1
|
Denis H, Bay LK, Mocellin VJL, Naugle MS, Lecellier G, Purcell SW, Berteaux-Lecellier V, Howells EJ. Thermal tolerance traits of individual corals are widely distributed across the Great Barrier Reef. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240587. [PMID: 39257340 PMCID: PMC11463214 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0587] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Adaptation of reef-building corals to global warming depends upon standing heritable variation in tolerance traits upon which selection can act. Yet limited knowledge exists on heat-tolerance variation among conspecific individuals separated by metres to hundreds of kilometres. Here, we performed standardized acute heat-stress assays to quantify the thermal tolerance traits of 709 colonies of Acropora spathulata from 13 reefs spanning 1060 km (9.5° latitude) of the Great Barrier Reef. Thermal thresholds for photochemical efficiency and chlorophyll retention varied considerably among individual colonies both among reefs (approximately 6°C) and within reefs (approximately 3°C). Although tolerance rankings of colonies varied between traits, the most heat-tolerant corals (i.e. top 25% of each trait) were found at virtually all reefs, indicating widespread phenotypic variation. Reef-scale environmental predictors explained 12-62% of trait variation. Corals exposed to high thermal averages and recent thermal stress exhibited the greatest photochemical performance, probably reflecting local adaptation and stress pre-acclimatization, and the lowest chlorophyll retention suggesting stress pre-sensitization. Importantly, heat tolerance relative to local summer temperatures was the greatest on higher latitude reefs suggestive of higher adaptive potential. These results can be used to identify naturally tolerant coral populations and individuals for conservation and restoration applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Denis
- UMR250/9220 ENTROPIE (IRD-CNRS-UR-IFREMER-UNC), Promenade Roger-Laroque, Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia, France
- ED 129, Sorbonne Université, 4, Place Jussieu, Paris75252, France
- National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Line K. Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Melissa S. Naugle
- National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Gaël Lecellier
- UMR250/9220 ENTROPIE (IRD-CNRS-UR-IFREMER-UNC), Promenade Roger-Laroque, Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia, France
- Institut de Sciences Exactes et Appliquées (ISEA) EA7484, 145, Avenue James Cook, NouméaBP R4 98 851, New Caledonia
| | - Steven W. Purcell
- National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Emily J. Howells
- National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Matias AMA, Popovic I, Thia JA, Cooke IR, Torda G, Lukoschek V, Bay LK, Kim SW, Riginos C. Cryptic diversity and spatial genetic variation in the coral Acropora tenuis and its endosymbionts across the Great Barrier Reef. Evol Appl 2023; 16:293-310. [PMID: 36793689 PMCID: PMC9923489 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic studies are uncovering extensive cryptic diversity within reef-building corals, suggesting that evolutionarily and ecologically relevant diversity is highly underestimated in the very organisms that structure coral reefs. Furthermore, endosymbiotic algae within coral host species can confer adaptive responses to environmental stress and may represent additional axes of coral genetic variation that are not constrained by taxonomic divergence of the cnidarian host. Here, we examine genetic variation in a common and widespread, reef-building coral, Acropora tenuis, and its associated endosymbiotic algae along the entire expanse of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). We use SNPs derived from genome-wide sequencing to characterize the cnidarian coral host and organelles from zooxanthellate endosymbionts (genus Cladocopium). We discover three distinct and sympatric genetic clusters of coral hosts, whose distributions appear associated with latitude and inshore-offshore reef position. Demographic modelling suggests that the divergence history of the three distinct host taxa ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 million years ago, preceding the GBR's formation, and has been characterized by low-to-moderate ongoing inter-taxon gene flow, consistent with occasional hybridization and introgression typifying coral evolution. Despite this differentiation in the cnidarian host, A. tenuis taxa share a common symbiont pool, dominated by the genus Cladocopium (Clade C). Cladocopium plastid diversity is not strongly associated with host identity but varies with reef location relative to shore: inshore colonies contain lower symbiont diversity on average but have greater differences between colonies as compared with symbiont communities from offshore colonies. Spatial genetic patterns of symbiont communities could reflect local selective pressures maintaining coral holobiont differentiation across an inshore-offshore environmental gradient. The strong influence of environment (but not host identity) on symbiont community composition supports the notion that symbiont community composition responds to habitat and may assist in the adaptation of corals to future environmental change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ambrocio Melvin A. Matias
- Institute of BiologyUniversity of the Philippines DilimanQuezon CityPhilippines
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Iva Popovic
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Joshua A. Thia
- Bio21 Institute, School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneParkevilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Ira R. Cooke
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary SciencesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Gergely Torda
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Vimoksalehi Lukoschek
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- Gold Coast University HospitalQLD HealthSouthportQueenslandAustralia
| | - Line K. Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Sun W. Kim
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Cynthia Riginos
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhang J, Richards ZT, Adam AAS, Chan CX, Shinzato C, Gilmour J, Thomas L, Strugnell JM, Miller DJ, Cooke I. Evolutionary responses of a reef-building coral to climate change at the end of the last glacial maximum. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:msac201. [PMID: 36219871 PMCID: PMC9578555 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change threatens the survival of coral reefs on a global scale, primarily through mass bleaching and mortality as a result of marine heatwaves. While these short-term effects are clear, predicting the fate of coral reefs over the coming century is a major challenge. One way to understand the longer-term effects of rapid climate change is to examine the response of coral populations to past climate shifts. Coastal and shallow-water marine ecosystems such as coral reefs have been reshaped many times by sea-level changes during the Pleistocene, yet, few studies have directly linked this with its consequences on population demographics, dispersal, and adaptation. Here we use powerful analytical techniques, afforded by haplotype phased whole-genomes, to establish such links for the reef-building coral, Acropora digitifera. We show that three genetically distinct populations are present in northwestern Australia, and that their rapid divergence since the last glacial maximum (LGM) can be explained by a combination of founder-effects and restricted gene flow. Signatures of selective sweeps, too strong to be explained by demographic history, are present in all three populations and overlap with genes that show different patterns of functional enrichment between inshore and offshore habitats. In contrast to rapid divergence in the host, we find that photosymbiont communities are largely undifferentiated between corals from all three locations, spanning almost 1000 km, indicating that selection on host genes and not acquisition of novel symbionts, has been the primary driver of adaptation for this species in northwestern Australia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jia Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Zoe T Richards
- Coral Conservation and Research Group, Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
- Collections and Research, Western Australian Museum, 49 Kew Street Welshpool, WA 6106, Australia
| | - Arne A S Adam
- Coral Conservation and Research Group, Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Cheong Xin Chan
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Chuya Shinzato
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo277-8564, Chiba, Japan
| | - James Gilmour
- Australia Institute of Marine Science, Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Luke Thomas
- Australia Institute of Marine Science, Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
- Oceans Graduate School, The UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Jan M Strugnell
- Department of Marine Biology and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Centre for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - David J Miller
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Marine Climate Change Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Onna-son, Okinawa, Japan 904-0495
| | - Ira Cooke
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Li M, Huang W, Wu Q, Feng Y, Chen Y, Yu K, Chen B, Yang E, Meng L, Huang X, Wang X. High genetic differentiation and moderate genetic diversity of the degenerative branching coral Pocillopora verrucosa in the tropical South China Sea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 819:153076. [PMID: 35038534 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Global warming is causing rapid degradation of coral reefs, among which branching corals are degrading the fastest. An assessment of coral genetic diversity and adaptive potential provides a basis for coral reef protection. In this study, we selected the branching coral Pocillopora verrucosa, a widely distributed species in the tropical South China Sea (SCS), to carry out population genetic studies. To analyze the genetic diversity and structure of 319 P. verrucosa samples from 10 populations in 4 SCS regions, twelve pairs of microsatellite primers and two nuclear markers, ITS and β-tub, were selected. Microsatellite marker results showed moderate genetic diversity for P. verrucosa in the SCS, but relatively low diversity in Dazhou Island and Yongxing Island. The haplotype network showed that P. verrucosa in the SCS was derived from two ancestors, which may be linked to geographical isolation in the Pleistocene glacial period. AMOVA (ΦST = 0.3375) and FST pairwise analysis results based on β-tub showed that the populations were highly differentiated, with most FST values (21/45) > 0.25. Yongxing and Qilianyu Islands populations were significantly different from those in the Xisha area. Mantel test results showed that genetic differentiation among P. verrucosa populations was significantly and positively correlated with both mean sea surface temperature (SST) and SST variance, and was not correlated with distance, chlorophyll-a, or turbidity. The reproductive mode of brooding planulae was an important factor contributing to high genetic differentiation among populations. The moderate genetic diversity of SCS P. verrucosa indicates that this population has a certain genetic potential in the context of global changes, but the high genetic differentiation between populations increases the risk of local degradation or extinction. This study provides a theoretical basis for the protection and restoration of SCS coral reefs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ming Li
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Forestry College, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Wen Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
| | - Qian Wu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Yi Feng
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Yinmin Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519080, China.
| | - Biao Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Enguang Yang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Linqing Meng
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Xueyong Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Gunagxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and Utilization, Guangxi Mangrove Research Center, Beihai 536000, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Quigley KM, van Oppen MJH. Predictive models for the selection of thermally tolerant corals based on offspring survival. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1543. [PMID: 35351901 PMCID: PMC8964693 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28956-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Finding coral reefs resilient to climate warming is challenging given the large spatial scale of reef ecosystems. Methods are needed to predict the location of corals with heritable tolerance to high temperatures. Here, we combine Great Barrier Reef-scale remote sensing with breeding experiments that estimate larval and juvenile coral survival under exposure to high temperatures. Using reproductive corals collected from the northern and central Great Barrier Reef, we develop forecasting models to locate reefs harbouring corals capable of producing offspring with increased heat tolerance of an additional 3.4° heating weeks (~3 °C). Our findings predict hundreds of reefs (~7.5%) may be home to corals that have high and heritable heat-tolerance in habitats with high daily and annual temperature ranges and historically variable heat stress. The locations identified represent targets for protection and consideration as a source of corals for use in restoration of degraded reefs given their potential to resist climate change impacts and repopulate reefs with tolerant offspring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K M Quigley
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
| | - M J H van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ledoux J, Ghanem R, Horaud M, López‐Sendino P, Romero‐Soriano V, Antunes A, Bensoussan N, Gómez‐Gras D, Linares C, Machordom A, Ocaña O, Templado J, Leblois R, Ben Souissi J, Garrabou J. Gradients of genetic diversity and differentiation across the distribution range of a Mediterranean coral: Patterns, processes and conservation implications. DIVERS DISTRIB 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jean‐Baptiste Ledoux
- CIIMAR/CIMAR Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental Universidade do Porto Porto Portugal
- Institut de Ciències del Mar CSIC Barcelona Spain
| | - Raouia Ghanem
- Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie Université de Carthage Tunis Tunisie
- Laboratoire de Biodiversité, Biotechnologies et Changements Climatiques (LR11ES09) Université Tunis El Manar Tunis Tunisie
| | | | | | | | - Agostinho Antunes
- CIIMAR/CIMAR Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental Universidade do Porto Porto Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia Faculdade de Ciências Universidade do Porto Porto Portugal
| | | | | | - Cristina Linares
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBIO) Universitat de Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | - Annie Machordom
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN‐CSIC) Madrid Spain
| | - Oscar Ocaña
- Departamento de Oceanografía Biológica y Biodiversidad Fundación Museo del Mar de Ceuta Ceuta Spain
| | - José Templado
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN‐CSIC) Madrid Spain
| | - Raphaêl Leblois
- CBGP INRAE CIRAD IRD Montpellier SupAgro University of Montpellier Montpellier France
- Institut de Biologie Computationnelle University of Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Jamila Ben Souissi
- Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie Université de Carthage Tunis Tunisie
- Laboratoire de Biodiversité, Biotechnologies et Changements Climatiques (LR11ES09) Université Tunis El Manar Tunis Tunisie
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Stankiewicz KH, Vasquez Kuntz KL, Baums IB. The impact of estimator choice: Disagreement in clustering solutions across K estimators for Bayesian analysis of population genetic structure across a wide range of empirical data sets. Mol Ecol Resour 2021; 22:1135-1148. [PMID: 34597471 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The software program STRUCTURE is one of the most cited tools for determining population structure. To infer the optimal number of clusters from STRUCTURE output, the ΔK method is often applied. However, a recent study relying on simulated microsatellite data suggested that this method has a downward bias in its estimation of K and is sensitive to uneven sampling. If this finding holds for empirical data sets, conclusions about the scale of gene flow may have to be revised for a large number of studies. To determine the impact of method choice, we applied recently described estimators of K to re-estimate genetic structure in 41 empirical microsatellite data sets; 15 from a broad range of taxa and 26 from one phylogenetic group, coral. We compared alternative estimates of K (Puechmaille statistics) with traditional (ΔK and posterior probability) estimates and found widespread disagreement of estimators across data sets. Thus, one estimator alone is insufficient for determining the optimal number of clusters; this was regardless of study organism or evenness of sampling scheme. Subsequent analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) did not necessarily clarify which clustering solution was best. To better infer population structure, we suggest a combination of visual inspection of STRUCTURE plots and calculation of the alternative estimators at various thresholds in addition to ΔK. Disagreement between traditional and recent estimators may have important biological implications, such as previously unrecognized population structure, as was the case for many studies reanalysed here.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn H Stankiewicz
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kate L Vasquez Kuntz
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wu Q, Huang W, Chen B, Yang E, Meng L, Chen Y, Li J, Huang X, Liang J, Yap TK, Yu K. Genetic structure of Turbinaria peltata in the northern South China Sea suggest insufficient genetic adaptability of relatively high-latitude scleractinian corals to environment stress. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 775:145775. [PMID: 33611183 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145775] [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: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
With the rapid degradation of coral reefs due to global warming and anthropogenic impacts, relatively high-latitude areas, such as the northern South China Sea (SCS), are likely to become refuges for tropical coral species. Here we investigated the genetic features and adaptability of one dominant scleractinian coral species, Turbinaria peltata, in the northern SCS. A total of 81 samples from 5 sites were studied to explore potential mechanisms of adaptability to environmental stress as a result of climate change. Ten microsatellite markers developed in this study, one nuclear gene (internal transcribed spacer, ITS), and one mitochondrial gene (mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene, mtDNA COI) were used. Our results indicated that the genetic diversity of T. peltata in the northern SCS is low (Ar = 1.403-2.011, Ho = 0.105-0.248, He = 0.187-0.421) with the lowest in Dongfang population (DF) (Ar = 1.403, Ho = 0.22, He = 0.187). These results indicate that T. peltata has insufficient genetic adaptability and may unable to handle increasingly complex global changes. A significantly moderate genetic differentiation was observed among T. peltata populations (ΦST = 0.167), in addition to a high genetic differentiation between DF and other populations (FST = 0.272-0.536 > 0.25). The DF population near a fishing port was exposed to severe anthropogenic environmental stress, which may drive the extraordinarily high genetic differentiation between DF and other populations. Furthermore, the Mantel test results showed that the genetic differentiation of the other four populations was strongly correlated with the average sea surface temperature (SST) (R2 = 0.82, Mantel test P < 0.05) and geographical distance (R2 = 0.57, Mantel test P < 0.05). Our results suggest that the genetic structure of T. peltata in the relatively high-latitude of the SCS was significantly affected by average SST, geographical isolation, and anthropogenic activities. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the protection of relatively high-latitude coral reefs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Wen Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
| | - Biao Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China
| | - Enguang Yang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Linqing Meng
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Yinmin Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Xueyong Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Tzuen-Kiat Yap
- Guangxi Haishu Marine Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Nanning 530004, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Morphological stasis masks ecologically divergent coral species on tropical reefs. Curr Biol 2021; 31:2286-2298.e8. [PMID: 33811819 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs are the epitome of species diversity, yet the number of described scleractinian coral species, the framework-builders of coral reefs, remains moderate by comparison. DNA sequencing studies are rapidly challenging this notion by exposing a wealth of undescribed diversity, but the evolutionary and ecological significance of this diversity remains largely unclear. Here, we present an annotated genome for one of the most ubiquitous corals in the Indo-Pacific (Pachyseris speciosa) and uncover, through a comprehensive genomic and phenotypic assessment, that it comprises morphologically indistinguishable but ecologically divergent lineages. Demographic modeling based on whole-genome resequencing indicated that morphological crypsis (across micro- and macromorphological traits) was due to ancient morphological stasis rather than recent divergence. Although the lineages occur sympatrically across shallow and mesophotic habitats, extensive genotyping using a rapid molecular assay revealed differentiation of their ecological distributions. Leveraging "common garden" conditions facilitated by the overlapping distributions, we assessed physiological and quantitative skeletal traits and demonstrated concurrent phenotypic differentiation. Lastly, spawning observations of genotyped colonies highlighted the potential role of temporal reproductive isolation in the limited admixture, with consistent genomic signatures in genes related to morphogenesis and reproduction. Overall, our findings demonstrate the presence of ecologically and phenotypically divergent coral species without substantial morphological differentiation and provide new leads into the potential mechanisms facilitating such divergence. More broadly, they indicate that our current taxonomic framework for reef-building corals may be scratching the surface of the ecologically relevant diversity on coral reefs, consequently limiting our ability to protect or restore this diversity effectively.
Collapse
|
10
|
Cooke I, Ying H, Forêt S, Bongaerts P, Strugnell JM, Simakov O, Zhang J, Field MA, Rodriguez-Lanetty M, Bell SC, Bourne DG, van Oppen MJ, Ragan MA, Miller DJ. Genomic signatures in the coral holobiont reveal host adaptations driven by Holocene climate change and reef specific symbionts. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/48/eabc6318. [PMID: 33246955 PMCID: PMC7695477 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc6318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Genetic signatures caused by demographic and adaptive processes during past climatic shifts can inform predictions of species' responses to anthropogenic climate change. To identify these signatures in Acropora tenuis, a reef-building coral threatened by global warming, we first assembled the genome from long reads and then used shallow whole-genome resequencing of 150 colonies from the central inshore Great Barrier Reef to inform population genomic analyses. We identify population structure in the host that reflects a Pleistocene split, whereas photosymbiont differences between reefs most likely reflect contemporary (Holocene) conditions. Signatures of selection in the host were associated with genes linked to diverse processes including osmotic regulation, skeletal development, and the establishment and maintenance of symbiosis. Our results suggest that adaptation to post-glacial climate change in A. tenuis has involved selection on many genes, while differences in symbiont specificity between reefs appear to be unrelated to host population structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ira Cooke
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hua Ying
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Sylvain Forêt
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Pim Bongaerts
- California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jan M Strugnell
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Oleg Simakov
- Department of Molecular Evolution and Development, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Jia Zhang
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Matt A Field
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mauricio Rodriguez-Lanetty
- Institute of Environment and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Fl 33199, USA
| | - Sara C Bell
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - David G Bourne
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Madeleine Jh van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mark A Ragan
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - David J Miller
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Selmoni O, Rochat E, Lecellier G, Berteaux‐Lecellier V, Joost S. Seascape genomics as a new tool to empower coral reef conservation strategies: An example on north-western Pacific Acropora digitifera. Evol Appl 2020; 13:1923-1938. [PMID: 32908595 PMCID: PMC7463334 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are suffering a major decline due to the environmental constraints imposed by climate change. Over the last 20 years, three major coral bleaching events occurred in concomitance with anomalous heatwaves, provoking a severe loss of coral cover worldwide. The conservation strategies for preserving reefs, as they are implemented now, cannot cope with global climatic shifts. Consequently, researchers are advocating for preservation networks to be set-up to reinforce coral adaptive potential. However, the main obstacle to this implementation is that studies on coral adaption are usually hard to generalize at the scale of a reef system. Here, we study the relationships between genotype frequencies and environmental characteristics of the sea (seascape genomics), in combination with connectivity analysis, to investigate the adaptive potential of a flagship coral species of the Ryukyu Archipelago (Japan). By associating genotype frequencies with descriptors of historical environmental conditions, we discovered six genomic regions hosting polymorphisms that might promote resistance against heat stress. Remarkably, annotations of genes in these regions were consistent with molecular roles associated with heat responses. Furthermore, we combined information on genetic and spatial distances between reefs to predict connectivity at a regional scale. The combination of these results portrayed the adaptive potential of this population: we were able to identify reefs carrying potential heat stress adapted genotypes and to understand how they disperse to neighbouring reefs. This information was summarized by objective, quantifiable and mappable indices covering the whole region, which can be extremely useful for future prioritization of reefs in conservation planning. This framework is transferable to any coral species on any reef system and therefore represents a valuable tool for empowering preservation efforts dedicated to the protection of coral reefs in warming oceans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Selmoni
- Laboratory of Geographic Information Systems (LASIG)School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental EngineeringEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
| | - Estelle Rochat
- Laboratory of Geographic Information Systems (LASIG)School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental EngineeringEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
| | - Gael Lecellier
- UMR250/9220 ENTROPIE IRD‐CNRS‐URLabex CORAILNoumeaNew Caledonia
- UVSQUniversité de Paris‐SaclayVersaillesFrance
| | | | - Stéphane Joost
- Laboratory of Geographic Information Systems (LASIG)School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental EngineeringEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Fuller ZL, Mocellin VJL, Morris LA, Cantin N, Shepherd J, Sarre L, Peng J, Liao Y, Pickrell J, Andolfatto P, Matz M, Bay LK, Przeworski M. Population genetics of the coral Acropora millepora: Toward genomic prediction of bleaching. Science 2020; 369:369/6501/eaba4674. [PMID: 32675347 DOI: 10.1126/science.aba4674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Although reef-building corals are declining worldwide, responses to bleaching vary within and across species and are partly heritable. Toward predicting bleaching response from genomic data, we generated a chromosome-scale genome assembly for the coral Acropora millepora We obtained whole-genome sequences for 237 phenotyped samples collected at 12 reefs along the Great Barrier Reef, among which we inferred little population structure. Scanning the genome for evidence of local adaptation, we detected signatures of long-term balancing selection in the heat-shock co-chaperone sacsin We conducted a genome-wide association study of visual bleaching score for 213 samples, incorporating the polygenic score derived from it into a predictive model for bleaching in the wild. These results set the stage for genomics-based approaches in conservation strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary L Fuller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | | | - Luke A Morris
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia.,AIMS@JCU, Australian Institute of Marine Science, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.,College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Neal Cantin
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Jihanne Shepherd
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Luke Sarre
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julie Peng
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Yi Liao
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | | | - Peter Andolfatto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mikhail Matz
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Line K Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
| | - Molly Przeworski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. .,Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Program for Mathematical Genomics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Quigley KM, Bay LK, van Oppen MJH. Genome-wide SNP analysis reveals an increase in adaptive genetic variation through selective breeding of coral. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:2176-2188. [PMID: 32453867 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Marine heat waves are increasing in magnitude, duration, and frequency as a result of climate change and are the principal global driver of mortality in reef-building corals. Resilience-based genetic management may increase coral heat tolerance, but it is unclear how temperature responses are regulated at the genome level and thus how corals may adapt to warming naturally or through selective breeding. Here we combine phenotypic, pedigree, and genomic marker data from colonies sourced from a warm reef on the Great Barrier Reef reproductively crossed with conspecific colonies from a cooler reef to produce combinations of warm purebreds and warm-cool hybrid larvae and juveniles. Interpopulation breeding created significantly greater genetic diversity across the coral genome compared to breeding between populations and maintained diversity in key regions associated with heat tolerance and fitness. High-density genome-wide scans of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified alleles significantly associated with larval families reared at 27.5°C (87-2,224 loci), including loci putatively associated with proteins involved in responses to heat stress (cell membrane formation, metabolism, and immune responses). Underlying genetics of these families explained 43% of PCoA multilocus variation in survival, growth, and bleaching responses at 27.5°C and 31°C at the juvenile stage. Genetic marker contribution to total variation in fitness traits (narrow-sense heritability) was high for survival but not for growth and bleaching in juveniles, with heritability of these traits being higher at 31°C relative to 27.5°C. While based on only a limited number of crosses, the mechanistic understanding presented here demonstrates that allele frequencies are affected by one generation of selective breeding, key information for the assessments of genetic intervention feasibility and modelling of reef futures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kate M Quigley
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Qld, Australia
| | - Line K Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Qld, Australia
| | - Madeleine J H van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Qld, Australia.,School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Funk SM, Guedaoura S, Juras R, Raziq A, Landolsi F, Luís C, Martínez AM, Musa Mayaki A, Mujica F, Oom MDM, Ouragh L, Stranger Y, Vega‐Pla JL, Cothran EG. Major inconsistencies of inferred population genetic structure estimated in a large set of domestic horse breeds using microsatellites. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:4261-4279. [PMID: 32489595 PMCID: PMC7246218 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
STRUCTURE remains the most applied software aimed at recovering the true, but unknown, population structure from microsatellite or other genetic markers. About 30% of structure-based studies could not be reproduced (Molecular Ecology, 21, 2012, 4925). Here we use a large set of data from 2,323 horses from 93 domestic breeds plus the Przewalski horse, typed at 15 microsatellites, to evaluate how program settings impact the estimation of the optimal number of population clusters K opt that best describe the observed data. Domestic horses are suited as a test case as there is extensive background knowledge on the history of many breeds and extensive phylogenetic analyses. Different methods based on different genetic assumptions and statistical procedures (dapc, flock, PCoA, and structure with different run scenarios) all revealed general, broad-scale breed relationships that largely reflect known breed histories but diverged how they characterized small-scale patterns. structure failed to consistently identify K opt using the most widespread approach, the ΔK method, despite very large numbers of MCMC iterations (3,000,000) and replicates (100). The interpretation of breed structure over increasing numbers of K, without assuming a K opt, was consistent with known breed histories. The over-reliance on K opt should be replaced by a qualitative description of clustering over increasing K, which is scientifically more honest and has the advantage of being much faster and less computer intensive as lower numbers of MCMC iterations and repetitions suffice for stable results. Very large data sets are highly challenging for cluster analyses, especially when populations with complex genetic histories are investigated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Michael Funk
- Centro de Excelencia de Modelación y Computación CientíficaUniversidad de La FronteraTemucoChile
- Nature HeritageSt. LawrenceUK
| | - Sonya Guedaoura
- Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la VieUniversité d'El‐TarfEl‐TarfAlgeria
- Faculté de PharmacieUniversité LavalQuébec CityQCCanada
| | - Rytis Juras
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical ScienceTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTXUSA
| | - Absul Raziq
- Society of Veterinary, Environment and Agriculture Scientists (SAVES)QuettaPakistan
| | | | - Cristina Luís
- Centro Interuniversitário de História das Ciências e da Tecnologia (CIUHCT)Faculdade de CiênciasUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | | | | | - Fernando Mujica
- Instituto de Producción AnimalUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
| | - Maria do Mar Oom
- CE3C – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental ChangesFaculdade de CiênciasUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | | | | | - Jose Luis Vega‐Pla
- Laboratorio de Investigación AplicadaCrıa Caballar de las Fuerzas ArmadasCordobaSpain
| | - Ernest Gus Cothran
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical ScienceTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTXUSA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Quigley KM, Bay LK, van Oppen MJH. The active spread of adaptive variation for reef resilience. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:11122-11135. [PMID: 31641460 PMCID: PMC6802068 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The speed at which species adapt depends partly on the rates of beneficial adaptation generation and how quickly they spread within and among populations. Natural rates of adaptation of corals may not be able to keep pace with climate warming. Several interventions have been proposed to fast-track thermal adaptation, including the intentional translocation of warm-adapted adults or their offspring (assisted gene flow, AGF) and the ex situ crossing of warm-adapted corals with conspecifics from cooler reefs (hybridization or selective breeding) and field deployment of those offspring. The introgression of temperature tolerance loci into the genomic background of cooler-environment corals aims to facilitate adaptation to warming while maintaining fitness under local conditions. Here we use research on selective sweeps and connectivity to understand the spread of adaptive variants as it applies to AGF on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), focusing on the genus Acropora. Using larval biophysical dispersal modeling, we estimate levels of natural connectivity in warm-adapted northern corals. We then model the spread of adaptive variants from single and multiple reefs and assess if the natural and assisted spread of adaptive variants will occur fast enough to prepare receiving central and southern populations given current rates of warming. We also estimate fixation rates and spatial extent of fixation under multiple release scenarios to inform intervention design. Our results suggest that thermal tolerance is unlikely to spread beyond northern reefs to the central and southern GBR without intervention, and if it does, 30+ generations are needed for adaptive gene variants to reach fixation even under multiple release scenarios. We argue that if translocation, breeding, and reseeding risks are managed, AGF using multiple release reefs can be beneficial for the restoration of coral populations. These interventions should be considered in addition to conventional management and accompanied by strong mitigation of CO2 emissions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kate M. Quigley
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQldAustralia
| | - Line K. Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQldAustralia
| | - Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQldAustralia
- School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVic.Australia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Riginos C, Hock K, Matias AM, Mumby PJ, Oppen MJH, Lukoschek V. Asymmetric dispersal is a critical element of concordance between biophysical dispersal models and spatial genetic structure in Great Barrier Reef corals. DIVERS DISTRIB 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Riginos
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Karlo Hock
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Ambrocio M. Matias
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
- Institute of Biology University of the Philippines Diliman Quezon City Philippines
| | - Peter J. Mumby
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Madeleine J. H. Oppen
- Institute of Biology University of the Philippines Diliman Quezon City Philippines
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
- Australian Institute for Marine Sciences Cape Cleveland Queensland Australia
| | - Vimoksalehi Lukoschek
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University Townsville Queensland Australia
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Davidson J, Thompson A, Logan M, Schaffelke B. High spatio-temporal variability in Acroporidae settlement to inshore reefs of the Great Barrier Reef. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0209771. [PMID: 30699141 PMCID: PMC6353100 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recovery of coral reefs after disturbance relies heavily on replenishment through successful larval settlement and their subsequent survival. As part of an integrated study to determine the potential effects of water quality changes on the resilience of inshore coral communities, scleractinian coral settlement was monitored between 2006 and 2012 at 12 reefs within the inshore Great Barrier Reef. Settlement patterns were only analysed for the family Acroporidae, which represented the majority (84%) of settled larvae. Settlement of Acroporidae to terracotta tiles averaged 0.11 cm-2, representing 34 ± 31.01 (mean ± SD) spat per tile, indicating an abundant supply of competent larvae to the study reefs. Settlement was highly variable among reefs and between years. Differences in settlement among locations partly corresponded to the local cover of adult Acroporidae, while substantial reductions in Acroporidae cover caused by tropical cyclones and floods resulted in a clear reduction in settlement. Much of the observed variability remained unexplained, although likely included variability in both connectivity to, and the fecundity of, adult Acroporidae. The responsiveness of settlement patterns to the decline in Acroporidae cover across all four regions indicates the importance of supply and connectivity, and the vulnerability towards region-wide disturbance. High spatial and temporal variability, in addition to the resource-intensive nature of sampling with settlement tiles, highlights the logistical difficulty of determining coral settlement over large spatial and temporal scales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johnston Davidson
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Angus Thompson
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Murray Logan
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Britta Schaffelke
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Renema W. Morphological diversity in the foraminiferal genus Marginopora. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0208158. [PMID: 30586401 PMCID: PMC6306156 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Benthic foraminifera, and certainly symbiont-bearing (large) benthic foraminifera are generally considered to have large geographic ranges in combination with significant ecomorphological variation. With the advance of molecular phylogenetic approaches, supported or preceded by detailed morphological studies, it was demonstrated that this view needs to be reevaluated. In this paper I evaluate the morphology of five Marginopora populations from around the Coral Sea by microCT-scanning. I argue that ecomorphological and ontogenetic variation is smaller than geographic variation in morphology. This forms the basis for the description of three new species, M. santoensis nov. spec., M. charlottensis nov. spec., M. orpheusensis nov. spec. Quantitative morphological variation between M. rossi, M. orpheusensis nov. spec. and M. charlottensis nov. spec. is overlapping, but each species has unique morphological characters supporting recognition as new species. Support to distinguish the deep living (M. rossi, M. charlottensis nov. spec., M. orpheusensis nov. spec.) and shallow living (M. vertebralis) Marginopora populations as separate species is strong, but not enough molecular phylogenetic data are available to test the three new deep-living species on the Great Barrier Reef hypothesis. However, detailed understanding of ecophenotypic variation in M. santoensis nov. spec. supports the conclusion that it is unlikely that ecophenotypic variation can explain the morphological variation between the three species. I argue that the number of species in this genus is underestimated, and that there are at least five species in the Coral Sea area alone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Willem Renema
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, RA Leiden, the Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Torda G, Sambrook K, Cross P, Sato Y, Bourne DG, Lukoschek V, Hill T, Torras Jorda G, Moya A, Willis BL. Decadal erosion of coral assemblages by multiple disturbances in the Palm Islands, central Great Barrier Reef. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11885. [PMID: 30089786 PMCID: PMC6082856 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29608-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Increases in the frequency of perturbations that drive coral community structure, such as severe thermal anomalies and high intensity storms, highlight the need to understand how coral communities recover following multiple disturbances. We describe the dynamics of cover and assemblage composition of corals on exposed inshore reefs in the Palm Islands, central Great Barrier Reef, over 19 years encapsulating major disturbance events such as the severe bleaching event in 1998 and Cyclone Yasi in 2011, along with other minor storm and heat stress events. Over this time, 47.8% of hard coral cover was lost, with a concomitant shift in coral assemblage composition due to taxon-specific rates of mortality during the disturbances, and asymmetric recovery in the aftermath thereof. High recruitment rates of some broadcast-spawning corals, particularly corymbose Acropora spp., even in the absence of adult colonies, indicate that a strong external larval supply replenished the stocks. Conversely, the time required for recovery of slow-growing coral morphologies and life histories was longer than the recurrence times of major disturbances. With interludes between bleaching and cyclones predicted to decrease, the probability of another severe disturbance event before coral cover and assemblage composition approximates historical levels suggests that reefs will continue to erode.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Torda
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia. .,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia. .,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, MC, QLD, 4810, Australia.
| | - Katie Sambrook
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Peter Cross
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Yui Sato
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
| | - David G Bourne
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
| | - Vimoksalehi Lukoschek
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Tessa Hill
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Georgina Torras Jorda
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Aurelie Moya
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Bette L Willis
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Cahill AE, De Jode A, Dubois S, Bouzaza Z, Aurelle D, Boissin E, Chabrol O, David R, Egea E, Ledoux JB, Mérigot B, Weber AAT, Chenuil A. A multispecies approach reveals hot spots and cold spots of diversity and connectivity in invertebrate species with contrasting dispersal modes. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:6563-6577. [PMID: 29087018 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Genetic diversity is crucial for species' maintenance and persistence, yet is often overlooked in conservation studies. Species diversity is more often reported due to practical constraints, but it is unknown if these measures of diversity are correlated. In marine invertebrates, adults are often sessile or sedentary and populations exchange genes via dispersal of gametes and larvae. Species with a larval period are expected to have more connected populations than those without larval dispersal. We assessed the relationship between measures of species and genetic diversity, and between dispersal ability and connectivity. We compiled data on genetic patterns and life history traits in nine species across five phyla. Sampling sites spanned 600 km in the northwest Mediterranean Sea and focused on a 50-km area near Marseilles, France. Comparative population genetic approaches yielded three main results. (i) Species without larvae showed higher levels of genetic structure than species with free-living larvae, but the role of larval type (lecithotrophic or planktotrophic) was negligible. (ii) A narrow area around Marseilles, subject to offshore advection, limited genetic connectivity in most species. (iii) We identified sites with significant positive contributions to overall genetic diversity across all species, corresponding with areas near low human population densities. In contrast, high levels of human activity corresponded with a negative contribution to overall genetic diversity. Genetic diversity within species was positively and significantly linearly related to local species diversity. Our study suggests that local contribution to overall genetic diversity should be taken into account for future conservation strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abigail E Cahill
- Aix Marseille Univ, Univ Avignon, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France.,Biology Department, Albion College, Albion, MI, USA
| | - Aurélien De Jode
- Aix Marseille Univ, Univ Avignon, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
| | - Sophie Dubois
- Aix Marseille Univ, Univ Avignon, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
| | - Zoheir Bouzaza
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Université Abdelhamid Ibn Badis, Mostaganem, Algérie
| | - Didier Aurelle
- Aix Marseille Univ, Univ Avignon, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
| | - Emilie Boissin
- PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, Perpignan, France
| | - Olivier Chabrol
- CNRS, Centrale Marseille, I2M, UMR7373, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Romain David
- Aix Marseille Univ, Univ Avignon, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
| | - Emilie Egea
- Aix Marseille Univ, Univ Avignon, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Ledoux
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bastien Mérigot
- UMR MARBEC (CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, UM), Université de Montpellier, Sète, France
| | - Alexandra Anh-Thu Weber
- Aix Marseille Univ, Univ Avignon, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France.,Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anne Chenuil
- Aix Marseille Univ, Univ Avignon, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
van Oppen MJH, Gates RD, Blackall LL, Cantin N, Chakravarti LJ, Chan WY, Cormick C, Crean A, Damjanovic K, Epstein H, Harrison PL, Jones TA, Miller M, Pears RJ, Peplow LM, Raftos DA, Schaffelke B, Stewart K, Torda G, Wachenfeld D, Weeks AR, Putnam HM. Shifting paradigms in restoration of the world's coral reefs. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:3437-3448. [PMID: 28247459 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Revised: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Many ecosystems around the world are rapidly deteriorating due to both local and global pressures, and perhaps none so precipitously as coral reefs. Management of coral reefs through maintenance (e.g., marine-protected areas, catchment management to improve water quality), restoration, as well as global and national governmental agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (e.g., the 2015 Paris Agreement) is critical for the persistence of coral reefs. Despite these initiatives, the health and abundance of corals reefs are rapidly declining and other solutions will soon be required. We have recently discussed options for using assisted evolution (i.e., selective breeding, assisted gene flow, conditioning or epigenetic programming, and the manipulation of the coral microbiome) as a means to enhance environmental stress tolerance of corals and the success of coral reef restoration efforts. The 2014-2016 global coral bleaching event has sharpened the focus on such interventionist approaches. We highlight the necessity for consideration of alternative (e.g., hybrid) ecosystem states, discuss traits of resilient corals and coral reef ecosystems, and propose a decision tree for incorporating assisted evolution into restoration initiatives to enhance climate resilience of coral reefs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine J H van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Ruth D Gates
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Kaneohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Linda L Blackall
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Neal Cantin
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
| | - Leela J Chakravarti
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
- AIMS@JCU, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Wing Y Chan
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Craig Cormick
- ThinkOutsideThe, 12 Giffen Close, Holt, ACT, 2615, Australia
| | - Angela Crean
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Katarina Damjanovic
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Hannah Epstein
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
- AIMS@JCU, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Peter L Harrison
- Marine Ecology Research Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia
| | - Thomas A Jones
- USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Forage and Range Research Laboratory, Logan, UT, 84322-6300, USA
| | - Margaret Miller
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-National Marine Fisheries Service, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Rachel J Pears
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, PO Box 1379, Townsville, QLD, 4810, Australia
| | - Lesa M Peplow
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
| | - David A Raftos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Britta Schaffelke
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
| | - Kristen Stewart
- SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, 13210-2788, USA
| | - Gergely Torda
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - David Wachenfeld
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, PO Box 1379, Townsville, QLD, 4810, Australia
| | - Andrew R Weeks
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Dubé CE, Planes S, Zhou Y, Berteaux-Lecellier V, Boissin E. Genetic diversity and differentiation in reef-building Millepora species, as revealed by cross-species amplification of fifteen novel microsatellite loci. PeerJ 2017; 5:e2936. [PMID: 28243525 PMCID: PMC5326544 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantifying the genetic diversity in natural populations is crucial to address ecological and evolutionary questions. Despite recent advances in whole-genome sequencing, microsatellite markers have remained one of the most powerful tools for a myriad of population genetic approaches. Here, we used the 454 sequencing technique to develop microsatellite loci in the fire coral Millepora platyphylla, an important reef-builder of Indo-Pacific reefs. We tested the cross-species amplification of these loci in five other species of the genus Millepora and analysed its success in correlation with the genetic distances between species using mitochondrial 16S sequences. We succeeded in discovering fifteen microsatellite loci in our target species M. platyphylla, among which twelve were polymorphic with 2–13 alleles and a mean observed heterozygosity of 0.411. Cross-species amplification in the five other Millepora species revealed a high probability of amplification success (71%) and polymorphism (59%) of the loci. Our results show no evidence of decreased heterozygosity with increasing genetic distance. However, only one locus enabled measures of genetic diversity in the Caribbean species M. complanata due to high proportions of null alleles for most of the microsatellites. This result indicates that our novel markers may only be useful for the Indo-Pacific species of Millepora. Measures of genetic diversity revealed significant linkage disequilibrium, moderate levels of observed heterozygosity (0.323–0.496) and heterozygote deficiencies for the Indo-Pacific species. The accessibility to new polymorphic microsatellite markers for hydrozoan Millepora species creates new opportunities for future research on processes driving the complexity of their colonisation success on many Indo-Pacific reefs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline E Dubé
- EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, F-66860, Perpignan, France; Laboratoire d'excellence "CORAIL", EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Serge Planes
- EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, F-66860, Perpignan, France; Laboratoire d'excellence "CORAIL", EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Yuxiang Zhou
- EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, F-66860 , Perpignan , France
| | - Véronique Berteaux-Lecellier
- Laboratoire d'excellence "CORAIL", EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia; ENTROPIE, UMR250/9220-IRD/CNRS/UR, Laboratoire d'excellence "CORAIL", Nouméa, New-Caledonia
| | - Emilie Boissin
- EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, F-66860, Perpignan, France; Laboratoire d'excellence "CORAIL", EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Breusing C, Biastoch A, Drews A, Metaxas A, Jollivet D, Vrijenhoek RC, Bayer T, Melzner F, Sayavedra L, Petersen JM, Dubilier N, Schilhabel MB, Rosenstiel P, Reusch TBH. Biophysical and Population Genetic Models Predict the Presence of "Phantom" Stepping Stones Connecting Mid-Atlantic Ridge Vent Ecosystems. Curr Biol 2016; 26:2257-67. [PMID: 27476600 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.06.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Revised: 06/26/2016] [Accepted: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Deep-sea hydrothermal vents are patchily distributed ecosystems inhabited by specialized animal populations that are textbook meta-populations. Many vent-associated species have free-swimming, dispersive larvae that can establish connections between remote populations. However, connectivity patterns among hydrothermal vents are still poorly understood because the deep sea is undersampled, the molecular tools used to date are of limited resolution, and larval dispersal is difficult to measure directly. A better knowledge of connectivity is urgently needed to develop sound environmental management plans for deep-sea mining. Here, we investigated larval dispersal and contemporary connectivity of ecologically important vent mussels (Bathymodiolus spp.) from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge by using high-resolution ocean modeling and population genetic methods. Even when assuming a long pelagic larval duration, our physical model of larval drift suggested that arrival at localities more than 150 km from the source site is unlikely and that dispersal between populations requires intermediate habitats ("phantom" stepping stones). Dispersal patterns showed strong spatiotemporal variability, making predictions of population connectivity challenging. The assumption that mussel populations are only connected via additional stepping stones was supported by contemporary migration rates based on neutral genetic markers. Analyses of population structure confirmed the presence of two southern and two hybridizing northern mussel lineages that exhibited a substantial, though incomplete, genetic differentiation. Our study provides insights into how vent animals can disperse between widely separated vent habitats and shows that recolonization of perturbed vent sites will be subject to chance events, unless connectivity is explicitly considered in the selection of conservation areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Corinna Breusing
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
| | - Arne Biastoch
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Annika Drews
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Anna Metaxas
- Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Didier Jollivet
- CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, UMR 7144 CNRS-UPMC, Adaptation et Diversité en Milieu Marin, Équipe ABICE, Station Biologique de Roscoff, 29688 Roscoff Cedex, France
| | | | - Till Bayer
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Frank Melzner
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Lizbeth Sayavedra
- Symbiosis Department, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Jillian M Petersen
- Symbiosis Department, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, 28359 Bremen, Germany; Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Nicole Dubilier
- Symbiosis Department, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Markus B Schilhabel
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology (IKMB), Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Philip Rosenstiel
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology (IKMB), Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|