Herzog, S. & Gehle, T. 2001: Genetic structures and clinal variation of European red deer Cervus elaphus populations for two polymorphic gene loci. - Wildl. Biol. 7: 55-59.
A study of nine enzyme systems in liver and kidney samples of red deer Cervus elaphus from three sites in North Germany and reanalysed allelic structures at two polymorphic gene loci (IDH, SOD) from eight sites in Germany, Scotland, France, Austria and Hungary (a total of 1,252 animals) have revealed two opposite genetic profiles. For IDH the presence of a biallelic major polymorphism is suggested, and for SOD a biallelic minor polymorphism. It is assumed that the three North German red deer populations at Harz, Lüneburger Heide and Solling descend from one former population. The comparison of the allelic structures at the SOD gene locus of German, French, Austrian and Hungarian red deer populations provides evidence for a clinal decrease of this rare allele from north to south as well as an analogous clinal differentiation within the populations. For the gene locus IDH the selection model of overdominance is probable, due to the viability advantage of heterozygote calves previously discovered by other researchers. The allelic distances found between the three collectives of North Germany approximately correspond to the geographical distance.
Key words: Cervus elaphus, clinal variation, genetic profiles, overdominance, red deer, wildlife management
Sven Herzog*, Institut für Forstgenetik und Forstpflanzenzüchtung, Georg-August Universität, Büsgenweg 2, D-37077, Göttingen, Germany
Thomas Gehle, Institut für Forstbotanik und Forstzoologie, Technische Universität Dresden, Pienner Strasse 8, D-01737 Tharandt, Germany
*Present address: Wildökologie und Jagdwirtschaft, Technische Universität Dresden, Pienner Strasse 8, D-01737 Tharandt, Germany - e-mail: herzog@forst.tu-dresden.de
Received 10 June 1998, accepted 18 August 2000
Associate Editor: Jean-Michel Gaillard