Data from: Combined genetic and telemetry data reveal high rates of gene flow, migration, and long-distance dispersal potential in Arctic ringed seals (Pusa hispida)

Ringed seals (Pusa hispida) are broadly distributed in seasonally ice covered seas, and their survival and reproductive success is intricately linked to sea ice and snow. Climatic warming is diminishing Arctic snow and sea ice and threatens to endanger ringed seals in the foreseeable future. We investigated the population structure and connectedness within and among three subspecies: Arctic (P. hispida hispida), Baltic (P. hispida botnica), and Lake Saimaa (P. hispida saimensis) ringed seals to assess their capacity to respond to rapid environmental changes. We consider (a) the geographical scale of migration, (b) use of sea ice, and (c) the amount of gene flow between subspecies. Seasonal movements and use of sea ice were determined for 27 seals tracked via satellite telemetry. Additionally, population genetic analyses were conducted using 354 seals representative of each subspecies and 11 breeding sites. Genetic analyses included sequences from two mitochondrial regions and genotypes of 9 microsatellite loci. We found that ringed seals disperse on a pan-Arctic scale and both males and females may migrate long distances during the summer months when sea ice extent is minimal. Gene flow among Arctic breeding sites and between the Arctic and the Baltic Sea subspecies was high; these two subspecies are interconnected as are breeding sites within the Arctic subspecies.环斑海豹（Pusa hispida）广泛分布于季节性结冰海域，其生存与繁殖成功率与海冰和积雪紧密关联。气候变暖正在缩减北极的积雪与海冰面积，并将在可预见的未来对环斑海豹构成生存威胁。本研究针对三个亚种——北极环斑海豹（P. hispida hispida）、波罗的海环斑海豹（P. hispida botnica）以及塞马湖环斑海豹（P. hispida saimensis）——的种群结构与种内、种间连通性展开调查，以评估它们应对快速环境变化的能力。我们重点考量以下三方面内容：(a) 迁徙的地理尺度；(b) 海冰利用模式；(c) 亚种间的基因交流水平。通过卫星遥测技术追踪的27头环斑海豹的定位数据，明确了其季节性移动规律与海冰利用情况。此外，本研究选取涵盖三个亚种的354头环斑海豹样本，以及11个繁殖位点的相关材料开展种群遗传学分析。遗传分析包含两个线粒体区域的序列数据，以及9个微卫星位点的基因型信息。研究结果显示，环斑海豹的扩散范围覆盖整个泛北极区域，且在海冰覆盖范围最小的夏季，雌雄个体均可能进行长距离迁徙。北极繁殖位点之间，以及北极亚种与波罗的海亚种之间的基因交流程度较高；这两个亚种之间存在遗传连通性，与北极亚种内部不同繁殖位点间的连通性一致。