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Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) annual migration and temporal patterns of on-shore occurrence of leucistic individuals on King George Island. Polar Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-020-02694-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
AbstractNon-invasive tracking the on-shore occurrence of the atypically pigmented animals and determination of land residency duration of leucistic seals would help us find out more about the rotation of the migrating population. During seven austral summer seasons (2011–2018), by counting the animals every 10 days at the Cape Lions Rump shore, King George Island, South Shetlands, in the Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 151 and the adjacent ice-free land (31.52 km2) we registered fourteen leucistic individuals per a total of 43,919 animals. Moreover, daily monitoring of local fauna resulted in further 33 leucistic animals (together 47, in all seasons). Whilst the results of 10-day censuses of the total population were similar inter-seasonally, a tendency for increased occurrence of leucistic individuals in successive seasons was revealed. Generally, the number of animals increased significantly as season progressed. Since leucistic individuals stayed on-shore for 1–2 days usually, it can be hypothesised that the observation of migrating Antarctic fur seals every 3 days does not involve the same individuals. Also, additional every 5-day censuses taken in one season in ASPA 151 resulted in a higher seasonal number of animals, which proves that more frequent counts help us estimate population abundance more efficiently. Thus, every 5-day counts are proposed as a feasible and justified method of population monitoring.
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Paijmans AJ, Stoffel MA, Bester MN, Cleary AC, De Bruyn PJN, Forcada J, Goebel ME, Goldsworthy SD, Guinet C, Lydersen C, Kovacs KM, Lowther A, Hoffman JI. The genetic legacy of extreme exploitation in a polar vertebrate. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5089. [PMID: 32198403 PMCID: PMC7083876 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61560-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the effects of human exploitation on the genetic composition of wild populations is important for predicting species persistence and adaptive potential. We therefore investigated the genetic legacy of large-scale commercial harvesting by reconstructing, on a global scale, the recent demographic history of the Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella), a species that was hunted to the brink of extinction by 18th and 19th century sealers. Molecular genetic data from over 2,000 individuals sampled from all eight major breeding locations across the species' circumpolar geographic distribution, show that at least four relict populations around Antarctica survived commercial hunting. Coalescent simulations suggest that all of these populations experienced severe bottlenecks down to effective population sizes of around 150-200. Nevertheless, comparably high levels of neutral genetic variability were retained as these declines are unlikely to have been strong enough to deplete allelic richness by more than around 15%. These findings suggest that even dramatic short-term declines need not necessarily result in major losses of diversity, and explain the apparent contradiction between the high genetic diversity of this species and its extreme exploitation history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anneke J Paijmans
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Martin A Stoffel
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, United Kingdom
| | - Marthán N Bester
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa
| | - Alison C Cleary
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, 4630, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - P J Nico De Bruyn
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa
| | - Jaume Forcada
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, UK
| | - Michael E Goebel
- Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Institute of Marine Science, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Simon D Goldsworthy
- South Australian Research and Development Institute, 2 Hamra Avenue, West Beach, South Australia, 5024, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - Christophe Guinet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), CNRS and Université de La Rochelle - UMR 7372, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | | | - Kit M Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Andrew Lowther
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Joseph I Hoffman
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany.
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, UK.
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3
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Stoffel MA, Humble E, Paijmans AJ, Acevedo-Whitehouse K, Chilvers BL, Dickerson B, Galimberti F, Gemmell NJ, Goldsworthy SD, Nichols HJ, Krüger O, Negro S, Osborne A, Pastor T, Robertson BC, Sanvito S, Schultz JK, Shafer ABA, Wolf JBW, Hoffman JI. Demographic histories and genetic diversity across pinnipeds are shaped by human exploitation, ecology and life-history. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4836. [PMID: 30446730 PMCID: PMC6240053 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06695-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A central paradigm in conservation biology is that population bottlenecks reduce genetic diversity and population viability. In an era of biodiversity loss and climate change, understanding the determinants and consequences of bottlenecks is therefore an important challenge. However, as most studies focus on single species, the multitude of potential drivers and the consequences of bottlenecks remain elusive. Here, we combined genetic data from over 11,000 individuals of 30 pinniped species with demographic, ecological and life history data to evaluate the consequences of commercial exploitation by 18th and 19th century sealers. We show that around one third of these species exhibit strong signatures of recent population declines. Bottleneck strength is associated with breeding habitat and mating system variation, and together with global abundance explains much of the variation in genetic diversity across species. Overall, bottleneck intensity is unrelated to IUCN status, although the three most heavily bottlenecked species are endangered. Our study reveals an unforeseen interplay between human exploitation, animal biology, demographic declines and genetic diversity. Historical hunting has caused documented declines in pinnipeds, but the extent to which hunting caused genetic bottlenecks among species was unknown. Here, the authors show evidence of severe bottlenecks in several pinniped species, particularly those that breed on land.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Stoffel
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Postfach 100131, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany.,School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Faculty of Science, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
| | - E Humble
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Postfach 100131, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany.,British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, UK
| | - A J Paijmans
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Postfach 100131, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - K Acevedo-Whitehouse
- Unit for Basic and Applied Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Avenida de las Ciencias S/N, Queretaro, 76230, Mexico
| | - B L Chilvers
- Wildbase, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - B Dickerson
- National Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, 98115, WA, USA
| | - F Galimberti
- Elephant Seal Research Group, Sea Lion Island, FIQQ 1ZZ, Falkland Islands
| | - N J Gemmell
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - S D Goldsworthy
- South Australian Research and Development Institute, West Beach, SA, 5024, Australia
| | - H J Nichols
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Faculty of Science, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK.,Department of Animal Behaviour Bielefeld University, Postfach 100131 33501, Bielefeld, Germany.,Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - O Krüger
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Postfach 100131, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - S Negro
- UMR de Génétique Quantitative et Évolution - Le Moulon, INRA, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91190, France.,GIGA-R, Medical Genomics - BIO3, Université of Liège, Liège, 4000, Belgium
| | - A Osborne
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand, 8140
| | - T Pastor
- EUROPARC Federation, Carretera de l'Església, 92, 08017, Barcelona, Spain
| | - B C Robertson
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - S Sanvito
- Elephant Seal Research Group, Sea Lion Island, FIQQ 1ZZ, Falkland Islands
| | - J K Schultz
- National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - A B A Shafer
- Forensic Science & Environmental Life Sciences, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada, K9J 7B8
| | - J B W Wolf
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinstried, Munich, 82152, Germany.,Science of Life Laboratory and Department of Evolutionary Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 752 36, Sweden
| | - J I Hoffman
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Postfach 100131, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany. .,British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, UK.
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4
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Hoffman JI, Bauer E, Paijmans AJ, Humble E, Beckmann LM, Kubetschek C, Christaller F, Kröcker N, Fuchs B, Moreras A, Shihlomule YD, Bester MN, Cleary AC, De Bruyn PJN, Forcada J, Goebel ME, Goldsworthy SD, Guinet C, Hoelzel AR, Lydersen C, Kovacs KM, Lowther A. A global cline in a colour polymorphism suggests a limited contribution of gene flow towards the recovery of a heavily exploited marine mammal. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:181227. [PMID: 30473858 PMCID: PMC6227926 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.181227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Evaluating how populations are connected by migration is important for understanding species resilience because gene flow can facilitate recovery from demographic declines. We therefore investigated the extent to which migration may have contributed to the global recovery of the Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella), a circumpolar distributed marine mammal that was brought to the brink of extinction by the sealing industry in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is widely believed that animals emigrating from South Georgia, where a relict population escaped sealing, contributed to the re-establishment of formerly occupied breeding colonies across the geographical range of the species. To investigate this, we interrogated a genetic polymorphism (S291F) in the melanocortin 1 receptor gene, which is responsible for a cream-coloured phenotype that is relatively abundant at South Georgia and which appears to have recently spread to localities as far afield as Marion Island in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean. By sequencing a short region of this gene in 1492 pups from eight breeding colonies, we showed that S291F frequency rapidly declines with increasing geographical distance from South Georgia, consistent with locally restricted gene flow from South Georgia mainly to the South Shetland Islands and Bouvetøya. The S291F allele was not detected farther afield, suggesting that although emigrants from South Georgia may have been locally important, they are unlikely to have played a major role in the recovery of geographically more distant populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. I. Hoffman
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OET, UK
| | - E. Bauer
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - A. J. Paijmans
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - E. Humble
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - L. M. Beckmann
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - C. Kubetschek
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - F. Christaller
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - N. Kröcker
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - B. Fuchs
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - A. Moreras
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Y. D. Shihlomule
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - M. N. Bester
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - A. C. Cleary
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - P. J. N. De Bruyn
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - J. Forcada
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OET, UK
| | - M. E. Goebel
- Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - S. D. Goldsworthy
- South Australian Research and Development Institute, 2 Hamra Avenue, West Beach, South Australia 5024, Australia
| | - C. Guinet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), CNRS and Université de La Rochelle - UMR 7372, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - A. R. Hoelzel
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - C. Lydersen
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - K. M. Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - A. Lowther
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
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RAD Sequencing and a Hybrid Antarctic Fur Seal Genome Assembly Reveal Rapidly Decaying Linkage Disequilibrium, Global Population Structure and Evidence for Inbreeding. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2018; 8:2709-2722. [PMID: 29954843 PMCID: PMC6071602 DOI: 10.1534/g3.118.200171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in high throughput sequencing have transformed the study of wild organisms by facilitating the generation of high quality genome assemblies and dense genetic marker datasets. These resources have the potential to significantly advance our understanding of diverse phenomena at the level of species, populations and individuals, ranging from patterns of synteny through rates of linkage disequilibrium (LD) decay and population structure to individual inbreeding. Consequently, we used PacBio sequencing to refine an existing Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) genome assembly and genotyped 83 individuals from six populations using restriction site associated DNA (RAD) sequencing. The resulting hybrid genome comprised 6,169 scaffolds with an N50 of 6.21 Mb and provided clear evidence for the conservation of large chromosomal segments between the fur seal and dog (Canis lupus familiaris). Focusing on the most extensively sampled population of South Georgia, we found that LD decayed rapidly, reaching the background level by around 400 kb, consistent with other vertebrates but at odds with the notion that fur seals experienced a strong historical bottleneck. We also found evidence for population structuring, with four main Antarctic island groups being resolved. Finally, appreciable variance in individual inbreeding could be detected, reflecting the strong polygyny and site fidelity of the species. Overall, our study contributes important resources for future genomic studies of fur seals and other pinnipeds while also providing a clear example of how high throughput sequencing can generate diverse biological insights at multiple levels of organization.
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Grandi MF, Loizaga de Castro R, Terán E, Santos MR, Bailliet G, Crespo EA. Is recolonization pattern related to female philopatry? An insight into a colonially breeding mammal. Mamm Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2017.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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7
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Moon KL, Chown SL, Fraser CI. Reconsidering connectivity in the sub-Antarctic. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2017; 92:2164-2181. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L. Moon
- School of Biological Sciences; Monash University; Clayton 3800 Australia
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; Australian National University; Acton 2601 Australia
| | - Steven L. Chown
- School of Biological Sciences; Monash University; Clayton 3800 Australia
| | - Ceridwen I. Fraser
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; Australian National University; Acton 2601 Australia
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Mijangos JL, Pacioni C, Spencer PBS, Hillyer M, Craig MD. Characterizing the post-recolonization of Antechinus flavipes
and its genetic implications in a production forest landscape. Restor Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jose L. Mijangos
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences; Murdoch University; Murdoch Western Australia 6150 Australia
| | - Carlo Pacioni
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences; Murdoch University; Murdoch Western Australia 6150 Australia
| | - Peter B. S. Spencer
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences; Murdoch University; Murdoch Western Australia 6150 Australia
| | - Mia Hillyer
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences; Murdoch University; Murdoch Western Australia 6150 Australia
- Molecular Systematics Unit/Terrestrial Zoology; Western Australian Museum; Welshpool Western Australia 6106 Australia
| | - Michael D. Craig
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences; Murdoch University; Murdoch Western Australia 6150 Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, School of Plant Biology; University of Western Australia; Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
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Dussex N, Robertson BC, Salis AT, Kalinin A, Best H, Gemmell NJ. Low Spatial Genetic Differentiation Associated with Rapid Recolonization in the New Zealand Fur Seal Arctocephalus forsteri. J Hered 2016; 107:581-592. [PMID: 27563072 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esw056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Population declines resulting from anthropogenic activities are of major consequence for the long-term survival of species because the resulting loss of genetic diversity can lead to extinction via the effects of inbreeding depression, fixation of deleterious mutations, and loss of adaptive potential. Otariid pinnipeds have been exploited commercially to near extinction with some species showing higher demographic resilience and recolonization potential than others. The New Zealand fur seal (NZFS) was heavily impacted by commercial sealing between the late 18th and early 19th centuries, but has recolonized its former range in southern Australia. The species has also recolonized its former range in New Zealand, yet little is known about the pattern of recolonization. Here, we first used 11 microsatellite markers (n = 383) to investigate the contemporary population structure and dispersal patterns in the NZFS (Arctocephalus forsteri). Secondly, we model postsealing recolonization with 1 additional mtDNA cytochrome b (n = 261) marker. Our data identified 3 genetic clusters: an Australian, a subantarctic, and a New Zealand one, with a weak and probably transient subdivision within the latter cluster. Demographic history scenarios supported a recolonization of the New Zealand coastline from remote west coast colonies, which is consistent with contemporary gene flow and with the species' high resilience. The present data suggest the management of distinct genetic units in the North and South of New Zealand along a genetic gradient. Assignment of individuals to their colony of origin was limited (32%) with the present data indicating the current microsatellite markers are unlikely sufficient to assign fisheries bycatch of NZFSs to colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Dussex
- From the Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand (Dussex, Robertson, and Salis); Allan Wilson Centre, Dunedin, New Zealand (Dussex and Gemmell); Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, PO Box 913, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand (Dussex and Gemmell); School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (Robertson, Kalinin, and Gemmell); and Marine Conservation Unit, Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand (Best)
| | - Bruce C Robertson
- From the Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand (Dussex, Robertson, and Salis); Allan Wilson Centre, Dunedin, New Zealand (Dussex and Gemmell); Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, PO Box 913, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand (Dussex and Gemmell); School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (Robertson, Kalinin, and Gemmell); and Marine Conservation Unit, Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand (Best)
| | - Alexander T Salis
- From the Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand (Dussex, Robertson, and Salis); Allan Wilson Centre, Dunedin, New Zealand (Dussex and Gemmell); Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, PO Box 913, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand (Dussex and Gemmell); School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (Robertson, Kalinin, and Gemmell); and Marine Conservation Unit, Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand (Best)
| | - Aleksandr Kalinin
- From the Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand (Dussex, Robertson, and Salis); Allan Wilson Centre, Dunedin, New Zealand (Dussex and Gemmell); Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, PO Box 913, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand (Dussex and Gemmell); School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (Robertson, Kalinin, and Gemmell); and Marine Conservation Unit, Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand (Best)
| | - Hugh Best
- From the Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand (Dussex, Robertson, and Salis); Allan Wilson Centre, Dunedin, New Zealand (Dussex and Gemmell); Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, PO Box 913, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand (Dussex and Gemmell); School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (Robertson, Kalinin, and Gemmell); and Marine Conservation Unit, Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand (Best)
| | - Neil J Gemmell
- From the Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand (Dussex, Robertson, and Salis); Allan Wilson Centre, Dunedin, New Zealand (Dussex and Gemmell); Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, PO Box 913, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand (Dussex and Gemmell); School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (Robertson, Kalinin, and Gemmell); and Marine Conservation Unit, Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand (Best)
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10
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Peters L, Humble E, Kröcker N, Fuchs B, Forcada J, Hoffman JI. Born blonde: a recessive loss-of-function mutation in the melanocortin 1 receptor is associated with cream coat coloration in Antarctic fur seals. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:5705-17. [PMID: 27547348 PMCID: PMC4983585 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Revised: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the genetic basis of color variation has been extensively studied in humans and domestic animals, the genetic polymorphisms responsible for different color morphs remain to be elucidated in many wild vertebrate species. For example, hypopigmentation has been observed in numerous marine mammal species but the underlying mutations have not been identified. A particularly compelling candidate gene for explaining color polymorphism is the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), which plays a key role in the regulation of pigment production. We therefore used Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) as a highly tractable marine mammal system with which to test for an association between nucleotide variation at the MC1R and melanin‐based coat color phenotypes. By sequencing 70 wild‐type individuals with dark‐colored coats and 26 hypopigmented individuals with cream‐colored coats, we identified a nonsynonymous mutation that results in the substitution of serine with phenylalanine at an evolutionarily highly conserved structural domain. All of the hypopigmented individuals were homozygous for the allele coding for phenylalanine, consistent with a recessive loss‐of‐function allele. In order to test for cryptic population structure, which can generate artefactual associations, and to evaluate whether homozygosity at the MC1R could be indicative of low genome‐wide heterozygosity, we also genotyped all of the individuals at 50 polymorphic microsatellite loci. We were unable to detect any population structure and also found that wild‐type and hypopigmented individuals did not differ significantly in their standardized multilocus heterozygosity. Such a lack of association implies that hypopigmented individuals are unlikely to suffer disproportionately from inbreeding depression, and hence, we have no reason to believe that they are at a selective disadvantage in the wider population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Peters
- Department of Animal Behaviour University of Bielefeld Postfach 100131 33501 Bielefeld Germany; College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences University of Glasgow Graham Kerr Building Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
| | - Emily Humble
- Department of Animal Behaviour University of Bielefeld Postfach 100131 33501 Bielefeld Germany; British Antarctic Survey High Cross, Madingley Road Cambridge CB3 OET UK
| | - Nicole Kröcker
- Department of Animal Behaviour University of Bielefeld Postfach 100131 33501 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Birgit Fuchs
- Department of Animal Behaviour University of Bielefeld Postfach 100131 33501 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Jaume Forcada
- British Antarctic Survey High Cross, Madingley Road Cambridge CB3 OET UK
| | - Joseph I Hoffman
- Department of Animal Behaviour University of Bielefeld Postfach 100131 33501 Bielefeld Germany
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11
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Emami-Khoyi A, Hartley DA, Paterson AM, Cruickshank RH, Boren LJ, Ross JG, Murphy EC, Else TA. Mitochondrial DNA structure and colony expansion dynamics of New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) around Banks Peninsula. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/03014223.2016.1179649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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12
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Hoffman JI, Kowalski GJ, Klimova A, Eberhart-Phillips LJ, Staniland IJ, Baylis AMM. Population structure and historical demography of South American sea lions provide insights into the catastrophic decline of a marine mammal population. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160291. [PMID: 27493782 PMCID: PMC4968474 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the causes of population decline is crucial for conservation management. We therefore used genetic analysis both to provide baseline data on population structure and to evaluate hypotheses for the catastrophic decline of the South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens) at the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) in the South Atlantic. We genotyped 259 animals from 23 colonies across the Falklands at 281 bp of the mitochondrial hypervariable region and 22 microsatellites. A weak signature of population structure was detected, genetic diversity was moderately high in comparison with other pinniped species, and no evidence was found for the decline being associated with a strong demographic bottleneck. By combining our mitochondrial data with published sequences from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru, we also uncovered strong maternally directed population structure across the geographical range of the species. In particular, very few shared haplotypes were found between the Falklands and South America, and this was reflected in correspondingly low migration rate estimates. These findings do not support the prominent hypothesis that the decline was caused by migration to Argentina, where large-scale commercial harvesting operations claimed over half a million animals. Thus, our study not only provides baseline data for conservation management but also reveals the potential for genetic studies to shed light upon long-standing questions pertaining to the history and fate of natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. I. Hoffman
- Department of Animal Behaviour, University of Bielefeld, Postfach 100131, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - G. J. Kowalski
- Department of Animal Behaviour, University of Bielefeld, Postfach 100131, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
- Animal Ecology Group, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, 14469, Potsdam, Germany
| | - A. Klimova
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste Baja California Sur, La Paz, Mexico
| | - L. J. Eberhart-Phillips
- Department of Animal Behaviour, University of Bielefeld, Postfach 100131, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - I. J. Staniland
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
| | - A. M. M. Baylis
- South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute, Stanley FIQQ1ZZ, Falkland Islands
- Falklands Conservation, Stanley FIQQ1ZZ, Falkland Islands
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
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Bonin CA, Goebel ME, Hoffman JI, Burton RS. High male reproductive success in a low-density Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) breeding colony. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1674-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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