New research reveals the lasting genetic consequences faced by Northern Elephant seals after being hunted to the brink of extinction. The findings offer important insights for species conservation and ecosystem management.
From plenty to near extinction
Once reduced to the extremely low number of 25 individuals in the early 1900s, the Northern Elephant Seal population has made a spectacular recovery. Nonetheless, this near-extinction has a genetic legacy for the species.
The new research, led by a team from the University of York and Bielefeld University, found that the great die-off caused Northern Elephant seals to lose many genes from their gene pool. The diversity and health of these populations potential factors influencing their odds against future shifts in the environment or disease outbreaks, according to the researchers.
Injuries from Being Inbred
By integrating data from genetics, health records, population modeling, and genetic simulations the researchers dug into what could be the long-lasting effects of a near-extinction event in Northern Elephant seals. Curiously, they did not see this same pattern in the less favourable Southern Elephant seal which avoided a close to extinction scenario.
The results show how profound population loss can streamline a species’ genetics, reducing the risk of inbreeding and threatening its future. The team discovered a few harmful mutations among those harbored by Northern Elephant seals but suggested that the vast decline in their population may have purged many of these from the gene pool and lessened immediate health effects associated with inbreeding.
Nevertheless, the researchers warn that this highly reduced genetic diversity, which involves a lack of functional gene copies, may limit Northern Elephant Seals’ adaptation potential to anticipated future selection pressures as induced by climate change or habitat modifications.
Conclusion
The saga of the Northern Elephant seal stands as a stark example of how powerful and inimical that impact can be. Although the species has rebounded so successfully, they still suffer from generational scars of inbreeding caused by their near-extinction. The work demonstrates the value of active conservation and the necessity of maintaining genetic diversity in threatened species, underpinning their ability to cope with future uncertainties.
