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Population structure and migratory directions of Scandinavian bluethroats (Luscinia svecica) -a molecular, morphological and stable isotope analysis

Hellgren, Olof LU ; Bensch, Staffan LU ; Hobson, Keith and Lindström, Åke LU orcid (2008) In Ecography 31(1). p.95-103
Abstract
Abstract in Undetermined
Many species of birds show evidence of secondary contact zones and subspeciation in their Scandinavian distribution range, presumably resulting from different post-glacial recolonization routes. We investigated whether this is the case also in the Scandinavian bluethroat Luscinia svecica, a species that has been suggested to consist of two separate populations: one SW-migrating and long-winged (L. s. gaetkei) breeding in southern Norway, and one shorter-winged ESE-migrating (L. s. svecica) in northern Scandinavia. We sampled males at eleven breeding sites from southern Norway to northernmost Sweden. There were no morphological differences or latitudinal trends within the sample, neither were there any genetic... (More)
Abstract in Undetermined
Many species of birds show evidence of secondary contact zones and subspeciation in their Scandinavian distribution range, presumably resulting from different post-glacial recolonization routes. We investigated whether this is the case also in the Scandinavian bluethroat Luscinia svecica, a species that has been suggested to consist of two separate populations: one SW-migrating and long-winged (L. s. gaetkei) breeding in southern Norway, and one shorter-winged ESE-migrating (L. s. svecica) in northern Scandinavia. We sampled males at eleven breeding sites from southern Norway to northernmost Sweden. There were no morphological differences or latitudinal trends within the sample, neither were there any genetic differences or latitudinal trends as measured by variation in AFLP and microsatellite markers. Stable isotope ratios of throat feathers moulted on the wintering grounds showed no, or possibly marginal differences between birds from southern Norway and northern Sweden. We also re-measured old museum skins that in previous studies were classified as L. s. gaetkei, and found marginally longer wings in birds from the southern part of the Scandinavian breeding range. The difference, however, was much smaller than proposed in earlier studies. We conclude that there is no evidence of a genetic population structure among Scandinavian bluethroats that would suggest the presence of a zone of secondary contact. Finally we discuss whether the presumed subspecies gaetkei ever existed. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Ecography
volume
31
issue
1
pages
95 - 103
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000253477500012
  • scopus:39549091556
ISSN
1600-0587
DOI
10.1111/j.2007.0906-7590.05258.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
eb25f3ed-cd75-49f0-8fef-934b4a12d1e9 (old id 631258)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:18:27
date last changed
2022-01-27 18:29:49
@article{eb25f3ed-cd75-49f0-8fef-934b4a12d1e9,
  abstract     = {{Abstract in Undetermined<br/>Many species of birds show evidence of secondary contact zones and subspeciation in their Scandinavian distribution range, presumably resulting from different post-glacial recolonization routes. We investigated whether this is the case also in the Scandinavian bluethroat Luscinia svecica, a species that has been suggested to consist of two separate populations: one SW-migrating and long-winged (L. s. gaetkei) breeding in southern Norway, and one shorter-winged ESE-migrating (L. s. svecica) in northern Scandinavia. We sampled males at eleven breeding sites from southern Norway to northernmost Sweden. There were no morphological differences or latitudinal trends within the sample, neither were there any genetic differences or latitudinal trends as measured by variation in AFLP and microsatellite markers. Stable isotope ratios of throat feathers moulted on the wintering grounds showed no, or possibly marginal differences between birds from southern Norway and northern Sweden. We also re-measured old museum skins that in previous studies were classified as L. s. gaetkei, and found marginally longer wings in birds from the southern part of the Scandinavian breeding range. The difference, however, was much smaller than proposed in earlier studies. We conclude that there is no evidence of a genetic population structure among Scandinavian bluethroats that would suggest the presence of a zone of secondary contact. Finally we discuss whether the presumed subspecies gaetkei ever existed.}},
  author       = {{Hellgren, Olof and Bensch, Staffan and Hobson, Keith and Lindström, Åke}},
  issn         = {{1600-0587}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{95--103}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Ecography}},
  title        = {{Population structure and migratory directions of Scandinavian bluethroats (Luscinia svecica) -a molecular, morphological and stable isotope analysis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.2007.0906-7590.05258.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.2007.0906-7590.05258.x}},
  volume       = {{31}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}