Genetic traces of dispersal and admixture in red deer (Cervus elaphus) populations from the Carpathian Basin

Abstract After the last glacial, Carpathian Basin was repopulated from either eastward or northward colonisation routes for various species; one of these emblematic member European megafauna, red deer, Cervus elaphus . We analysed 303 deer individuals middle region, in seven Hungarian game reserves, at ten microsatellite loci (C01, C229, T26, T108, T123, T156, T172, T193, T501, T507), to investigate genetic diversity subpopulations. discovered high levels subpopulations; allelic richness values ranging 4.99–7.01, observed heterozygosity 0.729–0.800, polymorphic information content 0.722–0.806, and Shannon’s index 1.668–2.064. Multi-locus analyses indicated population admixtures degrees that corresponded geographical location, complex structures were shown by clustering. Populations south-western north-eastern parts region formed two highly separated groups, populations between them admixed (in western Pannonia/Transdanubia, where Danube flows into Basin). This pattern corresponds distribution mitochondrial as well Y-chromosome lineages. Assignment tests showed a large fraction (29.4%) are found outside their origin, indicating dispersal is rather common, which could be expected considering life course species.