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Nonequilibrium conditions explain spatial variability in genetic structuring of little penguin (Eudyptula minor)
Citation
Burridge, CP and Peuker, AJ and Valautham, SK and Styan, CA and Dann, P, Nonequilibrium conditions explain spatial variability in genetic structuring of little penguin (Eudyptula minor), Journal of Heredity, 106, (3) pp. 228-237. ISSN 0022-1503 (2015) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2015 The American Genetic Association Licenced under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
DOI: doi:10.1093/jhered/esv009
Abstract
Factors responsible for spatial structuring of population genetic variation are varied, and in many
instances there may be no obvious explanations for genetic structuring observed, or those invoked
may reflect spurious correlations. A study of little penguins (Eudyptula minor) in southeast Australia
documented low spatial structuring of genetic variation with the exception of colonies at the western
limit of sampling, and this distinction was attributed to an intervening oceanographic feature
(Bonney Upwelling), differences in breeding phenology, or sea level change. Here, we conducted
sampling across the entire Australian range, employing additional markers (12 microsatellites
and mitochondrial DNA, 697 individuals, 17 colonies). The zone of elevated genetic structuring
previously observed actually represents the eastern half of a genetic cline, within which structuring
exists over much shorter spatial scales than elsewhere. Colonies separated by as little as 27 km in
the zone are genetically distinguishable, while outside the zone, homogeneity cannot be rejected at
scales of up to 1400 km. Given a lack of additional physical or environmental barriers to gene flow,
the zone of elevated genetic structuring may reflect secondary contact of lineages (with or without
selection against interbreeding), or recent colonization and expansion from this region. This study
highlights the importance of sampling scale to reveal the cause of genetic structuring.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | secondary contact, tension zone, colonisation, hybridisation, isolation by distance, seabird |
| Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
| Research Group: | Genetics |
| Research Field: | Population, Ecological and Evolutionary Genetics |
| Objective Division: | Environment |
| Objective Group: | Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity |
| Objective Field: | Marine Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity |
| UTAS Author: | Burridge, CP (Associate Professor Christopher Burridge) |
| UTAS Author: | Valautham, SK (Mr Sureen Valautham) |
| ID Code: | 100430 |
| Year Published: | 2015 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 5 |
| Deposited By: | Zoology |
| Deposited On: | 2015-05-15 |
| Last Modified: | 2017-11-01 |
| Downloads: | 243 View Download Statistics |
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