First circumglobal assessment of Southern Hemisphere humpback whale mitochondrial genetic variation and implications for management

Endangered species research

Marcia H. Engel^11¹  Timothy Collins^1²  Megan Anderson^22,23⁴  Martín Mendez^2,5⁶  Muriel Brasseur^20⁷  Gianna Minton^13⁸  M. Michael Poole^16,17⁹  Michel Vely^10^1,10  Claire Garrigue^16,19^1,12  Cristina Pomilla^2,6^1,13  Michael Meÿer^14^1,14  Lilian Flórez-González^15^1,15  John Bannister^21^1,16  Robert Baldwin^12^1,17  Francine Kershaw^3,4^1,18  Peter B. Best^9^2,20  Nan Hauser^16,18^2,21  C. Scott Baker^16,26^2,22  Ken P. Findlay^8^2,23  Carlos Olavarría^24,25^2,24  Howard C. Rosenbaum^1,2^2,25  Matthew S. Leslie^2,7^2,26 

[1] Association Megaptera, 23 rue Alexandre Dumas, 75011 Paris, France^10;Cape Peninsula University of Technology, PO Box 652, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa^8;Centre for Animal Conservation Genetics, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157,Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia^23;Centre for Ecosystem Management, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Perth, WA 6027, Australia^20;Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Aridas (CEAZA), Raúl Bitrán 1305, La Serena, Chile^25;Columbia University, 116th Street and Broadway, New York, NY 10027, USA^3;Cook Islands Whale Research, PO Box 3069, Avarua, Rarotonga, Cook Islands^18;Five Oceans Environmental Services LLC, P.O Box 660, PC 131, Sultanate of Oman 2^12;Fundación Yubarta, Carrera 24 No. 4-32, Cali, Colombia^15;Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, c/o Iziko South African Museum,PO Box 61, Cape Town 8000, South Africa^9;Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Oregon State University, Newport, OR 97365, USA^26;Marine Mammal Research Program, BP 698, Maharepa, Moorea, French Polynesia^17;Marine Mammals Protection Project, Natural Resources Defense Council, 40 W 20th Street, New York, NY 10011, USA^4;Megaptera Marine Conservation, Laan van Rhemen van Rhemenshuizen 14, 2242 PT Wassenaar, the Netherlands^13;Oceans and Coasts, Department of Environmental Affairs, 220 E Pier Road, V & A Waterfront, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa^14;Opération Cétacés, BP 12827, 98802 Nouméa, New Caledonia and UMR ENTROPIE (IRD, Université de La Réunion, CNRS), Laboratoire d’ExcellenceCORAIL, BPA5, 98848 Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia^19;Projeto Baleia Jubarte/Instituto Baleia Jubarte, Rua Barão do Rio Branco 125,45900-000 Caravelas, BA, Brazil^11;Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History,79th Street and Central Park W, New York, NY 10024, USA^2;School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, 3A Symonds Street,Auckland, PB 92019, New Zealand^24;Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History and National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C. USA^7;South Pacific Whale Research Consortium, PO Box 3069, Avarua, Rarotonga, Cook Islands^16;Southern Cross University Whale Research Centre, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia^22;Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK^6;Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, WA 6896, Australia^21;Wildlife Conservation Society, Ocean Giants Program, 2300 Southern Boulevard,Bronx, NY 10460, USA^1;Wildlife Conservation Society, Southern Cone and Patagonia Program, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10460, USA^5

关键词: Humpback whale;    International Whaling Commission;    Management unit;    Population structure;    Southern Hemisphere;    Arabian Sea;   

DOI  :  10.3354/esr00822

学科分类：动物科学

来源: Inter-Research

【 摘 要 】

The description of genetic population structure over a species’ geographic range can provide insights into its evolutionary history and also support effective management efforts. Assessments for globally distributed species are rare, however, requiring significant international coordination and collaboration. The global distribution of demographically discrete populations for the humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae is not fully known, hampering the definition of appropriate management units. Here, we present the first circumglobal assessment of mitochondrial genetic population structure across the species’ range in the Southern Hemisphere and Arabian Sea. We combine new and existing data from the mitochondrial (mt)DNA control region that resulted in a 311 bp consensus sequence of the mtDNA control region for 3009 individuals sampled across 14 breeding stocks and subpopulations currently recognized by the International Whaling Commission. We assess genetic diversity and test for genetic differentiation and also estimate the magnitude and directionality of historic matrilineal gene flow between putative populations. Our results indicate that maternally directed site fidelity drives significant genetic population structure between breeding stocks within ocean basins. However, patterns of connectivity differ across the circumpolar range, possibly as a result of differences in the extent of longitudinal movements on feeding areas. The number of population comparisons observed to be significantly differentiated were found to diminish at the subpopulation scale when nucleotide differences were examined, indicating that more complex processes underlie genetic structure at this scale. It is crucial that these complexities and uncertainties are afforded greater consideration in management and regulatory efforts.

【 授权许可】

Unknown