Genetic Structure of the Common Eider in the Western Aleutian Islands Prior to Fox Eradication

Sonsthagen, Sarah A.; Talbot, Sandra L.; Wilson, R. E.; Petersen, Margaret R.; Williams, Jeffrey C.; Byrd, G. Vernon; McCracken, Kevin G.

doi:10.1525/cond.2012.110054

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…As also found by Sonsthagen et al (), our conclusion of re‐colonization from remnant colonies on nearby islets and immigration of adult eiders is consistent with the lack of nuclear population differentiation among island pairs within the Near Islands group. Additionally, our satellite telemetry data suggested that mixing occurs during winter throughout the Near Islands group, and eiders moved extensively within the Rat Islands group.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…The re‐establishment of common eiders in the Aleutian Islands may have influenced morphological characters and genetic diversity. As with Sonsthagen et al (), we found that indices of genetic diversity varied between 1993 and 2006 in the Near Islands group; in addition, we found changes in morphological characters among those two groups of birds. While genetic diversity indices were similar between years for most islands, nuclear diversity increased (AR and H o increased 15%) and mtDNA diversity decreased (1993 h = 0.154, 2006 h = 0.000) on Attu Island.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Gene flow estimates based on mtDNA suggests that common eiders dispersed predominantly to the west from the Rat Islands group to the Near Islands group, as was also found by Sonsthagen et al (). Foxes were removed from the Rat Islands group marking site (Amchitka Island) before the first eradications in the Near Islands group.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

“…philopatry) on islands within the Near Islands group. Although post‐eradication colony establishment of common eiders likely resulted from increased dispersal to neighboring islands (Sonsthagen et al ; this study), changes in haplotype diversity suggest that common eider populations (at least females) may be more established and no longer exhibiting increased dispersal.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

“…Sequences are deposited in GenBank (EU019596, EU019598, and HQ695312–HQ695315). Data (microsatellites and mtDNA) for the 1993 samples were collected by Sonsthagen et al ().…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Re‐colonization by common eiders Somateria mollissima in the Aleutian Archipelago following removal of introduced arctic foxes Vulpes lagopus

Petersen

Byrd

Sonsthagen

et al. 2015

Journal of Avian Biology

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Islands provide refuges for populations of many species where they find safety from predators, but the introduction of predators frequently results in elimination or dramatic reductions in island-dwelling organisms. When predators are removed, re-colonization for some species occurs naturally, and inter-island phylogeographic relationships and current movement patterns can illuminate processes of colonization. We studied a case of re-colonization of common eiders Somateria mollissima following removal of introduced arctic foxes Vulpes lagopus in the Aleutian Archipelago, Alaska. We expected common eiders to resume nesting on islands cleared of foxes and to re-colonize from nearby islets, islands, and island groups. We thus expected common eiders to show limited genetic structure indicative of extensive mixing among island populations. Satellite telemetry was used to record current movement patterns of female common eiders from six islands across three island groups. We collected genetic data from these and other nesting common eiders at 14 microsatellite loci and the mitochondrial DNA control region to examine population genetic structure, historical fluctuations in population demography, and gene flow. Our results suggest recent interchange among islands. Analysis of microsatellite data supports satellite telemetry data of increased dispersal of common eiders to nearby areas and little between island groups. Although evidence from mtDNA is suggestive of female dispersal among island groups, gene flow is insufficient to account for recolonization and rapid population growth. Instead, near-by remnant populations of common eiders contributed substantially to population expansion, without which re-colonization would have likely occurred at a much lower rate. Genetic and morphometric data of common eiders within one island group two and three decades after re-colonization suggests reduced movement of eiders among islands and little movement between island groups after populations were re-established. We predict that re-colonization of an island group where all common eiders are extirpated could take decades.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

“…Sequences are deposited in GenBank (EU019596, EU019598, and HQ695312–HQ695315). Data (microsatellites and mtDNA) for the 1993 samples were collected by Sonsthagen et al ().…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Re‐colonization by common eiders Somateria mollissima in the Aleutian Archipelago following removal of introduced arctic foxes Vulpes lagopus

Petersen

Byrd

Sonsthagen

et al. 2015

Journal of Avian Biology

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Temporal variation in genetic structure within the threatened spectacled eider

et al. 2019

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Island life and isolation: The population genetics of Pacific Wrens on the North Pacific Rim

et al. 2017

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Conservation of intraspecific variation is a growing focus of conservation biology. Island populations can make up a large portion of the variation of widespread species, as they are often isolated and exhibit differences in phenotype and genetic structure compared with mainland populations. We genotyped 169 Pacific Wrens (Troglodytes pacificus) from 9 locations and 6 subspecies in Alaska, USA, and British Columbia, Canada, to examine the population structure, genetic diversity, and likelihood of genetic rescue of island populations of conservation concern. We found that 25% of genetic variation was partitioned among conservation units delineated by subspecies, suggesting that the present framework of managing subspecies as separate units is warranted. Populations found farthest from possible mainland sources had the lowest genetic diversity. The Attu Island population, subspecies T. p. meligerus, had the lowest genetic diversity and highest genetic divergence of all sampled locations, a signal also found in Attu Island populations of Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) and Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta). Currently, populations in western Alaska are unlikely to be connected to populations in mainland locations through dispersal, and thus are unlikely candidates for natural genetic or demographic rescue.

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Genetic Structure of the Common Eider in the Western Aleutian Islands Prior to Fox Eradication

Cited by 3 publications

References 72 publications

Re‐colonization by common eiders Somateria mollissima in the Aleutian Archipelago following removal of introduced arctic foxes Vulpes lagopus

Re‐colonization by common eiders Somateria mollissima in the Aleutian Archipelago following removal of introduced arctic foxes Vulpes lagopus

Temporal variation in genetic structure within the threatened spectacled eider

Island life and isolation: The population genetics of Pacific Wrens on the North Pacific Rim

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