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Yan W, Wang Z, Zhou B. Population evolution of seagrasses returning to the ocean. Heliyon 2023; 9:e20231. [PMID: 37809433 PMCID: PMC10559988 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Seagrasses are higher flowering plants that live entirely in marine environments, with the greatest habitat variation occurring from land to sea. Genetic structure or population differentiation history is a hot topic in evolutionary biology, which is of great significance for understanding speciation. Genetic information is obtained from geographically distributed subpopulations, different subspecies, or strains of the same species using next-generation sequencing techniques. Genetic variation is identified by comparison with reference genomes. Genetic diversity is explored using population structure, principal component analysis (PCA), and phylogenetic relationships. Patterns of population genetic differentiation are elucidated by combining the isolation by distance (IBD) model, linkage disequilibrium levels, and genetic statistical analysis. Demographic history is simulated using effective population size, divergence time, and site frequency spectrum (SFS). Through various population genetic analyses, the genetic structure and historical population dynamics of seagrass can be clarified, and their evolutionary processes can be further explored at the molecular level to understand how evolutionary processes contributed to the formation of early ecological species and provide data support for seagrass conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Yan
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Zhaohua Wang
- First Institute of Oceanography, MNR, Qingdao, 266061, China
| | - Bin Zhou
- College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
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2
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Tavares AI, Assis J, Larkin PD, Creed JC, Magalhães K, Horta P, Engelen A, Cardoso N, Barbosa C, Pontes S, Regalla A, Almada C, Ferreira R, Abdoul BM, Ebaye S, Bourweiss M, Dos Santos CVD, Patrício AR, Teodósio A, Santos R, Pearson GA, Serrao EA. Long range gene flow beyond predictions from oceanographic transport in a tropical marine foundation species. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9112. [PMID: 37277448 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36367-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The transport of passively dispersed organisms across tropical margins remains poorly understood. Hypotheses of oceanographic transportation potential lack testing with large scale empirical data. To address this gap, we used the seagrass species, Halodule wrightii, which is unique in spanning the entire tropical Atlantic. We tested the hypothesis that genetic differentiation estimated across its large-scale biogeographic range can be predicted by simulated oceanographic transport. The alternative hypothesis posits that dispersal is independent of ocean currents, such as transport by grazers. We compared empirical genetic estimates and modelled predictions of dispersal along the distribution of H. wrightii. We genotyped eight microsatellite loci on 19 populations distributed across Atlantic Africa, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, Brazil and developed a biophysical model with high-resolution ocean currents. Genetic data revealed low gene flow and highest differentiation between (1) the Gulf of Mexico and two other regions: (2) Caribbean-Brazil and (3) Atlantic Africa. These two were more genetically similar despite separation by an ocean. The biophysical model indicated low or no probability of passive dispersal among populations and did not match the empirical genetic data. The results support the alternative hypothesis of a role for active dispersal vectors like grazers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana I Tavares
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR-CIMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.
| | - Jorge Assis
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR-CIMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Bioscience and Aquaculture, Nord Universitet, Postboks 1490, 8049, Bodø, Norway
| | | | - Joel C Creed
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Karine Magalhães
- Área de Ecologia, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, R. Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n-Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE, CEP 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Paulo Horta
- Laboratório de Ficologia, Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-970, Brazil
| | - Aschwin Engelen
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR-CIMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- CARMABI Foundation, Piscaderabaai z/n, P.O. Box 2090, Willemstad, Curaçao, The Netherlands
| | - Noelo Cardoso
- CIPA, Centro de Investigação Pesqueira Aplicada, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
| | - Castro Barbosa
- IBAP-Instituto da Biodiversidade e Áreas Protegidas, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
| | - Samuel Pontes
- IBAP-Instituto da Biodiversidade e Áreas Protegidas, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
| | - Aissa Regalla
- IBAP-Instituto da Biodiversidade e Áreas Protegidas, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
| | - Carmen Almada
- Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade de Cabo Verde, Praia, Cabo Verde
| | - Rogério Ferreira
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR-CIMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Dragões do Mar, Nova Estrela, Ilha do Príncipe, São Tomé and Príncipe
| | | | - Sidina Ebaye
- Parc Nationale du Banc d'Arguin (PNBA), Chami, Mauritania
| | - Mohammed Bourweiss
- Institut Mauritanien de Recherche Oceanographique et des Peches (IMROP), Nouadhibou, Mauritania
| | | | - Ana R Patrício
- MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exete, Penryn, UK
| | - Alexandra Teodósio
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR-CIMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Rui Santos
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR-CIMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Gareth A Pearson
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR-CIMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Ester A Serrao
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR-CIMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Vairão, Portugal
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3
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Pazzaglia J, Reusch TBH, Terlizzi A, Marín‐Guirao L, Procaccini G. Phenotypic plasticity under rapid global changes: The intrinsic force for future seagrasses survival. Evol Appl 2021; 14:1181-1201. [PMID: 34025759 PMCID: PMC8127715 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Coastal oceans are particularly affected by rapid and extreme environmental changes with dramatic consequences for the entire ecosystem. Seagrasses are key ecosystem engineering or foundation species supporting diverse and productive ecosystems along the coastline that are particularly susceptible to fast environmental changes. In this context, the analysis of phenotypic plasticity could reveal important insights into seagrasses persistence, as it represents an individual property that allows species' phenotypes to accommodate and react to fast environmental changes and stress. Many studies have provided different definitions of plasticity and related processes (acclimation and adaptation) resulting in a variety of associated terminology. Here, we review different ways to define phenotypic plasticity with particular reference to seagrass responses to single and multiple stressors. We relate plasticity to the shape of reaction norms, resulting from genotype by environment interactions, and examine its role in the presence of environmental shifts. The potential role of genetic and epigenetic changes in underlying seagrasses plasticity in face of environmental changes is also discussed. Different approaches aimed to assess local acclimation and adaptation in seagrasses are explored, explaining strengths and weaknesses based on the main results obtained from the most recent literature. We conclude that the implemented experimental approaches, whether performed with controlled or field experiments, provide new insights to explore the basis of plasticity in seagrasses. However, an improvement of molecular analysis and the application of multi-factorial experiments are required to better explore genetic and epigenetic adjustments to rapid environmental shifts. These considerations revealed the potential for selecting the best phenotypes to promote assisted evolution with fundamental implications on restoration and preservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Pazzaglia
- Department of Integrative Marine EcologyStazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNaplesItaly
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
| | - Thorsten B. H. Reusch
- Marine Evolutionary EcologyGEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research KielKielGermany
| | - Antonio Terlizzi
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine OrganismsStazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNaplesItaly
| | - Lázaro Marín‐Guirao
- Department of Integrative Marine EcologyStazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNaplesItaly
- Seagrass Ecology GroupOceanographic Center of MurciaSpanish Institute of OceanographyMurciaSpain
| | - Gabriele Procaccini
- Department of Integrative Marine EcologyStazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNaplesItaly
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4
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Evans RD, McMahon KM, van Dijk KJ, Dawkins K, Nilsson Jacobi M, Vikrant A. Identification of dispersal barriers for a colonising seagrass using seascape genetic analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 763:143052. [PMID: 33189383 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Seagrasses are important habitats providing many ecological services. Most species have broad distributions with maximum dispersal distances of 100's of kms, however there is limited understanding of dispersal distances of colonising species like Halodule uninervis. It commonly grows in disturbed environments and could disperse to other meadows via clonal fragments. Effective conservation management requires greater understanding of genetic structure, dispersal barriers, and connectivity timescales to predict recovery following disturbance. Despite fragment viability of up to 28 days in a congenera, this theory remains untested in situ. Using 80 neutral single nucleotide polymorphisms, we investigated genetic diversity, gene flow patterns and structure among 15 populations of H. uninervis along 2000 km of Western Australian coastline. These data were combined with a multi-generational oceanographic dispersal model and a barrier dispersal analysis to identify dispersal barriers and determine which fragment dispersal duration (FDD) and timescale over which stepping-stone connectivity occurred, best matched the observed genetic structure. The 2-7 day FDD best matched the genetic structure with 4-12 clusters, with barriers to dispersal that persisted for up to 100 years. Modelling suggested greater fragmentation of metapopulations towards the southern edge of the species distribution, but genetic diversity did not decline. Several long-term boundaries were identified even with fragment viability of up to 28 days. This suggests H. uninervis dispersal is spatially limited by factors like oceanographic features and habitat continuity which may limit dispersal of this species. This study reiterates that potential dispersal does not equal realised dispersal, and management scales of 10's of kilometers are required to maintain existing meadows. Recruitment from distances further than this scale are unlikely to aid recovery after extreme disturbance events, particularly towards the range edge of H. uninervis distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- R D Evans
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, 17 Dick Perry Ave, Kensington 6151, Australia; Oceans Institute, the University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - K M McMahon
- School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup 6027, Australia; Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup 6027, Australia
| | - K-J van Dijk
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - K Dawkins
- School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup 6027, Australia; Centre for Ecosystem Management, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup 6027, Australia
| | - M Nilsson Jacobi
- Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, Maskingränd 2, 412 58 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - A Vikrant
- Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, Maskingränd 2, 412 58 Gothenburg, Sweden
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5
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Jahnke M, Moksnes PO, Olsen JL, Serra Serra N, Nilsson Jacobi M, Kuusemäe K, Corell H, Jonsson PR. Integrating genetics, biophysical, and demographic insights identifies critical sites for seagrass conservation. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 30:e02121. [PMID: 32159897 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The eelgrass Zostera marina is an important foundation species of coastal areas in the Northern Hemisphere, but is continuing to decline, despite management actions. The development of new management tools is therefore urgent in order to prioritize limited resources for protecting meadows most vulnerable to local extinctions and identifying most valuable present and historic meadows to protect and restore, respectively. We assessed 377 eelgrass meadows along the complex coastlines of two fjord regions on the Swedish west coast-one is currently healthy and the other is substantially degraded. Shoot dispersal for all meadows was assessed with Lagrangian biophysical modeling (scale: 100-1,000 m) and used for barrier analysis and clustering; a subset (n = 22) was also assessed with population genetic methods (20 microsatellites) including diversity, structure, and network connectivity. Both approaches were in very good agreement, resulting in seven subpopulation groupings or management units (MUs). The MUs correspond to a spatial scale appropriate for coastal management of "waterbodies" used in the European Water Framework Directive. Adding demographic modeling based on the genetic and biophysical data as a third approach, we are able to assess past, present, and future metapopulation dynamics to identify especially vulnerable and valuable meadows. In a further application, we show how the biophysical approach, using eigenvalue perturbation theory (EPT) and distribution records from the 1980s, can be used to identify lost meadows where restoration would best benefit the present metapopulation. The combination of methods, presented here as a toolbox, allows the assessment of different temporal and spatial scales at the same time, as well as ranking of specific meadows according to key genetic, demographic and ecological metrics. It could be applied to any species or region, and we exemplify its versatility as a management guide for eelgrass along the Swedish west coast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Jahnke
- Department of Marine Sciences - Tjärnö Marine Laboratory, University of Gothenburg, SE-45296, Strömstad, Sweden
| | - Per-Olav Moksnes
- Department of Marine Science, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jeanine L Olsen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Section: Ecology and Evolutionary Genomics in Nature (GREEN), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Núria Serra Serra
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Section: Ecology and Evolutionary Genomics in Nature (GREEN), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Nilsson Jacobi
- Complex Systems Group, Department of Energy and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Hanna Corell
- DHI Sverige, Svartmangatan 18, SE-111 29, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per R Jonsson
- Department of Marine Sciences - Tjärnö Marine Laboratory, University of Gothenburg, SE-45296, Strömstad, Sweden
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6
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Berković B, Coelho N, Gouveia L, Serrão EA, Alberto F. Individual-based genetic analyses support asexual hydrochory dispersal in Zostera noltei. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199275. [PMID: 30114218 PMCID: PMC6095491 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Dispersal beyond the local patch in clonal plants was typically thought to result from sexual reproduction via seed dispersal. However, evidence for the separation, transport by water, and re-establishment of asexual propagules (asexual hydrochory) is mounting suggesting other important means of dispersal in aquatic plants. Using an unprecedented sampling size and microsatellite genetic identification, we describe the distribution of seagrass clones along tens of km within a coastal lagoon in Southern Portugal. Our spatially explicit individual-based sampling design covered 84 km2 and collected 3 185 Zostera noltei ramets from 803 sites. We estimated clone age, assuming rhizome elongation as the only mechanism of clone spread, and contrasted it with paleo-oceanographic sea level change. We also studied the association between a source of disturbance and the location of large clones. A total of 16 clones were sampled more than 10 times and the most abundant one was sampled 59 times. The largest distance between two samples from the same clone was 26.4 km and a total of 58 and 10 clones were sampled across more than 2 and 10 km, respectively. The number of extremely large clone sizes, and their old ages when assuming the rhizome elongation as the single causal mechanism, suggests other processes are behind the span of these clones. We discuss how the dispersal of vegetative fragments in a stepping-stone manner might have produced this pattern. We found higher probabilities to sample large clones away from the lagoon inlet, considered a source of disturbance. This study corroborates previous experiments on the success of transport and re-establishment of asexual fragments and supports the hypothesis that asexual hydrochory is responsible for the extent of these clones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Buga Berković
- Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Nelson Coelho
- Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Licínia Gouveia
- Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Ester A. Serrão
- Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Filipe Alberto
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
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7
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Triest L, Sierens T, Menemenlis D, Van der Stocken T. Inferring Connectivity Range in Submerged Aquatic Populations ( Ruppia L.) Along European Coastal Lagoons From Genetic Imprint and Simulated Dispersal Trajectories. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:806. [PMID: 29951080 PMCID: PMC6008504 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Coastal salt- and brackish water lagoons are unique shallow habitats characterized by beds of submerged seagrasses and salt-tolerant Ruppia species. Established long-term and large-scale patterns of connectivity in lagoon systems can be strongly determined by patterns of nearshore and coastal currents next to local bird-mediated seed dispersal. Despite the importance of dispersal in landscape ecology, characterizing patterns of connectivity remains challenging in aquatic systems. Here, we aimed at inferring connectivity distances of Ruppia cirrhosa along European coastal lagoons using a population genetic imprint and modeled dispersal trajectories using an eddy-resolving numerical ocean model that includes tidal forcing. We investigated 1,303 individuals of 46 populations alongside subbasins of the Mediterranean (Balearic, Tyrrhenian, Ionian) and the Atlantic to Baltic Sea coastline over maximum distances of 563-2,684 km. Ten microsatellite loci under an autotetraploid condition revealed a mixed sexual and vegetative reproduction mode. A pairwise FST permutation test of populations revealed high levels of historical connectivity only for distance classes up to 104-280 km. Since full range analysis was not fully explanatory, we assessed connectivity in more detail at coastline and subbasin level using four approaches. Firstly, a regression over restricted geographical distances (300 km) was done though remained comparable to full range analysis. Secondly, piecewise linear regression analyses yielded much better explained variance but the obtained breakpoints were shifted toward greater geographical distances due to a flat slope of regression lines that most likely reflect genetic drift. Thirdly, classification and regression tree analyses revealed threshold values of 47-179 km. Finally, simulated ocean surface dispersal trajectories for propagules with floating periods of 1-4 weeks, were congruent with inferred distances, a spatial Bayesian admixed gene pool clustering and a barrier detection method. A kinship based spatial autocorrelation showed a contemporary within-lagoon connectivity up to 20 km. Our findings indicate that strong differentiation or admixtures shaped historical connectivity and that a pre- and post LGM genetic imprint of R. cirrhosa along the European coasts was maintained from their occurrence in primary habitats. Additionally, this study demonstrates the importance of unraveling thresholds of genetic breaks in combination with ocean dispersal modeling to infer patterns of connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludwig Triest
- Ecology and Biodiversity Research Group, Plant Biology and Nature Management, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Tim Sierens
- Ecology and Biodiversity Research Group, Plant Biology and Nature Management, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Dimitris Menemenlis
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Tom Van der Stocken
- Ecology and Biodiversity Research Group, Plant Biology and Nature Management, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
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8
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Jahnke M, Jonsson PR, Moksnes P, Loo L, Nilsson Jacobi M, Olsen JL. Seascape genetics and biophysical connectivity modelling support conservation of the seagrass Zostera marina in the Skagerrak-Kattegat region of the eastern North Sea. Evol Appl 2018; 11:645-661. [PMID: 29875808 PMCID: PMC5979629 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Maintaining and enabling evolutionary processes within meta-populations are critical to resistance, resilience and adaptive potential. Knowledge about which populations act as sources or sinks, and the direction of gene flow, can help to focus conservation efforts more effectively and forecast how populations might respond to future anthropogenic and environmental pressures. As a foundation species and habitat provider, Zostera marina (eelgrass) is of critical importance to ecosystem functions including fisheries. Here, we estimate connectivity of Z. marina in the Skagerrak-Kattegat region of the North Sea based on genetic and biophysical modelling. Genetic diversity, population structure and migration were analysed at 23 locations using 20 microsatellite loci and a suite of analytical approaches. Oceanographic connectivity was analysed using Lagrangian dispersal simulations based on contemporary and historical distribution data dating back to the late 19th century. Population clusters, barriers and networks of connectivity were found to be very similar based on either genetic or oceanographic analyses. A single-generation model of dispersal was not realistic, whereas multigeneration models that integrate stepping-stone dispersal and extant and historic distribution data were able to capture and model genetic connectivity patterns well. Passive rafting of flowering shoots along oceanographic currents is the main driver of gene flow at this spatial-temporal scale, and extant genetic connectivity strongly reflects the "ghost of dispersal past" sensu Benzie, 1999. The identification of distinct clusters, connectivity hotspots and areas where connectivity has become limited over the last century is critical information for spatial management, conservation and restoration of eelgrass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Jahnke
- Department of Marine Sciences – TjärnöUniversity of GothenburgStrömstadSweden
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesSection: Ecology and Evolutionary Genomics in Nature (GREEN)University of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Per R. Jonsson
- Department of Marine Sciences – TjärnöUniversity of GothenburgStrömstadSweden
| | - Per‐Olav Moksnes
- Department of Marine ScienceUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Lars‐Ove Loo
- Department of Marine Sciences – TjärnöUniversity of GothenburgStrömstadSweden
| | - Martin Nilsson Jacobi
- Complex Systems GroupDepartment of Energy and EnvironmentChalmers University of TechnologyGothenburgSweden
| | - Jeanine L. Olsen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesSection: Ecology and Evolutionary Genomics in Nature (GREEN)University of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
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9
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Kuusemäe K, von Thenen M, Lange T, Rasmussen EK, Pothoff M, Sousa AI, Flindt MR. Agent Based Modelling (ABM) of eelgrass ( Zostera marina ) seedbank dynamics in a shallow Danish estuary. Ecol Modell 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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10
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Christensen A, Mariani P, Payne MR. A generic framework for individual-based modelling and physical-biological interaction. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0189956. [PMID: 29351280 PMCID: PMC5774699 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The increased availability of high-resolution ocean data globally has enabled more detailed analyses of physical-biological interactions and their consequences to the ecosystem. We present IBMlib, which is a versatile, portable and computationally effective framework for conducting Lagrangian simulations in the marine environment. The purpose of the framework is to handle complex individual-level biological models of organisms, combined with realistic 3D oceanographic model of physics and biogeochemistry describing the environment of the organisms without assumptions about spatial or temporal scales. The open-source framework features a minimal robust interface to facilitate the coupling between individual-level biological models and oceanographic models, and we provide application examples including forward/backward simulations, habitat connectivity calculations, assessing ocean conditions, comparison of physical circulation models, model ensemble runs and recently posterior Eulerian simulations using the IBMlib framework. We present the code design ideas behind the longevity of the code, our implementation experiences, as well as code performance benchmarking. The framework may contribute substantially to progresses in representing, understanding, predicting and eventually managing marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mark R. Payne
- DTU Aqua, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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11
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Pascual M, Rives B, Schunter C, Macpherson E. Impact of life history traits on gene flow: A multispecies systematic review across oceanographic barriers in the Mediterranean Sea. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176419. [PMID: 28489878 PMCID: PMC5425013 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Marine species can demonstrate strong genetic differentiation and population structure despite the hypothesis of open seas and high connectivity. Some suggested drivers causing the genetic breaks are oceanographic barriers and the species' biology. We assessed the relevance of seven major oceanographic fronts on species connectivity while considering their dispersal capacity and life strategy. METHODS We systematically reviewed the scientific articles reporting population genetic differentiation along the Mediterranean Sea and across the Atlantic-Mediterranean transition. We retained those considering at least one sampling locality at each side of an oceanographic front, and at least two localities with no-front between them to correctly assess the effect of the front. To estimate the impact of life history characteristics affecting connectivity we considered the planktonic larval duration (PLD) and adult life strategy. RESULTS Oceanographic barriers in the Mediterranean Sea seem to reduce gene flow globally; however, this effect is not homogeneous considering the life history traits of the species. The effect of the oceanographic fronts reduces gene flow in highly mobile species with PLD larger than 2-4 weeks. Benthic sessile species and/or with short PLD (< 2 weeks) have more significant genetic breaks between localities than species with higher motility; however, genetic differentiation occurs independently of the presence of a front. CONCLUSION Genetic connectivity is important for populations to recover from anthropogenic or natural impacts. We show that species with low mobility, mostly habitat-formers, have high genetic differentiation but low gene flow reduction mediated by the front, therefore, considering the importance of these species, we emphasize the vulnerability of the Mediterranean ecosystems and the necessity of protection strategies based on the whole ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Pascual
- Dept Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics/IrBio, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643, Barcelona, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Borja Rives
- Dept Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics/IrBio, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Celia Schunter
- KAUST Environmental Epigenetic Program (KEEP), Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering and Division of Applied Mathematics and Computer Sciences, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Enrique Macpherson
- Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Car. Acc. Cala St. Francesc 14, Blanes, Girona, Spain
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