Genomic Introgression and Adaptation of Southern Seabird Species Facilitate Recent Polar Colonization

Genomic adaptation and introgression can occur during the speciation process, enabling species to diverge in their frequencies of adaptive alleles or acquire new alleles that may promote adaptation to environmental changes. There is limited information on introgression in organisms from extreme environments and their responses to climate change. To address these questions, we focused on the 3 southern skua species, selected for their widespread distribution across the Southern Hemisphere and their complex history of speciation and introgression events. Our genomic data reveal that these skuas underwent diversification around the Penultimate Glacial Period, followed by subsequent demographic expansion. We identified a geographic region of introgression among species that followed a directional pattern sourced from the Antarctic continent, South America, and east to west in subantarctic islands, all converging towards the Antarctic Peninsula. The 3 skua species and admixed individuals exhibited a unique pattern of putative genes under selection, allowing adaptation to extreme conditions. Individuals with a higher proportion of Brown Skua ancestry showed signs of selection on genes related to reproductive isolation, while admixed individuals with a higher proportion of South Polar Skua ancestry displayed patterns resembling those of the South Polar Skua. Introgression may be a key mechanism of adaptation for many species that may help buffer against the ongoing climate change.

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Publication Details

Journal
Molecular Biology and Evolution
Published
2025-03-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf053
Citations
7
Primary Topic
Avian ecology and behavior
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
12.01
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article

Genomic Introgression and Adaptation of Southern Seabird Species Facilitate Recent Polar Colonization

Juliana A. Vianna, Luis R. Pertierra, Luisa F. Mendoza Morales, Rauri C. K. Bowie et al.
7 citations
Molecular Biology and Evolution
Avian ecology and behavior
12.01
article

Genomic Introgression and Adaptation of Southern Seabird Species Facilitate Recent Polar Colonization

Juliana A. Vianna, Luis R. Pertierra, Luisa F. Mendoza Morales, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Juan Carlos Valdez Marín, Elize Y. X. Ng, Louise Emmerson, Julie C. McInnes, Thierry Boulinier, Silvia Olmastroni, Tatiana Kasinsky, Ulises Balza, Élie Poulin, Patricio Pliscoff, Christopher P. Burridge, Daly Noll, Pierre A. Pistorius, Amandine Gamble, Richard A. Phillips, Josefina Jorquera, Jacob González-Solís
article en
7 citations

Abstract

Genomic adaptation and introgression can occur during the speciation process, enabling species to diverge in their frequencies of adaptive alleles or acquire new alleles that may promote adaptation to environmental changes. There is limited information on introgression in organisms from extreme environments and their responses to climate change. To address these questions, we focused on the 3 southern skua species, selected for their widespread distribution across the Southern Hemisphere and their complex history of speciation and introgression events. Our genomic data reveal that these skuas underwent diversification around the Penultimate Glacial Period, followed by subsequent demographic expansion. We identified a geographic region of introgression among species that followed a directional pattern sourced from the Antarctic continent, South America, and east to west in subantarctic islands, all converging towards the Antarctic Peninsula. The 3 skua species and admixed individuals exhibited a unique pattern of putative genes under selection, allowing adaptation to extreme conditions. Individuals with a higher proportion of Brown Skua ancestry showed signs of selection on genes related to reproductive isolation, while admixed individuals with a higher proportion of South Polar Skua ancestry displayed patterns resembling those of the South Polar Skua. Introgression may be a key mechanism of adaptation for many species that may help buffer against the ongoing climate change.

Molecular Biology and EvolutionVol. 42(3)
University of Siena (IT), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Tasmania (AU), Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (US), British Antarctic Survey (GB), Australian Antarctic Division (AU), Universidad Andrés Bello (CL), Natural Environment Research Council (GB), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (AR), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (CL), Universidad de Los Andes, Chile (CL), Millennium Institute (BR), Université de Montpellier (FR), Universidad de Los Andes (VE), Austral University (AR), Cornell University (US), University of Bío-Bío (CL), Millennium Science Initiative (CL), Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive (FR), Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channel Associated Diseases (CL), Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (ES), ANT Foundation Italy Onlus (IT), Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagónico (AR), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR), Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (CL), University of Chile (CL), Universitat de Barcelona (ES), University of California, Berkeley (US), Nelson Mandela University (ZA)
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 2%
Avian ecology and behavior
12.01
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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