| Abstract [eng] |
As forests disappear, so do the homes of wild animals, and consequently, the animals themselves. Fragmentation and habitat loss are among the greatest threats to biodiversity worldwide. Capercaillies are considered an indicator species, signifying high biodiversity in forests. This bird species is associated with a wealth of wildlife, including forest mammals and various bird species. Therefore, conservation strategies aimed at preserving capercaillies can have a positive impact not only on the capercaillies themselves but also on the survival of other forest species. The aim of this thesis was to assess the genetic diversity of the capercaillie populations in Lithuania (Capercaillie Population Raised in Viešvilė Reserve) and Belarus (Capercaillie Population in Białowieża Forest). Using TetrF and TetrR primers developed at the Nature Research Centre’s Molecular Ecology Laboratory, five haplotypes of the mtDNA D-loop among the studied individuals were identified. Genotyping of capercaillie individuals using microsatellite markers revealed that certain alleles are more common: 204 TUT1, 158 TUT2, 156 TUT3, 165 TUT4, and 196 BG18 are more frequent in the Belarusian capercaillie population. Conversely, 160 TUT2, 152 TUT3, and 169 TUT4 are more frequent in the Lithuanian capercaillie population. The study found that although the studied representatives of Lithuanian and Belarusian capercaillie populations are genetically similar, the wild capercaillies in Belarus exhibit greater genetic diversity according to the analysis of mtDNA sequence results. |
