From rivers to ocean basins: the role of ocean barriers and philopatry
in the genetic structuring of a cosmopolitan coastal predator
Abstract
Understanding the population structure of a species is important to
accurately assess its conservation status and manage the risk of local
extinction. The Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) faces varying
levels of exploitation around the world due to its coastal distribution.
Information regarding population connectivity is crucial to evaluate its
conservation status and local fishing impacts. In this study, we sampled
922 putative Bull Sharks from 19 locations in the first global
assessment of population structure of this cosmopolitan species. Using a
recently developed DNA-capture approach (DArTcap), samples were
genotyped for 3,400 nuclear markers. Additionally, full mitochondrial
genomes of 384 Indo-Pacific samples were sequenced. Reproductive
isolation was found between and across ocean basins (eastern Pacific,
western Atlantic, eastern Atlantic, Indo-West Pacific) with distinct
island populations in Japan and Fiji. Bull Sharks appear to maintain
reproductive connectivity using shallow coastal waters as dispersal
corridors, whereas large oceanic distances and historical land-bridges
act as barriers. Females tend to return to the same area for
reproduction, making them more susceptible to local threats and an
important focus for management actions. Given these behaviours, the
exploitation of Bull Sharks from insular populations, such as Japan and
Fiji, may instigate local decline that cannot readily be replenished by
immigration, which can in turn affect ecosystem dynamics and functions.
These data also supported the development of a genetic panel to
ascertain the population of origin, which will be useful in monitoring
the trade of fisheries products and assessing population-level impacts
of this harvest.