Genetic variation of pronghorn across US Route 89 and State Route 64.

780665453Final report; May 2008-Dec. 2011.PDFTech ReportFHWA-AZ-12-659SPR-PL-1(173) 659AnimalsMammalsUngulatesBarriers (Roads)PopulationArizonaArizona Transportation Research CenterTheimer, TadSprague, Scott C.Eddy, EllyceBenford, RussellNorthern Arizona UniversityUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationNTL-ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT-Environment ImpactsUS Transportation CollectionThis study investigated whether highways acted as barriers to gene flow for pronghorn in northern Arizona. DNAsamples from 132 pronghorn were analyzed using eight polymorphic microsatellite loci. Samples representedanimals living on opposite sides of US Route 89 (US 89) and State Route 64 (SR 64). Two different modelingapproaches indicated that both US 89 and SR 64, and to a lesser extent US Route 180 (US 180), acted asbarriers to gene flow. The genetic structuring caused by highways, especially across US 89, is consistent withbehavioral data that demonstrated pronghorn rarely cross this highway. This study found no evidence ofinbreeding or reduced genetic variation in any of the populations examined, but those effects may take longer toappear. Based on these results, the researchers recommend future genetic monitoring of these populations orassessment of genetic variation across highways with larger traffic volumes or longer histories to determinewhether the barrier effects documented here lead to loss of genetic diversity