Global Ecology and Conservation (Dec 2022)
Biogeography in the deep: Hierarchical population genomic structure of two beaked whale species
- Aubrie B. Onoufriou,
- Oscar E. Gaggiotti,
- Natacha Aguilar de Soto,
- Morgan L. McCarthy,
- Phillip A. Morin,
- Massimiliano Rosso,
- Merel Dalebout,
- Nicholas Davison,
- Robin W. Baird,
- C. Scott Baker,
- Simon Berrow,
- Andrew Brownlow,
- Daniel Burns,
- Florence Caurant,
- Diane Claridge,
- Rochelle Constantine,
- Fabien Demaret,
- Sascha Dreyer,
- Martina Ðuras,
- John W. Durban,
- Alexandros Frantzis,
- Luis Freitas,
- Gabrielle Genty,
- Ana Galov,
- Sabine S. Hansen,
- Andrew C. Kitchener,
- Vidal Martin,
- Antonio A. Mignucci-Giannoni,
- Valeria Montano,
- Aurelie Moulins,
- Carlos Olavarría,
- M. Michael Poole,
- Cristel Reyes Suárez,
- Emer Rogan,
- Conor Ryan,
- Agustina Schiavi,
- Paola Tepsich,
- Jorge Urban R.,
- Kristi West,
- Morten Tange Olsen,
- Emma L. Carroll
Affiliations
- Aubrie B. Onoufriou
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK; BIOECOMAC Department of Animal Biology, Edaphology and Geology, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
- Oscar E. Gaggiotti
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- Natacha Aguilar de Soto
- BIOECOMAC Department of Animal Biology, Edaphology and Geology, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
- Morgan L. McCarthy
- Section for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Phillip A. Morin
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Massimiliano Rosso
- CIMA Research Foundation, Savona, Italy
- Merel Dalebout
- School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Nicholas Davison
- Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme, School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Robin W. Baird
- Cascadia Research Collective, Olympia, WA, USA
- C. Scott Baker
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, USA
- Simon Berrow
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Atlantic Technological University, Dublin Road, Galway, Ireland; Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Merchant’s Quay, Kilrush, County Clare, Ireland
- Andrew Brownlow
- Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme, School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Daniel Burns
- Southern Cross University, Marine Ecology Research Centre, Lismore, Australia; South Pacific Whale Research Consortium, Avarua, Cook Islands
- Florence Caurant
- Observatoire Pelagis, UMS3462 La Rochelle University-CNRS, La Rochelle, France
- Diane Claridge
- Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation, Abaco, Bahamas
- Rochelle Constantine
- School of Biological Sciences Te Kura Mātauranga Koiora, University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau, Auckland 1010, Aotearoa New Zealand
- Fabien Demaret
- Observatoire Pelagis, UMS3462 La Rochelle University-CNRS, La Rochelle, France
- Sascha Dreyer
- Section for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Martina Ðuras
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- John W. Durban
- Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation, Abaco, Bahamas; Southall Environmental Associates, Inc., Aptos, CA 95003, USA
- Alexandros Frantzis
- Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute, Vouliagmeni, Greece
- Luis Freitas
- Museu da Baleia da Madeira, Caniçal, Madeira, Portugal
- Gabrielle Genty
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- Ana Galov
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Sabine S. Hansen
- Section for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Andrew C. Kitchener
- Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh, UK; School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh Drummond Street, Edinburgh, UK
- Vidal Martin
- Society for the Study of the Cetaceans in the Canary Archipelago (SECAC), Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
- Antonio A. Mignucci-Giannoni
- Centro de Conservación de Manatíes del Caribe, Universidad Interamericana, Bayamón, Puerto Rico; Center for Conservation Medicine and Ecosystem Health, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, West Indies, Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Valeria Montano
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- Aurelie Moulins
- CIMA Research Foundation, Savona, Italy
- Carlos Olavarría
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), La Serena, Chile
- M. Michael Poole
- Marine Mammal Research Program, Maharepa, Moorea, French Polynesia
- Cristel Reyes Suárez
- BIOECOMAC Department of Animal Biology, Edaphology and Geology, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
- Emer Rogan
- School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Conor Ryan
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Atlantic Technological University, Dublin Road, Galway, Ireland; Song of the Whale Research Team, Marine Conservation Research International, Kelvedon, Essex, UK
- Agustina Schiavi
- BIOECOMAC Department of Animal Biology, Edaphology and Geology, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
- Paola Tepsich
- CIMA Research Foundation, Savona, Italy
- Jorge Urban R.
- Departamento de Ciencias Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz, B.C.S., México
- Kristi West
- Hawai'i Insitute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Kaneohe, HI, USA
- Morten Tange Olsen
- Section for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Emma L. Carroll
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK; School of Biological Sciences Te Kura Mātauranga Koiora, University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau, Auckland 1010, Aotearoa New Zealand; Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK; Correspondence to: The University of Auckland Waiapapa Taumata Rau, Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand.
- Journal volume & issue
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Vol. 40
p. e02308
Abstract
The deep sea is the largest ecosystem on Earth, yet little is known about the processes driving patterns of genetic diversity in its inhabitants. Here, we investigated the macro- and microevolutionary processes shaping genomic population structure and diversity in two poorly understood, globally distributed, deep-sea predators: Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) and Blainville’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris). We used double-digest restriction associated DNA (ddRAD) and whole mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) sequencing to characterise genetic patterns using phylogenetic trees, cluster analysis, isolation-by-distance, genetic diversity and differentiation statistics. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; Blainville’s n = 43 samples, SNPs=13988; Cuvier’s n = 123, SNPs= 30479) and mitogenomes (Blainville’s n = 27; Cuvier’s n = 35) revealed substantial hierarchical structure at a global scale. Both species display significant genetic structure between the Atlantic, Indo-Pacific and in Cuvier’s, the Mediterranean Sea. Within major ocean basins, clear differentiation is found between genetic clusters on the east and west sides of the North Atlantic, and some distinct patterns of structure in the Indo-Pacific and Southern Hemisphere. We infer that macroevolutionary processes shaping patterns of genetic diversity include biogeographical barriers, highlighting the importance of such barriers even to highly mobile, deep-diving taxa. The barriers likely differ between the species due to their thermal tolerances and evolutionary histories. On a microevolutionary scale, it seems likely that the balance between resident populations displaying site fidelity, and transient individuals facilitating gene flow, shapes patterns of connectivity and genetic drift in beaked whales. Based on these results, we propose management units to facilitate improved conservation measures for these elusive species.
