COLONIZATION HISTORY OF NORTH EUROPEAN FIELD VOLES (MICROTUS-AGRESTIS) REVEALED BY MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA

The genetic structure of field vole (Microtus agrestis) populations from northern Europe was examined by restriction fragment length polymorphisms of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in 150 individuals from 67 localities. A total of 83 haplotypes was observed, most of which were rare and highly localized geographically. Overall nucleotide diversity was high (1.34%),but showed a tendency to decrease with higher latitude. Two major mtDNA lineages differing by 2% in nucleotide sequence were identified. A southern mtDNA lineage was observed in field voles from Britain, Denmark and southern and central Sweden, whereas voles from Finland and northern Sweden belonged to a northern lineage. The strict phylogeographic pattern suggests that the present population genetic structure in field voles reflects glacial history: the two groups are derived from different glacial refugia, and recolonized Fennoscandia from two directions. A 150-200-km-wide secondary contact zone between the two mtDNA groups was found in northern Sweden. Distinct phylogeographic substructuring was observed within both major mtDNA groups.