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Kumar A, Panda AK, Usmani AA, Yadav P, Panwar A, Badola R, Hussain SA, Gupta SK. Population genetics of the critically endangered three-striped turtle, Batagur dhongoka, from the Ganga river system using mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite analysis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5920. [PMID: 38467641 PMCID: PMC10928089 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54816-0] [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: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The three-striped roofed (Batagur dhongoka) is a semi-aquatic turtle that belongs to family Geoemydidae. Due to anthropogenic pressure, it has been facing an intense decline of over 80% in its distribution range in the past 50 years. It is considered as 'Critically Endangered' so effective conservation strategies are needed to protect the species by determining their genetic diversity and population genetic structure. This study investigates the genetic diversity, population structure and demographic pattern of B. dhongoka from two Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre established near Ganga river using mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b: 1140 bp) ; control region (CR: 451 bp) and ten nuclear microsatellite loci. mtDNA results show low levels of nucleotide diversity (π = 0.0022) in B. dhongoka haplotypes and provide evidence for a low substitution rate. The demographic pattern estimated by the Bayesian skyline plot (BSP) analysis indicates historical stability followed by growth in the effective population size, with a recent reduction in population size from ~ 2 thousand years ago. The microsatellite findings show a moderate level of observed heterozygosity (Ho: 0.49). Bayesian-based clustering analysis revealed weak genetic structures in B. dhongoka and presence of admixed assignations suggesting close genetic relationships. These findings shed light on B. dhongoka's genetic status and underline the necessity of comprehensive rehabilitation and relocation programs and conservation and management techniques to ensure the species' long-term survival. In order to ensure the effective protection and conservation of B. dhongoka, the Government of India has taken a proactive measure by incorporating it into Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajit Kumar
- Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box # 18, Chandrabani, Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand, 248001, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Panda
- Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box # 18, Chandrabani, Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand, 248001, India
| | - Aftab Alam Usmani
- Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box # 18, Chandrabani, Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand, 248001, India
| | - Prabhaker Yadav
- Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box # 18, Chandrabani, Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand, 248001, India
- Department of System Biology, Centre for Biomedical Research, SGPGIMS Campus, Lucknow, India
| | - Anshu Panwar
- Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box # 18, Chandrabani, Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand, 248001, India
| | - Ruchi Badola
- Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box # 18, Chandrabani, Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand, 248001, India
| | - Syed Ainul Hussain
- Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box # 18, Chandrabani, Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand, 248001, India
| | - Sandeep Kumar Gupta
- Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box # 18, Chandrabani, Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand, 248001, India.
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Strategic nest site selection in one of the world's largest loggerhead turtle nesting colonies, on Maio Island, Cabo Verde. ORYX 2022. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605321001496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
For species without parental care, such as sea turtles, nest site selection is particularly important for embryo development, hatchling survival and, ultimately, reproductive success. We conducted an 8-year (2012–2019) capture–mark–recapture study of the re-nesting behaviour of loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta to identify both inter- and intra-beach patterns of nest site selection. Our study site, Maio Island in the archipelago of Cabo Verde, hosts one of the largest loggerhead turtle nesting colonies globally. Of 1,060 females analysed, 77% laid repeated clutches within 15 km of their previous nesting sites both between and within nesting seasons. This site fidelity was particularly high (64–71%) for turtles nesting on the east coast of Maio Island. In two areas of the island (north-west and south-east) individual nesting zone consistency was extremely low (10–25%). In all cases extra-zone re-nesting events mainly occurred on the east coast. We also found that females avoided re-nesting near the shoreline, which is particularly relevant in the context of rising sea levels. Overall, loggerhead turtles nesting in Maio Island are philopatric but are using a bet-edging strategy to distribute nests amongst several beaches, choosing the safest area within each beach to maximize their reproductive success. This study highlights the priority sites for protection on Maio Island and could help to optimize capture–mark–recapture programmes. The data reveal the potential for adaptive responses to projected sea level rises.
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Patino-Martinez J, Veiga J, Afonso IO, Yeoman K, Mangas-Viñuela J, Charles G. Light Sandy Beaches Favour Hatching Success and Best Hatchling Phenotype of Loggerhead Turtles. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.823118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We conducted a 5-year field (2017–2021) and laboratory study of the relationship between type of substrate and hatching success, embryonic development, and the quality of hatchlings in loggerhead turtle nests. Our study site, the island of Maio in the archipelago of Cabo Verde, one of the world’s largest loggerhead turtle nesting colonies, displays marked heterogeneity of sand colouration, with dark, mixed, and light sandy beaches. We experimentally incubated eggs, comparing different nesting substrates under standard temperature and humidity conditions. Females nest in all sand types without preference. However, both the field and experimental study revealed a significant difference in hatching success depending on the type of substrate. Substrate of volcanic origin, dark in colour, with a lower amount of calcium carbonate, had a lower hatching success (HS; 30.3 ± 20.2%) compared to substrates of mixed (HS = 46.1 ± 26.5%) or light (HS = 78.1 ± 18.2%) colour. Eggs experimentally incubated in substrate that was light-coloured, with a larger grain size and higher calcium carbonate concentration, produced significantly more and larger offspring. Incubation temperatures were significantly higher in dark substrate, which partially explains the lower hatching success in this type of sand. However, experimental incubation with controlled temperatures consistently showed lower hatching success in dark sand. Thus, we found that not only the temperature, but also the specific characteristics of each substrate determine hatching success. The main predator of eggs and hatchlings (the ghost crab Ocypode cursor) showed no significant differences in abundance or size between different substrate types. Our results indicate that nest site selection between beaches or even within the same beach with different substrate conditions affects hatching success, hatchling physical condition, and subsequently the reproductive success of each female. The results of this study can inform conservation programmes with nest management and controlled incubation in the field and optimise adaptive nest management under future scenarios of rising global temperatures.
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Liu X, Schjøtt SR, Granquist SM, Rosing-Asvid A, Dietz R, Teilmann J, Galatius A, Cammen K, O Corry-Crowe G, Harding K, Härkönen T, Hall A, Carroll EL, Kobayashi Y, Hammill M, Stenson G, Frie AK, Lydersen C, Kovacs KM, Andersen LW, Hoffman JI, Goodman SJ, Vieira FG, Heller R, Moltke I, Tange Olsen M. Origin and expansion of the world's most widespread pinniped: range-wide population genomics of the harbour seal (Phoca vitulina). Mol Ecol 2022; 31:1682-1699. [PMID: 35068013 PMCID: PMC9306526 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) is the most widely distributed pinniped, occupying a wide variety of habitats and climatic zones across the Northern Hemisphere. Intriguingly, the harbour seal is also one of the most philopatric seals, raising questions as to how it colonised virtually the whole of the Northern Hemisphere. To shed light on the origin, remarkable range expansion, population structure and genetic diversity of this species, we used genotyping-by-sequencing to analyse ~13,500 biallelic SNPs from 286 individuals sampled from 22 localities across the species' range. Our results point to a Northeast Pacific origin, colonisation of the North Atlantic via the Canadian Arctic, and subsequent stepping-stone range expansions across the North Atlantic from North America to Europe, accompanied by a successive loss of genetic diversity. Our analyses further revealed a deep divergence between modern North Pacific and North Atlantic harbour seals, with finer-scale genetic structure at regional and local scales consistent with strong philopatry. The study provides new insights into the harbour seal's remarkable ability to colonise and adapt to a wide range of habitats. Furthermore, it has implications for current harbour seal subspecies delineations and highlights the need for international and national red lists and management plans to ensure the protection of genetically and demographically isolated populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Liu
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Sandra M Granquist
- Icelandic Seal Centre, Höfðabraut 6, 530, Hvammstangi, Iceland.,Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Institute of Freshwater Fisheries Fornubúðir 5, 220, Hafnarfjörður, Iceland
| | | | - Rune Dietz
- Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jonas Teilmann
- Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Anders Galatius
- Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | | | - Greg O Corry-Crowe
- Wildlife Evolution and Behavior Program, Florida Atlantic University, USA
| | - Karin Harding
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Ailsa Hall
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, UK, KY16 8LB
| | - Emma L Carroll
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Yumi Kobayashi
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Japan
| | - Mike Hammill
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, P.O. Box 1000, Mont-Joli, QC, Canada
| | - Garry Stenson
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, P.O. Box 5667, St. John's NL, Canada
| | | | | | - Kit M Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Joseph I Hoffman
- Department of Animal Behaviour, University of Bielefeld, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany.,British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, UK
| | - Simon J Goodman
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, UK
| | - Filipe G Vieira
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospitalet, Denmark
| | - Rasmus Heller
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ida Moltke
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Tange Olsen
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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Lockley EC, Eizaguirre C. Effects of global warming on species with temperature-dependent sex determination: Bridging the gap between empirical research and management. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2361-2377. [PMID: 34745331 PMCID: PMC8549623 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Global warming could threaten over 400 species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) worldwide, including all species of sea turtle. During embryonic development, rising temperatures might lead to the overproduction of one sex and, in turn, could bias populations' sex ratios to an extent that threatens their persistence. If climate change predictions are correct, and biased sex ratios reduce population viability, species with TSD may go rapidly extinct unless adaptive mechanisms, whether behavioural, physiological or molecular, exist to buffer these temperature-driven effects. Here, we summarize the discovery of the TSD phenomenon and its still elusive evolutionary significance. We then review the molecular pathways underpinning TSD in model species, along with the hormonal mechanisms that interact with temperatures to determine an individual's sex. To illustrate evolutionary mechanisms that can affect sex determination, we focus on sea turtle biology, discussing both the adaptive potential of this threatened TSD taxon, and the risks associated with conservation mismanagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C. Lockley
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University LondonLondonUK
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Lockley EC, Fouda L, Correia SM, Taxonera A, Nash LN, Fairweather K, Reischig T, Durão J, Dinis H, Roque SM, Lomba JP, Dos Passos L, Cameron SJK, Stiebens VA, Eizaguirre C. Long-term survey of sea turtles (Caretta caretta) reveals correlations between parasite infection, feeding ecology, reproductive success and population dynamics. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18569. [PMID: 33122760 PMCID: PMC7596700 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75498-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term monitoring of host-parasite interactions is important for understanding the consequences of infection on host fitness and population dynamics. In an eight-year survey of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) population nesting in Cabo Verde, we determined the spatiotemporal variation of Ozobranchus margoi, a sanguivorous leech best known as a vector for sea turtle fibropapilloma virus. We quantified O. margoi association with turtles’ δ15N and δ13C stable isotopes to identify where infection occurs. We then measured the influence of infection on reproduction and offspring fitness. We found that parasite prevalence has increased from 10% of the population in 2010, to 33% in 2017. Stable isotope analysis of host skin samples suggests transmission occurs within the host’s feeding grounds. Interestingly, we found a significant interaction between individual size and infection on the reproductive success of turtles. Specifically, small, infected females produced fewer offspring of poorer condition, while in contrast, large, infected turtles produced greater clutch sizes and larger offspring. We interpret this interaction as evidence, upon infection, for a size-dependent shift in reproductive strategy from bet hedging to terminal investment, altering population dynamics. This link between infection and reproduction underscores the importance of using long-term monitoring to quantify the impact of disease dynamics over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C Lockley
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E14NS, UK.
| | - Leila Fouda
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E14NS, UK
| | - Sandra M Correia
- Instituto Do Mar I.P. (IMar), Cova de Inglesa, C.P 132, Mindelo, Ilha do São Vicente, Cabo Verde
| | - Albert Taxonera
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E14NS, UK.,Associação Projeto Biodiversidade, Mercado Municipal 22, Santa Maria 4111, Ilha do Sal, Cabo Verde
| | - Liam N Nash
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E14NS, UK
| | - Kirsten Fairweather
- Associação Projeto Biodiversidade, Mercado Municipal 22, Santa Maria 4111, Ilha do Sal, Cabo Verde
| | | | - Jandira Durão
- Biosfera I, Rua de Moçambique 28, Mindelo, Ilha do São Vicente, Cabo Verde
| | - Herculano Dinis
- Associação Projecto Vitó, Xaguate, São Felipe, Ilha do Fogo, Cabo Verde
| | | | - João Pina Lomba
- Associação Ambiental Caretta Caretta, Achada Igreja, Pedra Badejo, Santa Cruz, Ilha do Santiago, Cabo Verde
| | - Leno Dos Passos
- Fundação Maio Biodiversidade, Cidade de Porto Inglês, Ilha do Maio, Cabo Verde
| | - Sahmorie J K Cameron
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E14NS, UK
| | - Victor A Stiebens
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E14NS, UK
| | - Christophe Eizaguirre
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E14NS, UK
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