Population structure and genetic diversity analyses reveal isolation that may imperil the northernmost colony of the endangered Australian sea lion
Rattachement africain : au, fr. Niveau de preuve : code pays fourni par la source.
Le résumé fourni par la source
Marine environments are experiencing rapid warming, substantially altering ecosystems. Populations at the edge of a species’ range are more vulnerable to environmental change as they are first affected and may have limited dispersal opportunities. This vulnerability may be exacerbated in species with specialised foraging and breeding strategies. The Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) is an endangered otariid species that breeds across a ~3000 km range in southern Australia. At the most north-westerly edge of the species’ distribution, Australian sea lions breed across multiple islands within the Houtman Abrolhos Archipelago, Western Australia, a tropical-temperate location affected by marine heatwaves. This study aimed to examine the genetic structure and diversity of the Australian sea lions from the Houtman Abrolhos Archipelago compared to other populations in the species’ range. One hundred and twenty-five individuals, nineteen from Houtman Abrolhos, were genotyped from nineteen sample sites across Western Australia and South Australia. Our findings showed that individuals from the Houtman Abrolhos grouped into a single population, which was highly differentiated and had extremely low genetic diversity. The isolation and limited genetic variation of the Houtman Abrolhos Australian sea lion population suggest that it is extremely vulnerable to extirpation. Our study highlights the vulnerability of isolated populations of a species to rapid environmental change and stochastic events.
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Le contrôle bibliographique ouvert
Où se fait cette recherche
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Macquarie University pays non établi dans la noticeUniversité ou école supérieure
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The University of Sydney pays non établi dans la noticeUniversité ou école supérieure
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Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique pays non établi dans la noticeOrganisme public
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South Australian Research and Development Institute pays non établi dans la noticeStructure de recherche
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The University of Adelaide pays non établi dans la noticeUniversité ou école supérieure
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Taronga Conservation Society Australia pays non établi dans la noticeOrganisation à but non lucratif
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Department of Biodiversity pays non établi dans la noticeInstitution
Macquarie University, The University of Sydney et Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, avec 4 autres affiliations.
Une affiliation ne permet pas de déduire la nationalité d’un auteur.