DOI: 10.5061/dryad.rxwdbrvmb
title: Data From: Genetic viability of small Plains bison (Bison bison) populations a century after reintroduction

description: Recovering species are often managed in small numbers, requiring
 management strategies that maintain genetic variation for long-term
 viability. Here, we evaluate the genetic outcomes of two restored American
 bison (Bison bison) populations 15 generations after their reintroduction
 as Colorado’s first wildlife reintroduction. After initial reintroduction
 in 1914 to Genesee park, the herd was split into two separate populations
 in 1938. To determine the genetic viability of the restored populations,
 we genotyped 36 individuals from both herds, analyzing 52 microsatellite
 markers to asses heterozygosity, allelic richness, inbreeding, and
 population structure. Both herds exhibit relatively high observed
 heterozygosity (Genesee: 0.775 sd = 0.183; Daniels: 0.781 sd = 0.178),
 high allelic richness (Genesee: 5.17 sd = 1.45; Daniels: 4.96 sd = 1.46),
 and negative FIS values (Genesee: -0.112 bootstraps = -0.158, -0.065;
 Daniels: -0.15, bootstraps = -0.191, -0.108), indicating a lack of
 inbreeding. Despite ongoing gene flow, the herds remain genetically
 distinct, as supported by pairwise FST (0.0354, bootstraps = 0.024,
 0.046), Nei’s D (0.136), and AMOVA results (FST = 0.078, p = 0.001).
 STRUCTURE analysis further confirmed that the herds maintain genetic
 clustering despite some admixture. These results suggest that Denver
 Mountain Parks’ long-term management strategies – promoting controlled
 gene flow while preventing inbreeding – have been effective in maintaining
 genetic variation. Intentional individual movement between herds and
 introductions from external metapopulations have contributed to the
 long-term viability of these herds. This study highlights the success of
 small, intensively managed bison populations in maintaining genetic health
 over many generations and underscores the importance of gene flow
 strategies in wildlife restoration.
description: Denver Mountain Parks staff collected tail hairs from all
 available offspring (n = 33) born in 2021, along with a subset of
 reproductively active cows (n = 3), for a total of 36 individuals. This
 included 18 yearlings and one adult cow from Daniels Park as well as 15
 yearlings and two adult cows from Genesee Mountain Park (n = 36). Our
 dataset encompassed 47% of all individuals in both herds at the time of
 sampling, including an entire cohort of offspring, which incorporates a
 substantial proportion of the total genetic variation within these herds.
 Tail hairs were stored in cool, dry conditions before being sent to the
 University of California Davis Veterinary Genetics Lab (Davis, CA) for DNA
 extraction and sequencing. A unique Veterinary Genetics
 Lab case number was assigned to each sample, and DNA extractions were
 completed using a lysis buffer that dissolved cell membranes and released
 nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Aliquots with two-to-three microliters of
 DNA solution were used for PCR. PCR was implemented using multiplexed
 panels (five total) with 52 previously-developed microsatellite markers to
 identify genetic diversity in bison using primer mixes where one of a pair
 is fluorescence-labeled. To separate fluorescence-labeled PCR product for
 each marker panel, an aliquot of each sample was subjected to
 electrophoresis. Laser detection was used to collect fluorescence signals
 from PCR products, and electropherograms were developed for each sample
 based on this data. Both the PCR and electrophoresis were performed with a
 reference sample as a positive control. The STRand
 software was implemented for genotype analysis by the UCDavis Veterinary
 Genetics lab. This software processed the electropherogram output by the
 PCR gel electrophoreses and generated the genotypes.
description: # Data From: Genetic viability of small Plains bison (Bison bison)
 populations a century after reintroduction
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.rxwdbrvmb](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.rxwdbrvmb) ## Description of the data and file structure These are microsatellite genotype data from 52 autosomal loci for Plains bison (*Bison bison bison*) from two small herds owned by Denver Mountain Parks (DMP), Colorado, USA. DNA was extracted from tail hairs collected from all available offspring born in 2021 in both herds, as well as three cows. Microsatellite genotyping was conducted by the University of California Davis Veterinary Genetics Lab (Davis, CA) for DNA extraction and sequencing. The dataset includes a unique ranch tag identifier given to each individual, the herd of origin for each individual, and the microsatellite allele repeat counts for each of the 52 loci (split across both chromosomes). ### Files and variables #### File: DMP\_Data.csv **Description:**  ##### Variables * ID: Ranch Tag Number assigned to each individual * POP: The herd of origin for each individual: either Daniels Park (Sedalia, CO, US) or Genesee Mountain Park (Genesee, CO, US) * All other variables: Microsatellite locus names for the 52 STR markers * "_a" and "_b" suffixes: Represent the two alleles at each locus (one from each chromosome) * Numerical values under loci names: Number of times the Short Tandem Repeat (STR) was observed at that locus on each chromosome ## Code/software The dataset is provided in .csv format, which is compatible with all standard spreadsheet software (e.g. Microsafot Excel, Google Sheets, Apple Numbers). It can also be imported into statistical and bioinformatics software, such as RStudio, Python (pandas package), or Genepop for further analysis.