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NIBIOs ansatte publiserer flere hundre vitenskapelige artikler og forskningsrapporter hvert år. Her finner du referanser og lenker til publikasjoner og andre forsknings- og formidlingsaktiviteter. Samlingen oppdateres løpende med både nytt og historisk materiale. For mer informasjon om NIBIOs publikasjoner, besøk NIBIOs bibliotek.

2023

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Sammendrag

Fragmentation of isolated populations increases the risk of inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity. The endemic Saimaa ringed seal (Pusa hispida saimensis) is one of the most endangered pinnipeds in the world with a population of only ~ 400 individuals. The current genetic diversity of this subspecies, isolated in Lake Saimaa in Finland for ca. 1000 generations, is alarmingly low. We performed whole-genome sequencing on Saimaa ringed seals (N = 30) and analyzed the level of homozygosity and genetic composition across the individual genomes. Our results show that the Saimaa ringed seal population has a high number of runs of homozygosity (RoH) compared with the neighboring Baltic ringed seal (Pusa hispida botnica) reference population (p < 0.001). There is also a tendency for stillborn seal pups to have more pronounced RoH. Since the population is divided into semi-isolated subpopulations within the Lake Saimaa exposing the population to deleterious genomic effects, our results support augmented gene flow as a genetic conservation action. Based on our results suggesting inbreeding depression in the population, we recommend Pihlajavesi as a potential source and Southern Saimaa as a potential recipient subpopulation for translocating individuals. The Saimaa ringed seal is a recognized subspecies and therefore translocations should be considered only within the lake to avoid an unpredictable risk of disease, the introduction of deleterious alleles, and severe ecological issues for the population.

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Sammendrag

Aquaculture of the lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus L.) has become a large, lucrative industry owing to the escalating demand for “cleaner fish” to minimise sea lice infestations in Atlantic salmon mariculture farms. We used over 10K genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to investigate the spatial patterns of genomic variation in the lumpfish along the coast of Norway and across the North Atlantic. Moreover, we applied three genome scans for outliers and two genotype–environment association tests to assess the signatures and patterns of local adaptation under extensive gene flow. With our ‘global’ sampling regime, we found two major genetic groups of lumpfish, i.e., the western and eastern Atlantic. Regionally in Norway, we found marginal evidence of population structure, where the population genomic analysis revealed a small portion of individuals with a different genetic ancestry. Nevertheless, we found strong support for local adaption under high gene flow in the Norwegian lumpfish and identified over 380 high-confidence environment-associated loci linked to gene sets with a key role in biological processes associated with environmental pressures and embryonic development. Our results bridge population genetic/genomics studies with seascape genomics studies and will facilitate genome-enabled monitoring of the genetic impacts of escapees and allow for genetic-informed broodstock selection and management in Norway.