Biogeography in the deep: hierarchical population genomic structure of two beaked whale species

Onoufriou, A. B. et al. (2022) Biogeography in the deep: hierarchical population genomic structure of two beaked whale species. Global Ecology and Conservation, 40, e02308. (doi: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.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. Based on these results, we propose management units to facilitate improved conservation measures for these elusive species.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Funding for this research was provided by the Office of Naval Research, Award number N000141613017. ABO was supported by a partial studentship from the University of St Andrews, School of Biology; OEG by the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland (Scottish Funding Council grant HR09011); ELC by a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship from the Royal Society of New Zealand; NAS by a Ramon y Cajal Fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Innovation; MLM by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant 801199); CR by the Marine Institute (Cetaceans on the Frontier) and the Irish Research Council.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Brownlow, Dr Andrew and Davison, Mr Nick
• Authors: Onoufriou, A. B., Gaggiotti, O. E., de Soto, N. A., McCarthy, M. L., Morin, P. A., Rosso, M., Dalebout, M., Davison, N., Baird, R. W., Baker, C. S., Berrow, S., Brownlow, A., Burns, D., Caurant, F., Claridge, D., Constantine, R., Demaret, F., Dreyer, S., Ðuras, J. a. F., Rogan, E., Ryan, C., Schiavi, A., Tepsich, P., Urban, J., West, K., Olsen, M. T., and Carroll, E. L.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: Global Ecology and Conservation
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 2351-9894
• ISSN (Online): 2351-9894
• Published Online: 14 October 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Global Ecology and Conservation 40: e02308
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License