06 May 2025: New study explores population structure and evolutionary history of bearded seals

A recent study by McCarthy and colleagues, titled “Circumpolar Population Structure, Diversity and Recent Evolutionary History of the Bearded Seal in Relation to Past and Present Icescapes”, was published in Molecular Ecology in January 2025. This research is the first to study the genetics of bearded seals across the Arctic, revealing new details about their populations and how they have adapted to past ice changes.

By analysing the full set of DNA from 70 bearded seals, the study found clear genetic differences between Pacific and Atlantic bearded seals, which split around 200,000 years ago. Within these groups, further differences were identified, with at least two distinct populations in the Pacific and three in the Atlantic. The results suggest that sea ice conditions and ocean depth have played a key role in shaping these populations over time.

These findings could help improve conservation and management strategies for bearded seals, a species that depends on sea ice for survival.

Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.17643

Photo credit: Gary Bembridge