Spatial Genetic Structure of the Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) Population on Yakushima: Significant Genetic Differentiation on a Small Island

A study on Yakushima Island reveals that the sika deer population, despite its small geographic range, maintains high genetic diversity due to significant genetic differentiation among subpopulations. Using 12 microsatellite loci, researchers identified two primary subpopulations (stN and stS) with STRUCTURE analysis, further refined into four distinct groups by GENELAND (glN, glE, glS, glW). All pairwise comparisons showed statistically significant genetic differentiation, indicating limited gene flow between these groups. While a large river marks the western boundary of one subpopulation, no clear landscape feature explains the eastern divide. The findings suggest that management strategies for this UNESCO World Heritage Site should account for these spatial population structures across multiple time scales to preserve genetic diversity effectively.

Terada, C., Yahara, T., Kuroiwa, A., & Saitoh, T. (2021). Spatial Genetic Structure of the Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) Population on Yakushima: Significant Genetic Differentiation on a Small Island. Mammal Study, 46(3). https://doi.org/10.3106/ms2020-0088