s41598-019-54828-1.pdf (1.48 MB)
Low genotypic diversity and long-term ecological decline in a spatially structured seagrass population
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 07:33 authored by Nahaa M Alotaibi, Emma Kenyon, Kevan J Cook, Luca Börger, James C BullIn isolated or declining populations, viability may be compromised further by loss of genetic diversity. Therefore, it is important to understand the relationship between long-term ecological trajectories and population genetic structure. However, opportunities to combine these types of data are rare, especially in natural systems. Using an existing panel of 15 microsatellites, we estimated allelic diversity in seagrass, Zostera marina, at five sites around the Isles of Scilly Special Area of Conservation, UK, in 2010 and compared this to 23 years of annual ecological monitoring (1996–2018). We found low diversity and long-term declines in abundance in this relatively pristine but isolated location. Inclusion of the snapshot of genotypic, but less-so genetic, diversity improved prediction of abundance trajectories; however, this was spatial scale-dependent. Selection of the appropriate level of genetic organization and spatial scale for monitoring is, therefore, important to identify drivers of eco-evolutionary dynamics. This has implications for the use of population genetic information in conservation, management, and spatial planning.
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Publication status
- Published
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- Published version
Journal
Scientific ReportsISSN
2045-2322Publisher
Nature ResearchExternal DOI
Issue
1Volume
9Page range
1-11Article number
a18387Department affiliated with
- Neuroscience Publications
Research groups affiliated with
- Sussex Neuroscience Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2020-07-16First Open Access (FOA) Date
2020-07-16First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2020-07-16Usage metrics
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