorial rodent native to the longleaf pine savannas of the southeast. The species is a conservation concern for the states in which it lives. Previous studies have identified two distinct lineages within the species occurring east and west of the Appalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin. However, little is known about the population genetic substructure within the regions. This study examines neutral and putatively adaptive variation in single nucleotide polymorphisms to assess the extent of divergence of population east and west of the Basin.