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Sara J Oyler-McCance

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Characterizing genetic structure across a species’ range is relevant for management and conservation as it can be used to define population boundaries and quantify connectivity. Here, we characterized population structure and estimated effective migration in Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Our objectives were to (1) describe large-scale patterns of population genetic structure and gene flow and (2) to characterize genetic subpopulation centers across the range of Greater Sage-grouse. Samples from 2,134 individuals were genotyped at 15 microsatellite loci. Using standard STRUCTURE and spatial principal components analyses, we found evidence for four or six areas of large-scale genetic differentiation...
This data release comprises a dataset that contains sample collection information and microsatellite genotypes, and another dataset that contains single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes with sample collection information for populations of white-tailed ptarmigan across the species' range. There is also an additional file (accession numbers.xlsx) linking samples to accession numbers in Genbank. This data was collected in order to address the following: The delineation of intraspecific units that are evolutionarily and demographically distinct is an important step in the development of species-specific management plans. Neutral genetic variation has served as the primary data source for delineating units for...
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The data release details the samples, methods, and raw data used to generate high-quality genome assemblies for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), white-tailed ptarmigan (Lagopus leucura), and trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator). The raw data have been deposited in the Sequence Read Archive (SRA) of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), the authoritative repository for public biological sequence data, and are not included in this data release. Instead, the accessions that link to those data via the NCBI portal (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) are provided herein. The release consists of a single file, sample.metadata.txt, which maps NCBI accessions to the samples sequenced and the different...
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Monitoring change in genetic diversity in wildlife populations across multiple scales could facilitate prioritization of conservation efforts. We used microsatellite genotypes from 7,080 previously collected genetic samples from across the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) range to develop a modelling framework for estimating genetic diversity within a recently developed hierarchically nested monitoring framework (clusters). The majority of these genetic samples (n=6560) were used in previous research (Oyler-McCance et al. 2014; Cross et. al 2018; Row et. al. 2018). Genetic diversity values associated with clusters across multiple scales could facilitate the identification of areas with low genetic...
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act because of population and habitat fragmentation coupled with inadequate regulatory mechanisms to control development in critical areas. In addition to the current threats to habitat, each 1 degree celsius increase due to climate change is expected to result in an additional 87,000 km2 of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) that will be converted to unsuitable habitat for sage-grouse. Thus, the future distribution and composition of sagebrush landscapes is likely to differ greatly from today’s configuration. We conducted a large, multi-objective project to identify: (1) characteristics of habitats required by sage-grouse,...
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