| Abstract [eng] |
Genetic diversity encoded at the molecular level is an important source of information, enabling the study of intraspecific variation, population genetic structure, relatedness, and the inheritance of traits. In this study, samples of Eurasian woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) collected from three European countries – Spain, Lithuania, and Belarus – were analyzed. The aim of the study was to determine the genetic structure of the investigated populations by comparing different sample groups representing breeding, migrating, and wintering individuals from various regions of Europe. The mitochondrial DNA control region, characterized by relatively high variability compared to other genetic markers, was selected for analysis. DNA of Eurasian woodcock was extracted from heart and liver tissues, and targeted fragments were amplified using polymerase chain reaction. The size of the amplification products was verified by agarose gel electrophoresis, followed by DNA sequencing using the same primers and a “3500 Genetic Analyser”. The obtained sequences were aligned and analyzed using the MEGA software. After examining the distribution of different haplotypes in the woodcock samples, it was found that the studied individuals could be divided into two phylogenetically differentiated haplogroups. Comparison of haplotype networks constructed using the Network program confirmed the existence of two haplogroups in the Eurasian woodcock population and the relatively even distribution of representatives of these haplogroups at a certain frequency throughout the species' range, likely due to the mixing of previously isolated populations during the interglacial period. |
