Collaborative Research: Are divergent migration phenotypes linked to genomic differences in Atlantic Ocean whale sharks?

Long-distance migration is a defining feature of many marine species, including ecologically important and economically valuable species, but the mechanisms underlying variation in migration behavior are not well understood. Using Atlantic whale sharks as a model and combining genomic, tracking of satellite-tagged animals, and modeling methods, the team is evaluating how genetically inherited traits and ocean environmental conditions interact to drive variation in migratory strategies. The project provides training of students and early career scientists, and public outreach for US and global audiences. By identifying the links between population-level genetic structure and migration, the project provides actionable data for development of conservation strategies for whale sharks, a globally endangered species that supports a valuable ecotourism industry, and translational tools for management of marine species more broadly. This project addresses critical gaps in understanding of marine animal migration by combining observational, genomic, and mechanistic modeling approaches. The team is 1) defining migratory phenotypes of whale sharks using satellite tagging across four key Atlantic regions (Gulf of America, Northeast US, the Azores, and St Helena Island), 2) conducting whole genome resequencing of satellite-tagged individuals to assess population structure and identify genomic regions associated with migratory strategies, and 3) developing a spatially-explicit agent-based model to simulate how behavioral rules, ocean conditions, and genomic variation combine to shape movement patterns. The results also reveal how individual-level behavior scales to population-level structure, establishing a conceptual and methodological foundation that is broadly applicable to other migratory marine animals. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. NSF Award ID: 2547047 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: Kira Delmore | Institution: Columbia University, NEW YORK, NY | Award Amount: $325,852 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2547047 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2547047.html