Phylogeography and population dynamics of the white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus) in the North Atlantic

Highly mobile species in the marine environment may be expected to show little differentiation at the population level, but this is often not the case. Instead cryptic population structure is common, and effective conservation will require an understanding of how these patterns evolve. Here we prese...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Conservation genetics 2014, Vol.15 (4), p.789-802
Main Authors: Banguera-Hinestroza, E, Evans, P. G. H, Mirimin, L, Reid, R. J, Mikkelsen, B, Couperus, A. S, Deaville, R, Rogan, E, Hoelzel, A. R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal Genetics and Genomics
Animal populations
anthropogenic activities
Anthropogenic factors
Aquatic mammals
Biodiversity
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Cetacea
Conservation Biology/Ecology
conservation programs
dolphins
Dolphins & porpoises
Ecology
Evolutionary Biology
Genetic diversity
Holocene
IMARES Vis
Lagenorhynchus
Lagenorhynchus acutus
Life Sciences
loci
Marine environment
microsatellite repeats
mitochondrial DNA
Phylogenetics
Phylogeography
Plant Genetics and Genomics
population dynamics
Population structure
refuge habitats
Refugia
Research Article
Vis
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Summary:Highly mobile species in the marine environment may be expected to show little differentiation at the population level, but this is often not the case. Instead cryptic population structure is common, and effective conservation will require an understanding of how these patterns evolve. Here we present an assessment from both sides of the North Atlantic of differentiation among populations of a dolphin species that inhabits mainly pelagic waters, the Atlantic white-sided dolphin. We compare eleven putative populations in the western and eastern North Atlantic at mtDNA and microsatellite DNA loci and find reduced nucleotide diversity and signals for historical bottlenecks and post-bottleneck expansions in all regions. We calculate expansion times to have occurred during the early Holocene, following the last glacial maximum (LGM). We find evidence for connectivity among populations from either side of the North Atlantic, and differentiation between putative populations in the far northeast compared with all other areas sampled. Some data suggest the possibility of separate refugia during the LGM explaining this pattern, although ongoing ecological processes may also be a factor. We discuss the implications for developing effective programs of conservation and management in the context of ongoing anthropogenic impact.
ISSN:1566-0621
1572-9737
DOI:10.1007/s10592-014-0578-z