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Cultural traditions across a migratory network shape the genetic structure of southern right whales around Australia and New Zealand

Carroll, E.L.; Baker, C.S.; Watson, M.; Alderman, R.; Bannister, J.; Gaggiotti, O.E.; Gröcke, D.R.; Patenaude, N.; Harcourt, R.

Cultural traditions across a migratory network shape the genetic structure of southern right whales around Australia and New Zealand Thumbnail


Authors

E.L. Carroll

C.S. Baker

M. Watson

R. Alderman

J. Bannister

O.E. Gaggiotti

N. Patenaude

R. Harcourt



Abstract

Fidelity to migratory destinations is an important driver of connectivity in marine and avian species. Here we assess the role of maternally directed learning of migratory habitats, or migratory culture, on the population structure of the endangered Australian and New Zealand southern right whale. Using DNA profiles, comprising mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes (500 bp), microsatellite genotypes (17 loci) and sex from 128 individually-identified whales, we find significant differentiation among winter calving grounds based on both mtDNA haplotype (FST = 0.048, ΦST = 0.109, p < 0.01) and microsatellite allele frequencies (FST = 0.008, p < 0.01), consistent with long-term fidelity to calving areas. However, most genetic comparisons of calving grounds and migratory corridors were not significant, supporting the idea that whales from different calving grounds mix in migratory corridors. Furthermore, we find a significant relationship between δ13C stable isotope profiles of 66 Australian southern right whales, a proxy for feeding ground location, and both mtDNA haplotypes and kinship inferred from microsatellite-based estimators of relatedness. This indicates migratory culture may influence genetic structure on feeding grounds. This fidelity to migratory destinations is likely to influence population recovery, as long-term estimates of historical abundance derived from estimates of genetic diversity indicate the South Pacific calving grounds remain at <10% of pre-whaling abundance.

Citation

Carroll, E., Baker, C., Watson, M., Alderman, R., Bannister, J., Gaggiotti, O., …Harcourt, R. (2015). Cultural traditions across a migratory network shape the genetic structure of southern right whales around Australia and New Zealand. Scientific Reports, 5, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep16182

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 9, 2015
Online Publication Date Nov 9, 2015
Publication Date Nov 9, 2015
Deposit Date Jan 19, 2016
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Scientific Reports
Publisher Nature Research
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 5
DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/srep16182

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Publisher Licence URL
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Copyright Statement
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/





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