Mule Deer Movement and Gene Flow in Northern San Diego County
Amy Vandergast, Anna Mitelberg, Julia Smith
Mitelberg, A, Smith, JG, and AG Vandergast. (2019) DNA fingerprinting of southern mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus fuliginatus) in north San Diego County, California (2018–19): U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2019–1138. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20191138.
• Markus Spiegelberg, Jake Garcia, Sarah Godfrey, Brooke Prentice-Dekker, Stephen Rink (CNLM)
• Michael Tucker (MCBCP)• Charlie de la Rosa and Emily Burson (San Diego Zoo Safari Park)• Leana Bulay and Jason Lopez (San Dieguito River Park)• John Barone (City of San Diego)• Hans Sin (CDFW)• Karla Standridge (Fallbrook Land Conservancy)• James Bourdon and Pablo Bryant (Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve)• Zach Principe and Trish Smith (The Nature Conservancy)• Winston Vickers (UC South Coast Research and Extension Station)• Kurt Broz (Pala Environmental Department)• Hannah Walchak and Ann Van Leer (Escondido Creek Conservancy)• Margaret Diss, Ashley Dulaney and Nick Sloan (SD Parks and Rec)• Sarah Krejca and Austin Parker (San Diego Habitat Conservancy)• Laurie Carter (Friends of Hellhole Canyon)• Evelyn and Mickey Vineberg, Diane and Bryan Wold (San Diego Tracking Team)• Kim Wehinger (City of San Diego Public Utilities Department)• Dan Hippert (City of Escondido, Lakes and Open Space)• Jeff Anderson (Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve).
“Although not considered sensitive, this broadly distributed species has aesthetic and intrinsic values, and is the only large native herbivore in the plan area thereby making it an important species to protect. The criteria used to define core and linkage areas involves maintaining ecosystem function and processes, including large animal movement.”
Mule Deer in the MSPA
Developed by SDMMP
Goal:
To identify and inform adaptive management actions to maintain, restore or improve connectivity between conserved core areas, and thereby:
• Ensure persistence of species across preserve system• Preserve ecosystem function across the landscape
What is the functional connectivity among core areas for• large animals• small animals• birds
Carlsbad Habitat Management Plan• Wildlife Movement
Analysis• Bobcat• Mule deer
• Non-invasive sampling of mule deer pellets. • DNA fingerprinting with highly variable markers and a sex specific marker
“Recaptures” • Individual movement• Short time periods
Pedigree reconstruction• Distances among
Parents/Offspring or Siblings
• 1 generation
Population structure• Genetic connectivity
and diversity • Many generations
Los Angeles
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2006-2007
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2012-2013
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2015
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2018-2019
• 666 scat piles collected
• 285 quality genotypes• 101 individuals
• 69 tissues from Camp Pendleton
• 50 “recaptured” at least once• Average Recapture distance = 300 m• Longest = 4.6 km male
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Buck MDn195: recaptures across El Camino Real and Faraday Ave.
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Another buck and 2 does captured across Faraday Avenue
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Buck MDn69: recaptures on either side of Rancho Santa Fe, tunnel
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FS Avg = 3 km Max = 30 km
HS Avg = 9.5 kmMax = 14 km
1. Less overall genetic diversity than subspecies elsewhere the state.
2. Relatively sedentary/territorial over many years.
3. Females in close proximity tend to be more closely related than males in close proximity.
4. There are at least 2 gene pools, or regional populations
Regional Population: Relatedness
• Females are more closely related to each other than males at short distances.
• Rose petal hypothesis (Matthew and Porter 1992)
139 blood samples• collared individuals212 pellet samples from SFV• 99 unique individuals
Connectivity Strategic Plan
• Mountain Lion connectivity• Linkage evaluations• Camera studies
Regional Linkage Analysis and Prioritization
• Where can linkages be improved by management actions?
• What long-term monitoring strategies should be adopted?
