Range‐wide genomic data synthesis reveals transatlantic vicariance and secondary contact in Atlantic cod.

Recent advances in genetic and genomic analysis have greatly improved our understanding of spatial population structure in marine species. However, studies addressing phylogeographic patterns at oceanic spatial scales remain rare. In Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), existing range‐wide examinations suggest significant transatlantic divergence, although the fine‐scale contemporary distribution of populations and potential for secondary contact are largely unresolved. Here, we explore transatlantic phylogeography in Atlantic cod using a data‐synthesis approach, integrating multiple genome‐wide single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) datasets representative of different regions to create a single range‐wide dataset containing 1,494 individuals from 54 locations and genotyped at 796 common loci. Our analysis highlights significant transatlantic divergence and supports the hypothesis of westward post‐glacial colonization of Greenland from the East Atlantic. Accordingly, our analysis suggests the presence of transatlantic secondary contact off eastern North America and supports existing perspectives on the phylogeographic history of Atlantic cod with an unprecedented combination of genetic and geographic resolution. Moreover, we demonstrate the utility of integrating distinct SNP databases of high comparability. We use a data‐synthesis approach to combine three previously generated SNP datasets Atlantic cod and investigate population structure and phylogeographic history across the species' range. We report a strong genetic break between the East and West Atlantic attributable to glacial vicariance during the Last Glacial Maximum and find evidence to support the hypothesis the recolonization of Greenland was facilitated by East Atlantic populations as well as secondary contact between the East and West Atlantic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]