Genetic variability and differentiation of two bearded vulture Gypaetus barbatus populations and implications for reintroduction projects

Abstract

Reintroduced bearded vultures Gypaetus barbatus in the Alps descend mainly from birds collected in the former Soviet Union. A second project has been initiated in southern Spain using the same bloodlines. We used DNA fingerprinting to assess levels of genetic variability, and to determine genetic differences, among birds from the Pyrenees and birds from the Alps reintroduction project. The degree of fingerprint band-sharing was high within both populations, which points to low levels of genetic variation in each population. On the other hand, common fingerprint fragments occurred at markedly different proportions in each population, suggesting some degree of population differentiation. Interbreeding would increase genetic variability in the resulting populations. We thus recommend the incorporation of wild Pyrenean birds to both the Alps and the Spanish breeding projects. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.