1
|
Segura-García I, Olson JB, Gochfeld DJ, Brandt ME, Chaves-Fonnegra A. Severe hurricanes increase recruitment and gene flow in the clonal sponge Aplysina cauliformis. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17307. [PMID: 38444224 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Upright branching sponges, such as Aplysina cauliformis, provide critical three-dimensional habitat for other organisms and assist in stabilizing coral reef substrata, but are highly susceptible to breakage during storms. Breakage can increase sponge fragmentation, contributing to population clonality and inbreeding. Conversely, storms could provide opportunities for new genotypes to enter populations via larval recruitment, resulting in greater genetic diversity in locations with frequent storms. The unprecedented occurrence of two Category 5 hurricanes in close succession during 2017 in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) provided a unique opportunity to evaluate whether recolonization of newly available substrata on coral reefs was due to local (e.g. re-growth of remnants, fragmentation, larval recruitment) or remote (e.g. larval transport and immigration) sponge genotypes. We sampled A. cauliformis adults and juveniles from four reefs around St. Thomas and two in St. Croix (USVI). Using a 2bRAD protocol, all samples were genotyped for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Results showed that these major storm events favoured sponge larval recruitment but did not increase the genetic diversity of A. cauliformis populations. Recolonization of substratum post-storms via clonality was lower (15%) than expected and instead was mainly due to sexual reproduction (85%) via local larval recruitment. Storms did enhance gene flow among and within reef sites located south of St. Thomas and north of St. Croix. Therefore, populations of clonal marine species with low pelagic dispersion, such as A. cauliformis, may benefit from increased frequency and magnitude of hurricanes for the maintenance of genetic diversity and to combat inbreeding, enhancing the resilience of Caribbean sponge communities to extreme storm events.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iris Segura-García
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, USA
| | - Julie B Olson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Deborah J Gochfeld
- National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, USA
| | - Marilyn E Brandt
- Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, USA
| | - Andia Chaves-Fonnegra
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, USA
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Burgess SC, Powell J, Bueno M. Dispersal, kin aggregation, and the fitness consequences of not spreading sibling larvae. Ecology 2023; 104:e3858. [PMID: 36059232 PMCID: PMC10078279 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Dispersal has far-reaching implications for individuals, populations, and communities, especially in sessile organisms. Escaping competition with conspecifics and with kin are theorized to be key factors leading to dispersal as an adaptation. However, manipulative approaches in systems in which adults are sessile but offspring have behaviors is required for a more complete understanding of how competition affects dispersal. Here, we integrate a series of experiments to study how dispersal affects the density and relatedness of neighbors, and how the density and relatedness of neighbors in turn affects fitness. In a marine bryozoan, we empirically estimated dispersal kernels and found that most larvae settled within ~1 m of the maternal colony, although some could potentially travel at least 10s of meters. Larvae neither actively preferred or avoided conspecifics or kin at settlement. We experimentally determined the effects of spreading sibling larvae by manipulating the density and relatedness of settlers and measuring components of fitness in the field. We found that settler density reduced maternal fitness when settler neighbors were siblings compared with when neighbors were unrelated or absent. Genetic markers also identified very few half sibs (and no full sibs) in adults from the natural population, and rarely close enough to directly interact. In this system, dispersal occurs over short distances (meters) yet, in contrast with expectations, there appears to be limited kinship between adult neighbors. Our results suggest that the limited dispersal increases early offspring mortality when siblings settle next to each other, rather than next to unrelated conspecifics, potentially reducing kinship in adult populations. High offspring production and multiple paternity could further dilute kinship at settlement and reduce selection for dispersal beyond the scale of 10s of meters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Scott C Burgess
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Jackson Powell
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Marília Bueno
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
DeLeo DM, Morrison CL, Sei M, Salamone V, Demopoulos AWJ, Quattrini AM. Genetic diversity and connectivity of chemosynthetic cold seep mussels from the U.S. Atlantic margin. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:76. [PMID: 35715723 PMCID: PMC9204967 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02027-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Deep-sea mussels in the subfamily Bathymodiolinae have unique adaptations to colonize hydrothermal-vent and cold-seep environments throughout the world ocean. These invertebrates function as important ecosystem engineers, creating heterogeneous habitat and promoting biodiversity in the deep sea. Despite their ecological significance, efforts to assess the diversity and connectivity of this group are extremely limited. Here, we present the first genomic-scale diversity assessments of the recently discovered bathymodioline cold-seep communities along the U.S. Atlantic margin, dominated by Gigantidas childressi and Bathymodiolus heckerae.
Results
A Restriction-site Associated DNA Sequencing (RADSeq) approach was used on 177 bathymodiolines to examine genetic diversity and population structure within and between seep sites. Assessments of genetic differentiation using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data revealed high gene flow among sites, with the shallower and more northern sites serving as source populations for deeper occurring G. childressi. No evidence was found for genetic diversification across depth in G. childressi, likely due to their high dispersal capabilities. Kinship analyses indicated a high degree of relatedness among individuals, and at least 10–20% of local recruits within a particular site. We also discovered candidate adaptive loci in G. childressi and B. heckerae that suggest differences in developmental processes and depth-related and metabolic adaptations to chemosynthetic environments.
Conclusions
These results highlight putative source communities for an important ecosystem engineer in the deep sea that may be considered in future conservation efforts. Our results also provide clues into species-specific adaptations that enable survival and potential speciation within chemosynthetic ecosystems.
Collapse
|
4
|
Mazzei R, Rubenstein DR. Larval ecology, dispersal, and the evolution of sociality in the sea. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Renata Mazzei
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology Columbia University New York NY USA
| | - Dustin R. Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology Columbia University New York NY USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Rueger T, Buston PM, Bogdanowicz SM, Wong MY. Genetic relatedness in social groups of the emerald coral goby Paragobiodon xanthosoma creates potential for weak kin selection. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:1311-1321. [PMID: 33459427 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Animals forming social groups that include breeders and nonbreeders present evolutionary paradoxes; why do breeders tolerate nonbreeders? And why do nonbreeders tolerate their situation? Both paradoxes are often explained with kin selection. Kin selection is, however, assumed to play little or no role in social group formation of marine organisms with dispersive larval phases. Yet, in some marine organisms, recent evidence suggests small-scale patterns of relatedness, meaning that this assumption must always be tested. Here, we investigated the genetic relatedness of social groups of the emerald coral goby, Paragobiodon xanthosoma. We genotyped 73 individuals from 16 groups in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea, at 20 microsatellite loci and estimated pairwise relatedness among all individuals. We found that estimated pairwise relatedness among individuals within groups was significantly higher than the pairwise relatedness among individuals from the same reef, and pairwise relatedness among individuals from the same reef was significantly higher than the pairwise relatedness among individuals from different reefs. This spatial signature suggests that there may be very limited dispersal in this species. The slightly positive relatedness within groups creates the potential for weak kin selection, which may help to resolve the paradox of why breeders tolerate subordinates in P. xanthosoma. The other paradox, why nonbreeders tolerate their situation, is better explained by alternative hypotheses such as territory inheritance, and ecological and social constraints. We show that even in marine animals with dispersive larval phases, kin selection needs to be considered to explain the evolution of complex social groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Rueger
- Department of Biology and Marine Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.,College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Peter M Buston
- Department of Biology and Marine Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Steven M Bogdanowicz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Marian Y Wong
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystems Solutions, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Rueger T, Harrison HB, Buston PM, Gardiner NM, Berumen ML, Jones GP. Natal philopatry increases relatedness within groups of coral reef cardinalfish. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201133. [PMID: 32635871 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A central issue in evolutionary ecology is how patterns of dispersal influence patterns of relatedness in populations. In terrestrial organisms, limited dispersal of offspring leads to groups of related individuals. By contrast, for most marine organisms, larval dispersal in open waters is thought to minimize kin associations within populations. However, recent molecular evidence and theoretical approaches have shown that limited dispersal, sibling cohesion and/or differential reproductive success can lead to kin association and elevated relatedness. Here, we tested the hypothesis that limited dispersal explains small-scale patterns of relatedness in the pajama cardinalfish Sphaeramia nematoptera. We used 19 microsatellite markers to assess parentage of 233 juveniles and pairwise relatedness among 527 individuals from 41 groups in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea. Our findings support three predictions of the limited dispersal hypothesis: (i) elevated relatedness within groups, compared with among groups and elevated relatedness within reefs compared with among reefs; (ii) a weak negative correlation of relatedness with distance; (iii) more juveniles than would be expected by chance in the same group and the same reef as their parents. We provide the first example for natal philopatry at the group level causing small-scale patterns of genetic relatedness in a marine fish.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Rueger
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.,Department of Biology and Marine Program, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Hugo B Harrison
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia
| | - Peter M Buston
- Department of Biology and Marine Program, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Naomi M Gardiner
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - Michael L Berumen
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, 23955-6900 Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Geoffrey P Jones
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Chaput R, Majoris JE, Buston PM, Paris CB. Hydrodynamic and biological constraints on group cohesion in plankton. J Theor Biol 2019; 482:109987. [PMID: 31473190 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2019.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The dynamics of plankton in the ocean are determined by biophysical interactions. Although physics and biotic behaviors are known to influence the observed patchiness of planktonic populations, it is still unclear how much, and if, group behavior contributes to this biophysical interaction. Here, we demonstrate how simple rules of behavior can enhance or inhibit active group cohesion in plankton in a turbulent environment. In this study, we used coral-reef fish larvae as a model to investigate the interaction between microscale turbulence and planktonic organisms. We synthesized available information on the swimming speeds and sizes of reef fish larvae, and developed a set of equations to investigate the effects of viscosity and turbulence on larvae dispersion. We then calculated the critical dispersion rates for three different swimming strategies - cruise, random-walk, and pause-travel - to determine which strategies could facilitate group cohesion during dispersal. Our results indicate that swimming strategies and migration to low-turbulence regions are the key to maintaining group cohesion, suggesting that many reef fish species have the potential to remain together, from hatching to settlement. In addition, larvae might change their swimming strategies to maintain group cohesion, depending on environmental conditions and/or their ontogenic stage. This study provides a better understanding of the hydrodynamic and biological constraints on group formation and cohesion in planktonic organisms, and reveals a wide range of conditions under which group formation may occur.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Romain Chaput
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, USA.
| | - John E Majoris
- Department of Biology and Marine Program, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, 4700 KAUST, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Peter M Buston
- Department of Biology and Marine Program, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Claire B Paris
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Morales‐González S, Giles EC, Quesada‐Calderón S, Saenz‐Agudelo P. Fine-scale hierarchical genetic structure and kinship analysis of the ascidian Pyura chilensis in the southeastern Pacific. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:9855-9868. [PMID: 31534699 PMCID: PMC6745665 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying population structure and genetic diversity at fine spatial scales is key for a better understanding of demographic processes that influence population connectivity. This is particularly important in marine benthic organisms that rely on larval dispersal to maintain connectivity among populations. Here, we report the results of a genetic survey of the ascidian Pyura chilensis from three localities along the southeastern Pacific. This study follows up on a previous report that described a genetic break in this region among localities only 20 km apart. By implementing a hierarchical sampling design at four spatial levels and using ten polymorphic microsatellite markers, we test whether differences in fine-scale population structure explain the previously reported genetic break. We compared genetic spatial autocorrelations, as well as kinship and relatedness distributions within and among localities adjacent to the genetic break. We found no evidence of significant autocorrelation at the scale up to 50 m despite the low dispersal potential of P. chilensis that has been reported in the literature. We also found that the proportion of related individuals in close proximity (<1 km) was higher than the proportion of related individuals further apart. These results were consistent in the three localities. Our results suggest that the spatial distribution of related individuals can be nonrandom at small spatial scales and suggests that dispersal might be occasionally limited in this species or that larval cohorts can disperse in the plankton as clustered groups. Overall, this study sheds light on new aspects of the life of this ascidian as well as confirms the presence of a genetic break at 39°S latitude. Also, our data indicate there is not enough evidence to confirm that this genetic break can be explained by differences in fine-scale genetic patterns among localities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarai Morales‐González
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y EvolutivasFacultad de CienciasUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
- Magister en Ciencias Mención GenéticaEscuela de GraduadosFacultad de CienciasUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
| | - Emily C. Giles
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y EvolutivasFacultad de CienciasUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
- Doctorado en Ciencias Mención Ecología y EvoluciónEscuela de GraduadosFacultad de CienciasUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
| | - Suany Quesada‐Calderón
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y EvolutivasFacultad de CienciasUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
- Doctorado en Ciencias Mención Ecología y EvoluciónEscuela de GraduadosFacultad de CienciasUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
| | - Pablo Saenz‐Agudelo
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y EvolutivasFacultad de CienciasUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Schunter C, Pascual M, Raventos N, Garriga J, Garza JC, Bartumeus F, Macpherson E. A novel integrative approach elucidates fine-scale dispersal patchiness in marine populations. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10796. [PMID: 31346216 PMCID: PMC6658486 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47200-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Dispersal is one of the main determining factors of population structure. In the marine habitat, well-connected populations with large numbers of reproducing individuals are common but even so population structure can exist on a small-scale. Variation in dispersal patterns between populations or over time is often associated to geographic distance or changing oceanographic barriers. Consequently, detecting structure and variation in dispersal on a fine-scale within marine populations still remains a challenge. Here we propose and use a novel approach of combining a clustering model, early-life history trait information from fish otoliths, spatial coordinates and genetic markers to detect very fine-scale dispersal patterns. We collected 1573 individuals (946 adults and 627 juveniles) of the black-faced blenny across a small-scale (2 km) coastline as well as at a larger-scale area (<50 kms). A total of 178 single nucleotide polymorphism markers were used to evaluate relatedness patterns within this well-connected population. In our clustering models we categorized SHORT-range dispersers to be potential local recruits based on their high relatedness within and low relatedness towards other spatial clusters. Local retention and/or dispersal of this potential local recruitment varied across the 2 km coastline with higher frequency of SHORT-range dispersers towards the southwest of the area for adults. An inverse pattern was found for juveniles, showing an increase of SHORT-range dispersers towards the northeast. As we rule out selective movement and mortality from one year to the next, this pattern reveals a complex but not full genetic mixing, and variability in coastal circulation is most likely the main driver of this fine-scale chaotic genetic patchiness within this otherwise homogeneous population. When focusing on the patterns within one recruitment season, we found large differences in temperatures (from approx. 17 °C to 25 °C) as well as pelagic larval duration (PLD) for juveniles from the beginning of the season and the end of the season. We were able to detect fine-scale differences in LONG-range juvenile dispersers, representing distant migrants, depending on whether they were born at the beginning of the season with a longer PLD, or at the end of the reproductive season. The ability to detect such fine-scale dispersal patchiness will aid in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of population structuring and chaotic patchiness in a wide range of species even with high potential dispersal abilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Schunter
- Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
| | - M Pascual
- Dept. Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística - IRBio, Universitat Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - N Raventos
- Laboratorio de Analisis de Estructurad Biologicas de Crecimiento (CEAB-CSIC), Car. Acc. Cala St. Francesc 14, Blanes, 17300, Girona, Spain
| | - J Garriga
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Car. Acc. Cala St. Francesc 14, Blanes, 17300, Girona, Spain
| | - J C Garza
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service and University of California, 110 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, 95060, USA
| | - F Bartumeus
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Car. Acc. Cala St. Francesc 14, Blanes, 17300, Girona, Spain.,Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals (CREAF), E08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, Spain.,Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Passeig de Lluís Companys, 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Macpherson
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Car. Acc. Cala St. Francesc 14, Blanes, 17300, Girona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|