Data from: Genetic consequences of breaking migratory traditions in barnacle geese Branta leucopsis

Cultural transmission of migratory traditions enables species to deal with their environment based on experiences from earlier generations. Also, it allows a more adequate and rapid response to rapidly changing environments. When individuals break with their migratory traditions, new population structures can emerge that may affect gene flow. Recently, the migratory traditions of the Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis changed, and new populations differing in migratory distance emerged. Here, we investigate the population genetic structure of the Barnacle Goose to evaluate the consequences of altered migratory traditions. We used a set of 358 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to genotype 418 individuals from breeding populations in Greenland, Spitsbergen, Russia, Sweden and the Netherlands, the latter two being newly emerged populations. We used discriminant analysis of principal components, FST, linkage disequilibrium and a comparison of geneflow models using migrate-n to show that there is significant population structure, but that relatively many pairs of SNPs are in linkage disequilibrium, suggesting recent admixture between these populations. Despite the assumed traditions of migration within populations, we also show that genetic exchange occurs between all populations. The newly established nonmigratory population in the Netherlands is characterized by high emigration into other populations, which suggests more exploratory behaviour, possibly as a result of shortened parental care. These results suggest that migratory traditions in populations are subject to change in geese and that such changes have population genetic consequences. We argue that the emergence of nonmigration probably resulted from developmental plasticity.

迁徙传统的文化传承，使得物种能够凭借前代积累的经验应对所处环境；同时也能让物种对快速变化的环境做出更充分且迅捷的响应。当个体背离其迁徙传统时，可能会形成新的种群结构，进而影响基因流。近期，白颊黑雁（Branta leucopsis）的迁徙传统发生了改变，出现了迁徙距离各异的新种群。本研究针对白颊黑雁的种群遗传结构展开探究，以评估迁徙传统改变所带来的影响。我们采用358个单核苷酸多态性（Single Nucleotide Polymorphism, SNP）标记，对来自格陵兰、斯瓦尔巴、俄罗斯、瑞典以及荷兰的繁殖种群的418个个体进行基因分型，其中瑞典与荷兰的繁殖种群为新近形成的种群。我们通过主成分判别分析（Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components, DAPC）、固定指数FST（Fixation Index, FST）、连锁不平衡（Linkage Disequilibrium, LD）分析以及基于migrate-n的基因流模型比对，证实了种群结构存在显著分化；同时发现有相对较多的SNP位点对处于连锁不平衡状态，这表明这些种群间近期发生了遗传混合。尽管此前认为各种群内部存在迁徙传统，但本研究证实所有种群间均存在遗传交流。荷兰新近形成的不迁徙繁殖种群，其特征是个体向其他种群的迁出率较高，这暗示该种群个体具有更强的探索行为，这可能源于亲代抚育时长缩短。上述结果表明，鹅类种群的迁徙传统可发生改变，且此类改变会对种群遗传产生影响。我们认为，不迁徙习性的出现可能源于发育可塑性。