PhD defence Xenia Moreira Lopes
Xenia Moreira Lopes (MarBio)
Promotor: Prof. P.J.Palsbøll; copromotores: Dr M. Bérubé, Dr K. Kovacs (University Centre Svalbeard)
Cetacean population genomics in a changing environment
This thesis investigates how past climate change has shaped the evolution, genetic diversity, and population dynamics of whales. By analyzing genetic data from species such as narwhals and baleen whales, it shows that major climatic events, like the last Ice Age, left long-lasting effects that are still visible today. One key finding is that narwhals from East Greenland are genetically distinct from those in West Greenland and the Eastern Canadian Arctic, which has important implications for their conservation. Different populations may face different pressures. Additionally, the research shows that a period of global warming thousands of years ago led to increases in whale populations, driven by changes in their environment and food availability, and that these effects persisted long after the climate stabilized.
Combining original research with a broad review of existing studies, this thesis highlights how genetic tools can help us understand how marine mammal species have responded to environmental change. This is especially relevant today, as ongoing climate change continues to impact marine mammals, particularly those in the Arctic.