Landscape genetic analysis of Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) to guide the management for chronic wasting disease in Texas

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was discovered in free-ranging North American cervids in 1981 and has become a major management concern in the following decades. This disease has spread throughout the country and was first detected in Texas in the Hueco Mountain range in 2012. The disease has been shown to reduce survival rates within herds of wild and captive North American cervids by up to 30%. Management has focused on containment of CWD since this is the most realistic and economically efficient option. Landscape genetics is an emerging field that may provide more understanding about the potential spread of diseases such as CWD. The influence of landscape features on movements and dispersal of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) can inform managers as to how this disease will spread across the landscape in coming years. Tissue samples were collected from CWD check stations across Texas and into New Mexico to analyze genetic relationships and susceptibility to the disease. I found that genetic structuring was weak in populations of Texas mule deer, suggesting few barriers to movement. Population movement was biased towards the Trans-Pecos ecoregion. I determined that population sizes of deer were large, at around 17,600 km2 , with few barriers to movement. Almost 30% of Texas mule deer possessed some level of resistance to CWD with previously identified mutations at codon 20, 95, 96, and 225. The presence of mutations at codons 95 and 96 in 20% of the sampled mule deer suggests hybridization with white-tailed deer. I identified new mutations at 6 locations on the prion protein gene, ranging between 1-7% prevalence in the population. Understanding dispersal routes and the possibility of environmental as well as genetic barriers will inform future management decisions throughout the state