Abstract
The extent of dispersal by pelagic larvae in marine environments, including coral reefs, is central for understanding local population dynamics and designing sustainable marine reserves. We present here the first example of a clear stepping-stone genetic structure throughout the Caribbean basin for a common coral reef species, the French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum). Analysis of microsatellite DNA markers indicated that French grunt population structure may be characterized by overlapping populations throughout the Caribbean, influenced by independent population dynamics but with no fixed geographical boundaries. In addition, different spatial genetic patterns were found in different oceanographic regions. A second species, the bluehead wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum), has a much longer pelagic larval duration than French grunts and showed no explicit spatial pattern of genetic variation. This finding is concordant with the hypothesis of a positive relationship between larval dispersal and duration in the plankton. While the magnitude of the genetic signal of population structure in French grunts was very low (FST ≈ 0.003), the pattern of isolation-by-distance throughout the Caribbean indicated considerable population structure with important ecological and conservation significance.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1483-1490 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |
| Volume | 273 |
| Issue number | 1593 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 22 2006 |
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Keywords
- Coral reef fish dispersal
- Genetic population structure
- Haemulon flavolineatum
- Marine reserves
- Microsatellites
- Thalassoma bifasciatum
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)
Cite this
Weak genetic structure indicates strong dispersal limits : A tale of two coral reef fish. / Purcell, John F H; Cowen, Robert K.; Hughes, Colin R.; Williams, Dean A.
In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Vol. 273, No. 1593, 22.06.2006, p. 1483-1490.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Weak genetic structure indicates strong dispersal limits
T2 - A tale of two coral reef fish
AU - Purcell, John F H
AU - Cowen, Robert K.
AU - Hughes, Colin R.
AU - Williams, Dean A.
PY - 2006/6/22
Y1 - 2006/6/22
N2 - The extent of dispersal by pelagic larvae in marine environments, including coral reefs, is central for understanding local population dynamics and designing sustainable marine reserves. We present here the first example of a clear stepping-stone genetic structure throughout the Caribbean basin for a common coral reef species, the French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum). Analysis of microsatellite DNA markers indicated that French grunt population structure may be characterized by overlapping populations throughout the Caribbean, influenced by independent population dynamics but with no fixed geographical boundaries. In addition, different spatial genetic patterns were found in different oceanographic regions. A second species, the bluehead wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum), has a much longer pelagic larval duration than French grunts and showed no explicit spatial pattern of genetic variation. This finding is concordant with the hypothesis of a positive relationship between larval dispersal and duration in the plankton. While the magnitude of the genetic signal of population structure in French grunts was very low (FST ≈ 0.003), the pattern of isolation-by-distance throughout the Caribbean indicated considerable population structure with important ecological and conservation significance.
AB - The extent of dispersal by pelagic larvae in marine environments, including coral reefs, is central for understanding local population dynamics and designing sustainable marine reserves. We present here the first example of a clear stepping-stone genetic structure throughout the Caribbean basin for a common coral reef species, the French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum). Analysis of microsatellite DNA markers indicated that French grunt population structure may be characterized by overlapping populations throughout the Caribbean, influenced by independent population dynamics but with no fixed geographical boundaries. In addition, different spatial genetic patterns were found in different oceanographic regions. A second species, the bluehead wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum), has a much longer pelagic larval duration than French grunts and showed no explicit spatial pattern of genetic variation. This finding is concordant with the hypothesis of a positive relationship between larval dispersal and duration in the plankton. While the magnitude of the genetic signal of population structure in French grunts was very low (FST ≈ 0.003), the pattern of isolation-by-distance throughout the Caribbean indicated considerable population structure with important ecological and conservation significance.
KW - Coral reef fish dispersal
KW - Genetic population structure
KW - Haemulon flavolineatum
KW - Marine reserves
KW - Microsatellites
KW - Thalassoma bifasciatum
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34548159491&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=34548159491&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1098/rspb.2006.3470
DO - 10.1098/rspb.2006.3470
M3 - Article
C2 - 16777742
AN - SCOPUS:33746199884
VL - 273
SP - 1483
EP - 1490
JO - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
JF - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
SN - 0800-4622
IS - 1593
ER -