Thread by @JoanFerrerObiol

Our preprint presenting the #genome of the most #endangered #seabird in Europe #Balearic #shearwater is out in #biorxiv

Cristian Cuevas Caballé @VizuetaJoel @meritxellgeno @SeabirdEcology @RiutortLab @JRozasUB

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The Balearic shearwater is a Critically Endangered #IUCNRedlist #seabird endemic of the Balearic Islands affected by #introduced mammals and #bycatch in longline #fisheries. Previous studies predict their extinction by 2070! doi.org/10.1111/1365-2…

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Combining #Illumina & #Nanopore data, we present the first high-quality reference genome for the species.

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Using #PSMC' we detected an abrupt decay of effective population size associated with a long period of low sea level during the Penultimate Glacial Period, which may have resulted in an important loss of neritic zones.

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Despite the species current low population size, we detected relatively high levels of genome-wide #heterozygosity and we observed a negative relationship between heterozygosity and body size within #Procellariiformes

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#Phylogenomic analyses support the relationships among Procellariiformes previously found using #UCE doi.org/10.1101/2021.0…

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Comparative genomics analyses uncovered a set of candidate genes that have likely played an important role into the adaptation to a #pelagic lifestyle of #Procellariiformes

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And here is the link to the preprint doi.org/10.1101/2021.1…