Publications by authors named "B F Wringe"
Conservation units represent important components of intraspecific diversity that can aid in prioritizing and protecting at-risk populations, while also safeguarding unique diversity that can contribute to species resilience. In Canada, identification and assessments of conservation units is done by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). COSEWIC can recognize conservation units below the species level (termed "designatable units"; DUs) if the unit has attributes that make it both discrete and evolutionarily significant.
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- - Environmental variation plays a crucial role in the diversity of marine species like cunner, a temperate reef fish, yet there is limited understanding of how genomic and ecological factors shape their populations.
- - A comprehensive genome assembly of cunner revealed significant genetic variation across 803 individuals from 20 locations and indicated the existence of four regional population groups in the Northwest Atlantic.
- - Findings suggest that environmental factors, particularly benthic temperature and oxygen levels, influence genetic structure, providing valuable insights for the management and conservation of cunner in aquaculture and wild settings.
Article Synopsis
- * It compares various genetic marker panels (SSR and SNP) to measure the extent of European genetic influence in North American wild salmon, finding that a smaller set of SNPs can provide accurate estimates of admixture.
- * A custom SNP panel (301-SNP) and a Python package called salmoneuadmix were developed to streamline the monitoring of European admixture in salmon, showcasing the use of targeted genetics and machine learning for conservation efforts.
Article Synopsis
- Gene flow between wild and domestic salmon populations is a significant concern, particularly regarding the influence of European salmon on North American aquaculture despite regulations against their use in Canada.
- Evidence shows that farmed salmon in North America increasingly exhibit European ancestry, with some individuals having over 40% European genetic material.
- Studies reveal that even juvenile wild salmon near aquaculture sites show signs of European heritage, indicating that hybridization and the potential impacts on wild populations are ongoing issues.
A key component of the global blue economy strategy is the sustainable extraction of marine resources and conservation of marine environments through networks of marine protected areas (MPAs). Connectivity and representativity are essential factors that underlie successful implementation of MPA networks, which can safeguard biological diversity and ecosystem function, and ultimately support the blue economy strategy by balancing ocean use with conservation. New "big data" omics approaches, including genomics and transcriptomics, are becoming essential tools for the development and maintenance of MPA networks.
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