Microsatellite analysis of North American wapiti (Cervus elaphus) populations

Eleven populations of wapiti (Cervus elaphus) were analysed for genetic div ersity using 12 microsatellite loci. Samples were taken from Vancouver Isla nd, British Columbia; Burwash and French River herds in Ontario; Ya Ha Tind a Ranch, Alberta; and Banff, Elk Island, Jasper, Kootenay, Riding Mountain, Yellowstone and Yoho National Parks. Overall, wapiti populations have on a verage three to four alleles per locus and an average expected heterozygosi ty that ranged from 25.75 to 52.85%. The greatest genetic distances were ob served between the Vancouver population and all other populations. Using th e assignment test, Roosevelt wapiti (C. e. roosevelti Merriam 1897) assigne d only to the Vancouver Island population. The distance and assignment valu es suggest a divergence of the Roosevelt wapiti from other populations and support the subspecific status for the Vancouver Island population. No evid ence was found for the existence of unique Eastern wapiti (C. e. canadensis Erxleben 1777) in the Burwash or French River herds in Ontario. The overla pping distribution of genotypes from indigenous populations from Riding Mou ntain, Elk Island and Yellowstone National Parks suggests that wapiti were once a continuous population before settlers decimated their numbers. The l ack of differentiation between these populations raises questions about the status of Manitoban (C. e.manitobensis Millais 1915) and Rocky Mountain (C . e.nelsoni Bailey 1935) subspecies.