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  • Lilian Lieber
    Queen's University, BelfastUniversity of Aberdeen
  • Graham Hall
    Manx Basking Shark Watch and Manx Wildlife Trust
  • Jackie Hall
    Manx Basking Shark Watch and Manx Wildlife Trust
  • Simon Berrow
    Irish Basking Shark Study Group
  • Emmett Johnston
    Irish Basking Shark Study Group
  • Chrysoula Gubili
    University of Aberdeen
  • Jane Sarginson
    University of Aberdeen
  • Malcolm Francis
    National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
  • Clinton Duffy
    Department of Conservation, Auckland
  • Sabine P Wintner
    KwaZulu‐Natal Sharks Board, Umhlanga Rocks, South Africa
  • Philip D Doherty
    Exeter University
  • Brendan J Godley
    Exeter University
  • Lucy A Hawkes
    Exeter University
  • Matthew J Witt
    Exeter University
  • Suzanne M Henderson
    Scottish Natural Heritage Great Glen House
  • Eleonora de Sabata
    MedSharks
  • Mahmood S Shivji
    Nova Southeastern University, FL
  • Deborah A Dawson
    Sheffield University
  • David W Sims
    The Laboratory, Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
  • Catherine S Jones
    University of Aberdeen
  • Leslie R Noble
    University of Aberdeen

Migratory movements in response to seasonal resources often influence population structure and dynamics. Yet in mobile marine predators, population genetic consequences of such repetitious behaviour remain inaccessible without comprehensive sampling strategies. Temporal genetic sampling of seasonally recurring aggregations of planktivorous basking sharks, Cetorhinus maximus, in the Northeast Atlantic (NEA) affords an opportunity to resolve individual re-encounters at key sites with population connectivity and patterns of relatedness. Genetic tagging (19 microsatellites) revealed 18% of re-sampled individuals in the NEA demonstrated inter/multi-annual site-specific re-encounters. High genetic connectivity and migration between aggregation sites indicate the Irish Sea as an important movement corridor, with a contemporary effective population estimate (Ne) of 382 (CI = 241-830). We contrast the prevailing view of high gene flow across oceanic regions with evidence of population structure within the NEA, with early-season sharks off southwest Ireland possibly representing genetically distinct migrants. Finally, we found basking sharks surfacing together in the NEA are on average more related than expected by chance, suggesting a genetic consequence of, or a potential mechanism maintaining, site-specific re-encounters. Long-term temporal genetic monitoring is paramount in determining future viability of cosmopolitan marine species, identifying genetic units for conservation management, and for understanding aggregation structure and dynamics.

Keywords

  • Animal Migration, Animals, Atlantic Ocean, Conservation of Natural Resources, Female, Gene Flow, Genetic Variation, Genetics, Population, Ireland, Male, Microsatellite Repeats, Population Density, Seasons, Sharks/genetics, Spatio-Temporal Analysis
Original languageEnglish
Article number1661
JournalScientific Reports
Volume10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Feb 2020
Externally publishedYes
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