Ohana Talya, Arantes Larissa S, Tikochinski Gili, Cohen Reut, Rybak Olga, Gaspar Adi, Sparmann Sarah, Mbedi Susan, Levy Yaniv, Mazzoni Camila J, Tikochinski Yaron
Ruppin Academic Center Faculty of Marine Sciences Emek Hefer Israel.
Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin eV, Genetics, Ecology and Evolution Berlin Berlin Germany.
Ecol Evol. 2025 Apr 24;15(4):e71124. doi: 10.1002/ece3.71124. eCollection 2025 Apr.
The Mediterranean Sea green turtle population, confined to the eastern basin, is classified as endangered by the IUCN. The small Israeli nesting population significantly contributes to the genetic variability of the Mediterranean population, underscoring the importance of Israeli shores as a key migration route. The Israeli rescue center has established the only active breeding stock in the Mediterranean, with considerable time and effort invested in its inception and operation. Here, we present a new genomic approach aimed at maximizing this population's genetic contribution to the Mediterranean. We studied 269 green turtles from both the breeding stock and the natural Mediterranean population using mitochondrial DNA short tandem repeat (STR) haplotyping and genomic double-digest RAD sequencing. Our analysis identified multiple degrees of kinship among individuals and aided in detecting female breeding habits. We analyzed 84 nests laid along the Israeli shores over the past 20 years and identified 60 mating events involving 35 nesting females. By incorporating females identified in previous studies, we estimate that at least 51 females have nested along the Israeli coastline during this period-a number significantly higher than earlier estimates. Furthermore, at least 59 males participated in these 60 mating events, highlighting a greater-than-expected level of genetic diversity within this population. We confirmed documented reproductive behaviors such as sperm conservation and multiple paternity. Additionally, we determined nesting intervals both within and between years. While our results supported the well-documented philopatric characteristics of green turtle females, they also revealed that some females laid eggs up to 90 km apart. This genomic-assisted evaluation offers crucial insights into the genetic variability and breeding habits of the Israeli green turtle population, providing a valuable model for conservation efforts across the Mediterranean region.
地中海绿海龟种群局限于东地中海盆地，被国际自然保护联盟列为濒危物种。以色列规模较小的筑巢种群对地中海种群的遗传变异性有显著贡献，凸显了以色列海岸作为关键洄游路线的重要性。以色列救援中心已在地中海建立了唯一活跃的繁殖种群，在其建立和运营过程中投入了大量时间和精力。在此，我们提出一种新的基因组方法，旨在最大限度地提高该种群对地中海的遗传贡献。我们使用线粒体DNA短串联重复序列（STR）单倍型分型和基因组双酶切RAD测序，研究了来自繁殖种群和自然地中海种群的269只绿海龟。我们的分析确定了个体之间的多重亲缘关系，并有助于检测雌龟的繁殖习性。我们分析了过去20年在以色列海岸产下的84个巢穴，确定了涉及35只筑巢雌龟的60次交配事件。通过纳入先前研究中确定的雌龟，我们估计在此期间至少有51只雌龟在以色列海岸筑巢——这一数字显著高于早期估计。此外，至少59只雄龟参与了这60次交配事件，突出了该种群内高于预期的遗传多样性水平。我们证实了已记录的生殖行为，如精子保存和多重父权。此外，我们还确定了年份内和年份间的筑巢间隔。虽然我们的结果支持了绿海龟雌龟有据可查的恋巢特性，但也显示有些雌龟产卵地点相隔达90公里。这种基因组辅助评估为以色列绿海龟种群的遗传变异性和繁殖习性提供了关键见解，为地中海地区的保护工作提供了一个有价值的模型。
