Data from: High gene flow on a continental scale in the polyandrous Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus

Gene flow promotes genetic coherence of species in time and space. It can be modulated by sex-biased dispersal which links population genetics to mating systems. We investigated the phylogeography of the widely distributed Kentish plover Charadrius alexandrinus. This small shorebird has a large breeding range spanning from Western Europe to Japan, and exhibits an unusually flexible mating system with high female breeding dispersal. We analyzed genetic structure and gene flow using a 427 bp fragment of the mitochondrial (mtDNA) control region, 21 autosomal microsatellite markers and a Z microsatellite marker in 363 unrelated individuals from 21 locations. We found no structure or isolation-by-distance over the continental range. However, island populations had low genetic diversity, and were moderately differentiated from mainland locations. Genetic differentiation based on autosomal markers was positively correlated with distance between mainland and each island. Comparisons of uniparentally and biparentally inherited markers were consistent with female-biased gene flow. Maternally inherited mtDNA was less structured whereas the Z-chromosomal marker was more structured than autosomal microsatellites. Adult males were more related than females within genetic clusters. Taken together, our results suggest a prominent role for polyandrous females in maintaining genetic coherence across large geographic distances.

基因流可促进物种在时间与空间上维持遗传一致性。该过程可通过性偏向扩散进行调控，而性偏向扩散将种群遗传学与婚配制度紧密关联。我们对分布广泛的环颈鸻（Charadrius alexandrinus）开展了系统地理学研究。这种小型涉禽的繁殖范围跨度极大，从西欧延伸至日本，且拥有异常灵活的婚配制度，雌性繁殖扩散能力极强。我们对来自21个采样点的363只无亲缘关系个体进行了遗传分析：利用一段427 bp的线粒体（mtDNA）控制区序列、21个常染色体微卫星标记以及1个Z染色体微卫星标记，解析其遗传结构与基因流模式。结果显示，在大陆分布范围内未检测到遗传结构或距离隔离现象；但岛屿种群的遗传多样性较低，且与大陆种群存在中度遗传分化。基于常染色体标记的遗传分化程度，与各岛屿与大陆之间的地理距离呈正相关。对单亲遗传与双亲遗传标记的比较结果，均支持雌性偏向的基因流模式：母系遗传的mtDNA遗传结构较弱，而Z染色体标记的结构相较于常染色体微卫星更为显著。在遗传簇内，成年雄性间的亲缘关系较雌性更为紧密。综合来看，我们的研究结果表明，实行一妻多夫制的雌性在维持大范围地理跨度下的种群遗传一致性中发挥了关键作用。