Dissertation Research: Population Biology and Genetics of the Northern Elephant Seal, Mirounga angustirostris

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9622700 Slatkin The Northern Elephant Seal, Mirounga angustirostris, possesses a unique demographic history among mammals: reduction to near extinction followed by exponential population growth. This bottleneck was accompanied by a reduction in genetic variation which has hampered efforts to use genetic markers to study Elephant Seal population biology. In the research funded by this award, microsatellite loci characterized by extreme variability and high mutation rates will be used to overcome this problem. The specific goals of the research are to study the evolution of microsatellite loci by exploiting the demographic history of the Northern Elephant Seal, to develop a method for monitoring immune system variation in the Northern Elephant Seal, and to use microsatellite markers to study the genetic and social structure of seal populations. Findings will provide clues as to why a species with so little genetic variation is doing so well demographically. The markers developed for use in studying Northern Elephant Seal population and social structure will also serve as tools to measure migration and mating behavior, two underlying determinants of genetic diversity. This research represents an early application of methods developed by genome researchers to the study of a protected natural population with important conservation implications.