Incorporating non-equilibrium dynamics into demographic history inferences of a migratory marine species.

ABSTRACT: Understanding how dispersal and gene flow link geographically separated the populations over evolutionary history is challenging, particularly in migratory marine species. In southern right whales (SRWs, Eubalaena australis), patterns of genetic diversity are likely influenced by the glacial climate cycle and recent history of whaling. Here we use a dataset of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences (n = 1327) and nuclear markers (17 microsatellite loci, n = 222) from major wintering grounds to investigate circumpolar population structure, historical demography and effective population size. Analyses of nuclear genetic variation identify two population clusters that correspond to the South Atlantic and Indo-Pacific ocean basins that have similar effective breeder estimates. In contrast, all wi

SUBMITTER: Carroll EL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6288115 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature