title: Colonization history of north European field voles (Microtus agrestis) revealed by mitochondrial DNA.
abstract: The genetic structure of field vole (Microtus agrestis) populations from northern Europe was examined by restriction fragment length polymorphisms of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in 150 individuals from 67 localities. A total of 83 haplotypes was observed, most of which were rare and highly localized geographically. Overall nucleotide diversity was high (1.34%), but showed a tendency to decrease with higher latitude. Two major mtDNA lineages differing by 2% in nucleotide sequence were identified. A southern mtDNA lineage was observed in field voles from Britain, Denmark and southern and central Sweden, whereas voles from Finland and northern Sweden belonged to a northern lineage. The strict phylogeographic pattern suggests that the present population genetic structure in field voles reflects glacial history: the two groups are derived from different glacial refugia, and recolonized Fennoscandia from two directions. A 150-200-km-wide secondary contact zone between the two mtDNA groups was found in northern Sweden. Distinct phylogeographic substructuring was observed within both major mtDNA groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Uppsala University, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jaarola
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tegelström
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D005060:Europe; D005387:Finland; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D016678:Genome; D005843:Geography; D006239:Haplotypes; D009664:Norway; D010802:Phylogeny; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial