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Tsai WLE, Escalona M, Garrett KL, Terrill RS, Sahasrabudhe R, Nguyen O, Beraut E, Seligmann W, Fairbairn CW, Harrigan RJ, McCormack JE, Alfaro ME, Smith TB, Bay RA. A highly contiguous genome assembly for the Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia). J Hered 2024; 115:317-325. [PMID: 38401156 PMCID: PMC11081134 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esae008] [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: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) is a small songbird in the wood-warbler family (Parulidae) that exhibits phenotypic and ecological differences across a widespread distribution and is important to California's riparian habitat conservation. Here, we present a high-quality de novo genome assembly of a vouchered female Yellow Warbler from southern California. Using HiFi long-read and Omni-C proximity sequencing technologies, we generated a 1.22 Gb assembly including 687 scaffolds with a contig N50 of 6.80 Mb, scaffold N50 of 21.18 Mb, and a BUSCO completeness score of 96.0%. This highly contiguous genome assembly provides an essential resource for understanding the history of gene flow, divergence, and local adaptation in Yellow Warblers and can inform conservation management of this charismatic bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Whitney L E Tsai
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
- Moore Laboratory of Zoology, Biology Department, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA 90041, United States
| | - Merly Escalona
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
| | - Kimball L Garrett
- Ornithology Department, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA 90007, United States
| | - Ryan S Terrill
- Moore Laboratory of Zoology, Biology Department, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA 90041, United States
| | - Ruta Sahasrabudhe
- DNA Technologies and Expression Analysis Core Laboratory, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Oanh Nguyen
- DNA Technologies and Expression Analysis Core Laboratory, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Eric Beraut
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
| | - William Seligmann
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
| | - Colin W Fairbairn
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
| | - Ryan J Harrigan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - John E McCormack
- Moore Laboratory of Zoology, Biology Department, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA 90041, United States
| | - Michael E Alfaro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Thomas B Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Rachael A Bay
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
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Clark JD, Benham PM, Maldonado JE, Luther DA, Lim HC. Maintenance of local adaptation despite gene flow in a coastal songbird. Evolution 2022; 76:1481-1494. [PMID: 35700208 PMCID: PMC9545442 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Adaptation to local environments is common in widespread species and the basis of ecological speciation. The song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) is a widespread, polytypic passerine that occurs in shrubland habitats throughout North America. We examined the population structure of two parapatric subspecies that inhabit different environments: the Atlantic song sparrow (M. m. atlantica), a coastal specialist, and the eastern song sparrow (M. m. melodia), a shrubland generalist. These populations lacked clear mitochondrial population structure, yet coastal birds formed a distinct nuclear genetic cluster. We found weak overall genomic differentiation between these subspecies, suggesting either recent divergence, extensive gene flow, or a combination thereof. There was a steep genetic cline at the transition to coastal habitats, consistent with isolation by environment, not isolation by distance. A phenotype under divergent selection, bill size, varied with the amount of coastal ancestry in transitional areas, but larger bill size was maintained in coastal habitats regardless of ancestry, further supporting a role for selection in the maintenance of these subspecies. Demographic modeling suggested a divergence history of limited gene flow followed by secondary contact, which has emerged as a common theme in adaptive divergence across taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D. Clark
- Department of Environmental Science and PolicyGeorge Mason UniversityFairfaxVirginia22030,Current Address: Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNew Hampshire03824
| | - Phred M. Benham
- Museum of Vertebrate ZoologyUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCalifornia94720
| | - Jesus E. Maldonado
- Department of Environmental Science and PolicyGeorge Mason UniversityFairfaxVirginia22030,Center for Conservation GenomicsSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteWashingtonD.C.20013
| | - David A. Luther
- Department of BiologyGeorge Mason UniversityFairfaxVirginia22030
| | - Haw Chuan Lim
- Center for Conservation GenomicsSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteWashingtonD.C.20013,Department of BiologyGeorge Mason UniversityFairfaxVirginia22030
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Malpica A, Mendoza-Cuenca L, González C. Color and morphological differentiation in the Sinaloa Wren (Thryophilus sinaloa) in the tropical dry forests of Mexico: The role of environment and geographic isolation. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269860. [PMID: 35737646 PMCID: PMC9223310 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269860] [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: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The role and the degree to which environment and geographic isolation contribute to phenotypic diversity has been widely debated. Here, we studied phenotypic variation (morphology and plumage reflectance) in the Sinaloa Wren, an endemic bird distributed throughout the tropical dry forest (TDF) on the Mexican pacific slope where a pronounced variability in environmental conditions has been reported. In particular, we aimed: 1) to characterize phenotypic variation between subspecies; 2) to analyze the relationship between phenotypic and environmental variation in the context of classic ecogeographic rules, such as Bergmann’s, Allen’s, Gloger’s, and Bogert’s, and to quantify the relative roles of environment and geographic isolation and their interaction in shaping phenotypic variation; and 3) to test for niche conservatism between subspecies. Our data revealed significant differences among subspecies morphology and plumage reflectance. The environment explained a higher proportion of the morphological variation, while geography explained a smaller proportion. However, variation in plumage reflectance was mainly explained by the joint effect of geography and environment. Our data did not support for Bergmann´s and Allen´s rule. However, longer tails and wings were positively associated with higher elevations, larger tarsus and culmens were positively related to higher latitudes and to greater tree cover, respectively. Our data partially supported Gloger´s rule, where darker plumages were associated with more humid environments. The effects of temperature on plumage coloration were more consistent with Bogert´s rule. In addition, we found darker plumages related to higher levels of UV-B radiation. Finally, niche divergence was detected between T. s. cinereus and T. s. sinaloa vs. T. s. russeus. In a continuously distributed ecosystem such as the TDF on the pacific slope of Mexico, the environmental conditions and geographic isolation have played an important role in promoting phenotypic differentiation in the Sinaloa Wren.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia Malpica
- Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos Naturales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Michoacán, México
| | - Luis Mendoza-Cuenca
- Laboratorio de Ecología de la Conducta, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Michoacán, México
| | - Clementina González
- Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos Naturales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Michoacán, México
- * E-mail:
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Bay RA, Karp DS, Saracco JF, Anderegg WRL, Frishkoff LO, Wiedenfeld D, Smith TB, Ruegg K. Genetic variation reveals individual-level climate tracking across the annual cycle of a migratory bird. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:819-828. [PMID: 33594778 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
For migratory species, seasonal movements complicate local climate adaptation, as it is unclear whether individuals track climate niches across the annual cycle. In the migratory songbird yellow warbler (Setophaga petechia), we find a correlation between individual-level wintering and breeding precipitation, but not temperature. Birds wintering in the driest regions of the Neotropics breed in the driest regions of North America. Individuals from drier regions also possess distinct morphologies and population responses to varying rainfall. We find a positive association between bill size and breeding season precipitation which, given documented climate-associated genomic variation, might reflect adaptation to local precipitation regimes. Relative abundance in the breeding range is linked to interannual fluctuations in precipitation, but the directionality of this response varies across geography. Together, our results suggest that variation in climate optima may exist across the breeding range of yellow warblers and provide a mechanism for selection across the annual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael A Bay
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Daniel S Karp
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - James F Saracco
- The Institute for Bird Populations, Petaluma, CA, 94952, USA
| | - William R L Anderegg
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Luke O Frishkoff
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA
| | | | - Thomas B Smith
- Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA
| | - Kristen Ruegg
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CA, 80523, USA
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