Analysis of microsatellite polymorphism and genetic differentiation in urban and rural kestrels Falco tinnunculus (L.)

The European Kestrel Falco tinnunculus (L.) is commonly observed in urban-industrial environment. Colonization of cites by the species was shown to be interlinked with changes in its ecology and breeding biology. Such adaptations can lead to isolation of urban populations from rural birds. In this paper we investigated genetic differentiation between birds from centre of Warsaw (Centre Group), suburban area of the city (Suburban Group) and one rural area (Rural Group). We analyse polymorphism of six microsatellite loci in 56 kestrels. The results shown moderate and significant differentiation between Centre and Rural groups and intermediate differentiation among Suburban and two other groups. Although our study is based on small number of individuals and only one rural sampling site, it suggested some level of isolation between city and rural environment. We assumed that observed differentiation might be the result of Urban Island system of appearance and maintenance of kestrel population in Warsaw. We also suspect that suburban areas of the city form a 'zone of admixture', where genes from the city and non-urban populations are 'meeting'.