TY - JOUR
T1 - Integrating morphological and genetic data at different spatial scales in a cosmopolitan marine turtle species
T2 - Challenges for management and conservation
AU - Álvarez-Varas, Rocío
AU - Heidemeyer, Maike
AU - Riginos, Cynthia
AU - Benítez, Hugo A.
AU - Reséndiz, Eduardo
AU - Lara-Uc, Mónica
AU - Godoy, Daniel A.
AU - Muñoz-Pérez, Juan Pablo
AU - Alarcón-Ruales, Daniela E.
AU - Vélez-Rubio, Gabriela M.
AU - Fallabrino, Alejandro
AU - Piovano, Susanna
AU - Alfaro-Shigueto, Joanna
AU - Ortiz-Alvarez, Clara
AU - Mangel, Jeffrey C.
AU - Esquerré, Damien
AU - Zárate, Patricia
AU - Medrano, Carol
AU - León Miranda, Fabiola
AU - Guerrero, Felipe
AU - Vianna, Juliana A.
AU - Véliz, David
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
PY - 2021/2/1
Y1 - 2021/2/1
N2 - Patterns of genetic structure in highly mobile marine vertebrates may be accompanied by phenotypic variation. Most studies in marine turtles focused on population genetic structure have been performed at rookeries. We studied whether genetic and morphological variation of the endangered green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is consistent geographically, focusing on foraging grounds. An association between population genetic structure and body shape variation at broad (inter-lineage) and fine (foraging grounds) scales was predicted and analysed using mitochondrial DNA and geometric morphometrics. Although genetic and phenotypic differentiation patterns were congruent between lineages, no fine-scale association was found, suggesting adaptive divergence. Connectivity among Pacific foraging grounds found here suggests that temperatures of ocean surface currents may influence the genetic structure of C. mydas on a broad scale. Our results suggest that vicariance, dispersal, life-history traits and ecological conditions operating in foraging grounds have shaped the intraspecific morphology and genetic diversity of this species. Considering a range of geographic and temporal scales is useful when management strategies are required for cosmopolitan species. Integrating morphological and genetic tools at different spatial scales, conservation management is proposed based on protection of neutral and adaptive diversity. This approach opens new questions and challenges, especially regarding conservation genetics in cosmopolitan species.
AB - Patterns of genetic structure in highly mobile marine vertebrates may be accompanied by phenotypic variation. Most studies in marine turtles focused on population genetic structure have been performed at rookeries. We studied whether genetic and morphological variation of the endangered green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is consistent geographically, focusing on foraging grounds. An association between population genetic structure and body shape variation at broad (inter-lineage) and fine (foraging grounds) scales was predicted and analysed using mitochondrial DNA and geometric morphometrics. Although genetic and phenotypic differentiation patterns were congruent between lineages, no fine-scale association was found, suggesting adaptive divergence. Connectivity among Pacific foraging grounds found here suggests that temperatures of ocean surface currents may influence the genetic structure of C. mydas on a broad scale. Our results suggest that vicariance, dispersal, life-history traits and ecological conditions operating in foraging grounds have shaped the intraspecific morphology and genetic diversity of this species. Considering a range of geographic and temporal scales is useful when management strategies are required for cosmopolitan species. Integrating morphological and genetic tools at different spatial scales, conservation management is proposed based on protection of neutral and adaptive diversity. This approach opens new questions and challenges, especially regarding conservation genetics in cosmopolitan species.
KW - conservation genetics
KW - evolutionary potential
KW - foraging grounds
KW - geometric morphometrics
KW - morphotypes
KW - natal homing behaviour
KW - natural selection
KW - phenotypic variation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85090045624&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa066
DO - 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa066
M3 - Artículo
AN - SCOPUS:85090045624
SN - 0024-4082
VL - 191
SP - 434
EP - 453
JO - Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
JF - Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
IS - 2
ER -