Elephant Seal Genetic Variation and the Use of Simulation Models to Investigate Historical Population Bottlenecks

摘要: Because the northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostrus) was heavily exploited during 19th century, it experienced an extreme population bottleneck. Since then, under legislative protection in United States and Mexico, seals have recovered dramatically number, although their genomic diversity greatly reduced, apparently as a consequence of In this study we investigated DNA sequence two mtDNA regions (the control region 16S RNA) found low genetic variation seal: there were only haplotypes (sequence difference = 1%), which consistent with founder event recent history species. We also reaffirmed lack allozyme contrast, southern (M. leonina), though similarly never fell below 1,000 animals, had 23 (average 2.3%). To investigate extent devised simulation model based on extensive demographic data. This allowed statistical analysis likely outcome bottlenecks different size duration. Given these historical data, our results indicate (within 95% confidence) bottleneck less than 30 20-year duration, or, if hunting primary pressure population, single-year 20 seals.