Genomic single-nucleotide polymorphisms confirm that Gunnison and Greater sage-grouse are genetically well differentiated and that the Bi-State population is distinct

摘要: ABSTRACT Sage-grouse are iconic, declining inhabitants of sagebrush habitats in western North America, and their management depends on an understanding genetic variation across the landscape. Two distinct species sage-grouse have been recognized, Greater (Centrocercus urophasianus) Gunnison (C. minimus), based morphology, behavior, at neutral markers. A parapatric group Sage-Grouse along border California Nevada (“Bi-State”) is also genetically same markers, yet not different behavior or morphology. Because delineating taxonomic boundaries defining conservation units often difficult recently diverged taxa can be further complicated by highly skewed mating systems, we took advantage new genomic methods that improve our ability to characterize a much finer resolution. We identified thousands single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among Gunnison, Greater, Bi-Sta...