Causes and consequences of fine-scale population structure in a critically endangered freshwater seal.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Small, genetically uniform populations may face an elevated risk of extinction due to reduced environmental adaptability and individual fitness. Fragmentation can intensify these genetic adversities and, therefore, dispersal and gene flow among subpopulations within an isolated population is often essential for maintaining its viability. Using microsatellite and mtDNA data, we examined genetic diversity, spatial differentiation, interregional gene flow, and effective population sizes in the critically endangered Saimaa ringed seal (Phoca hispida saimensis), which is endemic to the large but highly fragmented Lake Saimaa in southeastern Finland.

Results

Microsatellite diversity within the subspecies (HE = 0.36) ranks among the lowest thus far recorded within the or

SUBMITTER: Valtonen M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4106222 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature