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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Main Authors: Dóra Székely, Natasja Lykke Corfixen, Louise Løvschall Mørch, Steen Wilhelm Knudsen, Morgan L. McCarthy, Jonas Teilmann, Mads Peter Heide‐Jørgensen, Morten Tange Olsen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Environmental DNA
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.176
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spelling 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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