Atlantic connectivity of a major green sea turtle Chelonia mydas foraging aggregation at the Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania

Author:

Patrício AR12,Coveney SA3,Barbanti A4,Barbosa C5,Broderick AC2,El’Bar N6,Godley BJ2,Hancock JM17,Regalla A5,Senhoury C6,Sidina E6,de Thoisy B8,Tilley D27,Weber S2,Catry P7

Affiliation:

1. cE3c Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal

2. Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, TR10 9FE Penryn, UK

3. Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP Wales, UK

4. WWF Mediterranean, via PO 25/c, Roma, Italy

5. Instituto da Biodiversidade e Áreas Protegidas, Dr. Alfredo Simão da Silva (IBAP), CP 70, Bissau, Guinea Bissau

6. Parc National du Banc d’Arguin, Chami, Mauritania

7. MARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET—Aquatic Research Network, Ispa—Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal

8. Kwata NGO, BP 60672 97335 Cayenne, French Guiana

Abstract

Understanding population connectivity is paramount for effective conservation. While genetic tools have elucidated sea turtle migration patterns, notable data gaps limit our understanding of ocean-wide connectivity, especially regarding east Atlantic green turtles. We characterized the genetic composition of a globally important green turtle foraging aggregation at the Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania, incorporating data from 323 individuals captured between 2018 and 2021. Using extended mitochondrial DNA D-loop (738 base pairs [bp]) and mitochondrial short tandem repeat (mtSTR; ~200 bp) markers, we assessed the genetic structure of Atlantic green turtle foraging aggregations and estimated the most likely origin of immature green turtles from the Banc d’Arguin using mixed stock analyses (MSAs). We identified 6 D-loop haplotypes, with a clear dominance of CM-A8.1 (91.8%) followed by CM-A5.1 (6.3%) and 4 rare haplotypes: CM-A1.4, CMA6.1, CM24.1 and CM36.1. We found 13 mtSTR haplotypes, with ‘7-12-4-4’ being dominant (89.0%). The genetic composition at the Banc d’Arguin differed significantly from the only foraging aggregation studied in West Africa to date—in the archipelago of Cabo Verde (located ca. 750 km from the Banc d’Arguin)—dominated by haplotype CM-A5. The MSA combining both genetic markers indicated that 87.6% of immature green turtles at the Banc d’Arguin originate from the major East Atlantic rookery at Poilão (Guinea-Bissau), but 11.6% come from more distant rookeries in South America (8.1%) and potentially Ascension Island (3.4%). We suggest that green turtle transatlantic movements may be more common than previously thought and highlight the importance of the Banc d’Arguin as a regional foraging hub for this species.

Publisher

Inter-Research Science Center

Reference97 articles.

1. Abreu-Grobois A, Horrock J, Formia A, Dutton P and others (2006) New mtDNA Dloop primers which work for a variety of marine turtle species may increase the resolution of mixed stock analyses. In: Frick M, Panagopoulou A, Rees A, Williams K (eds) Proc 26th Annu Symp Sea Turtle Biol Conserv, 3-8 April 2006, Crete. International Sea Turtle Society, Athens, p 179

2. Genetic Diversity and Natal Origins of Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the Western Gulf of Mexico

3. Major Cuban Green Turtle Rookeries: Identification of Management Units and Their Genetic Relationships with Other Greater Caribbean Populations

4. Bagley DA (2003) Characterizing juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas), from three east central Florida developmental habitats. MSc dissertation, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

5. How many came home? Evaluating ex situ conservation of green turtles in the Cayman Islands

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3