Differentiation among blue tit (Parus caeruleus) populations measured with five minisatellite single locus probes

Five hypervariable minisatellite loci were scored by Southern hybridisation to study the genetic differentiation among eight blue tit (Parus caeruleus) populations. All loci display extreme levels of polymorphism in each of the populations. Deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium are detected for loci in some populations. There does not seem to be an influence of the current degree of habitat fragmentation on genetic variation. However, despite high levels of gene flow (low Fst-values), significant differentiation is found among some populations at these loci. The populations differentiate according to random drift patterns, but, as suggested by cluster analysis, there might still be a small influence of gene flow.