Perturbation drives changing metapopulation dynamics in a top marine predator

• Main Authors: Carroll, Emma L, Hall, Ailsa, Olsen, Morten Tange, Booth, Aubrie, Onoufriou, Aubrie B., Gaggiotti, Oscar E., Russell, Debbie JF
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Zenodo 2020
• Subjects: harbour seal
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.j9kd51c8j

Metapopulation theory assumes a balance between local decays/extinctions and local growth/new colonisations. Here we investigate whether recent population declines across part of the UK harbour seal range represent normal metapopulation dynamics or are indicative of perturbations potentially threatening the metapopulation viability, using 20 years of population trends, location tracking data ( n = 380), and UK-wide, multi-generational population genetic data ( n = 269). First, we use microsatellite data to show that two genetic groups previously identified are distinct metapopulations: northern and southern. Then, we characterize the northern metapopulation dynamics in two different periods, before and after the start of regional declines (pre-/peri-perturbation). We identify source–sink dynamics across the northern metapopulation, with two putative source populations apparently supporting three likely sink populations, and a recent metapopulation-wide disruption of migration coincident with the perturbation. The northern metapopulation appears to be in decay, highlighting that changes in local populations can lead to radical alterations in the overall metapopulation's persistence and dynamics. This archive contains two files 1. Genelemetry_harbour_seal_metadata_dryad_final.xlsx Excel file containing metadata for samples used in the paper analysis, including sampling location, sampling seal management unit, and local population 2. HarbourSealGenepopFormat.txt Text file containing multi-locus genotypes for harbour seals used in the analysis in genepop format. Funding provided by: Dept. Energy and Climate Change* Crossref Funder Registry ID: Award Number: Funding provided by: Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Ltd* Crossref Funder Registry ID: Award Number: Funding provided by: Highlands and Islands Enterprise Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100008239 Award Number: Funding provided by: Marine Current Turbines Limited* Crossref Funder Registry ID: Award Number: Funding provided by: Marine Scotland ...