TY - JOUR

T1 - Genetic and behavioural data confirm the existence of a distinct harbour porpoise ecotype in West Greenland

AU - Olsen, Morten Tange

AU - Nielsen, Nynne Hjort

AU - Biard, Vincent

AU - Teilmann, Jonas

AU - Ngô, Mạnh Cường

AU - Víkingsson, Gísli

AU - Gunnlaugsson, Thorvaldur

AU - Stenson, Garry

AU - Lawson, Jack

AU - Lah, Ljerka

AU - Tiedemann, Ralph

AU - Heide-Jørgensen, Mads Peter

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Elucidating the evolutionary and ecological characteristics of distinct populations constitutes a cornerstone in the classification of ecotypes, and in assessing their specific responses to environmental changes and potential impacts from human activities. In this study, two complementary approaches were deployed to investigate the existence of a putative harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) ecotype in West Greenland. Genetic differentiation of 68 porpoises from West Greenland, and neighbouring Canada and Iceland were studied by ddRADseq analysis, and 18 porpoises instrumented with satellite transmitters were used to study their movement behaviour and site fidelity. The results suggest a genetically distinct harbour porpoise population in West Greenland, with strong site fidelity during the August breeding period and wide-ranging dispersal in the North Atlantic at other seasons. This adds to previously described unique characteristics of West Greenland harbour porpoises, including mesopelagic foraging behaviour, distinct skull morphology and tooth ultrastructure, and shorter, yet heavier, body; all pointing to the existence of a distinct West Greenland ecotype. We hypothesize that this ecotype arose through gradual adaptation to the local environmental conditions of the West Greenlandic shelf area, including high summer primary productivity and seasonal sea ice coverage. Consequently, this distinct ecotype of harbour porpoises necessitates a focused conservation plan.

AB - Elucidating the evolutionary and ecological characteristics of distinct populations constitutes a cornerstone in the classification of ecotypes, and in assessing their specific responses to environmental changes and potential impacts from human activities. In this study, two complementary approaches were deployed to investigate the existence of a putative harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) ecotype in West Greenland. Genetic differentiation of 68 porpoises from West Greenland, and neighbouring Canada and Iceland were studied by ddRADseq analysis, and 18 porpoises instrumented with satellite transmitters were used to study their movement behaviour and site fidelity. The results suggest a genetically distinct harbour porpoise population in West Greenland, with strong site fidelity during the August breeding period and wide-ranging dispersal in the North Atlantic at other seasons. This adds to previously described unique characteristics of West Greenland harbour porpoises, including mesopelagic foraging behaviour, distinct skull morphology and tooth ultrastructure, and shorter, yet heavier, body; all pointing to the existence of a distinct West Greenland ecotype. We hypothesize that this ecotype arose through gradual adaptation to the local environmental conditions of the West Greenlandic shelf area, including high summer primary productivity and seasonal sea ice coverage. Consequently, this distinct ecotype of harbour porpoises necessitates a focused conservation plan.

KW - Climate

KW - Conservation

KW - ddRADseq

KW - Marine mammals

KW - Site-fidelity

U2 - 10.1016/j.egg.2021.100108

DO - 10.1016/j.egg.2021.100108

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85120955985

VL - 22

JO - Ecological Genetics and Genomics

JF - Ecological Genetics and Genomics

SN - 2405-9854

M1 - 100108

ER -