Extent and direction of introgressive hybridization of mule and white-tailed deer in western Canada.

ABSTRACT: Hybridization of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and white-tailed deer (O. virginianus) appears to be a semi-regular occurrence in western North America. Previous studies confirmed the presence of hybrids in a variety of sympatric habitats, but their developing molecular resources limited identification to the earliest, most admixed generations. For this reason, estimates of hybrid production in wild populations often rely on anecdotal reports. As well, white-tailed deer populations' continued encroachment into historically mule deer-occupied habitats due to changes in land use, habitat homogenization, and a warming climate may increase opportunities for interspecific encounters. We sought to quantify the prevalence and extent of hybrid deer in the prairies of western

SUBMITTER: Russell T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8288014 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature