Chinstrap penguin population genetic structure: one or more populations along the Southern Ocean?

摘要: Historical factors, demography, reproduction and dispersal are crucial in determining the genetic structure of seabirds. In Antarctic marine environment, penguins a major component avian biomass, dominant predators important bioindicators ecological change. Populations chinstrap have decreased nearly all their breeding sites, range is expanding throughout Peninsula. Population this species has been studied some colonies, but not between colonies Peninsula or at species’ easternmost colony (Bouvetoya). Connectivity, sex-biased dispersal, diversity, demographic history were using 12 microsatellite loci mitochondrial DNA region (HVRI) South Shetland Islands (SSI) Western (WAP), one previously unstudied sub-Antarctic island, 3600 km away from WAP High evidence female bias-dispersal sign population expansion after last glacial maximum around 10,000 mya detected. Limited lack isolation by distance found, along with no differentiation Bouvetoya (overall FST = 0.002, p = 0.273; mtDNA FST = − 0.004, p = 0.766), indicating long dispersal. Therefore, assignment tests could assign individuals to population(s) origin. The most differentiated location was Georges Point, southernmost WAP. subtle found may be explained combination low natal philopatric behavior, high rates and/or generally mobility among compared other Pygoscelis species.