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Microsatellite data, boundaries of subpopulation centers, and estimated effective migration for greater sage-grouse collected in western North America between 1992 and 2015

Metadata Updated: January 21, 2026

Characterizing genetic structure across a species’ range is relevant for management and conservation as it can be used to define population boundaries and quantify connectivity. Here, we characterized population structure and estimated effective migration in Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Our objectives were to (1) describe large-scale patterns of population genetic structure and gene flow and (2) to characterize genetic subpopulation centers across the range of Greater Sage-grouse. Samples from 2,134 individuals were genotyped at 15 microsatellite loci. Using standard STRUCTURE and spatial principal components analyses, we found evidence for four or six areas of large-scale genetic differentiation and, following our novel method, 12 subpopulation centers of differentiation. The subpopulation centers defined here could be monitored to maintain genetic diversity and connectivity with other subpopulation centers. Many areas outside subpopulation centers are contact zones where different genetic groups converge and could be priorities for maintaining overall connectivity. Our novel method and process of leveraging multiple different analyses to find common genetic patterns provides a path forward to characterizing genetic structure in wide-ranging, continuously distributed species. The files associated with this data release include the raw genetic data (both a full data set and one thinned to create even sampling distribution), the estimated effective migration surface, and boundaries of subpopulation centers at K=6 from a Structure analysis using 25, 50, and 75% kernel density estimates to determine genetically distinct groups.

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

Downloads & Resources

Dates

Metadata Created Date January 12, 2026
Metadata Updated Date January 21, 2026

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI USGS DCAT-US

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date January 12, 2026
Metadata Updated Date January 21, 2026
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/USGS_61c2427bd34e2ca389d9e7cd
Data Last Modified 2022-12-29T00:00:00Z
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/usgs-data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Datagov Dedupe Retained 20260121062710
Harvest Object Id a7d16b81-e713-416f-86df-f131395eefc2
Harvest Source Id 2b80d118-ab3a-48ba-bd93-996bbacefac2
Harvest Source Title DOI USGS DCAT-US
Metadata Type geospatial
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Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash a4fd32c783516430e288416bd96d39ba1ca3d65d111508b80798546d2bd9d7a5
Source Schema Version 1.1
Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": -121.0273, 37.5672, -121.0273, 49.7190, -102.2384, 49.7190, -102.2384, 37.5672, -121.0273, 37.5672}

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