USE OF NONINVASIVE DNA TO DETERMINE GENETIC SUBDIVISIONS AMONG ECOREGIONAL COYOTE POPULATIONS IN THE SIERRA NEVADA

Julia D Owen; University of California, Davis; jdowen@ucdavis.edu; Cate, B, Quinn, Benjamin, N, Sacks

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are generalist predators continuously distributed in California across a wide range of ecological landscapes. Their presence has been shown to impact population dynamics of specialist species with more restricted distributions. Previous data from 2011-2015 suggests coyotes occupy high-elevation portions of the Sierra Nevada range where a small population of an endangered species candidate Sierra Nevada red fox (Vulpes vulpes necator; SNRF) occurs. However, it is unclear whether these high-elevation coyotes are part of a stable population, or transient individuals that opportunistically move upslope during years of low snowpack. To answer this question and determine whether the Sierra Nevada range is a significant factor structuring coyote populations, we noninvasively collected DNA from coyotes throughout the greater Sierra Nevada region, including the western slope, the high-elevation crest, and east side. For a wider geographic reference, we also included samples from the western foothills and the Great Basin in Nevada. We used microsatellites to genotype the samples and analyzed them for subdivisions related to elevation and geographic region. We discuss implications of coyote presence and dispersal into SNRF range and propose further research steps.

Poster Session     Student Paper