Effects of inbreeding on reproductive success in endangered North Atlantic right whales

Crossman, Carla A.; Hamilton, Philip K.; Brown, Moira W.; Conger, Lisa A.; George, R. Clay; Jackson, Katharine A.; Radvan, Sonya N.; Frasier, Timothy R.

doi:10.1098/rsos.240490

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The NOAA IR serves as an archival repository of NOAA-published products including scientific findings, journal articles, guidelines, recommendations, or other information authored or co-authored by NOAA or funded partners. As a repository, the NOAA IR retains documents in their original published format to ensure public access to scientific information.

i

Effects of inbreeding on reproductive success in endangered North Atlantic right whales

2024
By Crossman, Carla A. ; Hamilton, Philip K. ; Brown, Moira W. ; ...
Source: Royal Society Open Science, 11(7)

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Details:

Journal Title:

Royal Society Open Science
Personal Author:

Crossman, Carla A. ; Hamilton, Philip K. ; Brown, Moira W. ; Conger, Lisa A. ; George, R. Clay ; ... More +

Crossman, Carla A. ; Hamilton, Philip K. ; Brown, Moira W. ; Conger, Lisa A. ; George, R. Clay ; Jackson, Katharine A. ; Radvan, Sonya N. ; Frasier, Timothy R. Less -
NOAA Program & Office:

NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; NEFSC (Northeast Fisheries Science Center)

NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; NEFSC (Northeast Fisheries Science Center) Less -
Description:

Only approximately 356 North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) remain. With extremely low levels of genetic diversity, limited options for mates, and variation in reproductive success across females, there is concern regarding the potential for genetic limitations of population growth from inbreeding depression. In this study, we quantified reproductive success of female North Atlantic right whales with a modified de-lifing approach using reproductive history information collected over decades of field observations. We used double-digest restriction site-associated sequencing to sequence approximately 2% of the genome of 105 female North Atlantic right whales and combined genomic inbreeding estimates with individual fecundity values to assess evidence of inbreeding depression. Inbreeding depression could not explain the variance in reproductive success of females, however we present evidence that inbreeding depression may be affecting the viability of inbred fetuses—potentially lowering the reproductive success of the species as a whole. Combined, these results allay some concerns that genetic factors are impacting species survival as genetic diversity is being retained through selection against inbred fetuses. While still far fewer calves are being born each year than expected, the small role of genetics underlying variance in female fecundity suggests that variance may be explained by external factors that can potentially be mitigated through protection measures designed to reduce serious injury and mortality from human activities.
Source:

Royal Society Open Science, 11(7)
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.240490
ISSN:

2054-5703
Format:

PDF
Publisher:

The Royal Society
Document Type:

Journal Article
License:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Rights Information:

CC BY
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Submitted
Main Document Checksum:

[+]

urn:sha-512:3f50a5bcd01e00321185ee8811c88856c83c6ac5a4c42f20bad1e86276f79a51b6d1d45fc1e2e3cb44bebe3ea7c3019aa77fb396f5582b65464abdeed58c1e88
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/65760/noaa_65760_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF-980.03 KB]