Research on deer taxonomy and its relevance to management

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Abstract
Taxonomic classifications are based on phylogenetic relationships, which can be inferred from paleontological, morphological, or genetic data. In this paper, I describe recent molecular genetic data that contribute to the understanding of taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships of the Cervidae at the family, species, subspecies, and population levels. At higher taxonomic levels, the relationships of cervids have been inferred from several molecular genetic markers. Mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA sequences (e.g., casein genes) have been used to infer the relationships of Cervidae to other artiodactyl families and the relationships among cervid subfamilies, genera, and species. The data used in such analyses can be extended to practical management applications such as forensic species identification. DNA sequences and allele frequencies of proteins and microsatellite loci can also be used to infer relationships among congeneric species, subspecies, and populations. Understanding relationships at these lower taxonomic levels is useful in several management contexts. Species relationships are important in cases where interspecific competition or hybridization may be important, as with white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer (O. hemionus) in western North America. Quantification of the genetic differentiation among subspecies and populations is useful for identification of management units and inference of the extent of common ancestry and gene flow. Caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) and domestic reindeer (R. t. tarandus) are discussed as an example of subspecies that remain genetically differentiated 110 y after the introduction of domestic reindeer to wild caribou ranges in Alaska. Genetic data also show that four wild caribou herds in Arctic Alaska comprise one interbreeding population, although each herd has a different calving range. The concepts of subspecies, populations, and other intra-specific taxa are discussed.