EXTENSIVE MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA DIFFERENTIATION AMONG EUROPEAN RED DEER (CERVUS-ELAPHUS) POPULATIONS - IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

To investigate genetic differentiation among populations of European r ed deer (Cervus elaphus), mitochondrial(mt) DNA of a total of 70 indiv iduals from 15 sampling sites in Western, Central, and Southeastern Eu rope was digested with 16 restriction enzymes. A total of 69 restricti on sites allowed us to define nine haplotypes, whereby most of the sam ples were monomorphic for a particular haplotype. Relationships among haplotypes were largely consistent both with the geographical distribu tion of haplotypes among sampled populations and with relationships am ong samples as inferred from allozyme electrophoresis. Given the subdi vision of European red deer into several distinct gene pools, mtDNA re striction profiles will serve as a powerful tool for a number of appli cations in conservation and management: Regarding the alteration of na tive gene pools by introductions of red deer from various parts of Eur ope, mtDNA haplotypes allow to assess the genetic impact of introducti ons and to trace the origin of introduced females. Even at a comparati vely small geographic scale the distribution of haplotypes is helpful in detecting isolation or hybridization among populations. Finally, mt DNA restriction profiles may contribute to shed light both on the cont roversial systematic position and on the geographic origin of some sub species, such as the Sardinian red deer.