11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

Oral Mini-Symposium 13: Evolution and Conservation of Coral Reef Ecosystems
13-5
A Seascape Of Genes: A Complete Survey Of Coral Genetic Diversity On A Patch
Reef in Kane’ohe Bay, Hawai’i
Kelvin GOROSPE* 1 , Stephen KARL 2
1 University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, 2 The Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology,
Kane'ohe, HI
Genetic studies of corals have primarily focused on characterizing genetic differentiation
on broad-geographic scales. These studies are important for informing management
decisions regarding the prioritization and placement of marine protected areas. Genetic
variation on the geographic scale of a single reef, however, has been largely overlooked.
This has created a major gap in our understanding of coral population genetics as well as
a missing link in our ability to efficiently manage these natural resources. By genotyping
and mapping every single individual of Pocillopora damicornis on a patch reef in
Kane’ohe Bay, Hawaii, this research will examine coral genetic variation on a microspatial
scale. Eight microsatellite loci are being used to genotype approximately 3000
coral colonies. This will allow us to assess spatial patterns of genetic relatedness within a
reef. Furthermore, temperature sensors deployed on a 4m grid throughout the reef are
being used to characterize microhabitat variation. Thus, this research will be the first to
fully characterize the genetic and environmental landscape of a reef. Correlating genetic,
environmental, and spatial data lends insight into the processes that are driving variation
on a small spatial scale. For example, what are the genetic resources of a single reef, and
what role does genetic diversity at such a small spatial scale play in terms of reef
resilience? Do genetically related colonies tend to cluster together or are they evenly
distributed throughout the reef? How much does clonality (produced via fragmentation)
versus recruitment of sexually-produced larvae contribute to coral abundance? Do coral
phenotypic differences correlate more with genetic-relatedness or benthic microhabitat
differences? Ultimately, by describing how genetic variation relates to coral survival and
recruitment within a reef, this research will elucidate the connection between long-term
evolutionary processes and contemporary conservation efforts.
13-6
Kinship in The Orange-Fin Clownfish, Amphiprion Chrysopterus, From Moorea,
French Polynesia
Ricardo BELDADE* 1 , Serge PLANES 2 , Sally HOLBROOK 3 , Russell SCHMITT 3 ,
Giacomo BERNARDI 1
1 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz,
Santa Cruz, CA, 2 EPHE - UMR CNRS 8046, Universite de Perpignan, Perpignan,
France, 3 Ecology, Evolution & Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara,
Santa Barbara, CA
The orange-fin clownfish, Amphiprion chrysopterus, are diurnal planktivores that occupy
the sea anemone Heteractis magnifica. They lay benthic eggs that hatch after 6 days,
releasing pelagic larvae that settle to anemones after 8–12 days. Orange-fin clownfish
generally live in pairs (an adult of each gender) and remain closely associated with the
host anemone throughout their lives. In Moorea, French Polynesia, settlement of this
species tends to be sporadic and at a very low level. We collected fin-clips from 151
individuals, mostly inside the lagoon, all around Moorea and used microsatellites to
investigate kinship among individuals. Seven related specimens were found in the
southeast quadrant of Moorea. All these specimens were collected inside the lagoon
relatively far from any pass. Even though the geographical origin of this group of related
individuals has not been established, the present findings point to the possibility of either
self-recruitment of the orange fin clownfish in Moorea or the potential for related larvae
to recruit in cohorts.
13-7
Phylogeography Of The Ember Parrotfish (scarus Rubroviolaceus) Throughout The
Indian And Pacific Oceans
John FITZPATRICK* 1 , Catherine LIPPE 1 , Dave CARLON 1
1 Zoology, University of Hawaii, Manoa, Honolulu, HI
Overfishing and pollution are affecting consumers on coral reefs and impacting ecosystem
structure and function. To protect and conserve these valuable ecosystems, we need knowledge
of reef connectivity and dispersal patterns to inform proper establishment and design of
effective fisheries management tools, such as MPAs. In the tropical Pacific, many species of
reef herbivores have long planktonic larval durations and enormous biogeographic ranges, yet
patterns of the population structure are largely unknown. To determine how many populations
(defined as interbreeding units) exist within the range of the ember parrotfish (Scarus
rubroviolaceus) we sampled populations from Panama to Africa and genotyped over 300
individuals at 14 microsatellite loci. We used traditional measures of population structure and
the population model STRUCTURE to determine how many populations are found within this
species’ range. This analysis found 4 populations defined by the following biogeographic
regions: 1) Indian Ocean, 2) Central Pacific, 3) Hawaii, and 4) East Pacific. Further, pairwise
comparisons revealed the largest FST values between Hawaii and all other populations and the
East Pacific and all other populations. The isolation of Hawaii and the East Pacific from all
other populations are likely the result of unsuccessful dispersal over vast stretches of water that
lie between favorable habitats. However, there is a high degree of dispersal in the larvae of
these fish indicated by the panmixia found at smaller scales, e.g. within Hawaii and Samoa. Our
results require confirmation with other key reef herbivores, but suggest management strategies
should be built around population cohesiveness within at least four regions, and emphasize the
uniqueness of Hawaii and the Eastern Pacific.
13-9
A Restoration Genetics Guide For Coral Reef Conservation
Iliana BAUMS* 1
1 Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
World-wide degradation of coral reef communities has prompted a surge in restoration efforts
and created an urgent need for restoration genetic guidelines. The major question restoration
efforts face is over what distance from the source wild and/or captive bred propagules may be
moved without causing a loss of fitness in the restored population. Evolutionary processes in
reef corals may resemble those observed in long-lived plant and recommendations developed
for plant restoration are modified here for reef conservation. Proposed causes for loss of fitness
as a result of restoration efforts include founder effects, genetic swamping, inbreeding and/or
outbreeding depression. Direct evidence for any of these processes is scarce in reef corals due to
a lack of model species that allow for testing over multiple generations and the separation of the
relative contributions of algal symbionts and their coral hosts to the overall performance of the
coral colony. However, in controlled crosses presented here, certain colony pairings produce
higher performing larvae then the control batch culture. These larvae do not yet contain
zooxanthellae, implying that performance differences exist among coral genets. Clearly, further
research is needed to study host-symbiont-environment interactions. Meanwhile, there is ample
evidence for differentiated populations, inbreeding, asexual reproduction and the occurrence of
ecotypes in corals, factors that influence the design of restoration projects. Contrary to
published expectations, a review of the literature shows that inbreeding is as common in
broadcast spawners as it is in brooders. The use of molecular tools may aid managers in the
selection of appropriate propagule sources, guide spatial arrangement of transplants, and help in
assessing the success of restoration projects by tracking the performance of transplants, thereby
generating important data for future projects
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