title: High gene flow on a continental scale in the polyandrous Kentish plover Charadrius alexandrinus.
abstract: Gene flow promotes genetic homogeneity of species in time and space. Gene flow can be modulated by sex-biased dispersal that links population genetics to mating systems. We investigated the phylogeography of the widely distributed Kentish plover Charadrius alexandrinus. This small shorebird has a large breeding range spanning from Western Europe to Japan and exhibits an unusually flexible mating system with high female breeding dispersal. We analysed genetic structure and gene flow using a 427-bp fragment of the mitochondrial (mtDNA) control region, 21 autosomal microsatellite markers and a Z microsatellite marker in 397 unrelated individuals from 21 locations. We found no structure or isolation-by-distance over the continental range. However, island populations had low genetic diversity and were moderately differentiated from mainland locations. Genetic differentiation based on autosomal markers was positively correlated with distance between mainland and each island. Comparisons of uniparentally and biparentally inherited markers were consistent with female-biased gene flow. Maternally inherited mtDNA was less structured, whereas the Z-chromosomal marker was more structured than autosomal microsatellites. Adult males were more related than females within genetic clusters. Taken together, our results suggest a prominent role for polyandrous females in maintaining genetic homogeneity across large geographic distances.
authors.affiliation: Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. ckuepper@oeb.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Küpper
authors.forename: Scott V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kosztolányi
authors.forename: Monif
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alrashidi
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: Araceli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Argüelles-Tico
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Amat
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amezian
authors.forename: Afonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hötker
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ivanov
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chernicko
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Székely
mesh_terms: D025041:Animal Migration; D000818:Animals; D046091:Charadriiformes / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D005260:Female; D051456:Gene Flow; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D010802:Phylogeny; D012730:Sex Chromosomes; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial