Dear Marmam community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am happy to announce the publication of our recent paper in Journal of Heredity https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esac029 : "/Extremely Low mtDNA Diversity and High Genetic Differentiation Reveal the Precarious Genetic Status of Dugongs in New Caledonia, South Pacific/" .. */Abstract/*/ //New Caledonia is home to one of the largest remaining populations of dugongs (Dugong dugon) and is located at the southeastern limit of the// //species range. Local knowledge suggests that current levels of removal due to anthropogenic pressures are unsustainable, whereas trends suggest// //an ongoing decline in the population. Considering this unfavorable conservation context, this study aimed to assess the New Caledonian// //dugong population’s resilience by determining its level of genetic diversity and degree of isolation relative to other populations. Mitochondrial// //DNA (mtDNA) control region sequences (n = 55) collected from live and dead dugongs in New Caledonia were compared with a global data// //set of previously published sequences (n = 631) representing dugong populations throughout the species range. The New Caledonian dugong// //population displayed the lowest level of mtDNA diversity documented worldwide (3 haplotypes with 1-bp difference), suggesting a recent origin// //of the current population through limited colonization events. Population structure analyses indicate a strong genetic differentiation with all the// //putative populations represented in the global data set, including large neighboring Australian populations. These results show that the dugong// //population in New Caledonia is particularly isolated, fragile, and vulnerable to anthropogenic threats and diseases with low potential for resilience// //through incoming gene flow. Our findings call for an instant conservation response and consideration for IUCN population assessment to// //support the long-term survival of the New Caledonian dugong population.// / Feel free to contact any of the authors for pdf: Claire Bonneville: claire.bonneville@ird.fr Christophe Cleguer: christophe.cleguer@jcu.edu.au Marc Oremus: moremus@wwf.nc Best regards -- Dr Claire Garrigue UMR ENTROPIE - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement 101 Promenade Gabriel Laroque BPA5 98848 Nouméa Cedex Nouvelle-Calédonie Phone: +687 829560 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Claire_Garrigue
