Genetic variation in black bear populations from Louisiana and Arkansas: Examining the potential influence of reintroductions from Minnesota

Using multilocus DNA fingerprinting, we assessed potential genetic effects that may have been caused by translocation of American black bears (Ursus americanus americanus) from Minnesota to Louisiana and Arkansas. The bear population in northeastern Minnesota exhibits less within-population genetic similarity (similarity within = 0.57) than bear populations in Louisiana and Arkansas (similarities within = 0.74)(P < 0.001). Populations in Louisiana and Arkansas are more closely related to each other (similarity between = 0.53) than they are to the population in Minnesota (similarity between = 0.34) (Pi 0.001, Mann-Whitney test). Analysis of band-sharing data indicated that any genetic impacts that may have been caused by the translocations were not statistically significant.