scholarly journals Assessment of local genetic structure and connectivity of the common eelgrass Zostera marina for seagrass restoration in northern Europe

2021 ◽  
Vol 664 ◽  
pp. 103-116
Author(s):  
L Martínez-García ◽  
B Hansson ◽  
J Hollander

Seagrass meadows are one of the most important habitats in coastal regions since they constitute a multifunctional ecosystem providing high productivity and biodiversity. They play a key role in carbon sequestration capacity, mitigation against coastal erosion and as nursery grounds for many marine fish and invertebrates. However, despite these ecosystem functions and services, seagrass meadows are a threatened ecosystem worldwide. In the Baltic Sea, seagrass meadows have declined rapidly, mainly because of eutrophication, anthropogenic activities and climate change. This decline has the potential to erode the genetic variation and genetic structure of the species. In this study, we assessed how genetic variation and genetic differentiation vary among Zostera marina meadows and with a number of environmental characteristics in the county of Scania in southern Sweden. A total of 205 individuals sampled at 12 locations were analysed with 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci. Results showed that in spite of anthropogenic impacts and climate change pressures, locations of Z. marina possessed high genetic variation and weak genetic differentiation, with 3 major genetic clusters. Long-distance dispersal and/or stepping-stone dispersal was found among locations, with higher migration rates within the west coast. Organic matter, salinity and maximum depth appeared to be factors most strongly associated with the genetic structure and morphological variation of Z. marina. These findings contribute significantly in the identification of potential donor sites and the viability of impacted areas to recover from natural recruitment, for the development of effective transplantation measures of Z. marina in the southern Baltic Sea and temperate regions elsewhere.

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 285-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine A Mossman ◽  
Peter M Waser

Habitat fragmentation may have significant consequences for population genetic structure because geographic distance and physical barriers may impede gene flow. In this study, we investigated whether habitat fragmentation affects fine-scale genetic structure of populations of the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). We studied 27 populations of P. leucopus, 17 in continuous forest and 10 in isolated woodlots. Populations were trapped in pairs that were either 500 or 2000 m apart. We estimated genetic variation at eight P. leucopus specific microsatellite DNA loci. We discovered significant genetic variation within all populations, but no significant differences in numbers of alleles or heterozygosity between populations. For given population pairs, we found significant genetic differentiation even at very short distances, based on multilocus FST estimates. The amount of genetic differentiation between population pairs was similar in the two habitats. Distance had a marginal effect on genetic differentiation when comparing paired populations separated by 2000 m with those separated by 500 m. However, at a larger geographic scale, there was no evidence of isolation by distance. This study confirms that microsatellite-based studies have the potential to detect interpopulation differentiation at an extremely local scale, and suggests that habitat fragmentation has surprisingly few effects on P. leucopus genetic structure.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan Li ◽  
Fangrui Lou ◽  
Hai Li ◽  
Rui Wang ◽  
Zizi Cai ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Factors such as climate change (especially ocean warming) and overfishing have led to a decline in the supply of Pampus echinogaster and a trend of decreasing age. Exploring the genetic structure and local adaptive evolutionary mechanisms is crucial for the management of P. echinogaster. Results: This population genomic study of nine geographical populations of P. echinogaster in China was conducted by specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq). A total of 935,215 SLAF tags were obtained, and the average sequencing depth of the SLAF tags was 20.80×. After filtering, a total of 46,187 high-consistency genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected. Based on all SNPs, the overall genetic diversity among the nine P. echinogaster populations was high. The Shantou population had the lowest genetic diversity, and the Tianjin population had the highest. Meanwhile, the population genetic structure based on all SNPs revealed significant gene exchange and insignificant genetic differentiation between the nine P. echinogaster populations. Based on pairwise genetic differentiation (FST), we further screened 1,852 outlier SNPs that might have been affected by habitat selection and annotated SLAF tags containing these 1,852 outlier SNPs using Blast2GO. The annotation results showed that the genomic sequences at the outlier SNPs were mainly related to material metabolism, ion transport, breeding, stress response, and inflammatory reactions, which may be related to the adaptation of P. echinogaster to different environmental conditions (such as water temperature and salinity) in different sea areas.Conclusions: The high genetic similarity of nine P. echinogaster populations may have been caused by the population expansion after the last glacial period, the lack of balance between migration and genetic drift, and the long-distance diffusion of eggs and larvae. We suspected that variation of these genes associated with material metabolism, ion transfer, breeding, stress reactions, and inflammatory reactions were critical for adaptation to spatially heterogeneous temperatures in natural P. echinogaster populations.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Catarina Nunes Soares Silva

<p>Knowledge about the population genetic structure of species and the factors shaping such patterns is crucial for effective management and conservation. The complexity of New Zealand’s marine environment presents a challenge for management and the classification of its marine biogeographic areas. As such, it is an interesting system to investigate marine connectivity dynamics and the evolutionary processes shaping the population structure of marine species. An accurate description of spatial and temporal patterns of dispersal and population structure requires the use of tools capable of incorporating the variability of the mechanisms involved. However, these techniques are yet to be broadly applied to New Zealand marine organisms.  This study used genetic markers to assess the genetic variation of the endemic New Zealand scallop, Pecten novaezelandiae, at different spatial and temporal scales. A multidisciplinary approach was used integrating genetic with environmental data (seascape genetics) and hydrodynamic modelling tools. P. novaezelandiae supports important commercial, recreational and customary fisheries but there is no previous information about its genetic structure. Therefore, twelve microsatellite markers were developed for this study (Chapter 2).  Samples (n=952) were collected from 15 locations to determine the genetic structure across the distribution range of P. novaezelandiae. The low genetic structure detected in this study is expected given the recent evolutionary history, the large reproductive potential and the pelagic larval duration of the species (approximately 3 weeks). A significant isolation by distance signal and a degree of differentiation from north to south was apparent, but this structure conflicted with some evidence of panmixia. A latitudinal genetic diversity gradient was observed that might reflect the colonisation and extinction events and insufficient time to reach migration-drift equilibrium during a recent range expansion (Chapter 3).  A seascape genetic approach was used to test for associations between patterns of genetic variation in P. novaezelandiae and environmental variables (three geospatial and six environmental variables). Although the geographic distance between populations was an important variable explaining the genetic variation among populations, it appears that levels of genetic differentiation are not a simple function of distance. Evidence suggests that some environmental factors such as freshwater discharge and suspended particulate matter can be contributing to the patterns of genetic differentiation of P. novaezelandiae in New Zealand (Chapter 4).  Dispersal of P. novaezelandiae was investigated at a small spatial and temporal scale in the Coromandel fishery using genetic markers integrated with hydrodynamic modelling. For the spatial analysis, samples (n=402) were collected in 2012 from 5 locations and for the temporal analysis samples (n=383) were collected in 2012 and 2014 from 3 locations. Results showed small but significant spatial and temporal genetic differentiation, suggesting that the Coromandel fishery does not form a single panmictic unit with free gene flow and supporting a model of source-sink population dynamics (Chapter 5).  The importance of using multidisciplinary approaches at different spatial and temporal scales is widely recognized as a means to better understand the complex processes affecting marine connectivity. The outcomes of this study highlight the importance of incorporating these different approaches, provide vital information to assist in effective management and conservation of P. novaezelandiae and contribute to our understanding of evolutionary processes shaping population structure of marine species.</p>


2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 420-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca T Tague ◽  
Stephanie A Foré

In early successional species, short life span and frequent spatial relocation may affect the distribution of genetic variation but the pattern may be altered by reproductive patterns. Passiflora incarnata L. (Passifloraceae), an early successional vine found throughout the southeastern United States, reproduces sexually and asexually through clonal sprouts. We examined the genetic structure of P. incarnata in recently disturbed habitats at three spatial scales: within a patch, among patches separated by 250 m, and between sites separated by 10 km. Genetic variation may be clumped at the scale of neighboring plants if stem resprouting is significant. In each patch, eleven arbitrarily selected plants and their four nearest neighbors were mapped and leaf samples were collected for genetic analysis. The multilocus genotype of each individual for seven polymorphic allozymes was determined. Potential clones were determined by estimating the probability of a second occurrence of each genotype and a multilocus coefficient of coancestry. Data indicated P. incarnata was reproducing primarily sexually. Most of the genetic variation was within a patch with little variation among patches. These data suggest that the genetic structure of this colonizing species was determined by founder effects interacting with long distance pollen movement.Key words: allozymes, passionflower, spatial, genetic structure, early colonizer, Passiflora incarnata.


1999 ◽  
Vol 89 (10) ◽  
pp. 915-919 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Et-touil ◽  
L. Bernier ◽  
J. Beaulieu ◽  
J. A. Bérubé ◽  
A. Hopkin ◽  
...  

The genetic structure of populations of Cronartium ribicola was studied by sampling nine populations from five provinces in eastern Canada and generating DNA profiles using nine random amplified polymorphic DNA markers. Most of the total gene diversity (Ht = 0.386) was present within populations (Hw = 0.370), resulting in a low level of genetic differentiation among populations in northeastern North America (Fst = 0.062). A hierarchical analysis of genetic structure using an analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed no statistically significant genetic differentiation among provinces or among regions. Yet, genetic differentiation among populations within regions or provinces was small (AMOVA φst = 0.078) but statistically significant (P < 0.001) and was several orders of magnitude larger than differentiation among provinces. This is consistent with a scenario of subpopulations within a metapopulation, in which random drift following migration and new colonization are major evolutionary forces. A phenetic analysis using genetic distances revealed no apparent correlation between genetic distance and the province of origin of the populations. The hypothesis of isolation-by-distance in the eastern populations of C. ribicola was rejected by computing Mantel correlation coefficients between genetic and geographic distance matrices (P > 0.05). These results show that eastern Canadian provinces are part of the same white pine blister rust epidemiological unit. Nursery distribution systems are controlled provincially, with virtually no seedling movement among provinces; therefore, infected nursery material may not play an important role in the dissemination of this disease. Long-distance spore dispersal across provincial boundaries appears to be an epidemiologically important factor for this pathogen.


2011 ◽  
Vol 102 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.Ch. Voudouris ◽  
P. Franck ◽  
J. Olivares ◽  
B. Sauphanor ◽  
Z. Mamuris ◽  
...  

AbstractCodling moth Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is the most important insect pest of apple production in Europe. Despite the economic importance of this pest, there is not information about the genetic structure of its population in Greece and the patterns of gene-flow which might affect the success of control programs. In this study, we analysed nine samples from apple, pear and walnut from various regions of mainland Greece using 11 microsatellite loci. Six samples from the aforementioned hosts from southern France were also examined for comparison. Bayesian clustering and genetic distance analyses separated the codling moth samples in two genetic clusters. The first cluster consisted mainly of the individuals from Greece, and the second of those from France, although admixture and miss-classified individuals were also observed. The low genetic differentiation among samples within each country was also revealed by FST statistics (0.009 among Greek samples and 0.0150 among French samples compared to 0.050 global value among all samples and 0.032 the mean of the pair-wise values between the two countries). These FST values suggest little structuring at large geographical scales in agreement with previous published studies. The host species and local factors (climatic conditions, topography, pest control programs) did not affect the genetic structure of codling moth populations within each country. The results are discussed in relation to human-made activities that promote gene-flow even at large geographic distances. Possible factors for the genetic differentiation between the two genetic clusters are also discussed.


2015 ◽  
Vol 73 (7) ◽  
pp. 1925-1934 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catarina N. S. Silva ◽  
Jonathan P. A. Gardner

Abstract Understanding the processes responsible for shaping the spatial genetic patterns of species is critical for predicting evolutionary dynamics and defining significant evolutionary and/or management units. Here, we investigated the potential role of environmental factors in shaping the genetic structure of the endemic New Zealand scallop Pecten novaezelandiae using a seascape genetics approach. For this, we assayed genetic variation at 12 microsatellite markers in 952 individuals collected from 14 sites throughout New Zealand, and used data for 9 site-specific environmental variables (3 geospatial and 6 environmental variables). Our results indicate that a combination of environmental factors may be contributing to the observed patterns of genetic differentiation, but in particular, freshwater discharge and suspended particulate matter concentration were identified as being important. Environmental variation in these parameters may be acting as a barrier to gene flow. In terms of their ecophysiology, scallops are not particularly tolerant of high concentrations of either freshwater input or suspended sediment, making the identification of an association between these environmental variables and genetic variation particularly relevant across the full distributional range of this species. Although geographic distance between populations was also an important variable explaining the genetic variation among populations, it appears that levels of genetic differentiation are not a simple function of interpopulation distance. This study has identified previously unknown environmental factors that may be acting on the genetic structure of the New Zealand scallop and highlights the utility of seascape genetic studies to better understand the processes shaping the genetic structure of organisms.


Genome ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen L. Shea

The genetic structure of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) in two adjacent sites in the Colorado Front Range was examined using allozyme data from 21 loci in spruce and 18 loci in fir. The genetic diversity measures of alleles per locus, percent loci polymorphic, and mean heterozygosity did not differ significantly between or within species. However, the observed heterozygosity (0.126 spruce, 0.081 fir) values suggest that Engelmann spruce is more genetically variable than subalpine fir. Mean inbreeding coefficients were twice as high in fir as in spruce (FIS = 0.154 spruce, 0.341 fir). There were significant differences in allele frequencies in both species between and within sites, and among age-classes, with spatial differences greater than temporal differences. F-statistics showed greater genetic differentiation within (FST = 2.3–2.6% spruce, 2.0–2.8% fir) than between sites (FST = 1.7% spruce, 1.3% fir). Both species had higher FST and genetic distance values, yet lower FIS values, for spatial subdivisions within rather than between sites. This pattern suggests that the size of a spatial subdivision, where maximum gene flow is 54 m, approximates the size of the largest panmictic unit. In contrast with studies on other conifers, these results suggest that factors such as differential selection pressures, seed dispersal patterns, and clumped spatial distribution have resulted in genetic differentiation at the microhabitat level in Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir.Key words: genetic variation, genetic structure, allozymes, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, microgeographic differentiation.


Author(s):  
Le-Zheng Qin ◽  
Zhaxi Suonan ◽  
Seung Hyeon Kim ◽  
Kun-Seop Lee

Abstract Nutrient loading into coastal sediments is increasing due to anthropogenic activity and climate change. We examined the effects of sediment nutrient enrichment on the growth and reproduction of Zostera marina by adding nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers into sediments. Areal productivity and shoot density increased by ca. 60% in N and N + P enrichment plots and by ca. 20% in the P enrichment plots. Biomass and shoot height were also higher in the N and N + P enrichment plots than in the P enrichment and control plots. These results suggest that sediment N availability was more important than P availability in stimulating the vegetative growth of Z. marina . The density and morphology of reproductive shoots and seed production increased in only the N enrichment plots. The sediment N enrichment stimulated both the vegetative growth and sexual reproduction, improving the meadow resilience through both sexual and asexual mechanisms. The P enrichment slightly increased only the vegetative growth and might have limited influence on seagrass reproduction. According to these results, the alteration of the sediment nutrient regimes might shift the balance between the vegetative growth and sexual reproduction of Z. marina. These findings may have important implications for the management of seagrass meadows under fluctuations in sediment nutrients caused by anthropogenic activity and climate change.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Catarina Nunes Soares Silva

<p>Knowledge about the population genetic structure of species and the factors shaping such patterns is crucial for effective management and conservation. The complexity of New Zealand’s marine environment presents a challenge for management and the classification of its marine biogeographic areas. As such, it is an interesting system to investigate marine connectivity dynamics and the evolutionary processes shaping the population structure of marine species. An accurate description of spatial and temporal patterns of dispersal and population structure requires the use of tools capable of incorporating the variability of the mechanisms involved. However, these techniques are yet to be broadly applied to New Zealand marine organisms.  This study used genetic markers to assess the genetic variation of the endemic New Zealand scallop, Pecten novaezelandiae, at different spatial and temporal scales. A multidisciplinary approach was used integrating genetic with environmental data (seascape genetics) and hydrodynamic modelling tools. P. novaezelandiae supports important commercial, recreational and customary fisheries but there is no previous information about its genetic structure. Therefore, twelve microsatellite markers were developed for this study (Chapter 2).  Samples (n=952) were collected from 15 locations to determine the genetic structure across the distribution range of P. novaezelandiae. The low genetic structure detected in this study is expected given the recent evolutionary history, the large reproductive potential and the pelagic larval duration of the species (approximately 3 weeks). A significant isolation by distance signal and a degree of differentiation from north to south was apparent, but this structure conflicted with some evidence of panmixia. A latitudinal genetic diversity gradient was observed that might reflect the colonisation and extinction events and insufficient time to reach migration-drift equilibrium during a recent range expansion (Chapter 3).  A seascape genetic approach was used to test for associations between patterns of genetic variation in P. novaezelandiae and environmental variables (three geospatial and six environmental variables). Although the geographic distance between populations was an important variable explaining the genetic variation among populations, it appears that levels of genetic differentiation are not a simple function of distance. Evidence suggests that some environmental factors such as freshwater discharge and suspended particulate matter can be contributing to the patterns of genetic differentiation of P. novaezelandiae in New Zealand (Chapter 4).  Dispersal of P. novaezelandiae was investigated at a small spatial and temporal scale in the Coromandel fishery using genetic markers integrated with hydrodynamic modelling. For the spatial analysis, samples (n=402) were collected in 2012 from 5 locations and for the temporal analysis samples (n=383) were collected in 2012 and 2014 from 3 locations. Results showed small but significant spatial and temporal genetic differentiation, suggesting that the Coromandel fishery does not form a single panmictic unit with free gene flow and supporting a model of source-sink population dynamics (Chapter 5).  The importance of using multidisciplinary approaches at different spatial and temporal scales is widely recognized as a means to better understand the complex processes affecting marine connectivity. The outcomes of this study highlight the importance of incorporating these different approaches, provide vital information to assist in effective management and conservation of P. novaezelandiae and contribute to our understanding of evolutionary processes shaping population structure of marine species.</p>


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document