Mate choice explains high genetic diversity in a small founding population of the New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri)
Founder populations are susceptible to reduced genetic diversity, which can hinder successful population establishment. A new genetic lineage of the New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) has recently colonised the historical range of the New Zealand mainland (Otago Peninsula). Despite a small fo...
Published in: | Australian Journal of Zoology |
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CSIRO Publishing
2019
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO19023 |
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ftbioone:10.1071/ZO19023 2024-06-02T08:03:45+00:00 Mate choice explains high genetic diversity in a small founding population of the New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) Imogen Foote Stephanie S. Godfrey Bruce C. Robertson Imogen Foote Stephanie S. Godfrey Bruce C. Robertson world 2019-06-26 text/HTML https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO19023 en eng CSIRO Publishing doi:10.1071/ZO19023 All rights reserved. https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO19023 Text 2019 ftbioone https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO19023 2024-05-07T00:50:35Z Founder populations are susceptible to reduced genetic diversity, which can hinder successful population establishment. A new genetic lineage of the New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) has recently colonised the historical range of the New Zealand mainland (Otago Peninsula). Despite a small founding population, previous research indicated that nuclear genetic diversity in the Otago Peninsula population is similar to that of the larger source population (Sandy Bay, Auckland Islands). Our research aimed to identify whether mechanisms of female mate choice could help to explain the unexpectedly high level of genetic diversity in the founder population. We used genetic data at 12 microsatellite loci for mother–pup pairs from both populations, and the software COLONY to identify putative paternal genotypes inferred from allele sharing between known mother–pup pairs. We found that mating pairs were, on average, more related at the Otago Peninsula location. However, Sandy Bay females were mating with males more related to themselves than expected by chance, while the Otago Peninsula females were not. These findings suggest that female choice in this otariid species appears important, although may be constrained in some situations. Our findings also help to explain how the recently founded population is able to maintain a viable, growing population. Text Auckland Islands BioOne Online Journals New Zealand Australian Journal of Zoology 66 6 343 |
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BioOne Online Journals |
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ftbioone |
language |
English |
description |
Founder populations are susceptible to reduced genetic diversity, which can hinder successful population establishment. A new genetic lineage of the New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) has recently colonised the historical range of the New Zealand mainland (Otago Peninsula). Despite a small founding population, previous research indicated that nuclear genetic diversity in the Otago Peninsula population is similar to that of the larger source population (Sandy Bay, Auckland Islands). Our research aimed to identify whether mechanisms of female mate choice could help to explain the unexpectedly high level of genetic diversity in the founder population. We used genetic data at 12 microsatellite loci for mother–pup pairs from both populations, and the software COLONY to identify putative paternal genotypes inferred from allele sharing between known mother–pup pairs. We found that mating pairs were, on average, more related at the Otago Peninsula location. However, Sandy Bay females were mating with males more related to themselves than expected by chance, while the Otago Peninsula females were not. These findings suggest that female choice in this otariid species appears important, although may be constrained in some situations. Our findings also help to explain how the recently founded population is able to maintain a viable, growing population. |
author2 |
Imogen Foote Stephanie S. Godfrey Bruce C. Robertson |
format |
Text |
author |
Imogen Foote Stephanie S. Godfrey Bruce C. Robertson |
spellingShingle |
Imogen Foote Stephanie S. Godfrey Bruce C. Robertson Mate choice explains high genetic diversity in a small founding population of the New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) |
author_facet |
Imogen Foote Stephanie S. Godfrey Bruce C. Robertson |
author_sort |
Imogen Foote |
title |
Mate choice explains high genetic diversity in a small founding population of the New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) |
title_short |
Mate choice explains high genetic diversity in a small founding population of the New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) |
title_full |
Mate choice explains high genetic diversity in a small founding population of the New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) |
title_fullStr |
Mate choice explains high genetic diversity in a small founding population of the New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mate choice explains high genetic diversity in a small founding population of the New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) |
title_sort |
mate choice explains high genetic diversity in a small founding population of the new zealand sea lion (phocarctos hookeri) |
publisher |
CSIRO Publishing |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO19023 |
op_coverage |
world |
geographic |
New Zealand |
geographic_facet |
New Zealand |
genre |
Auckland Islands |
genre_facet |
Auckland Islands |
op_source |
https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO19023 |
op_relation |
doi:10.1071/ZO19023 |
op_rights |
All rights reserved. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO19023 |
container_title |
Australian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
66 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
343 |
_version_ |
1800748358258655232 |