Publications
Filter Total Items: 59
Future distribution of tundra refugia in northern Alaska Future distribution of tundra refugia in northern Alaska
Climate change in the Arctic is a growing concern for natural resource conservation and management as a result of accelerated warming and associated shifts in the distribution and abundance of northern species. We introduce a predictive framework for assessing the future extent of Arctic tundra and boreal biomes in northern Alaska. We use geo-referenced museum specimens to predict the...
Authors
Andrew Hope, Eric Waltari, David Payer, Joseph Cook, Sandra Talbot
Spatial genetic structure and asymmetrical gene flow within the Pacific walrus Spatial genetic structure and asymmetrical gene flow within the Pacific walrus
Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) occupying shelf waters of Pacific Arctic seas migrate during spring and summer from 3 breeding areas in the Bering Sea to form sexually segregated nonbreeding aggregations. We assessed genetic relationships among 2 putative breeding populations and 6 nonbreeding aggregations. Analyses of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequence data...
Authors
Sarah Sonsthagen, Chadwick Jay, Anthony Fischbach, George Sage, Sandra Talbot
Polar and brown bear genomes reveal ancient admixture and demographic footprints of past climate change Polar and brown bear genomes reveal ancient admixture and demographic footprints of past climate change
Polar bears (PBs) are superbly adapted to the extreme Arctic environment and have become emblematic of the threat to biodiversity from global climate change. Their divergence from the lower-latitude brown bear provides a textbook example of rapid evolution of distinct phenotypes. However, limited mitochondrial and nuclear DNA evidence conflicts in the timing of PB origin as well as...
Authors
Webb Miller, Stephan Schuster, Andreanna Welch, Aakrosh Ratan, Oscar Bedoya-Reina, Fangqing Zhao, Hie Kim, Richard Burhans, Daniela Drautz, Nicola Wittekindt, Lynn Tomsho, Enrique Ibarra-Laclette, Luis Herrera-Estrella, Elizabeth Peacock, Sean Farley, George Sage, Karyn Rode, Martyn Obbard, Rafael Montiel, Lutz Bachmann, Olafur Ingolfsson, Jon Aars, Thomas Mailund, Øystein Wiig, Sandra Talbot, Charlotte Lindqvist
Hybridization among Arctic white-headed gulls (Larus spp.) obscures the genetic legacy of the Pleistocene Hybridization among Arctic white-headed gulls (Larus spp.) obscures the genetic legacy of the Pleistocene
We studied the influence of glacial oscillations on the genetic structure of seven species of white-headed gull that breed at high latitudes (Larus argentatus, L. canus, L. glaucescens, L. glaucoides, L. hyperboreus, L. schistisagus, and L. thayeri). We evaluated localities hypothesized as ice-free areas or glacial refugia in other Arctic vertebrates using molecular data from 11...
Authors
Sarah Sonsthagen, R. Terry Chesser, Douglas A. Bell, Carla Dove
Range overlap and individual movements during breeding season influence genetic relationships of caribou herds in south-central Alaska Range overlap and individual movements during breeding season influence genetic relationships of caribou herds in south-central Alaska
North American caribou (Rangifer tarandus) herds commonly exhibit little nuclear genetic differentiation among adjacent herds, although available evidence supports strong demographic separation, even for herds with seasonal range overlap. During 1997–2003, we studied the Mentasta and Nelchina caribou herds in south-central Alaska using radiotelemetry to determine individual movements and...
Authors
Gretchen Roffler, Layne G. Adams, Sandra Talbot, George Sage, Bruce Dale
Multilocus phylogeography and population structure of common eiders breeding in North America and Scandinavia Multilocus phylogeography and population structure of common eiders breeding in North America and Scandinavia
Aim Glacial refugia during the Pleistocene had major impacts on the levels and spatial apportionment of genetic diversity of species in northern latitude ecosystems. We characterized patterns of population subdivision, and tested hypotheses associated with locations of potential Pleistocene refugia and the relative contribution of these refugia to the post-glacial colonization of North...
Authors
Sarah Sonsthagen, Sandra Talbot, Kim Scribner, Kevin McCracken
Migratory patterns and population structure among breeding and wintering red-breasted mergansers (Mergus serrator) and common mergansers (M. merganser) Migratory patterns and population structure among breeding and wintering red-breasted mergansers (Mergus serrator) and common mergansers (M. merganser)
Philopatry has long been assumed to structure populations of waterfowl and other species of birds genetically, especially via maternally transmitted mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), yet other migratory behaviors and nesting ecology (use of ground vs. cavity sites) may also contribute to population genetic structure. We investigated the effects of migration and nesting ecology on the population...
Authors
John Pearce, K. McCracken, Thomas Christensen, Y.N. Zhuravlev
Genetic structure of eelgrass Zostera marina meadows in an embayment with restricted water flow Genetic structure of eelgrass Zostera marina meadows in an embayment with restricted water flow
Genetic structure of the seagrass Zostera marina in a coastal lagoon with restricted water flow, and with heterogeneous water residence times and oceanographic characteristics, was assessed using 8 polymorphic microsatellite loci. Analyses of genetic differentiation (θ) and Bayesian clustering suggested that the Z. marina population in San Quintin Bay (SQB) is genetically substructured...
Authors
Raquel Muniz-Salazar, Sandra Talbot, George Sage, David Ward, Alejandro Cabello-Pasini
Limited genetic differentiation among breeding, molting, and wintering groups of the threatened Steller's eider: The role of historic and contemporary factors Limited genetic differentiation among breeding, molting, and wintering groups of the threatened Steller's eider: The role of historic and contemporary factors
Due to declines in the Alaska breeding population, the Steller's eider (Polysticta stelleri) was listed as threatened in North America in 1997. Periodic non-breeding in Russia and Alaska has hampered field-based assessments of behavioral patterns critical to recovery plans, such as levels of breeding site fidelity and movements among three regional populations: Atlantic-Russia, Pacific...
Authors
John Pearce, Sandra Talbot, Margaret Petersen, Jolene Rearick
Phylogeography of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) in western North America Phylogeography of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) in western North America
Using molecular genetic markers that differ in mode of inheritance and rate of evolution, we examined levels and partitioning of genetic variation for seven nominal subspecies (11 breeding populations) of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) in western North America. Gene trees constructed from mtDNA control region sequence data show that subspecies of Canada Geese do not have distinct mtDNA...
Authors
Kim Scribner, Sandra Talbot, John Pearce, Barbara Pierson, K.S. Bollinger, Dirk Derksen
Sex-biased gene flow in spectacled eiders (Anatidae): Inferences from molecular markers with contrasting modes of inheritance Sex-biased gene flow in spectacled eiders (Anatidae): Inferences from molecular markers with contrasting modes of inheritance
Genetic markers that differ in mode of inheritance and rate of evolution (a sex-linked Z-specific microsatellite locus, five biparentally inherited microsatellite loci, and maternally inherited mitochondrial [mtDNA] sequences) were used to evaluate the degree of spatial genetic structuring at macro- and microgeographic scales, among breeding regions and local nesting populations within...
Authors
Kim Scribner, Margaret Petersen, Raymond Fields, Sandra Talbot, John Pearce, Ronald Chesser