1
|
Cossu P, Mura L, Dedola GL, Lai T, Sanna D, Scarpa F, Azzena I, Fois N, Casu M. Detection of Genetic Patterns in Endangered Marine Species Is Affected by Small Sample Sizes. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12202763. [PMID: 36290149 PMCID: PMC9597844 DOI: 10.3390/ani12202763] [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: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of Genetic diversity and its spatial distribution is crucial to improve conservation plans for endangered species. Genetic tools help ensure species' long-term persistence by unraveling connectivity patterns and evolutionary trajectories of populations. Here, microsatellite genotypes of individuals from populations of Patella ferruginea are used to assess the effect of sample size on metrics of within-and between-population genetic diversity by combining empirical and simulated data. Within-population metrics are slightly to moderately affected by small sample size, albeit the magnitude of the bias is proportional to the effective population size and gene flow. The power of detecting genetic differentiation among populations increases with sample size, albeit the gain of increasing the number of sampled individuals tends to be negligible between 30 and 50. Our results line up with those of previous studies and highlight that small sample sizes are not always a hindrance to investigating genetic patterns in endangered marine species. Caution is needed in interpreting genetic patterns based on small sample sizes when the observed genetic differentiation is weak. This study also highlights the importance of carrying out genetic monitoring in seemingly well-preserved but potentially isolated populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Piero Cossu
- Department of Sciences for Nature and Environmental Resources, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-079-2280924
| | - Laura Mura
- Dipartimento per la Ricerca nelle Produzioni Animali, Agris Sardegna, 07040 Olmedo, Italy
| | - Gian Luca Dedola
- Department of Sciences for Nature and Environmental Resources, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Tiziana Lai
- Department of Sciences for Nature and Environmental Resources, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Daria Sanna
- Department of Sciences for Nature and Environmental Resources, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Fabio Scarpa
- Department of Sciences for Nature and Environmental Resources, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Ilenia Azzena
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Nicola Fois
- Dipartimento per la Ricerca nelle Produzioni Animali, Agris Sardegna, 07040 Olmedo, Italy
| | - Marco Casu
- Department of Sciences for Nature and Environmental Resources, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bouzaza Z, Vera M, Mezali K. Population genetic structure of the endangered limpet Patella ferruginea (Gastropoda: Patellidae) in the western Mediterranean: new evidence implicating marine barriers’ effects. MOLLUSCAN RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/13235818.2020.1857932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zoheir Bouzaza
- Protection, Valorisation of Coastal Marine Resources and Molecular Systematic Laboratory, Department of Marine Science and Aquaculture, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Life, Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University-Mostaganem, Mostaganem, Algeria
| | - Manuel Vera
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Antrhopology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Santiago de Compostela Lugo, Spain
| | - Karim Mezali
- Protection, Valorisation of Coastal Marine Resources and Molecular Systematic Laboratory, Department of Marine Science and Aquaculture, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Life, Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University-Mostaganem, Mostaganem, Algeria
| |
Collapse
|