Allozyme variability and the population genetic structure of the mice Apodemus agrarius, Mus musculus, and Sylvaemus uralensis (Rodenita, Muridae) in Western Siberia

Of the three mouse species inhabiting Western Siberia, the striped field mouse is characterized by the highest level of genetic variation, a uniform distribution of polymorphism indicators, lower values of genetic differentiation, and higher values of gene flow, as compared to the house mouse and pygmy wood mouse. The house mouse populations have abrupt changes in the parameters of protein polymorphism in different localities. This is due to the considerable spatial dissociation of the cities of Siberia and the differing histories of their settlement. Inhabitation of an urban area leads to the partitioning of striped wood mouse populations into groups that considerably differ in allele frequencies and genetic variation indices. These changes are not related to the degree of urbanization and are determined by genetic drift. Some characteristics of these groups, like reduced variability, heterozygote deficit, and deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, limit their adaptive potential and make them dependent on the populations of inter-settlement territories.