Leaderboard
Science works in a way that builds and improves upon previous efforts. It’s helpful to see this journey through time, and understand how knowledge grows. All of this genetic work helps us understand how much movement of individuals might occur between populations. Looking at spot patterns to identify individuals was first employed at small scales to help researchers keep track of individuals being sampled for genetics.
2017
Wilson et al. used mitochondrial genes to examine population structure in the weedy seadragon across its range. They found populations east of the Bass Strait land bridge were lower in genetic diversity than those in the west. Animals from NSW and Tasmania were genetically similar, compared to those west of Bass Strait (Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia).
Stiller et al. used mitochondrial genes and microsatellites to better understand the population structure of the leafy seadragon. Western and South Australian populations were highly differentiated, with low genetic diversity in the west, and significant structuring was also evident at smaller scales in South Australia.
2021
Stiller et al. used ultraconserved elements (UCE's) to get SNP data to examine the population structure of leafy seadragons. They found differences in historical habitat availability reflected in contemporary genetic diversity; less habitat and genetic diversity in Western Australia contrasting with glacial refugia in South Australia resulting in deeper structuring, demographic expansions and more genetic diversity.
Qu et al. sequenced the first chromosome-level genome assembly of a weedy seadragon.
