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Mitochondrial Control Region and microsatellite analyses on harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) unravel population differentiation in the Baltic Sea and adjacent waters

Conservation Genetics volume 11, pages 195–211 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

The population status of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the Baltic area has been a continuous matter of debate. Here we present the by far most comprehensive genetic population structure assessment to date for this region, both with regard to geographic coverage and sample size: 497 porpoise samples from North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, Belt Sea, and Inner Baltic Sea were sequenced at the mitochondrial Control Region and 305 of these specimens were typed at 15 polymorphic microsatellite loci. Samples were stratified according to sample type (stranding vs. by-caught), sex, and season (breeding vs. non-breeding season). Our data provide ample evidence for a population split between the Skagerrak and the Belt Sea, with a transition zone in the Kattegat area. Among other measures, this was particularly visible in significant frequency shifts of the most abundant mitochondrial haplotypes. A particular haplotype almost absent in the North Sea was the most abundant in Belt Sea and Inner Baltic Sea. Microsatellites yielded a similar pattern (i.e., turnover in occurrence of clusters identified by STRUCTURE). Moreover, a highly significant association between microsatellite assignment and unlinked mitochondrial haplotypes further indicates a split between North Sea and Baltic porpoises. For the Inner Baltic Sea, we consistently recovered a small, but significant separation from the Belt Sea population. Despite recent arguments that separation should exceed a predefined threshold before populations shall be managed separately, we argue in favour of precautionary acknowledging the Inner Baltic porpoises as a separate management unit, which should receive particular attention, as it is threatened by various factors, in particular local fishery measures.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Katja Havenstein, Simone Treplin, and Klaudia Manteuffel for technical assistance. Samples originating from Schleswig–Holstein were collected through the stranding network funded by the government of Schleswig–Holstein. The work was financially supported by the University of Potsdam and the Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Evolutionary Biology/Systematic Zoology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, 14476, Potsdam, Germany

    Annika Wiemann, Kirsten B. Paulus, Valerio Ketmaier & Ralph Tiedemann

  2. Department of Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity, Danish National Environmental Research Institute, University of Århus, 8410, Rønde, Denmark

    Liselotte W. Andersen

  3. Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden

    Per Berggren

  4. Research and Technology Center Westcoast, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, 25761, Büsum, Germany

    Ursula Siebert

  5. Deutsches Meeresmuseum, 18439, Stralsund, Germany

    Harald Benke

  6. Department of Arctic Environment, Danish National Environmental Research Institute, University of Århus, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark

    Jonas Teilmann

  7. Age Dynamics, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark

    Christina Lockyer

  8. Hel Marine Station, University of Gdansk, 84-150, Hel, Poland

    Iwona Pawliczka & Krzysztof Skóra

  9. Swedish Museum of Natural History, 104 05, Stockholm, Sweden

    Anna Roos & Thomas Lyrholm

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  1. Annika Wiemann
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Correspondence to Ralph Tiedemann.

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Wiemann, A., Andersen, L.W., Berggren, P. et al. Mitochondrial Control Region and microsatellite analyses on harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) unravel population differentiation in the Baltic Sea and adjacent waters. Conserv Genet 11, 195–211 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-009-0023-x

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Keywords

  • Demographic independence
  • Management unit
  • Mitochondrial DNA
  • Microsatellites
  • Phocoena phocoena
  • Population