Nineteen red deer areas in a densely populated region with a huge network of fenced motorways and the division into administrative management units (AMUs) with restricted ecological connectivity were investigated. In the season 2018/2019, a total of 1291 red deer samples (on average 68 per area) were collected and genotyped using 16 microsatellite markers. The results show a clear genetic differentiation between most of the AMUs. Fourteen AMUs may be combined into four regions with a considerable internal genetic exchange. Five areas were largely isolated or showed only a limited gene flow with neighbouring areas. Ten of the 19 AMUs had an effective population size below 100. Effective population sizes greater than 500–1000, required to maintain the evolutionary potential and a long-term adaptation potential, were not achieved by any of the studied AMUs, even when AMUs with an appreciable genetic exchange were aggregated. Substantial genetic differentiation between areas can be associated with the presence of landscape barriers hindering gene flow, but also with the maintenance of ‘red deer–free’ areas. Efforts to sustainably preserve the genetic diversity of the entire region should therefore focus on measures ensuring genetic connectivity. Opportunities for this goal arise from the establishment of game bridges over motorways and from the protection of young male stags migrating through the statutory ‘red deer–free’ areas.

对人口稠密地区的19个马鹿地区进行了调查，调查发现该地区的马鹿具有庞大的围网高速公路，并划分为具有有限生态连通性的行政管理单位（AMU）。在2018/2019赛季，共收集了1291头马鹿样本（平均每区域68个），并使用16个微卫星标记进行了基因分型。结果表明，大多数AMU之间存在明显的遗传分化。14个AMU可以组合成四个区域，并具有相当大的内部遗传交换。五个区域大部分是孤立的，或与邻近区域的基因流有限。19个AMU中有10个的有效种群规模低于100。维持进化潜力和长期适应潜力所需的有效种群规模大于500-1000，即使将具有可观遗传交换的AMU聚集在一起，任何已研究的AMU都无法实现。地区之间的大量遗传分化可能与阻碍基因流动的景观障碍有关，也与“无马鹿”地区的维持有关。因此，可持续保存整个区域遗传多样性的努力应集中在确保遗传连通性的措施上。实现这一目标的机会来自建立高速公路上的游戏桥，以及保护通过法定“无马鹿”地区迁徙的雄性雄鹿。而且还维护“无马鹿”地区。因此，可持续保存整个区域遗传多样性的努力应集中在确保遗传连通性的措施上。实现这一目标的机会来自建立高速公路上的游戏桥，以及保护通过法定“无马鹿”地区迁徙的雄性雄鹿。而且还维护“无马鹿”地区。因此，可持续保存整个区域遗传多样性的努力应集中在确保遗传连通性的措施上。实现这一目标的机会来自建立高速公路上的游戏桥，以及保护通过法定“无马鹿”地区迁徙的雄性雄鹿。