Genetic structure of the common vole and field vole populations in Poland: comparisons of museum and contemporary samples

The main aim of proposed project is to investigate genetic diversity of two species of voles (the common vole, Microtus arvalis and the field vole, Microtus agrestis). We will conduct the phylogeographical (cytochrome b sequence of mtDNA) and landscape genetics analyses (microsatellite loci). In this project fresh material will be analyzed, collected in different parts of Poland, while results will be compared with results from museum samples analyses. This will also allow us to investigate changes in alleles frequencies over the last 50 years by sampling voles of both species in the same areas as the museum samples from the ’60s and ’70s. It will allow to describe distribution of genetic groups and to identify contact zones and potential gene flow between them. The proposed project will also take into consideration available environmental data and identify which features are act as putative barriers to gene flow. By having samples from two time periods (separated by ~50 years), this will also allow us to investigate temporal changes in genetic structure with changing landscapes.