Beyond genotype : Using SNPs for pedigree reconstruction-based population estimates and genetic characterization of two Swedish brown bear (Ursus arctos) populations

Abstract: Reliable population estimates are an important aspect of sustainable wildlife management but usually difficult to obtain for rare and elusive large carnivores. I tested a new method developed by Creel and Rosenblatt (2013) to estimate the population size of two Swedish brown bear (Ursus arctos) populations. The Creel-Rosenblatt estimator (CRE) projects beyond the count of genotypes by including individuals that were inferred from the pedigree as well as undetected individuals into the population estimates. Using a recently developed panel of 96 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), hunter-collected fecal samples were genotyped for reconstructing pedigrees. Based on 434 genotypes from Dalarna-Gävleborg and 265 from Västerbotten, the CRE population estimates (