11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University
11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University
11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University
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14-25<br />
Population Structure And Connectivity Of The Neon Damselfish (Pomacentrus<br />
Coelestis) in The West Pacific Ocean<br />
ShangYin LIU* 1 , ChangFeng DAI 1<br />
1 Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan <strong>University</strong>, Taipei, Taiwan<br />
The degree to which local populations are demographically connected by dispersal is<br />
important for the design of marine reserves and resource management. We studied the<br />
genetic connectivity of Pomacentrus coelestis populations in the West Pacific using<br />
partial mitochondrial control region and microsatellite loci. Based on the molecular data<br />
of 142 specimens collected from 7 populations ranging from Okinawa to eastern<br />
Australia, high haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity were detected in all<br />
populations. This suggests that P. coelestis populations may have experienced rapid<br />
expansion after a bottleneck event. The results of neutrality tests, shallow coalescence of<br />
mtDNA genealogies, and the mismatch distribution of pairwise differences also indicated<br />
that populations of P. coelestis have possibly suffered severe declines in the past. The<br />
dating based on the coalescent approach suggested that population expansions possibly<br />
occurred approximately 27,000 years ago. The results of AMOVA and Φst pairwise<br />
comparisons showed that populations were divided into 3 groups, i.e., the north-west<br />
Taiwan (Penghu and northern Taiwan), the South China Sea (Hainan, southern Taiwan<br />
and Okinawa), and the Australian groups. On a smaller spatial scale, a genetic break was<br />
defined between the north-west Taiwan group and the southern Taiwan population. We<br />
then assigned recruits from the same locality and adjacent localities based on the<br />
genotypes revealed by 7 microsatellite loci. The results of assignments indicated that the<br />
recruits in southern Taiwan were mainly from the South China Sea (approximately 50%)<br />
and the recruits in Penghu and northern Taiwan were mixed among their natal grounds.<br />
This study highlights the influence of present current patterns and historical events on the<br />
connectivity of P. coelestis populations. Furthermore, this pattern of population<br />
connectivity provides implications for the conservation and management of reef fishes<br />
around Taiwan.<br />
14-26<br />
Spatial And Temporal Instability in The Genetic Structure Of Adult And Juvenile<br />
Bicolor Damselfish (Stegastes Partitus) Within The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef<br />
System<br />
J. Derek HOGAN* 1 , Roger J. THIESSEN 1 , Daniel D. HEATH 1<br />
1 Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, <strong>University</strong> of Windsor, Windsor, ON,<br />
Canada<br />
Population connectivity is an important but poorly understood factor relevant to the<br />
ecology, evolution and conservation of marine species. Directly estimating dispersal and<br />
connectivity among populations is logistically difficult, but much can be inferred by<br />
comparing the population genetic structure of the young, dispersive life stage with that of<br />
the more sedentary adults through time. Here we examine the population genetic<br />
structure of adult and recently settled juvenile bicolor damselfish, Stegastes partitus,<br />
sampled at seven sites along the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS) over a two<br />
year period. Using genotype data at 12 microsatellite loci, we tested for genetic<br />
population differentiation among life stages and sites. Our results show spatial<br />
heterogeneity in adult and juvenile population structure; however, no evidence for an<br />
isolation by distance model of divergence was found. We show that allele frequency<br />
distributions change through time and between age classes in an unpredictable manner.<br />
Since juvenile and adult samples exhibit similar levels of genetic divergence we propose<br />
that the temporal instability we observed is due to pre-settlement effects. Our results<br />
suggest that the relative contributions of upstream sources likely changes through time as<br />
a result of stochastic processes such as oceanographic flow and meteorological events.<br />
We attempt genetic assignment of recently settled juvenile fishes to directly estimate<br />
ecological dispersal in an attempt to verify that cohorts are arriving from variable source<br />
populations.<br />
Oral Mini-Symposium 14: Reef Connectivity<br />
14-27<br />
Connectivity And Climate Change: Impacts On A Reef Building Coral in The Eastern<br />
Pacific<br />
Nicholas POLATO* 1 , Iliana BAUMS 1<br />
1 Biology, Penn State <strong>University</strong>, <strong>University</strong> Park, PA<br />
Connectivity is a primary factor determining community structure, species cohesion, and<br />
population persistence. Weather phenomena which alter wind and current patterns will<br />
significantly impact patterns of reef connectivity. Long-distance dispersal to the east from the<br />
coral rich central Pacific may be favored during El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events<br />
due to reversal of surface currents, providing larvae to areas denuded by recurring high Sea<br />
Surface Temperatures (SSTs) caused by ENSO, and supplementing coral populations in<br />
marginal habitats in the Eastern Pacific. In an effort to understand patterns of connectivity<br />
influencing the origin, evolution, and regeneration of coral populations in the eastern Pacific,<br />
microsatellite loci were generated for Porites lobata, a massive reef building species found<br />
throughout the Pacific Ocean. Sequences from a coral genomic DNA library and publicly<br />
available shotgun reads were used to develop microsatellite markers that amplify reliably in<br />
widely separate populations. Genotype data were generated for individuals collected from<br />
geographically distant populations throughout the eastern and central Pacific using multiplexed<br />
PCR reactions. Results of STRUCTURE and Fst analysis were consistent with expectations that<br />
populations on opposite sides of the Eastern Pacific Barrier are significantly differentiated.<br />
Ongoing work will apply the genotyping markers to additional populations. Nuclear sequence<br />
markers will be used in conjunction with microsatellite data to estimate the timing and extent of<br />
long distance dispersal events from central to eastern Pacific populations, and patterns of<br />
connectivity will be combined with oceanographic current models to identify primary corridors<br />
for genetic connectivity. Whether recruits to eastern Pacific populations are produced locally or<br />
regionally will affect the rate of colonization following disturbance and the ability of<br />
populations to adapt to local conditions, with important implications for the design of reserves<br />
intended to protect these habitats.<br />
14-28<br />
Small Scale Genetic Connectivity Of Bicolor Damselfish (stegastes Partitus) in Marine<br />
Protected Areas Of The Mexican Caribbean<br />
Carmen A. VILLEGAS SÁNCHEZ* 1 , Jesús E. ARIAS GONZÁLEZ 2 , Renata RIVERA<br />
MADRID 3<br />
1 Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados-Unidad<br />
Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, 2 Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y<br />
Estudios Avanzados-Unidad Mérida, Mérida, Mexico, 3 Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología<br />
Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Mérida, Mexico<br />
Connectivity has been defined as the demographic connection maintained between neighboring<br />
populations of a species due to the migration of individuals between them. An analysis was<br />
done of variation in nine microsatellite loci to assess genetic structure in 13 bicolor damselfish<br />
(Stegastes partitus) populations (N = 718) from three marine protected areas and one<br />
unprotected area in the Mexican Caribbean, and infer its conservation implications. A<br />
combination of Nei distances (D) and FST showed significant genetic differentiation between<br />
populations, and this pattern was clearly not associated with geographic distance. Significant<br />
departure from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium was observed in the majority of the loci: i.e. 96 of<br />
the 117 tests, suggesting inbreeding is occurring. Small-scale population structure is probably<br />
being influenced by independent population dynamics, low dispersion levels, biological<br />
characteristics specific to this species and reefscape characteristics. Correspondence Factorial<br />
Analysis (CFA) indicated differentiation between groups. The two sites with the highest genetic<br />
distance values (range: 0.006-0.414 ) in the pairwise test were those with the most complex<br />
reefscapes. Our results suggest that local damselfish populations differ at a relatively small<br />
scale, and therefore coral reef management for this species, and other species with similar<br />
biological characteristics, requires local conservation strategies.<br />
116