Killer whale nuclear genome and mtDNA reveal widespread population bottleneck during the last glacial maximum.

ABSTRACT: Ecosystem function and resilience is determined by the interactions and independent contributions of individual species. Apex predators play a disproportionately determinant role through their influence and dependence on the dynamics of prey species. Their demographic fluctuations are thus likely to reflect changes in their respective ecological communities and habitat. Here, we investigate the historical population dynamics of the killer whale based on draft nuclear genome data for the Northern Hemisphere and mtDNA data worldwide. We infer a relatively stable population size throughout most of the Pleistocene, followed by an order of magnitude decline and bottleneck during the Weichselian glacial period. Global mtDNA data indicate that while most populations declined, at least one populat

SUBMITTER: Moura AE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3995335 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature