Gene flow from multiple sources maintains high genetic diversity and stable population history of Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus in China |
| |
Authors: | Luzhang Ruan Wei Xu Yuqing Han Chaoying Zhu Bicai Guan Changxin Xu Bin Gao Dongqin Zhao |
| |
Institution: | 1. School of Life Sciences, State Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China;2. Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance of Shandong Province, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China |
| |
Abstract: | In this study, we used mitochondrial control sequences and microsatellite data from 231 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus individuals sampled from 19 sites in China to analyse their genetic structure and evolutionary history. High genetic diversity was found for all populations, although microsatellite analysis showed that the genetic diversity in non‐migratory populations was significantly higher than in migratory populations. High gene flow occurred between neighbouring populations, although long‐distance gene flow also occurred. The Huazhong population was the single greatest genetic source for other populations. High gene flow probably led to the shallow genetic structure that we observed. Demographic expansion was found in migratory populations, non‐migratory populations and with all individuals combined. The expansion time for all populations combined was estimated to be 221 000 years ago. The Common Moorhen population grew rapidly during the interglacial before the last glacial maximum (LGM), then remained generally stable from the LGM to the present. |
| |
Keywords: | genetic source genetic structure last glacial maximum migratory population population expansion |
|
|