Spatial, temporal, and age-dependent heterozygosity of beta-hemoglobin in white-tailed deer

Genotypic proportions and heterozygosity of beta-hemoglobin in a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herd were secured to estimate the association of sex, location, year, and age with the variability of this locus. No differences (P > 0.05) in heterozygosity or genotypic frequencies occurred between sexes or among 5 regions on the Savannah River Plant. Heterozygote proportions among 2,455 deer varied (P < 0.05) over the 3 years sampled (1974-76). Older deer (>3.5 years) had higher (P < 0.05) frequency of heterozygotes than those of younger age-classes. The association of age and heterozygosity did not differ among regions or between years. Because age is an important determinant of social status in deer, shifts in the age structure of the herd may increase competitive interactions and, thus, be the source of selection for the changes in heterozygosity.