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Harkness BAS, Ibarguchi G, Poland VF, Friesen VL. Historical fragmentation and stepping-stone gene flow led to population genetic differentiation in a coastal seabird. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11204. [PMID: 38633521 PMCID: PMC11021922 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the forces that shape population genetic structure is fundamental both for understanding evolutionary trajectories and for conservation. Many factors can influence the geographic distribution of genetic variation, and the extent to which local populations differ can be especially difficult to predict in highly mobile organisms. For example, many species of seabirds are essentially panmictic, but some show strong structure. Pigeon Guillemots (Cepphus columba; Charadriiformes: Alcidae) breed in small colonies scattered along the North Pacific coastline and feed in shallow nearshore waters year-round. Given their distribution, gene flow is potentially lower and population genetic structure is stronger than in most other high-latitude Northern Hemisphere seabirds. We screened variation in the mitochondrial control region, four microsatellite loci, and two nuclear introns in 202 Pigeon Guillemots representing three of five subspecies. Mitochondrial sequences and nuclear loci both showed significant population differences, although structure was weaker for the nuclear loci. Genetic differentiation was correlated with geographic distance between sampling locations for both the mitochondrial and nuclear loci. Mitochondrial gene trees and demographic modeling both provided strong evidence for two refugial populations during the Pleistocene glaciations: one in the Aleutian Islands and one farther east and south. We conclude that historical fragmentation combined with a stepping-stone model of gene flow led to the relatively strong population differentiation in Pigeon Guillemots compared to other high-latitude Northern Hemisphere seabird species. Our study adds to growing evidence that Pleistocene glaciation events affected population genetic structure not only in terrestrial species but also in coastal marine animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronwyn A. S. Harkness
- Department of BiologyQueen's UniversityKingstonOntarioCanada
- Present address:
Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research CentreOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Gabriela Ibarguchi
- Department of BiologyQueen's UniversityKingstonOntarioCanada
- Present address:
Red Deer PolytechnicRed DeerAlbertaCanada
| | - Veronica F. Poland
- Department of BiologyQueen's UniversityKingstonOntarioCanada
- Present address:
KambahAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
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2
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Teixeira H, Le Corre M, Michon L, Nicoll MAC, Jaeger A, Nikolic N, Pinet P, Couzi FX, Humeau L. Past volcanic activity predisposes an endemic threatened seabird to negative anthropogenic impacts. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1960. [PMID: 38263429 PMCID: PMC10805739 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52556-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Humans are regularly cited as the main driver of current biodiversity extinction, but the impact of historic volcanic activity is often overlooked. Pre-human evidence of wildlife abundance and diversity are essential for disentangling anthropogenic impacts from natural events. Réunion Island, with its intense and well-documented volcanic activity, endemic biodiversity, long history of isolation and recent human colonization, provides an opportunity to disentangle these processes. We track past demographic changes of a critically endangered seabird, the Mascarene petrel Pseudobulweria aterrima, using genome-wide SNPs. Coalescent modeling suggested that a large ancestral population underwent a substantial population decline in two distinct phases, ca. 125,000 and 37,000 years ago, coinciding with periods of major eruptions of Piton des Neiges. Subsequently, the ancestral population was fragmented into the two known colonies, ca. 1500 years ago, following eruptions of Piton de la Fournaise. In the last century, both colonies declined significantly due to anthropogenic activities, and although the species was initially considered extinct, it was rediscovered in the 1970s. Our findings suggest that the current conservation status of wildlife on volcanic islands should be firstly assessed as a legacy of historic volcanic activity, and thereafter by the increasing anthropogenic impacts, which may ultimately drive species towards extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Teixeira
- UMR ENTROPIE (Université de La Réunion, IRD, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie), 15 Avenue René Cassin, CS 92003, 97744, Saint Denis Cedex 9, Ile de La Réunion, France.
| | - Matthieu Le Corre
- UMR ENTROPIE (Université de La Réunion, IRD, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie), 15 Avenue René Cassin, CS 92003, 97744, Saint Denis Cedex 9, Ile de La Réunion, France
| | - Laurent Michon
- Université de La Réunion, Laboratoire Géosciences Réunion, 97744, Saint Denis, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Malcolm A C Nicoll
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Audrey Jaeger
- UMR ENTROPIE (Université de La Réunion, IRD, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie), 15 Avenue René Cassin, CS 92003, 97744, Saint Denis Cedex 9, Ile de La Réunion, France
| | | | - Patrick Pinet
- Parc National de La Réunion, Life+ Pétrels, 258 Rue de la République, 97431, Plaine des Palmistes, Réunion Island, France
| | - François-Xavier Couzi
- Société d'Etudes Ornithologiques de La Réunion (SEOR), 13 ruelle des Orchidées, 97440, Saint André, Réunion Island, France
| | - Laurence Humeau
- UMR PVBMT (Université de La Réunion, CIRAD), 15 Avenue René Cassin, CS 92003, 97744, Saint Denis Cedex 9, Ile de La Réunion, France
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3
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Conservation genomics reveals low connectivity among populations of threatened roseate terns (Sterna dougallii) in the Atlantic Basin. CONSERV GENET 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-023-01505-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
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4
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Contrasting patterns of population structure of Bulwer's petrel (Bulweria bulwerii) between oceans revealed by statistical phylogeography. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1939. [PMID: 36732530 PMCID: PMC9895040 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28452-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The patterns of population divergence of mid-latitude marine birds are impacted by only a few biogeographic barriers to dispersal and the effect of intrinsic factors, such as fidelity to natal colonies or wintering grounds, may become more conspicuous. Here we describe, for the first time, the phylogeographic patterns and historical demography of Bulwer's petrel Bulweria bulwerii and provide new insights regarding the drivers of species diversification in the marine environment. We sampled Bulwer's petrels from the main breeding colonies and used a statistical phylogeography approach based on surveying nuclear and mitochondrial loci (~ 9100 bp) to study its mechanisms of global diversification. We uncovered three highly differentiated groups including the Western Pacific, the Central Pacific and the Atlantic. The older divergence occurred within the Pacific Ocean, ca. 850,000 ya, and since then the W Pacific group has been evolving in isolation. Conversely, divergence between the Central Pacific and Atlantic populations occurred within the last 200,000 years. While the Isthmus of Panama is important in restricting gene flow between oceans in Bulwer's petrels, the deepest phylogeographic break is within the Pacific Ocean, where oceanographic barriers are key in driving and maintaining the remarkable structure found in this highly mobile seabird. This is in contrast with the Atlantic, where no structure was detected. Further data will provide insights regarding the extent of lineage divergence of Bulwer's petrels in the Western Pacific.
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5
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Shepherd LD, Miskelly CM, Bulgarella M, Tennyson AJD. Genomic analyses of fairy and fulmar prions (Procellariidae: Pachyptila spp.) reveals parallel evolution of bill morphology, and multiple species. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275102. [PMID: 36166411 PMCID: PMC9514608 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Prions are small petrels that are abundant around the Southern Ocean. Here we use mitochondrial DNA (COI and cytochrome b) and nuclear reduced representation sequencing (ddRADseq) to examine the relationships within and between fairy (Pachyptila turtur) and fulmar (P. crassirostris) prions from across their distributions. We found that neither species was recovered as monophyletic, and that at least three species were represented. Furthermore, we detected several genetic lineages that are also morphologically distinct occurring in near sympatry at two locations (Snares Islands and Chatham Islands). The factors that have driven diversification in the fairy/fulmar prion complex are unclear but may include philopatry, differences in foraging distribution during breeding, differences in non-breeding distributions and breeding habitat characteristics. The observed distribution of genetic variation in the fairy/fulmar prion complex is consistent with population expansion from ice-free Last Glacial Maximum refugia into previously glaciated areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara D. Shepherd
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, New Zealand
- * E-mail:
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6
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Herman RW, Winger BM, Dittmann DL, Harvey MG. Fine-scale population genetic structure and barriers to gene flow in a widespread seabird ( Ardenna pacifica). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blac091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Pelagic seabirds are highly mobile, reducing opportunities for population isolation that might promote differentiation and speciation. At the same time, many seabirds are philopatric, and their tendency to return to their natal islands to breed might reduce gene flow sufficiently to permit local adaptation and differentiation. To test the net impact of these competing processes, estimates of differentiation and gene flow based on comprehensive geographical sampling are required. We leveraged diverse source material to achieve comprehensive geographical sampling in a widespread seabird, the Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna pacifica). Using data from sequence capture and high-throughput sequencing of 2402 loci containing 20 780 single nucleotide polymorphisms, we tested for population differentiation and gene flow among breeding areas. We found little evidence of deep divergences within A. pacifica but were able to resolve fine-scale differentiation across island groups. This differentiation was sufficient to assign individuals sampled away from breeding areas to their likely source populations. Estimated effective migration surfaces revealed reduced migration between the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, presumably owing to land barriers, and across the equatorial Pacific Ocean, perhaps associated with differences in breeding schedule. Our results reveal that, despite their mobility, pelagic seabirds can exhibit fine-scale population differentiation and reduced gene flow among ocean basins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael W Herman
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University , Stony Brook, NY , USA
| | - Benjamin M Winger
- Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI , USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Donna L Dittmann
- Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University , Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Michael G Harvey
- Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI , USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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7
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Friis G, Atwell JW, Fudickar AM, Greives TJ, Yeh PJ, Price TD, Ketterson ED, Milá B. Rapid evolutionary divergence of a songbird population following recent colonization of an urban area. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:2625-2643. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.16422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Friis
- National Museum of Natural Sciences Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) Madrid 28006 Spain
| | | | - Adam M. Fudickar
- Department of Biology Indiana University Bloomington IN 47405 USA
| | - Timothy J. Greives
- Department of Biological Sciences North Dakota State University Fargo ND 58105 USA
| | - Pamela J. Yeh
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles CA 90095 USA
| | - Trevor D. Price
- Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Chicago Chicago IL 60637 USA
| | | | - Borja Milá
- National Museum of Natural Sciences Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) Madrid 28006 Spain
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8
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Strong Philopatry, Isolation by Distance, and Local Habitat Have Promoted Genetic Structure in Heermann’s Gull. DIVERSITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/d14020108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Philopatry can promote genetic differentiation among populations but remains undescribed in many seabirds. Hence, we explored such associations in Heermann’s Gull. Philopatry was observed monitoring 998 gulls in Rasa Island, while genetic differences were examined in the Cardonosa, Rasa, and Isabel islands using the cytochrome b of 296 gulls. Adults returned repeatedly to its natal valley or to a very close distance from it under different modelled hypotheses. Likewise, the interaction between sex and distance indicated significant male-biased philopatry. Besides, low to high genetic differentiation was observed between the Rasa and Cardonosa islands (ΦST = 0–0.22) (both in the Midriff Islands Region), but higher genetic differentiation against Isabel Island (ΦST > 0.25) (in the Mexican Province region). Consistently, genetic structure among regions was observed using different approaches (AMOVA: ΦCT = 0.49; SAMOVA: FCT = 0.49; and BAPS: K = 2). Similarly, a pattern of isolation by distance (rM = 0.82, p = 0.03), agrees with lower estimates of scaled migration rates between regions than among islands of the same region. Overall, it is suggested that the genetic structure found in Heermann’s Gull has been promoted by physical and behavioral barriers.
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9
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Ottenburghs J. The genic view of hybridization in the Anthropocene. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2342-2360. [PMID: 34745330 PMCID: PMC8549621 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Human impact is noticeable around the globe, indicating that a new era might have begun: the Anthropocene. Continuing human activities, including land-use changes, introduction of non-native species and rapid climate change, are altering the distributions of countless species, often giving rise to human-mediated hybridization events. While the interbreeding of different populations or species can have detrimental effects, such as genetic extinction, it can be beneficial in terms of adaptive introgression or an increase in genetic diversity. In this paper, I first review the different mechanisms and outcomes of anthropogenic hybridization based on literature from the last five years (2016-2020). The most common mechanisms leading to the interbreeding of previously isolated taxa include habitat change (51% of the studies) and introduction of non-native species (34% intentional and 19% unintentional). These human-induced hybridization events most often result in introgression (80%). The high incidence of genetic exchange between the hybridizing taxa indicates that the application of a genic view of speciation (and introgression) can provide crucial insights on how to address hybridization events in the Anthropocene. This perspective considers the genome as a dynamic collection of genetic loci with distinct evolutionary histories, giving rise to a heterogenous genomic landscape in terms of genetic differentiation and introgression. First, understanding this genomic landscape can lead to a better selection of diagnostic genetic markers to characterize hybrid populations. Second, describing how introgression patterns vary across the genome can help to predict the likelihood of negative processes, such as demographic and genetic swamping, as well as positive outcomes, such as adaptive introgression. It is especially important to not only quantify how much genetic material introgressed, but also what has been exchanged. Third, comparing introgression patterns in pre-Anthropocene hybridization events with current human-induced cases might provide novel insights into the likelihood of genetic swamping or species collapse during an anthropogenic hybridization event. However, this comparative approach remains to be tested before it can be applied in practice. Finally, the genic view of introgression can be combined with conservation genomic studies to determine the legal status of hybrids and take appropriate measures to manage anthropogenic hybridization events. The interplay between evolutionary and conservation genomics will result in the constant exchange of ideas between these fields which will not only improve our knowledge on the origin of species, but also how to conserve and protect them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jente Ottenburghs
- Wildlife Ecology and ConservationWageningen University & ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
- Forest Ecology and Forest ManagementWageningen University & ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
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10
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Complex population structure of the Atlantic puffin revealed by whole genome analyses. Commun Biol 2021; 4:922. [PMID: 34326442 PMCID: PMC8322098 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02415-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The factors underlying gene flow and genomic population structure in vagile seabirds are notoriously difficult to understand due to their complex ecology with diverse dispersal barriers and extensive periods at sea. Yet, such understanding is vital for conservation management of seabirds that are globally declining at alarming rates. Here, we elucidate the population structure of the Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) by assembling its reference genome and analyzing genome-wide resequencing data of 72 individuals from 12 colonies. We identify four large, genetically distinct clusters, observe isolation-by-distance between colonies within these clusters, and obtain evidence for a secondary contact zone. These observations disagree with the current taxonomy, and show that a complex set of contemporary biotic factors impede gene flow over different spatial scales. Our results highlight the power of whole genome data to reveal unexpected population structure in vagile marine seabirds and its value for seabird taxonomy, evolution and conservation.
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11
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Martínez-García L, Ferrari G, Oosting T, Ballantyne R, van der Jagt I, Ystgaard I, Harland J, Nicholson R, Hamilton-Dyer S, Baalsrud HT, Brieuc MSO, Atmore LM, Burns F, Schmölcke U, Jakobsen KS, Jentoft S, Orton D, Hufthammer AK, Barrett JH, Star B. Historical Demographic Processes Dominate Genetic Variation in Ancient Atlantic Cod Mitogenomes. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.671281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Ancient DNA (aDNA) approaches have been successfully used to infer the long-term impacts of climate change, domestication, and human exploitation in a range of terrestrial species. Nonetheless, studies investigating such impacts using aDNA in marine species are rare. Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), is an economically important species that has experienced dramatic census population declines during the last century. Here, we investigated 48 ancient mitogenomes from historical specimens obtained from a range of archeological excavations in northern Europe dated up to 6,500 BCE. We compare these mitogenomes to those of 496 modern conspecifics sampled across the North Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. Our results confirm earlier observations of high levels of mitogenomic variation and a lack of mutation-drift equilibrium—suggestive of population expansion. Furthermore, our temporal comparison yields no evidence of measurable mitogenomic changes through time. Instead, our results indicate that mitogenomic variation in Atlantic cod reflects past demographic processes driven by major historical events (such as oscillations in sea level) and subsequent gene flow rather than contemporary fluctuations in stock abundance. Our results indicate that historical and contemporaneous anthropogenic pressures such as commercial fisheries have had little impact on mitogenomic diversity in a wide-spread marine species with high gene flow such as Atlantic cod. These observations do not contradict evidence that overfishing has had negative consequences for the abundance of Atlantic cod and the importance of genetic variation in implementing conservation strategies. Instead, these observations imply that any measures toward the demographic recovery of Atlantic cod in the eastern Atlantic, will not be constrained by recent loss of historical mitogenomic variation.
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12
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Gousy-Leblanc M, Yannic G, Therrien JF, Lecomte N. Mapping our knowledge on birds of prey population genetics. CONSERV GENET 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-021-01368-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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13
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Extreme philopatry and genetic diversification at unprecedented scales in a seabird. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6834. [PMID: 33767313 PMCID: PMC7994906 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86406-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Effective conservation requires maintenance of the processes underlying species divergence, as well as understanding species' responses to episodic disturbances and long-term change. We explored genetic population structure at a previously unrecognized spatial scale in seabirds, focusing on fine-scale isolation between colonies, and identified two distinct genetic clusters of Barau's Petrels (Pterodroma baraui) on Réunion Island (Indian Ocean) corresponding to the sampled breeding colonies separated by 5 km. This unexpected result was supported by long-term banding and was clearly linked to the species' extreme philopatric tendencies, emphasizing the importance of philopatry as an intrinsic barrier to gene flow. This implies that loss of a single colony could result in the loss of genetic variation, impairing the species' ability to adapt to threats in the long term. We anticipate that these findings will have a pivotal influence on seabird research and population management, focusing attention below the species level of taxonomic organization.
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14
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Humeau L, Le Corre M, Reynolds SJ, Wearn C, Hennicke JC, Russell JC, Gomard Y, Magalon H, Pinet P, Gélin P, Couzi F, Bemanaja E, Tatayah V, Ousseni B, Rocamora G, Talbot P, Shah N, Bugoni L, Da Silva D, Jaeger A. Genetic structuring among colonies of a pantropical seabird: Implication for subspecies validation and conservation. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:11886-11905. [PMID: 33209258 PMCID: PMC7663974 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Investigations of the genetic structure of populations over the entire range of a species yield valuable information about connectivity among populations. Seabirds are an intriguing taxon in this regard because they move extensively when not breeding, facilitating intermixing of populations, but breed consistently on the same isolated islands, restricting gene flow among populations. The degree of genetic structuring of populations varies extensively among seabird species but they have been understudied in their tropical ranges. Here, we address this across a broad spatial scale by using microsatellite and mitochondrial data to explore the population connectivity of 13 breeding populations representing the six subspecies of the white-tailed tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus) in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Our primary aim was to identify appropriate conservation units for this little known species. Three morphometric characters were also examined in the subspecies. We found a clear pattern of population structuring with four genetic groups. The most ancient and the most isolated group was in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. The South Atlantic populations and South Mozambique Channel population on Europa were genetically isolated and may have had a common ancestor. Birds from the Indo-Pacific region showed unclear and weak genetic differentiation. This structuring was most well defined from nuclear and mtDNA markers but was less well resolved by morphological data. The validity of classifying white-tailed tropicbirds into six distinct subspecies is discussed in light of our new findings. From a conservation standpoint our results highlight that the three most threatened conservation units for this species are the two subspecies of the tropical North and South Atlantic Oceans and that of Europa Island in the Indian Ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Humeau
- UMR PVBMTUniversité de La RéunionCIRADSaint‐Denis Cedex 9La RéunionFrance
| | - Matthieu Le Corre
- UMR ENTROPIEUniversité de La RéunionIRDCNRSSaint‐Denis Cedex 9La RéunionFrance
| | - Silas James Reynolds
- Centre for OrnithologySchool of BiosciencesCollege of Life & Environmental SciencesUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
- Army Ornithological Society (AOS)c/o Prince Consort LibraryAldershotHampshireUK
| | - Colin Wearn
- Royal Air Force Ornithological Society (RAFOS)Royal Air Force HeadquartersBuckinghamshireUK
| | - Janos C. Hennicke
- Department of Ecology and ConservationBiocentre GrindelUniversity of HamburgHamburgGermany
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de ChizéCEBC‐CNRSVilliers‐en‐BoisFrance
| | - James C. Russell
- UMR ENTROPIEUniversité de La RéunionIRDCNRSSaint‐Denis Cedex 9La RéunionFrance
- School of Biological Sciences and Department of StatisticsUniversity of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Yann Gomard
- UMR PIMITCNRSINSERMIRDUniversité de La RéunionPlateforme Technologique CYROISainte‐ClotildeLa RéunionFrance
| | - Hélène Magalon
- UMR ENTROPIEUniversité de La RéunionIRDCNRSSaint‐Denis Cedex 9La RéunionFrance
| | - Patrick Pinet
- UMR ENTROPIEUniversité de La RéunionIRDCNRSSaint‐Denis Cedex 9La RéunionFrance
- Parc National de La RéunionLa Plaine des PalmistesLa RéunionFrance
| | - Pauline Gélin
- UMR ENTROPIEUniversité de La RéunionIRDCNRSSaint‐Denis Cedex 9La RéunionFrance
| | | | - Etienne Bemanaja
- Centre National de Recherches Océanographiques (CNRO)Nosy BeMadagascar
| | | | | | - Gérard Rocamora
- Island Conservation SocietyMahéSeychelles
- Island Biodiversity and Conservation centreUniversity of SeychellesMahéSeychelles
| | | | - Nirmal Shah
- Nature SeychellesThe Center for Environment and EducationMahéSeychelles
| | - Leandro Bugoni
- Instituto de Ciências BiológicasUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeBrazil
| | - Denis Da Silva
- UMR PVBMTUniversité de La RéunionCIRADSaint‐Denis Cedex 9La RéunionFrance
| | - Audrey Jaeger
- UMR ENTROPIEUniversité de La RéunionIRDCNRSSaint‐Denis Cedex 9La RéunionFrance
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15
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Fromant A, Bost CA, Bustamante P, Carravieri A, Cherel Y, Delord K, Eizenberg YH, Miskelly CM, Arnould JPY. Temporal and spatial differences in the post-breeding behaviour of a ubiquitous Southern Hemisphere seabird, the common diving petrel. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:200670. [PMID: 33391785 PMCID: PMC7735348 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.200670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The non-breeding period plays a major role in seabird survival and population dynamics. However, our understanding of the migratory behaviour, moulting and feeding strategies of non-breeding seabirds is still very limited, especially for small-sized species. The present study investigated the post-breeding behaviour of three distant populations (Kerguelen Archipelago, southeastern Australia, New Zealand) of the common diving petrel (CDP) (Pelecanoides urinatrix), an abundant, widely distributed zooplanktivorous seabird breeding throughout the southern Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. The timing, geographical destination and activity pattern of birds were quantified through geolocator deployments during the post-breeding migration, while moult pattern of body feathers was investigated using stable isotope analysis. Despite the high energetic cost of flapping flight, all the individuals quickly travelled long distances (greater than approx. 2500 km) after the end of the breeding season, targeting oceanic frontal systems. The three populations, however, clearly diverged spatially (migration pathways and destinations), and temporally (timing and duration) in their post-breeding movements, as well as in their period of moult. Philopatry to distantly separated breeding grounds, different breeding phenologies and distinct post-breeding destinations suggest that the CDP populations have a high potential for isolation, and hence, speciation. These results contribute to improving knowledge of ecological divergence and evolution between populations, and inform the challenges of conserving migratory species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aymeric Fromant
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS—La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Charles-André Bost
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS—La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS—La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Alice Carravieri
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS—La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Yves Cherel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS—La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Karine Delord
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS—La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Yonina H. Eizenberg
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia
| | - Colin M. Miskelly
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, PO Box 467, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
| | - John P. Y. Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia
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Burridge CP. Subtle Genetic Clustering Among South Australian Colonies of Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor): A Reply to Colombelli-Négrel et al. (2020). J Hered 2020; 111:506-509. [PMID: 32918089 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esaa032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
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Colston-Nepali L, Provencher JF, Mallory ML, Franckowiak RP, Sun Z, Robertson GJ, Friesen VL. Using genomic tools to inform management of the Atlantic northern fulmar. CONSERV GENET 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-020-01309-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Abstract
Penguins are the only extant family of flightless diving birds. They currently comprise at least 18 species, distributed from polar to tropical environments in the Southern Hemisphere. The history of their diversification and adaptation to these diverse environments remains controversial. We used 22 new genomes from 18 penguin species to reconstruct the order, timing, and location of their diversification, to track changes in their thermal niches through time, and to test for associated adaptation across the genome. Our results indicate that the penguin crown-group originated during the Miocene in New Zealand and Australia, not in Antarctica as previously thought, and that Aptenodytes is the sister group to all other extant penguin species. We show that lineage diversification in penguins was largely driven by changing climatic conditions and by the opening of the Drake Passage and associated intensification of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). Penguin species have introgressed throughout much of their evolutionary history, following the direction of the ACC, which might have promoted dispersal and admixture. Changes in thermal niches were accompanied by adaptations in genes that govern thermoregulation and oxygen metabolism. Estimates of ancestral effective population sizes (N e ) confirm that penguins are sensitive to climate shifts, as represented by three different demographic trajectories in deeper time, the most common (in 11 of 18 penguin species) being an increased N e between 40 and 70 kya, followed by a precipitous decline during the Last Glacial Maximum. The latter effect is most likely a consequence of the overall decline in marine productivity following the last glaciation.
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Burridge CP, Waters JM. Does migration promote or inhibit diversification? A case study involving the dominant radiation of temperate Southern Hemisphere freshwater fishes. Evolution 2020; 74:1954-1965. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.14066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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