Cryptic population structure in sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis) of the Pacific Flyway

Population segregation catalyzes genetic differentiation and can lead to speciation. Population genetic structure is also critically important for population management, especially in species characterized by small, isolated populations. Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) populations of the Pacific Flyway are made up of breeding populations nesting west of the Rocky Mountains, and isolated by intermediate mountain ranges. Current management policy in British Columbia treats all Sandhill Cranes as a single population, whereas in the western United States subpopulations are subject to population specific management. Here, we analyze microsatellite markers, mitochondrial DNA sequences, and mitochondrial haplogroups, derived from 203 individual Sandhill Cranes to elucidate population genetic structure of cranes migrating along the Pacific Flyway to summer breeding habitat on the North and Central Coast of British Columbia and southeast Alaska. STRUCTURE, AMOVA, FST, DAPC, and phylogenetic..., , , # Cryptic population structure in sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis) of the Pacific Flyway

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.wwpzgmsw6](10.5061/dryad.wwpzgmsw6)

Dataset associated with manuscript: Cryptic population structure in Sandhill Cranes (Antigone canadensis) of the Pacific Flyway. Contains microsatellite markers, locations, and population assignments.

## Description of the data and file structure

Data file name: SACR_Dryad.Final.csv

Samples (feathers and blood) were collected from Sandhill Cranes from Haida Gwaii BC, Coastal BC, Interior BC, and Alaska populations (west of the Rocky Mountains). Micro-satellite and mtDNA markers were obtained from samples. Please see detailed methods in Joy, R. et al. 2025. Cryptic population structure in Sandhill Cranes (*Antigone canadensis*) of the Pacific Flyway. Ecology and Evolution. Column descriptors are provided below.

* SampleID: unique sample identifier
* Organism: all samples are of Antigone canadensis (Sandhill Cranes)
* Popula...,