Demographic History and Inbreeding in Two Declining Sea Duck Species Inferred From Whole-Genome Sequence Data.

ABSTRACT: Anthropogenic impact has transitioned from threatening already rare species to causing significant declines in once numerous organisms. Long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis) and velvet scoter (Melanitta fusca) were once important quarry sea duck species in NW Europe, but recent declines resulted in their reclassification as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. We sequenced and assembled genomes for both species and resequenced 15 individuals of each. Using analyses based on site frequency spectra and sequential Markovian coalescence, we found C. hyemalis to show more historical demographic stability, whereas M. fusca was affected particularly by the Last (Weichselian) Glaciation. This likely reflects C. hyemalis breeding continuously across the A

SUBMITTER: Cadiz MI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11386304 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature