Genetic differentiation in an endangered and strongly philopatric, migrant shorebird




Rönkä Nelli, Pakanen Veli-Matti, Pauliny Angela, Thomson Robert L., Nuotio Kimmo, Pehlak Hannes, Thorup Ole, Lehikoinen Petteri, Rönkä Antti, Blomqvist Donald, Koivula Kari, Kvist Laura

PublisherBioMed Central Ltd

2021

BMC Ecology and Evolution

BMC Ecology and Evolution

125

21

1472-6785

2730-7182

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-021-01855-0

https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/66412367



Populations living in fragmented habitats may suffer from loss of genetic variation and reduced between-patch dispersal, which are processes that can result in genetic differentiation. This occurs frequently in species with reduced mobility, whereas genetic differentiation is less common among mobile species such as migratory birds. The high dispersal capacity in the latter species usually allows for gene flow even in fragmented landscapes. However, strongly philopatric behaviour can reinforce relative isolation and the degree of genetic differentiation. The Southern Dunlin (Calidris alpina schinzii) is a philopatric, long-distance migratory shorebird and shows reduced dispersal between isolated breeding patches. The endangered population of the Southern Dunlin breeding at the Baltic Sea has suffered from habitat deterioration and fragmentation of coastal meadows. We sampled DNA across the entire population and used 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci to examine whether the environmental changes have resulted in genetic structuring and loss of variation.


Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 13:01