Use of Microsatellite DNA Analyses to Infer Breeding Behavior and Demographic Processes in an Arctic Grizzly Bear Population

January 1, 1998

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Analyses of microsatellite DNA, combined with behavioral observations, indicated that female grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the Arctic have a large male gene pool from which to choose. Males from a large surrounding area bred successfully with the females in our study area and competed with males who centered most of their activities in the study area. Observations of breeding activity did not reliably indicate paternity, particularly under conditions where constant monitoring was not possible. Since females tend to be strongly philopatric, male behavior (influenced to some degree by female choice) is thus the primary mechanism for maintaining genetic diversity in brown or grizzly bear populations. In isolated populations with no influx of male genes from neighboring areas, genetic diversity should be correspondingly lower.

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