Population viability and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genetic diversity of two dolphin populations in Western Australia — ASN Events
  1. Schedule
  2. Symposium 2A: Population Genetics
  3. Population viability and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genetic diversity of two dolphin populations in Western Australia

Population viability and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genetic diversity of two dolphin populations in Western Australia (#28)

Oliver Manlik 1 , Michael Kruetzen 1 2 , Janet Mann 1 3 , Holly C. Smith 4 5 , Jane A. McDondald 1 6 , Simon J. Allen 4 , Lars Bejder 4 , Richard C. Connor 1 7 , Michael R. Heithaus 8 , Claire Daniel 1 , Robert C. Lacy 9 , William B. Sherwin 1 4
  1. Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. Anthropological Institute & Museum, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  3. Department of Biology and Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, U.S.A.
  4. Cetacean Research Unit, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
  5. Marine Science Program, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Perth, WA, Australia
  6. School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
  7. Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA, U.S.A.
  8. Department of Biological Science, School of Environment, Arts and Society, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, U.S.A.
  9. Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield, IL, U.S.A.

Genetic diversity is considered essential for populations to adapt to a changing environment. Measures of genetic diversity to evaluate how isolated, inbred and viable a population is, are typically based on various neutral markers, such as microsatellites or mitochondrial DNA control regions. However, genetic diversity to guide conservation management is better reflected by coding regions of functionally important genetic loci, such as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes. In this study we assessed population viability and MHC diversity of two bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops cf. aduncus) populations in Western Australia. From demographic data, the larger Shark Bay population appears to be stable, whereas the smaller Bunbury population was forecast to decline. Furthermore, we found the more viable Shark Bay population to be more genetically diverse for at least one (MHC II, DQB, exon 2) of the three MHC loci that we investigated. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that large, viable populations typically display greater genetic diversity compared to smaller, less viable populations. A larger population, such as the Shark Bay dolphin population, is thus potentially more robust to natural or human-induced changes to coastal ecosystems it inhabits across Australasia.