Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Patterns of morphological variability in reintroduced populations with two beaver subspecies Castor fiber orientoeuropaeus and Castor fiber belorussicus (Castoridae, Rodentia) as an example

  • Published:
Biology Bulletin Reviews Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The pattern of morphological variability in translocated groups of mammals has been studied based on the example of two beaver subspecies (Castor fiber orientoeuropaeus and Castor fiber belorussicus) with the documented history of population formation. The variability in the quantitative and quantitative traits in the formed populations is not characterized by a single direction. The main trend is an increase in the diversity of adaptive norms in relation to body sizes. A slightly marked increase is observed in the level of fluctuating asymmetry, a reduction in polymorphisms in nonmetric traits, and an increase in the percentage of rare aberrations that may be associated with inbreeding taking place during the formation of prapopulations. The results of this study allow this intraspecific differentiation to be considered an effect of adaptive variability (adaptatiogenesis) or subspecies hybridization. As for stochastic processes (gene drift and founder effect), they seem to have no significant effect on the morphological variability. The differences between non-metric and metric traits indicate the peculiarity of population groups.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alados, L.A., Escós, J., and Emlen, J.M., Fluctuating Asymmetry and Fractal Dimension of the Sagittal Suture as Indicators of Inbreeding Depression in Dama and Dorcas Gazelles, Can. J. Zool., 1995, vol. 73, no. 10, pp. 1967–1974.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aleinikov, A.A., Extended Abstract of Cand. Sci. (Biol.) Dissertation, Togliatti: Inst. Ekol. Volzhsk. Basseina RAN, 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Altukhov, Yu.P., Salmenkova, E.A., and Omel’chenko, V.T., Populyatsionnaya genetika lososevykh ryb (Population Genetics of Salmonids), Moscow: Nauka, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  • Altukhov, Yu.P., Geneticheskie protsessy v populyatsiyakh (Genetic Processes in Populations), Moscow: Akademkniga, 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouwmeester, J., Mulder, J.L., and Van Bree, P.J.H., High Incidence of Malocclusions in an Isolated Population of the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) in The Netherlands, J. Zool., 1989, vol. 219, no. 1, pp. 123–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cuervo, J.J., Dhaoui, M., and Espeso, G., Fluctuating Asymmetry and Blood Parameters in Three Endangered Gazelle Species, Mamm. Biol., 2011, vol. 76, pp. 498–505.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dubinin, N.P., Obshchaya genetika (General Genetics), Moscow: Nauka, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ducrož, J.-F., Stubbe, M., Saveljev, A.P., Heidecke, D., Samjaa, R., Ulevicius, A., Stubbe, A., and Durka, W., Genetic Variation and Population Structure of the Eurasian Beaver Castor Fiber in Eastern Europe and Asia, J. Mammal., 2005, vol. 86, no. 6, pp. 1059–1067.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durka, W., Babik, W., Ducrož, J.-F., Heidecke, D., Rosell, F., Samjaa, R., Saveljev, A.P., Stubbe, A., Ulevicius, A., and Stubbe, M., Mitochondrial Phylogeography of the Eurasian Beaver Castor fiber L., Mol. Ecol., 2005, vol. 14, no. 12, pp. 3843–3856.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gabrys, G. and Wažna, A., Subspecies of the European Beaver Castor fiber L., 1758, Acta Theriol., 2003, vol. 48, no. 4, pp. 433–439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halley, D.J. and Rosell, F., The Beaver’s Reconquest of Eurasia: Status, Population Development, and Management of a Conservation Success, Mammal Rev., 2002, vol. 32, pp. 153–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halley, D.J., Sourcing Eurasian Beaver Castor Fiber Stock for Reintroductions in Great Britain and Western Europe, Mammal Rev., 2011, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 40–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horn, S., Benecke, N., Hufthammer, A.K., Schouwenburg, C., Toskan, B., and Hofreiter, M., DNA from Thousands of Years Ago: Insights into the Genetic History of the Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber), in Abstr. 5th Int. Beaver Symp., Dubingiai, Lithuania: Vitautas Magnus Univ., 2009, p. 40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ivanov, S.Yu., Musatov, V.Yu., and Fetisov, S.A., History and Results of Re-acclimatization of the Eurasian Beaver Castor fiber L. in the Russian Part of the Basin of Lake Peipus (Monitoring of Abundance and Distribution of the Species in 1950–1990 and an Assessment of Its Current State), in Priroda Pskovskogo kraya (Nature of the Pskov Region), Pskov: Rosprirodnadzor, 2006, vol. 21, pp. 3–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klevezal’, G.A., Registriruyushchie struktury mlekopitayushchikh v zoologicheskikh issledovaniyakh (Recording Structures of Mammals in Zoological Research), Moscow: Nauka, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Korablev, N.P., Evaluation of Intraspecific Variation of the Eurasian Beaver Castor fiber L. on the Basis on Craniometric Analysis of Reintroduced Populations, in Issledovaniya bobrov v Evrazii (Studies of Beavers in Eurasia), Kirov: GNU VNIIOZ, 2011, vol. 1, pp. 53–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Korablev, P.N., Alekseeva, T.A., and Korablev, N.P., The Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber), in Populyatsionnaya fenetika. Katalog osnovnykh nemetricheskikh variatsii kraniologicheskikh priznakov mlekopitayushchikh (Population Phenetics: Catalogue of the Main Nonmetric Variations of Craniological Traits of Mammals), Moscow: Nauka, 1997, pp. 209–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Korablev, N.P., Microevolutionary Processes in Reintroduced Populations of the Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber L.) in the European Part of Russia, Extended Abstract of Cand. Sci. (Biol.) Dissertation, Moscow: IPEE RAN, 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Korablev, N., Puzachenko, Yu., Zavyalov, N., and Zheltukhin, A., Long-Term Dynamics and Morphological Peculiarities of Reintroduced Beaver Population in the Upper Volga Basin, Baltic Forestry, 2011, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 136–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Korablev, N.P., Korablev, M.P., and Korablev, P.N., Introduction of Alien Species and Microevolution: The European Beaver, Raccoon Dog, and American Mink, Biol. Bull., 2011, vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 146–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kozlo, P.G., Yanuta, G.G., and Litvinov, V.F., The State of Abundance of the Belarusian Populations of the Eurasian Beavers (Castor fiber) and the Problems of Sustainable Use of Their Resources, in Teriofauna Rossii i sopredel’nykh territorii. Mezhdunar. soveshch. (IX s”ezd Teriologicheskogo obshch. pri RAN) (Theriofauna of Russia and Adjacent Territories: Int. Conf. (IX Congress of the Theriological Society of RAS)), Moscow: Tovar. Nauch. Izd. KMK, 2011, p. 235.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavrov, L.S., Age and Sex Characteristics of the Structure of the Skull of the Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber vistulanus Matschie), Tr. Voronezh. Gos. Zapov., Voronezh: Voronezh. Gos. Univ., 1960, vol. 9, pp. 145–155.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavrov, L.S., Some Hereditary Characteristics of the Voronezh Population of Eurasian Beavers, Tr. Voronezh. Gos. Zapov., Voronezh: Voronezh. Gos. Univ., 1948, vol. 2, pp. 129–154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavrov, L.S., Bobry Palearktiki (Beavers of Palearctic), Voronezh: Voronezh. Gos. Univ., 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayr, E., Populyatsii, vidy i evolyutsiya (Populations, Species, and Evolution), Moscow: Mir, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mednikov, B.M., Problems of Speciation and Adaptive Norms, Zh. Obshch. Biol., 1987, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 15–26.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Monakhov, V.G., Craniometric Variability of the Sable Martes zibellina (Carnivora, Mustelidae) in Connection with Its Reacclimatization, Zool. Zh., 1999, vol. 78, no. 2, pp. 260–265.

    Google Scholar 

  • Monakhov, V.G., Veränderlichkeit von Körpermaβsen in Introduzierten Biberpopulationen Osteuropas, Beiträge zur Jagd- und Wildforschung. B, 2010, vol. 35, pp. 259–267.

    Google Scholar 

  • Müntzing, A., Genetika (Genetics), Moscow: Mir, 1967.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nazarov, V.I., Evolyutsiya ne po Darvinu: Smena evolyutsionnoi modeli (Nondarwinian Evolution: Change of the Evolutionary Model), Moscow: LKI, 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nei, M., Maruyama, T., and Chakraborty, R., Bottleneck Effect and Genetic Variability in Populations, Evolution, 1975, vol. 29, pp. 1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orlov, V.N. and Okulova, N.M., Application of the Hardy-Weinberg Equation for the Analysis of Geographic Variation of the Yellow Necked Mice Apodemus flavicollis (Muridae, Rodentia), Zool. Zh., 2001, vol. 80, no. 5, pp. 607–617.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pankakoski, E., Epigenetic Asymmetry as an Ecological Indicator in Muskrats, J. Mammal., 1985, vol. 66, no. 1, pp. 52–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Puzachenko, Yu.G., Matematicheskie metody v ekologicheskikh i geograficheskikh issledovaniyakh (Mathematical Methods in Ecological and Geographical Studies), Moscow: Akademiya, 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  • Safonov, V.G., Morphological Characteristics and Structure of Beaver Populations, Byul. MOIP. Otd. Biol., 1966, no. 4, pp. 5–19.

  • Safonov, V.G. and Pavlov, M.P., The Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber L.), in Akklimatizatsiya okhotnich’e-promyslovykh zverei i ptits v SSSR (Acclimatization of Game Animals and Birds in the USSR), Kirov: VNIIOZ, 1973, part 1, pp. 203–293.

    Google Scholar 

  • Samusenko, E.G. and Fomenkov, A.N., Similarities and Differences between Belarusian and Voronezh Beaver Populations, in Biologicheskie osnovy osvoeniya, rekonstruktsii i okhrany zhivotnogo mira Belorussii (Biological Basis of Development, Reconstruction and Conservation of Wildlife in Belarus), Minsk: Uradzhai, 1983, pp. 145–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Savel’ev, A.P., Unsolved Problems of Taxonomy and Prospects in the Description of New Taxa of Recent Beavers (Castor sp.) in Eurasia, in Sistematika i filogeniya gryzunov i zaitseobraznykh (Taxonomy and Phylogeny of Rodents and Lagomorphs), Moscow, 2000, pp. 144–148.

  • Savel’ev, A.P., Biological Characteristics of Aboriginal and Artificial Populations of Eurasian Beavers and Their Implications for Resource Management Strategies, Extended Abstract of Doctoral (Biol.) Dissertation, Kirov: VNIIOZ, 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Savel’ev, A.P., Munclinger, P., and Albrekhtova, A., Revision of the Origin and the “Purity” of Aboriginal Beavers in Russia and Belarus with the Use of New Genetic Data, in Teriofauna Rossii i sopredel’nykh territorii. Mezhdunar. soveshch. (IX s”ezd Teriologich. Obshch. pri RAN) (Theriofauna of Russia and Adjacent Territories: Int. Conf. (IX Congress of the Theriological Society of RAS)), Moscow: Tovar. Nauch. Izd. KMK, 2011, p. 418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmalhausen, I.I., Puti i zakonomernosti evolyutsionnogo protsessa. Izbrannye trudy (Pathways and Patterns of Evolution. Selected Papers), Moscow: Nauka, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, S.S., Some Problems of Acclimation of Terrestrial Vertebrates, in Voprosy akklimatizatsii mlekopitayushchikh na Urale: Tr. Inst. Biol. AN SSSR Ural’skogo filiala (Problems of Acclimatization of Mammals in the Urals: Transactions of the Institute of Biology RAS USSR, Urals Division), Sverdlovsk, 1959, pp. 3–22.

  • Schwartz, S.S., Ekologicheskie zakonomernosti evolyutsii (Ecological Laws of Evolution), Moscow: Nauka, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sjöberg, G., Genetic Characteristics of Introduced Birds and Mammals, Wildl. Biol., 1996, vol. 2, pp. 159–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solov’ev, V.A., Rechnoi bobr evropeiskogo Severo-Vostoka (The Eurasian Beaver of the European North-East), Leningrad: Izd. Leningr. Gos. Univ., 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stavrovskii, D.D. and Vatolin, B.A., Results of Acclimatization of the Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber L.) of the Berezina Population in the Bryansk Oblast, in Zapovedniki Belorussii (Reserves of Belarus), Minsk: Uradzhai, 1979, vol. 3, pp. 122–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stavrovskii, D.D., Bobry Berezinskogo biosfernogo zapovednika (morfoekologicheskii analiz populyatsii) (Beavers of the Berezinskii Biosphere Reserve (Morphoecological Analysis of the Population), Minsk: Uradzhai, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suchentrunk, F., Hartl, G.B., Flux, J.E.C., Parkes, J., Haiden, A., and Tapper, S., Allozyme Heterozygosity and Fluctuating Asymmetry in Brown Hares Lepus europaeus Introduced to New Zealand: Developmental Homeostasis in Populations with a Bottleneck History, Acta Theriologica, 1998, vol. 5(suppl.), pp. 35–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szuma, E., Dental Abnormalities in the Red Fox Vulpes vulpes from Poland, Acta Theriologica, 1999, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 393–412.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulevicius, A., Different Levels of Phenetical Diversity in an Allopatric Beaver (Castor fiber) Population in Lithuania, Acta Zool. Lithuan. Biodiver., 1997, vol. 7, pp. 46–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vasilyev, A.G., Epigeneticheskie osnovy fenetiki: na puti k populyatsionnoi meronomii (Epigenetic Basis of Phenetics: Towards Population Meronomy), Yekaterinburg: Akademkniga, 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vasilyev, A.G., Vasilyeva, I.A., and Bol’shakov, V.N., Evolutionary-Ecological Analysis of Trends in Phenogenetic Variation of Homologous Morphological Structures: From Populations to Ecological Series of Species, Russ. J. Ecol., 2010, vol. 41, no. 5, pp. 365–371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolsan, M., The Origin of Extra Teeth in Mammals, Acta Theriol., 1984, vol. 29, no. 10, pp. 128–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yablokov, A.V., Populyatsionnaya biologiya (Population Biology), Moscow: Vyssh. Shk., 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zaitsev, G.N., Matematicheskaya statistika v eksperimental’noi botanike (Mathematical Statistics in Experimental Botany), Moscow: Nauka, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zakharov, V.M., Asimmetriya zhivotnykh (Asymmetry of Animals), Moscow: Nauka, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zavadskii, K.M., Vid i vidoobrazovanie (Species and Speciation), Leningrad: Nauka, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhivotovskii, L.A., The Similarity Score of Populations for Polymorphic Traits, Zh. Obshch. Biol., 1979, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 587–602.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhivotovskii, L.A., Index of Population Variability for Polymorphic Traits, in Fenetika populyatsii (Population Phenetics), Moscow: Nauka, 1982, pp. 38–44.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Velikie Luki State Agricultural Academy, prosp. Lenina 2, Velikie Luki, Pskov oblast, 182112, Russia

    N. P. Korablev

  2. Central Forest State Nature Biosphere Reserve, Nelidovo District, Tver oblast, Zapovedny, 172513, Russia

    P. N. Korablev

Authors
  1. N. P. Korablev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. N. Korablev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to N. P. Korablev.

Additional information

Original Russian Text © N.P. Korablev, P.N. Korablev, 2012, published in Zhurnal Obshchei Biologii, 2012, Vol. 73, No. 3, pp. 210–224.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Korablev, N.P., Korablev, P.N. Patterns of morphological variability in reintroduced populations with two beaver subspecies Castor fiber orientoeuropaeus and Castor fiber belorussicus (Castoridae, Rodentia) as an example. Biol Bull Rev 3, 84–97 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079086413010052

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079086413010052

Keywords

Search

Navigation