Genetic differentiation of western capercaillie in the Carpathian Mountains reveal the importance of post glacial expansions and habitat connectivity in understanding the present day European distribution

Population structure and barriers to gene flow are important components for understanding the evolutionary history of a species. Here we study population structure and differentiation in the western capercaillie (Aves: Phasianidae) along the Carpathian Mountains. Further, we compared the levels of population differentiation among capercaillie from the Carpathian Mountains, Balkans (Bulgaria) and the boreal forest (Russia and Sweden) in order to reveal past and current processes which may influence population structure. Tissue samples, non-invasive faeces and feathers and toe pads from museum specimens were used for genetic analyses of mitochondrial (mtDNA) sequences and allelic variation at nine nuclear DNA (nDNA) microsatellite loci. Analyses of mtDNA sequences revealed a southern subclade within the northern clade. Within the northern clade, microsatellite data distinguished two groups: (1) Western Carpathian populations; and (2) Eastern Carpathian and boreal forest populations. Bulga...