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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Mar. Sci.
Sec. Marine Megafauna
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmars.2025.1581306
This article is part of the Research TopicPopulation Structure and Connectivity of Marine Turtles in the Pacific and Indian OceansView all 15 articles
Whole mitochondrial DNA sequencing improves resolution of population structure for Pacific green turtles (Chelonia mydas)
Provisionally accepted- 1Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, United States
- 2Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- 3World Wide Fund for Nature, Healthy Land and Seascapes, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, Brisbane, Australia
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Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis is a key tool for defining population structure in marine turtles, due to their strong natal homing behavior, which leads to genetic differentiation among rookeries. However, the widespread occurrence of common haplotypes across large geographic areas, has limited the ability to resolve fine-scale population structure, particularly in the western Pacific. Understanding these population dynamics is crucial for effective conservation and management, as distinct nesting populations may face different threats. This study evaluates the use of whole mitochondrial genome sequencing to improve genetic resolution of population structure and enhance the accuracy of mixed stock analysis (MSA). We analyzed 197 nesting green turtles from six Pacific rookeries, representing two common mtDNA haplotypes (CmP20.1 and CmP22.1). Using mitochondrial capture enrichment and MSA simulations, we detected significant genetic differentiation between the rookeries in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), which were previously considered a single genetic stock based on traditional control region sequencing. Our findings demonstrate that whole mitochondrial genome sequencing enhances stock resolution, improves the accuracy of MSA, and strengthens the ability to determine connectivity between nesting and foraging populations throughout the region. Refining genetics baselines using whole mitogenome sequencing will support more precise conservation strategies, allowing for targeted protection of genetically distinct populations, improved assessments of bycatch impacts, and better-informed management of critical foraging and nesting habitats.
Keywords: Sea Turtles, Mixed stock analysis, conservation, Mitochondrial genome sequencing, population structure
Received: 21 Feb 2025; Accepted: 26 Mar 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Frey, LaCasella, Jensen and Dutton. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Amy Frey, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, United States
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