Genetic
variation in Scottish red deer
Dr J Pemberton CV and research interests
The red deer is Britain's
largest land animal and a named subspecies (Cervus elaphus scoticus).
Unfortunately, the population has been subject to many introductions from other
populations in Europe and related taxa with which it will hybridise, such as Japanese
sika deer (Cervus nippon) and North Amercian wapiti (Cervus canadensis). Using
samples from throughout Scotland and from putative source populations, and
building on work already undertaken on sika introgression, the project will use
genetic markers (microsatellites and mtDNA) to address questions such as the
following:
- How much genetic differentiation is there
between Scottish red deer populations?
- Can the genetic influence of introduced
deer be detected, and if so,
- Where, in Scotland, are the red deer least
affected by these introductions?
The project will train the
student in molecular genetic methods and statistical analysis of population
genetic data.
References
Goodman, S J, Barton N H,
Swanson G, Abernethy K & Pemberton J M (1999) Introgression through rare
hybridisation: a genetic study of a hybrid zone between red and sika deer (genus
Cervus), in Argyll, Scotland. Genetics 152: 355-371.
Slate J, Kruuk L E B,
Marshall T C, Pemberton J M and Clutton-Brock T H 2000 Inbreeding depression
influences lifetime breeding success in a wild population of red deer (Cervus
elaphus). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, B. 267:1757-1662.
Parasite diversity and
host resistance in unmanaged sheep
In the
individually-monitored Soay sheep of St. Kilda, parasite resistance (measured
as strongyle faecal egg count, FEC) varies with the level of inbreeding of the
host and with genotype at certain loci, for example in the MHC. One possible
mechanism underlying these observations is that these host factors reflect an
ability to resist different species or genotypes of parasite - for example,
inbred hosts may not be able to resist as many different species or genotypes
of parasites as outbred hosts. The project will investigate parasite diversity
in greater detail than hitherto by (1) analysing existing data, which separates
parasites into crude taxonomic categories (2) classifying parasite diversity
further, in terms of taxa, than is currently done and (3) investigating genetic
variation (probably using microsatellites) within the commonest parasite
species, Teladorsagia circumcincta. The project will be collaborative with
other members of the St. Kilda Soay sheep project and ICAPB, and will train the
student in parasitology techniques, molecular genetics and statistical analysis
of complex data.
References
Coltman D W, Pilkington J
G, Smith J A and Pemberton J M (1999) Parasite-mediated selection against
inbred Soay sheep in a free-living island population. Evolution 53:1259-1267.
Paterson S,
Wilson K and Pemberton J M (1998) Major histocompatability complex (MHC)
variation associated with juvenile survival and parasite resistance in a large
unmanaged ungulate population (Ovis aries L.) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.
95:3714-3719.