loading page

Sea surface temperature, rather than land mass or geographical distance, may drive genetic differentiation in a species complex of highly-dispersive seabirds
  • +11
  • Lucas Torres,
  • Eric Pante,
  • Jacob González-Solís,
  • Amelia Viricel ,
  • Cecile Ribout,
  • Frank Zino,
  • Will MacKin,
  • Carine Precheur,
  • Julie Tourmetz,
  • Licia Calabrese,
  • Teresa Militão,
  • Laura Zango,
  • Hadoram Shirihai,
  • Vincent Bretagnolle
Lucas Torres
CEBC

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Eric Pante
LIENSs
Author Profile
Jacob González-Solís
University of Barcelona
Author Profile
Amelia Viricel
LIENSs
Author Profile
Cecile Ribout
CEBC
Author Profile
Frank Zino
Author Profile
Will MacKin
Author Profile
Carine Precheur
Author Profile
Julie Tourmetz
SEOR
Author Profile
Licia Calabrese
Island Conservation Society
Author Profile
Teresa Militão
Universitat de Barcelona
Author Profile
Laura Zango
University of Barcelona
Author Profile
Hadoram Shirihai
Author Profile
Vincent Bretagnolle
CEBC
Author Profile

Abstract

Seabirds, particularly Procellariiformes, are highly mobile organisms with a great capacity for long dispersal, though simultaneously showing high philopatry, two conflicting characteristics that may lead to contrasted patterns of genetic population structure. Landmasses were suggested to explain differentiation patterns observed in seabirds, but philopatry, isolation-by-distance, segregation between breeding and non-breeding zones, and oceanographic conditions (sea surface temperatures) may also contribute to differentiation patterns. No study has simultaneously contrasted the multiple factors contributing to the diversification of seabird species, especially in the grey zone of speciation. We conducted a multi-locus phylogeographic study on a widespread shearwater species complex (Puffinus lherminieri/bailloni), showing highly homogeneous morphology. We sequenced three mitochondrial and six nuclear markers on all extant populations (five nominal lineages, 13 populations). We found sharp differentiation among populations separated by the African continent with both mitochondrial and nuclear markers, while only mitochondrial markers allowed characterizing the five nominal lineages. No differentiation could be detected within these five lineages, questioning the strong level of philopatry showed by these shearwaters. Finally, we propose that Atlantic populations likely originated from the Indian Ocean. Within the Atlantic, a stepping-stone process accounts for the current distribution. Based on our divergence times estimates, we suggest that the observed pattern of differentiation mostly resulted from variation in sea surface temperatures.
16 Jul 2020Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
17 Jul 2020Submission Checks Completed
17 Jul 2020Assigned to Editor
31 Jul 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
12 Feb 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
25 Feb 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
27 Jun 20211st Revision Received
28 Jun 2021Submission Checks Completed
28 Jun 2021Assigned to Editor
28 Jun 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
19 Jul 2021Editorial Decision: Accept