The article presents the results of an analysis of the population-genetic structure by microsatellite loci and modeling of ecological niches in a widespread species, of the Demoiselle crane ( L.). It is shown that in the structure of the Demoiselle crane gene pool, three groups were distinguished, confined to different wintering sites of this species: Azov-Black Sea/Chadian; Caspian-Sudanese and Asian-Indian subpopulations, uniting the Trans-Ural, South Siberian, Baikal and Trans-Baikal/ Indian subpopulations. The Demoiselle cranes from the Trans-Ural/Indian subpopulation occupy an intermediate position between the European and the other three Asian subpopulations. An analysis of the ecological differentiation of the Demoiselle crane by temperature, precipitation, and altitude in breeding sites revealed a structure that generally corresponds to that of microsatellite loci, as well as previously obtained data on cytochrome of mitochondrial DNA. The presented results may indicate a possible role of climatic factors in the formation of the intraspecific genetic structure of the Demoiselle crane due to the restriction of the gene flow that occurs in specific environmental conditions.
E.A. Mudrik (Wed,) studied this question.