@article{20c02c8b92ff48b6826cd7b4da832b87,
title = "Demography and genetics suggest reversal of dolphin source-sink dynamics, with implications for conservation",
abstract = "The forecast for the viability of populations depends upon metapopulation dynamics: the combination of reproduction and mortality within populations, as well as dispersal between populations. This study focuses on an Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) population in coastal waters near Bunbury, Western Australia. Demographic modeling of this population suggested that recent reproductive output was not sufficient to offset mortality. Migrants from adjacent populations might make up this deficit, so that Bunbury would act as a “sink,” or net recipient population. We investigated historical dispersal in and out of Bunbury, using microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA of 193 dolphins across five study locations along the southwestern Australian coastline. Our results indicated limited gene flow between Bunbury and adjacent populations. The data also revealed a net-dispersal from Bunbury to neighboring populations, with microsatellites showing that more than twice as many individuals per generation dispersed out of Bunbury than into Bunbury. Therefore, in historic times, Bunbury appears to have acted as a source population, supporting nearby populations. In combination with the prior finding that Bunbury is currently not producing surplus offspring to support adjacent populations, this potential reversal of source-sink dynamics may have serious conservation implications for Bunbury and other populations nearby.",
keywords = "Tursiops aduncus, bottlenose dolphin, connectivity, dispersal, gene flow, metapopulation, population differentiation, population structure, wildlife conservation",
author = "Oliver Manlik and Delphine Chabanne and Claire Daniel and Lars Bejder and Allen, {Simon J.} and Sherwin, {William B.}",
note = "Funding Information: This research was supported by funds from the partners of the South West Marine Research Program. These include Bemax Cable Sands, BHP Billiton Worsley Alumina Pty Ltd., Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Centre, Bunbury Port Authority (now Southern Ports Authority), the City of Bunbury, Cristal Mining, WA Department of Parks and Wildlife, Iluka, Millard Marine, Naturaliste Charters, Newmont Boddington Gold, South West Development Commission, and WA Plantation Resources. OM and CD were supported by a University of New South Wales higher degree research scholarship. This paper represents HIMB and SOEST manuscript numbers 1735 and 10439, respectively. Thanks to P. Beerli for valuable feedback on the use of MIGRATE. Helpful comments on this manuscript were provided by C. Fr{\`e}re, M. Jedensj{\"o}, and M. Kr{\"u}tzen. We thank K. Nicholson for assistance and the numerous field assistants and volunteers who helped with data collection, especially D. McElligott, A. Sellas, and M. Pepper. Valuable comments on this manuscript also came from R. S. Waples. The authors do not have any conflicts of interests. Wildlife permits: Data were collected under research permits (SF005997; SF006538; SF007046; SF007596; SF008480; SF009119) licensed by the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation (now the Western Australian Department of Parks and Wildlife). This study was carried out in accordance to the Murdoch University Animal Ethics Committee approval (W2076/07; W2307/10; W2342/10). Funding Information: This research was supported by funds from the partners of the South West Marine Research Program. These include Bemax Cable Sands, BHP Billiton Worsley Alumina Pty Ltd., Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Centre, Bunbury Port Authority (now Southern Ports Authority), the City of Bunbury, Cristal Mining, WA Department of Parks and Wildlife, Iluka, Millard Marine, Naturaliste Charters, Newmont Boddington Gold, South West Development Commission, and WA Plantation Resources. OM and CD were supported by a University of New South Wales higher degree research scholarship. This paper represents HIMB and SOEST manuscript numbers 1735 and 10439, respectively. Thanks to P. Beerli for valuable feedback on the use of Migrate. Helpful comments on this manuscript were provided by C. Fr?re, M. Jedensj?, and M. Kr?tzen. We thank K. Nicholson for assistance and the numerous field assistants and volunteers who helped with data collection, especially D. McElligott, A. Sellas, and M. Pepper. Valuable comments on this manuscript also came from R. S. Waples. The authors do not have any conflicts of interests. Wildlife permits: Data were collected under research permits (SF005997; SF006538; SF007046; SF007596; SF008480; SF009119) licensed by the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation (now the Western Australian Department of Parks and Wildlife). This study was carried out in accordance to the Murdoch University Animal Ethics Committee approval (W2076/07; W2307/10; W2342/10). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 Society for Marine Mammalogy",
year = "2019",
month = jul,
doi = "10.1111/mms.12555",
language = "English",
volume = "35",
pages = "732--759",
journal = "Marine Mammal Science",
issn = "0824-0469",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",
number = "3",
}