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Buckley SJ, Brauer CJ, Unmack PJ, Hammer MP, Adams M, Beatty SJ, Morgan DL, Beheregaray LB. Long-term climatic stability drives accumulation and maintenance of divergent freshwater fish lineages in a temperate biodiversity hotspot. Heredity (Edinb) 2024:10.1038/s41437-024-00700-6. [PMID: 38918613 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-024-00700-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change is forecast to drive regional climate disruption and instability across the globe. These impacts are likely to be exacerbated within biodiversity hotspots, both due to the greater potential for species loss but also to the possibility that endemic lineages might not have experienced significant climatic variation in the past, limiting their evolutionary potential to respond to rapid climate change. We assessed the role of climatic stability on the accumulation and persistence of lineages in an obligate freshwater fish group endemic to the southwest Western Australia (SWWA) biodiversity hotspot. Using 19,426 genomic (ddRAD-seq) markers and species distribution modelling, we explored the phylogeographic history of western (Nannoperca vittata) and little (Nannoperca pygmaea) pygmy perches, assessing population divergence and phylogenetic relationships, delimiting species and estimating changes in species distributions from the Pliocene to 2100. We identified two deep phylogroups comprising three divergent clusters, which showed no historical connectivity since the Pliocene. We conservatively suggest these represent three isolated species with additional intraspecific structure within one widespread species. All lineages showed long-term patterns of isolation and persistence owing to climatic stability but with significant range contractions likely under future climate change. Our results highlighted the role of climatic stability in allowing the persistence of isolated lineages in the SWWA. This biodiversity hotspot is under compounding threat from ongoing climate change and habitat modification, which may further threaten previously undetected cryptic diversity across the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean James Buckley
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6000, Australia
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Group, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Chris J Brauer
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
| | - Peter J Unmack
- Centre for Applied Water Science, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Michael P Hammer
- Natural Sciences, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT, 0801, Australia
| | - Mark Adams
- Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Stephen J Beatty
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - David L Morgan
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Luciano B Beheregaray
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.
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Unmack PJ, Cook BD, Johnson JB, Hammer MP, Adams M. Phylogeography of a widespread Australian freshwater fish, western carp gudgeon (Eleotridae: Hypseleotris klunzingeri): Cryptic species, hybrid zones, and strong intra-specific divergences. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10682. [PMID: 37920767 PMCID: PMC10618717 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10682] [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: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite belonging to the most abundant and widespread genus of freshwater fishes in the region, the carp gudgeons of eastern Australia (genus Hypseleotris) have proved taxonomically and ecologically problematic to science since the 19th century. Several molecular studies and a recent taxonomic revision have now shed light on the complex biology and evolutionary history that underlies this group. These studies have demonstrated that carp gudgeons include a sexual/unisexual complex (five sexual species plus an assortment of hemiclonal lineages), many members of which also co-occur with an independent sexual relative, the western carp gudgeon (H. klunzingeri). Here, we fill yet another knowledge gap for this important group by presenting a detailed molecular phylogeographic assessment of the western carp gudgeon across its entire and extensive geographic range. We use a suite of nuclear genetic markers (SNPs and allozymes) plus a matrilineal genealogy (cytb) to demonstrate that H. klunzingeri s.l. also displays considerable taxonomic and phylogeographic complexity. All molecular datasets concur in recognizing the presence of multiple candidate species, two instances of historic between-species admixture, and the existence of a natural hybrid zone between two of the three candidate species found in the Murray-Darling Basin. We also discuss the major phylogeographic patterns evident within each taxon. Together, these analyses provide a robust molecular, taxonomic, and distributional framework to underpin future morphological and ecological investigations on this prominent member of regional freshwater ecosystems in eastern Australia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Unmack
- Centre for Applied Water Science Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Benjamin D Cook
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University Brisbane Queensland Australia
- frc environmental Wellington Point Queensland Australia
| | - Jerald B Johnson
- Evolutionary Ecology Laboratories, Department of Biology Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA
| | - Michael P Hammer
- Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory Darwin Northwest Territories Australia
| | - Mark Adams
- Evolutionary Biology Unit South Australian Museum Adelaide South Australia Australia
- School of Biological Sciences University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
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Sinclair EA, Hovey RK, Krauss SL, Anthony JM, Waycott M, Kendrick GA. Historic and contemporary biogeographic perspectives on range-wide spatial genetic structure in a widespread seagrass. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9900. [PMID: 36950371 PMCID: PMC10025079 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Historical and contemporary processes drive spatial patterns of genetic diversity. These include climate-driven range shifts and gene flow mediated by biogeographical influences on dispersal. Assessments that integrate these drivers are uncommon, but critical for testing biogeographic hypotheses. Here, we characterize intraspecific genetic diversity and spatial structure across the entire distribution of a temperate seagrass to test marine biogeographic concepts for southern Australia. Predictive modeling was used to contrast the current Posidonia australis distribution to its historical distribution during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Spatial genetic structure was estimated for 44 sampled meadows from across the geographical range of the species using nine microsatellite loci. Historical and contemporary distributions were similar, with the exception of the Bass Strait. Genetic clustering was consistent with the three currently recognized biogeographic provinces and largely consistent with the finer-scale IMCRA bioregions. Discrepancies were found within the Flindersian province and southwest IMCRA bioregion, while two regions of admixture coincided with transitional IMCRA bioregions. Clonal diversity was highly variable but positively associated with latitude. Genetic differentiation among meadows was significantly associated with oceanographic distance. Our approach suggests how shared seascape drivers have influenced the capacity of P. australis to effectively track sea level changes associated with natural climate cycles over millennia, and in particular, the recolonization of meadows across the Continental Shelf following the LGM. Genetic structure associated with IMCRA bioregions reflects the presence of stable biogeographic barriers, such as oceanic upwellings. This study highlights the importance of biogeography to infer the role of historical drivers in shaping extant diversity and structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Sinclair
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Oceans Institute, University of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Kings Park Science, Department of Biodiversity Conservation and AttractionsKings ParkWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Renae K. Hovey
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Oceans Institute, University of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Siegfried L. Krauss
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Kings Park Science, Department of Biodiversity Conservation and AttractionsKings ParkWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Janet M. Anthony
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Kings Park Science, Department of Biodiversity Conservation and AttractionsKings ParkWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Michelle Waycott
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Adelaide and State Herbarium of South AustraliaAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Gary A. Kendrick
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Oceans Institute, University of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
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Marshall IR, Brauer CJ, Wedderburn SD, Whiterod NS, Hammer MP, Barnes TC, Attard CRM, Möller LM, Beheregaray LB. Longitudinal monitoring of neutral and adaptive genomic diversity in a reintroduction. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13889. [PMID: 35023224 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Restoration programs in the form of ex-situ breeding combined with reintroductions are becoming critical to counteract demographic declines and species losses. Such programs are increasingly using genetic management to improve conservation outcomes. However, the lack of long-term monitoring of genetic indicators following reintroduction prevents assessments of the trajectory and persistence of reintroduced populations. We carried out an extensive monitoring program in the wild for a threatened small-bodied fish (southern pygmy perch, Nannoperca australis) to assess the long-term genomic effects of its captive breeding and reintroduction. The species was rescued prior to its extirpation from the terminal lakes of Australia's Murray-Darling Basin, and then used for genetically informed captive breeding and reintroductions. Subsequent annual or biannual monitoring of abundance, fitness, and occupancy over a period of 11 years, combined with postreintroduction genetic sampling, revealed survival and recruitment of reintroduced fish. Genomic analyses based on data from the original wild rescued, captive born, and reintroduced cohorts revealed low inbreeding and strong maintenance of neutral and candidate adaptive genomic diversity across multiple generations. An increasing trend in the effective population size of the reintroduced population was consistent with field monitoring data in demonstrating successful re-establishment of the species. This provides a rare empirical example that the adaptive potential of a locally extinct population can be maintained during genetically informed ex-situ conservation breeding and reintroduction into the wild. Strategies to improve biodiversity restoration via ex-situ conservation should include genetic-based captive breeding and longitudinal monitoring of standing genomic variation in reintroduced populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imogen R Marshall
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Chris J Brauer
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Scotte D Wedderburn
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Nick S Whiterod
- Aquasave-Nature Glenelg Trust, Victor Harbor, South Australia, Australia
| | - Michael P Hammer
- Natural Sciences, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Thomas C Barnes
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Nelson Bay, New South Wales, Australia
- Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Catherine R M Attard
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Luciana M Möller
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Luciano B Beheregaray
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Buckley SJ, Brauer CJ, Unmack PJ, Hammer MP, Beheregaray LB. Variation in intraspecific demography drives localised concordance but species-wide discordance in response to past climatic change. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:35. [PMID: 35317750 PMCID: PMC8941757 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-01990-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding how species biology may facilitate resilience to climate change remains a critical factor in detecting and protecting species at risk of extinction. Many studies have focused on the role of particular ecological traits in driving species responses, but less so on demographic history and levels of standing genetic variation. Additionally, spatial variation in the interaction of demographic and adaptive factors may further complicate prediction of species responses to environmental change. We used environmental and genomic datasets to reconstruct the phylogeographic histories of two ecologically similar and largely co-distributed freshwater fishes, the southern (Nannoperca australis) and Yarra (N. obscura) pygmy perches, to assess the degree of concordance in their responses to Plio-Pleistocene climatic changes. We described contemporary genetic diversity, phylogenetic histories, demographic histories, and historical species distributions across both species, and statistically evaluated the degree of concordance in co-occurring populations. RESULTS Marked differences in contemporary genetic diversity, historical distribution changes and historical migration were observed across the species, with a distinct lack of genetic diversity and historical range expansion suggested for N. obscura. Although several co-occurring populations within a shared climatic refugium demonstrated concordant demographic histories, idiosyncratic population size changes were found at the range edges of the more spatially restricted species. Discordant responses between species were associated with low standing genetic variation in peripheral populations. This might have hindered adaptive potential, as documented in recent demographic declines and population extinctions for the two species. CONCLUSION Our results highlight both the role of spatial scale in the degree of concordance in species responses to climate change, and the importance of standing genetic variation in facilitating range shifts. Even when ecological traits are similar between species, long-term genetic diversity and historical population demography may lead to discordant responses to ongoing and future climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean James Buckley
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
| | - Chris J Brauer
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
| | - Peter J Unmack
- Centre for Applied Water Science, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Michael P Hammer
- Natural Sciences, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT, 0801, Australia
| | - Luciano B Beheregaray
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.
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