Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28796829›Full record

ArticlePloS one2017

New data on Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) colonies: A genetic analysis of a top predator from the Ross Sea, Antarctica.

Ighor Antunes Zappes, Anna Fabiani, Valerio Sbordoni, Arnold Rakaj, Roberto Palozzi, Giuliana Allegrucci

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Ighor Antunes ZappesDepartment of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6155-1338
Anna FabianiDepartment of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy.
Valerio SbordoniDepartment of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy.
Arnold RakajDepartment of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy.
Roberto PalozziDepartment of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy.
Giuliana AllegrucciDepartment of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In this paper, we studied the genetic variability in Weddell seal from colonies in Terra Nova Bay and Wood Bay, both sites located in the Ross Sea area, Antarctica. Two mitochondrial genes and one nuclear gene, with different mutation rates, were sequenced to investigate the haplotype diversity of the colonies and to test for a possible recent expansion. Fifteen microsatellites were used to analyze their genetic structure. Sequenced genes and microsatellites were also used to estimate the effective population size of the studied colonies and the Ross Sea seal population. The Ross Sea has a high density population of Weddel seals, with an estimated effective number of 50,000 females, and 1,341 individuals for the sampling area, possibly due to its high primary production. The colonies showed high diversity (Hd > 0.90) and many exclusive haplotypes (> 75%), likely a consequence of the surprisingly high site fidelity of Weddell seals, despite the proximity of the colonies. Nevertheless, there was low microsatellite differentiation between colonies, suggesting that they are part of a single larger population. Their expansion seemed to have started during the last glacial cycle (around 58,000 years ago), indicating that the Ross Sea seal populations have been present in the area for long time, probably due to the lack of hunting by humans and terrestrial predation. As a top predator, the role of Weddell seals in the Ross Sea ecology is crucial, and its demographic dynamics should be monitored to follow the future changes of such an important ecosystem.

Indexed as

AnimalsAntarctic RegionsDNA, MitochondrialEcosystemFemaleGenetic VariationHaplotypesMaleMicrosatellite RepeatsPopulation DensityPredatory BehaviorSeals, EarlessY ChromosomeDNA, Mitochondrial

Identifiers

PMID28796829
PMCPMC5552091

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.