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Publication
No evidence of inbreeding depression despite a historical severe bottleneck in the endangered Bermuda petrel (Pterodroma cahow)
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The Bermuda petrel Pterodroma cahow is an island endemic seabird that belongs to the Procellariiformes, one of the most endangered orders
of birds. Historical records suggest a significant population size decline following human settlement in Bermuda, bringing the species to near
extinction. Since the 1950s, the population has been recovering aided by the implementation of an ongoing conservation plan. However, it still
faces several threats, and negative genetic effects resulting from that drastic decline are to be expected, including inbreeding and genetic drift.
We studied genetic diversity and levels of inbreeding, and their effects on individual fitness and mating choice. We also tested for a genetic signature of the recent demographic bottleneck. For this, we analyzed variation in thousands of nuclear single-nucleotide polymorphisms derived
from double digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing and 1 mitochondrial gene (cytochrome oxidase I). The results revealed that the
Bermuda petrel suffered a recent genetic bottleneck and shows low mitochondrial diversity compared with other petrel species. Conversely,
nuclear diversity was similar to that of other endangered petrels. Inbreeding levels were not high overall, although some individuals were highly
inbred. However, we found no evidence that individual inbreeding or relatedness between mates affected hatching success, or that mate choice
is influenced by kinship in this very small population.
Description
Keywords
ddRADseq Hatching success HFCs Population genomics Pterodroma
Citation
Afonso, R. O., Pina-Martins, F., Silva, M. C., Friesen, V., Sun, Z., Campioni, L., & Madeiros, J. (2023). No evidence of inbreeding depression despite a historical severe bottleneck in the endangered Bermuda petrel (Pterodroma cahow). Journal of Heredity, 114(5), 459–469. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esad030
Publisher
Oxford University Press