An evolutionarily distinct ringed seal in the Ilulissat Icefjord
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An evolutionarily distinct ringed seal in the Ilulissat Icefjord. / Rosing-Asvid, Aqqalu; Löytynoja, Ari; Momigliano, Paolo; Hansen, Rikke Guldborg; Scharff-Olsen, Camilla Hjorth; Valtonen, Mia; Kammonen, Juhana; Dietz, Rune; Rigét, Frank Farsø; Ferguson, Steve H.; Lydersen, Christian; Kovacs, Kit M.; Holland, David M.; Jernvall, Jukka; Auvinen, Petri; Olsen, Morten Tange.
In: Molecular Ecology, Vol. 32, No. 22, 2023, p. 5932-5943.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - An evolutionarily distinct ringed seal in the Ilulissat Icefjord
AU - Rosing-Asvid, Aqqalu
AU - Löytynoja, Ari
AU - Momigliano, Paolo
AU - Hansen, Rikke Guldborg
AU - Scharff-Olsen, Camilla Hjorth
AU - Valtonen, Mia
AU - Kammonen, Juhana
AU - Dietz, Rune
AU - Rigét, Frank Farsø
AU - Ferguson, Steve H.
AU - Lydersen, Christian
AU - Kovacs, Kit M.
AU - Holland, David M.
AU - Jernvall, Jukka
AU - Auvinen, Petri
AU - Olsen, Morten Tange
N1 - Publisher Copyright: Molecular Ecology© 2023 The Authors. Molecular Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - The Earth's polar regions are low rates of inter- and intraspecific diversification. An extreme mammalian example is the Arctic ringed seal (Pusa hispida hispida), which is assumed to be panmictic across its circumpolar Arctic range. Yet, local Inuit communities in Greenland and Canada recognize several regional variants; a finding supported by scientific studies of body size variation. It is however unclear whether this phenotypic variation reflects plasticity, morphs or distinct ecotypes. Here, we combine genomic, biologging and survey data, to document the existence of a unique ringed seal ecotype in the Ilulissat Icefjord (locally ‘Kangia’), Greenland; a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is home to the most productive marine-terminating glacier in the Arctic. Genomic analyses reveal a divergence of Kangia ringed seals from other Arctic ringed seals about 240 kya, followed by secondary contact since the Last Glacial Maximum. Despite ongoing gene flow, multiple genomic regions appear under strong selection in Kangia ringed seals, including candidate genes associated with pelage coloration, growth and osmoregulation, potentially explaining the Kangia seal's phenotypic and behavioural uniqueness. The description of ‘hidden’ diversity and adaptations in yet another Arctic species merits a reassessment of the evolutionary processes that have shaped Arctic diversity and the traditional view of this region as an evolutionary freezer. Our study highlights the value of indigenous knowledge in guiding science and calls for efforts to identify distinct populations or ecotypes to understand how these might respond differently to environmental change.
AB - The Earth's polar regions are low rates of inter- and intraspecific diversification. An extreme mammalian example is the Arctic ringed seal (Pusa hispida hispida), which is assumed to be panmictic across its circumpolar Arctic range. Yet, local Inuit communities in Greenland and Canada recognize several regional variants; a finding supported by scientific studies of body size variation. It is however unclear whether this phenotypic variation reflects plasticity, morphs or distinct ecotypes. Here, we combine genomic, biologging and survey data, to document the existence of a unique ringed seal ecotype in the Ilulissat Icefjord (locally ‘Kangia’), Greenland; a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is home to the most productive marine-terminating glacier in the Arctic. Genomic analyses reveal a divergence of Kangia ringed seals from other Arctic ringed seals about 240 kya, followed by secondary contact since the Last Glacial Maximum. Despite ongoing gene flow, multiple genomic regions appear under strong selection in Kangia ringed seals, including candidate genes associated with pelage coloration, growth and osmoregulation, potentially explaining the Kangia seal's phenotypic and behavioural uniqueness. The description of ‘hidden’ diversity and adaptations in yet another Arctic species merits a reassessment of the evolutionary processes that have shaped Arctic diversity and the traditional view of this region as an evolutionary freezer. Our study highlights the value of indigenous knowledge in guiding science and calls for efforts to identify distinct populations or ecotypes to understand how these might respond differently to environmental change.
KW - arctic
KW - diversity
KW - indigenous knowledge
KW - local adaptation
KW - marine mammal
U2 - 10.1111/mec.17163
DO - 10.1111/mec.17163
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 37855154
AN - SCOPUS:85174407322
VL - 32
SP - 5932
EP - 5943
JO - Molecular Ecology
JF - Molecular Ecology
SN - 0962-1083
IS - 22
ER -
ID: 371470090