Emergent patterns of population genetic structure for a coral reef community

Abstract

What shapes variation in genetic structure within a community of codistributed species is a central but difficult question for the field of population genetics. With a focus on the isolated coral reef ecosystem of the Hawaiian Archipelago, we assessed how life history traits influence population genetic structure for 35 reef animals. Despite the archipelago's stepping stone configuration, isolation by distance was the least common type of genetic structure, detected in four species. Regional structuring (i.e. division of sites into genetically and spatially distinct regions) was most common, detected in 20 species and nearly in all endemics and habitat specialists. Seven species displayed chaotic (spatially unordered) structuring, and all were nonendemic generalist species. Chaotic structure also associated with relatively high global FST. Pelagic larval duration (PLD) was not a strong predictor of variation in population structure (R2=0.22), but accounting for higher FST values of chaotic and invertebrate species, compared to regionally structured and fish species, doubled the power of PLD to explain variation in global FST (adjusted R2=0.50). Multivariate correlation of eight species traits to six genetic traits highlighted dispersal ability, taxonomy (i.e. fish vs. invertebrate) and habitat specialization as strongest influences on genetics, but otherwise left much variation in genetic traits unexplained. Considering that the study design controlled for many sampling and geographical factors, the extreme interspecific variation in spatial genetic patterns observed for Hawaìi marine species may be generated by demographic variability due to species-specific abundance and migration patterns and/or seascape and historical factors.

High Levels of Genetic Connectivity among Populations of Yellowtail Snapper, Ocyurus chrysurus (Lutjanidae – Perciformes), in the Western South Atlantic Revealed through Multilocus Analysis

“…The results clearly revealed the existence of a single panmictic population along the Brazilian coast ( sensu Selkoe et al)[87], and as reported by Vasconcellos et al [16], there is a high level of substructure between the Brazilian and Caribbean populations. However, it is worth mentioning that the absence of individuals sampled between Brazil and Belize makes it difficult to perform further analyses of the historical connectivity between populations in this geographic range.…”

Surgeons and suture zones: Hybridization among four surgeonfish species in the Indo-Pacific with variable evolutionary outcomes

“…While a link between dispersal ability and duration of the pelagic stage has considerable intuitive appeal, the relationship is not a simple one (Selkoe and Toonen, 2011;Selkoe et al, 2014). Nonetheless, fishes with a long pelagic larval stage tend to have extensive dispersal, broad ranges and dominate communities on isolated islands (Horne et al, 2008;Reece et al, 2011;.…”

Lack of Spatial Subdivision for the Snapper Lutjanus purpureus (Lutjanidae – Perciformes) from Southwest Atlantic Based on Multi-Locus Analyses

“…In addition, inherent reproductive characteristics of many marine species (e.g., pelagic larval duration [PLD], type of egg, spawning location) have been cited as factors that promote high levels of genetic connectivity among populations [2], even those separated by large geographic distances.…”