Genetic Study to Aid in Restoration of Murres, Guillemots and Murrelets to the Gulf of Alaska. EXXON VALDEZ Oil Spill Restoration Project Final Report (Restoration Project 00169)

摘要

Genetic data are needed to aid in restoring several species of seabirds to the Gulf of Alaska. We analyzed sequence variation in mitochondrial DNA, microsatellite DNA and nuclear introns in samples of common murres (Uria aalge), pigeon guillemots (Cepphus columba) and marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) from throughout the North Pacific. Data were analyzed using traditional approaches, nested clade analyses and assignment tests. No cryptic species were found, and there was no strong evidence for inbreeding, low genetic variation, or source or sink regions in any of them. Pacific common murres constitute a single genetic management unit (MU), but hybridization occurs between common and thick-billed murres (U. lomvia).