Low genetic diversity in pygmy blue whales is due to climate-induced diversification rather than anthropogenic impacts
Unusually low genetic diversity can be a warning of an urgent need to mitigate causative anthropogenic activities. However, current low levels of genetic diversity in a population could also be due to natural historical events, including recent evolutionary divergence, or long-term persistence at a...
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crroyalsociety:10.1098/rsbl.2014.1037 2024-09-15T17:44:20+00:00 Low genetic diversity in pygmy blue whales is due to climate-induced diversification rather than anthropogenic impacts Attard, Catherine R. M. Beheregaray, Luciano B. Jenner, K. Curt S. Gill, Peter C. Jenner, Micheline-Nicole M. Morrice, Margaret G. Teske, Peter R. Möller, Luciana M. 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2014.1037 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsbl.2014.1037 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsbl.2014.1037 en eng The Royal Society https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ Biology Letters volume 11, issue 5, page 20141037 ISSN 1744-9561 1744-957X journal-article 2015 crroyalsociety https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2014.1037 2024-07-22T04:27:25Z Unusually low genetic diversity can be a warning of an urgent need to mitigate causative anthropogenic activities. However, current low levels of genetic diversity in a population could also be due to natural historical events, including recent evolutionary divergence, or long-term persistence at a small population size. Here, we determine whether the relatively low genetic diversity of pygmy blue whales ( Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda ) in Australia is due to natural causes or overexploitation. We apply recently developed analytical approaches in the largest genetic dataset ever compiled to study blue whales (297 samples collected after whaling and representing lineages from Australia, Antarctica and Chile). We find that low levels of genetic diversity in Australia are due to a natural founder event from Antarctic blue whales ( Balaenoptera musculus intermedia ) that occurred around the Last Glacial Maximum, followed by evolutionary divergence. Historical climate change has therefore driven the evolution of blue whales into genetically, phenotypically and behaviourally distinct lineages that will likely be influenced by future climate change. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Balaenoptera musculus The Royal Society Biology Letters 11 5 20141037 |
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Open Polar |
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The Royal Society |
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crroyalsociety |
language |
English |
description |
Unusually low genetic diversity can be a warning of an urgent need to mitigate causative anthropogenic activities. However, current low levels of genetic diversity in a population could also be due to natural historical events, including recent evolutionary divergence, or long-term persistence at a small population size. Here, we determine whether the relatively low genetic diversity of pygmy blue whales ( Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda ) in Australia is due to natural causes or overexploitation. We apply recently developed analytical approaches in the largest genetic dataset ever compiled to study blue whales (297 samples collected after whaling and representing lineages from Australia, Antarctica and Chile). We find that low levels of genetic diversity in Australia are due to a natural founder event from Antarctic blue whales ( Balaenoptera musculus intermedia ) that occurred around the Last Glacial Maximum, followed by evolutionary divergence. Historical climate change has therefore driven the evolution of blue whales into genetically, phenotypically and behaviourally distinct lineages that will likely be influenced by future climate change. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Attard, Catherine R. M. Beheregaray, Luciano B. Jenner, K. Curt S. Gill, Peter C. Jenner, Micheline-Nicole M. Morrice, Margaret G. Teske, Peter R. Möller, Luciana M. |
spellingShingle |
Attard, Catherine R. M. Beheregaray, Luciano B. Jenner, K. Curt S. Gill, Peter C. Jenner, Micheline-Nicole M. Morrice, Margaret G. Teske, Peter R. Möller, Luciana M. Low genetic diversity in pygmy blue whales is due to climate-induced diversification rather than anthropogenic impacts |
author_facet |
Attard, Catherine R. M. Beheregaray, Luciano B. Jenner, K. Curt S. Gill, Peter C. Jenner, Micheline-Nicole M. Morrice, Margaret G. Teske, Peter R. Möller, Luciana M. |
author_sort |
Attard, Catherine R. M. |
title |
Low genetic diversity in pygmy blue whales is due to climate-induced diversification rather than anthropogenic impacts |
title_short |
Low genetic diversity in pygmy blue whales is due to climate-induced diversification rather than anthropogenic impacts |
title_full |
Low genetic diversity in pygmy blue whales is due to climate-induced diversification rather than anthropogenic impacts |
title_fullStr |
Low genetic diversity in pygmy blue whales is due to climate-induced diversification rather than anthropogenic impacts |
title_full_unstemmed |
Low genetic diversity in pygmy blue whales is due to climate-induced diversification rather than anthropogenic impacts |
title_sort |
low genetic diversity in pygmy blue whales is due to climate-induced diversification rather than anthropogenic impacts |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2014.1037 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsbl.2014.1037 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsbl.2014.1037 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Balaenoptera musculus |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Balaenoptera musculus |
op_source |
Biology Letters volume 11, issue 5, page 20141037 ISSN 1744-9561 1744-957X |
op_rights |
https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2014.1037 |
container_title |
Biology Letters |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
20141037 |
_version_ |
1810491790384431104 |