Genetic differentiation in four European subspecies of red deer (Cervus elaphus L.)

Red deer representing the four different European subspecies Cervus elaphus atlanticus, C. e. elaphus, C. e. germanicus, and C. e. scoticus were examined for allozyme variability at 35 enzyme loci. The proportion of polymorphic loci within populations (P) ranged from 0 to 13.8 per cent and the average heterozygosity (H) from 0 to 3.6 per cent. These estimates are within the range previously observed among mammalian species. Significant allele frequency differences were found both within and between subspecies. The mean genetic distance between subspecies (D = 0.0164) was smaller than the differentiation at similar taxonomic levels among other ungulates, probably because of a shorter time since divergence. Within subspecies the genetic differences between populations were similar to those reported between populations within closely related species in the same geographic region. Cluster analysis based on genetic distances indicated a major genetic dichotomy between the British C. e. scoticus and the Norwegian C. e. atlanticus on one hand and the Swedish C. e. elaphus and the continental C. e. germanicus on the other. Populations of pure C. e. elaphus were not found to differ genetically in any substantial way from Swedish populations of possible heterogeneous subspecific origin. An allele unique to C. e. scoticus was found in a Swedish enclosed population where imports of British deer are known to have taken place. A population established to preserve the genetic characteristics of the C. e. elaphus subspecies appeared to have lost 36 per cent of the electrophoretically measurable heterozygosity.