Genetic differentiation of populations of Greenlandic Arctic fox

Most microsatellites are very polymorphic. This makes them powerful markers for observing genetic differentiation between closely related populations. The population structure of the Greenlandic Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) wa s studied genetically by analysing six polymorphic microsatellite loci of 7 5 foxes from four populations in different parts of Greenland. Genotypes we re determined at the six loci for most of the individuals. Population diffe rentiation was quantified in three different ways both within the total pop ulation and pairwise between all populations. The tests were Fisher's exact test, Rho estimates and Fst estimates, all of which supported a highly sig nificant subdivision of the total population, and they showed significant d ifferentiation in allele frequencies between all pairs of localities. It is concluded that the known long-distance migration of the Greenlandic Arctic fox has not resulted in complete genetic mixing of the populations. Fisher 's exact test was also used to estimate levels of genetic differentiation b etween the two colour morphs: white and blue. No difference was found betwe en allele frequencies of the two color morphs in any of the locations, and it was concluded that the white and blue morphs of the Greenlandic Arctic f ox share the same habitat, at least during the mating season.