W. D. Klimstra

HISTORICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY AND CONTEMPORARY PATTERNS OF MITOCHONDRIAL DNA VARIATION IN WHITE-TAILED DEER FROM THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was used to characterize patterns of geographic variation among white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations in the southeastern United States. Fifteen restriction enzymes were employed to survey and map 99 restriction sites in 142 deer from 18 localities in five southeastern states. Phylogenetic analysis revealed three primary groups of haplotypes: (1) southern Florida and the Florida Keys, (2) the remainder of peninsular Florida northward to South Carolina, and (3) the Florida panhandle westward to Mississippi. Geographical heterogeneity in haplotype frequencies suggests that stochastic lineage sorting or isolation by distance are not important determinates of mtDNA differentiation among deer populations. The pattern of mtDNA variation in white‐tailed deer is concordant spatially with those observed in unrelated taxa suggesting the common influence of historical biogeographic events. The data (1) support previous hypotheses that relate contemporary patterns of intraspecific phylogeography in northern Florida to the physiogeographic history of the region; and (2) suggest that genetic differentiation in southern Florida may be attributable to episodes of Pleistocene dispersal. Despite potentially high vagility and human intervention, ecological and demographic characteristics of deer have effectively preserved the historical pattern of intraspecific mtDNA differentiation.

Some Morphological Characteristics of the Crab Orchard Deer Herd

Whole and dressed body weights were obtained from 1,009 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, Williamson County, Illinois. Chest girths, hindfoot lengths, lower mandible lengths, and antler dimensions were taken from somewhat smaller samples. The data were analyzed by sex and age, and relationships with body weight were established. Males generally were larger than like-aged females with respect to all measurements. Both sexes reached near-maximum size at 4.5 years of age but females matured earlier than males, especially with regard to body weight. Indices of condition (body weight and antler size) indicated that the previously unharvested Crab Orchard herd compared favorably with nearby hunted populations with the possible exception of yearling males. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 39(1):48-58 This paper describes certain morphological features of a large sample of whitetailed deer from a previously unharvested herd. Body weights, chest girths, hindfoot lengths, lower mandible lengths, and antler measurements are analyzed by sex and age classes and growth patterns are discussed. Body weights and antler measurements are used to compare general condition of the herd with that of deer in nearby hunted range. The sample was obtained during a controlled harvest to reduce herd size on Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge (CONWR), Williamson County, Illinois (Roseberry et al. 1969). All deer were taken from a 7,285-ha (18,000-acre) portion of the Refuge that normally is closed to hunting. The herd was first established in 1942 and has been under intensive study since 1960 by the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory (CWRL) of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. The habitat, which is considered ideal for deer (Hawkins et al. 1971), has been described previously (Autry 1967, Hawkins and Klimstra 1970). Population density prior to the January 1966 special harvest was estimated to be 1 deer/3.2 ha (1 deer/8 acres) (Autry 1967). The authors are indebted to the many graduate and undergraduate workers of the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory who aided in the collection of data. We also acknowledge officials of the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge and personnel of the Illinois Department of Conservation for assistance. This paper is a contribution from Project No. 15 of the Laboratory: Big Game Investigations. METHODS AND MATERIALS All harvested deer were processed at one of two check stations operated by Laboratory personnel. The animals initially were weighed 0.45 kg (1 pound) with a Viking spring balance, eviscerated, then reweighed. The maximum chest girth of all deer with rib cage intact was measured ? 0.32 cm (1 inch) with a flexible tape measure. Length of the hindfoot from hock to the tip of the longest claw was measured by the same procedure (Brohn and Robb 1955, Park and Day 1942). Antler beam diameter was measured to the nearest 1.0 mm with a vernier caliper. The beam diameter was taken 2.54 cm (1 inch) above the burr and, when possible, did not include bony protuberances (Anderson and Medin 1969). Antler length was measured ? 0.32 cm 48 J. Wildl. Manage. 39(1):1975 This content downloaded from 40.77.167.54 on Sat, 14 May 2016 06:18:18 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DEER * Roseberry and Klimstra 49 (s inch) with a flexible steel tape measure along the outside of the main beam from burr to tip. Length and diameter were recorded from the left beam, but the undamaged right beam was measured when the left was damaged. All antler protuberances over 2.54 cm long, excluding brow tines, were counted (as the number of antler points) on both beams. A lower mandible was removed from most animals for purposes of age determination. Age classes in this study were established on the basis of tooth eruption and wear (Severinghaus 1949). Total length of the mandible, from its most anterior point to the posterior rim of the angle of ramus (dentary length) was measured to the nearest 1.0 mm with a modified meter rule. The distance between the alveola of the anterior premolar and the corner incisor (diastema length) was measured to the nearest 0.1 mm with a vernier caliper (Bergerud 1964). All data were placed on 80-column IBM cards and processed with an IBM 370/155 computer at the data processing facilities of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Dynamics of an Unexploited Bobwhite Population in Deteriorating Habitat

The dynamics of an unexploited bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) population were investigated over a 9-year period in southern Illinois. Deteriorating habitat caused an 85% population decline from 136 to 21 birds per 100 hectares. Accompanying changes in demographic parameters are described. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 43(2):306-315 Since 1950, the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory (CWRL) of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale has been investigating the ecology of a hunted bobwhite population near Carbondale (Roseberry and Klimstra 1972). A 2nd study was initiated in 1965 to obtain comparative data from a nearby unexploited population. Because of substantial changes in the latter areas carrying capacity for bobwhites, some planned analyses were precluded. However, the situation did provide opportunity to observe certain population phenomena under unique conditions. The purpose of this paper is to: (1) document a rapid and considerable decline in the abundance of a local unexploited bobwhite population, (2) describe the changes in various demographic parameters which accompanied this decline, and (3) attempt to identify the causes of the decline. This paper is a contribution from Project No. 1: Bobwhite Quail Life History and Population Studies, Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. The authors are grateful to the many graduate students and undergraduate student workers of the Laboratory who aided in censuses and nest hunting. Appreciation s ext nded to S. L. Wunderle, W. H. Nesbitt, and D. Urban for their special contributions to the project. The collaboration of personnel of the University Farms is acknowledged. STUDY AREA AND METHODS The study area was a 449-ha tract owned by Southern Illinois UniversityCarbondale in Jackson County, hereafter referred to as the SIU Farms. Farming activities were conducted by various departments within the School of Agriculture. The area was bounded on the south and west primarily by other SIU farmland and on the north and east by residential areas and the campus. Topography is gently rolling with maximum and minimum elevation 146 and 125 m, respectively. The glaciated soils are Hosmer and Stoy silt loams of moderate productivity and medium fertility. Distribution and abundance of bobwhites were determined 4 times each year (early November, late December, early February, and mid-March) by direct census. The entire area was systematically traversed by crews of 6-12 men and 1-2 trained bird dogs. Nest searching of selected areas employed methods described by Klimstra and Roseberry (1975:7). Live-trapping utilized wire traps described by Stoddard (1931:447) and baited with either grain or live decoy 1 Present address: 105-K East Ticonderoga Drive, Westerville, OH 43081. 306 J. Wildl. Manage. 43(2):1979 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.35 on Mon, 29 Aug 2016 05:16:09 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms BOBWHITE IN DETERIORATING HABITAT. Roseberry et al. 307 hens. Captured birds were marked with No. 1 aluminum leg bands (National Band and Tag Co., Newport, Ky.) and their sex, age, and weight were determined prior to release at the capture site. Land use and cover patterns were recorded on 1 July and 1 November of each year. Cover removal or other habitat alteration was recorded as it occurred.

Biochemical Genetics of Wild, Semi-Wild, and Game-Farm Northern Bobwhites

Horizontal starch-gel electrophoresis of selected blood proteins was used to determine levels and patterns of genetic differentiation between wild and game-farm northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) and to observe genetic expression in first and second filial (F, and F2) crosses. Assays of 18 enzymes and nonenzymatic proteins provided information on 19 presumptive genetic loci. Seven loci exhibited variation, though only 4 were sufficiently variable to be considered polymorphic (0.95-frequency criterion). Wild bobwhites expressed 21.1% polymorphism, compared to 10.5% in game-farm quail. Observed heterozygosity values were slightly higher in wild (0.050) than in game-farm (0.048) birds; genetic distance between the 2 types was 0.015. Although chronically poor survival of game-farm birds has been partially attributed to an inadequate genome, electrophoretically detectable genetic variation was not markedly deficient in this group. First filial offspring from a wild x game-farm cross possessed greater genetic variability than game-farm stock and were genetically more similar to wild quail. Variability was reduced in a F2 generation that was genetically similar to game-farm birds. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 52(1):138-144 Wildlife management has traditionally emphasized the manipulation of habitat and/or population density and structure (Giles 1978) but has minimized potentially useful genetic considerations (Smith et al. 1976). One area of management for which genetics has obvious application is the artificial propagation of game birds. Although not regarded as a viable means of augmenting natural populations (Kabat and Thompson 1963), stocking programs can provide recreational benefits, especially where opportunities for conventional hunting are limited (State of Ill. 1978). This management option is hampered, however, by poor survivability and lack of natural behavior characteristic of artificially-propagated birds, especially northern bobwhites (Buechner 1950, Klimstra 1975). Wildlife managers generally assume that in addition to disadvantages associated with artificial rearing, these birds inherently lack attributes needed for survival because of genetic deficiencies incurred from captive perpetuity and possibly inbreeding (Backs 1982). As a partial remedy, game agencies periodically attempt to infuse wild genes into captive stocks (Nestler and Studholme 1945). Despite the availability of electrophoretic techniques, genetic differentiation of wild and game-farm quail has not been documented, nor has the utility of introducing wild breeders into captive populations to improve the genome. We examined these areas by comparing genetic variability and levels f differentiation between wild and game-farm bobwhites, and describing the genetic expression i F, and F2 crosses. This investigation was conducted by the Coo erative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, and was partially financed by the Illinois Department of C servation as part of Federal Aid Project W-93-R. The support and cooperation of F. Kringer and M. S. Kern of that agency are acknowledged. A. Woolf, J. W. Bickham, N. J. Silvy, and S. M. Carr reviewed the manuscript.

An Additional Record of Reithrodontomys in Illinois

On March 22 and 23, 1956, small mammal trapping in Whiteside County, 1 mile west of Denrock in northwestern Illinois, resulted in the capture of Reithrodontomys . The selected trapping sites included a railroad right-of-way and an adjacent bluegrass pasture which contained a dry marsh. The pasture contained numerous clumps of bluegrass and an occasional bull thistle. The dry marsh had a band of sedges and cattails around the perimeter with infrequent large clumps of marsh smartweed toward the center. The railroad right-of-way, which is burned each year during late March and early …