Environmental DNA captures the genetic diversity of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in West Greenland
Abstract Environmental changes are prominent in Arctic ecosystems, where the distribution, abundance, life history, and health of marine organisms such as the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) are tightly connected to sea ice and sea temperature. However, due to logistical and other challenges of d...
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doaj-577f983b89fe4a0697df0a695fc809142021-02-04T08:40:33ZengWileyEnvironmental DNA2637-49432021-01-013124826010.1002/edn3.176Environmental DNA captures the genetic diversity of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in West GreenlandDóra Székely0Natasja Lykke Corfixen1Louise Løvschall Mørch2Steen Wilhelm Knudsen3Morgan L. McCarthy4Jonas Teilmann5Mads Peter Heide‐Jørgensen6Morten Tange Olsen7Evolutionary Genomics Section Globe Institute University of Copenhagen Copenhagen DenmarkEvolutionary Genomics Section Globe Institute University of Copenhagen Copenhagen DenmarkEvolutionary Genomics Section Globe Institute University of Copenhagen Copenhagen DenmarkNIVA Denmark Water Research Copenhagen DenmarkEvolutionary Genomics Section Globe Institute University of Copenhagen Copenhagen DenmarkMarine Mammal Research Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Aarhus DenmarkDepartment of Birds and Mammals Greenland Institute of Natural Resources Nuuk GreenlandEvolutionary Genomics Section Globe Institute University of Copenhagen Copenhagen DenmarkAbstract Environmental changes are prominent in Arctic ecosystems, where the distribution, abundance, life history, and health of marine organisms such as the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) are tightly connected to sea ice and sea temperature. However, due to logistical and other challenges of data collection in the Arctic, appropriate assessments of past, present and future effects of climate change and human activities are lacking for many Arctic species. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is emerging as a noninvasive and cost‐effective way of obtaining genetic material from the environment and has the potential to complement traditional methods for biodiversity and genetic monitoring. In this study, we investigate whether eDNA isolated from seawater samples has the capacity to capture the genetic diversity of bowhead whales in Disko Bay, West Greenland, for the implementation of long‐term genetic monitoring programs of key Arctic marine species. A total of 41 eDNA “footprint” samples were obtained from the water surface after a whale had dived and an additional 54 eDNA samples were collected along transect lines. Samples were screened for bowhead DNA using a species‐specific qPCR primer and probe assay, and a subset of 30 samples were successfully Sanger‐sequenced to generate individual mitochondrial control region haplotypes. Moreover, by shotgun sequencing ten footprint samples on an Illumina NovaSeq platform we show that footprints generally contain less than 1% endogenous DNA, resulting in partial mitochondrial genomes in four samples out of ten samples. Our findings suggest that sampling in the footprint or wake of traveling animals is a promising method for capturing the genetic diversity of bowhead whales and other marine megafauna. With optimization of sampling and target DNA sequencing for higher endogenous DNA yield, seawater eDNA samples have a large potential for implementation in the long‐term population genetic monitoring of marine megafauna in the Arctic and elsewhere.https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.176Arcticclimate changeeDNAmarine mammalmitochondrial DNAnoninvasive |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Dóra Székely Natasja Lykke Corfixen Louise Løvschall Mørch Steen Wilhelm Knudsen Morgan L. McCarthy Jonas Teilmann Mads Peter Heide‐Jørgensen Morten Tange Olsen |
spellingShingle |
Dóra Székely Natasja Lykke Corfixen Louise Løvschall Mørch Steen Wilhelm Knudsen Morgan L. McCarthy Jonas Teilmann Mads Peter Heide‐Jørgensen Morten Tange Olsen Environmental DNA captures the genetic diversity of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in West Greenland Environmental DNA Arctic climate change eDNA marine mammal mitochondrial DNA noninvasive |
author_facet |
Dóra Székely Natasja Lykke Corfixen Louise Løvschall Mørch Steen Wilhelm Knudsen Morgan L. McCarthy Jonas Teilmann Mads Peter Heide‐Jørgensen Morten Tange Olsen |
author_sort |
Dóra Székely |
title |
Environmental DNA captures the genetic diversity of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in West Greenland |
title_short |
Environmental DNA captures the genetic diversity of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in West Greenland |
title_full |
Environmental DNA captures the genetic diversity of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in West Greenland |
title_fullStr |
Environmental DNA captures the genetic diversity of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in West Greenland |
title_full_unstemmed |
Environmental DNA captures the genetic diversity of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in West Greenland |
title_sort |
environmental dna captures the genetic diversity of bowhead whales (balaena mysticetus) in west greenland |
publisher |
Wiley |
series |
Environmental DNA |
issn |
2637-4943 |
publishDate |
2021-01-01 |
description |
Abstract Environmental changes are prominent in Arctic ecosystems, where the distribution, abundance, life history, and health of marine organisms such as the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) are tightly connected to sea ice and sea temperature. However, due to logistical and other challenges of data collection in the Arctic, appropriate assessments of past, present and future effects of climate change and human activities are lacking for many Arctic species. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is emerging as a noninvasive and cost‐effective way of obtaining genetic material from the environment and has the potential to complement traditional methods for biodiversity and genetic monitoring. In this study, we investigate whether eDNA isolated from seawater samples has the capacity to capture the genetic diversity of bowhead whales in Disko Bay, West Greenland, for the implementation of long‐term genetic monitoring programs of key Arctic marine species. A total of 41 eDNA “footprint” samples were obtained from the water surface after a whale had dived and an additional 54 eDNA samples were collected along transect lines. Samples were screened for bowhead DNA using a species‐specific qPCR primer and probe assay, and a subset of 30 samples were successfully Sanger‐sequenced to generate individual mitochondrial control region haplotypes. Moreover, by shotgun sequencing ten footprint samples on an Illumina NovaSeq platform we show that footprints generally contain less than 1% endogenous DNA, resulting in partial mitochondrial genomes in four samples out of ten samples. Our findings suggest that sampling in the footprint or wake of traveling animals is a promising method for capturing the genetic diversity of bowhead whales and other marine megafauna. With optimization of sampling and target DNA sequencing for higher endogenous DNA yield, seawater eDNA samples have a large potential for implementation in the long‐term population genetic monitoring of marine megafauna in the Arctic and elsewhere. |
topic |
Arctic climate change eDNA marine mammal mitochondrial DNA noninvasive |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.176 |
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