Title
Genetic composition and origin of juvenile green turtles foraging at Culebra, Puerto Rico, as revealed by mtDNA
Date Issued
01 January 2017
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Publisher(s)
Escuela de Ciencias del Mar
Abstract
Marine migratory species encounter a range of threats as they move through coastal and oceanic zones. Understanding the connectivity and dispersal patterns of such species is critical to their effective conservation. Here we analyzed the temporal genetic composition and the most likely origin of juvenile green turtles foraging at Puerto Manglar and Tortuga Bay, Culebra, Puerto Rico, using mitochondrial DNA control region sequences. We identified 17 haplotypes, of which CM-A3 (51.5%), CM-A5 (19.4%) and CM-A1 (13.6%) were the most common. Haplotype (h) and nucleotide (π) diversities were 0.680 and 0.008, respectively. There was no evidence of significant variation in the genetic composition of these aggregations throughout seven years (2000-2006), suggesting that relative contributions from source populations did not significantly change during this period. Mixed Stock Analysis (MSA), incorporating 14 Atlantic nesting populations as possible sources, indicated four main contributing stocks to the Culebra foraging grounds: Costa Rica (34.9%), Mexico (29.2%), East Central Florida (13.2%), and Suriname (12.0%). The regional pattern of connectivity among Wider Caribbean rookeries and Culebra was further evidenced by a second MSA using Atlantic Regional Management Units (RMUs) as sources, with 94.1% of the mixed stock attributed to this area. This study addresses the information gap on the connectivity of the green turtle in the North Atlantic, and establishes an important baseline that can be used to determine future changes in stock composition.
Start page
506
End page
520
Volume
45
Issue
3
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Biología marina, Biología de agua dulce, Limnología
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85029719326
Source
Latin American Journal of Aquatic Research
Sponsor(s)
also wish to thank two anonymous referees for their constructive commentaries. Research support was provided by the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources of Puerto Rico (DNER-PR), US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS-NOAA, Section 6, grant NA08NMF4720436), US Fish and Wildlife Service, Chelonia Inc, and WIDECAST. Work was conducted under permits by NMFS-NOAA (permit nos. 1253, 1518, 14949) and DNER (06-EPE-016). ARP had the support of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology through the strategic project UID/MAR/04292/2013 granted to MARE, project IF/00502/2013/CP1186/CT0003 and the fellowship SFRH/BD/85017/2012).
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus