Spatial patterns of genetic diversity in Mediterranean eagle owl Bubo bubo populations

Little information is available on the patterns of genetic connectivity in owls. We studied the genetic structure of the eagle owl Bubo bubo (Linnaeus, 1758) in southeastern Spain at two different spatial scales. Seven microsatellites previously described for this species were used, although only six loci amplified correctly. The observed low genetic variation could be explained by the short dispersal distance, high mortality rate and high degree of monogamy shown by this large nocturnal predator. As expected, the highest genetic isolation was detected in the geographically most isolated population. Significant genetic differentiation was found among study units separated by less than 50 km. The territorial analysis showed interesting connectivity patterns related with the gene flow and turnover rate of the breeding individuals. The lowest genetic diversity was found in the region with the largest population, which could imply incipient inbreeding.

Do hatchery-reared sea urchins pose a threat to genetic diversity in wild populations?

In salmonids, the release of hatchery-reared fish has been shown to cause irreversible genetic impacts on wild populations. However, although responsible practices for producing and releasing genetically diverse, hatchery-reared juveniles have been published widely, they are rarely implemented. Here, we investigated genetic differences between wild and early-generation hatchery-reared populations of the purple sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (a commercially important species in Europe) to assess whether hatcheries were able to maintain natural levels of genetic diversity. To test the hypothesis that hatchery rearing would cause bottleneck effects (that is, a substantial reduction in genetic diversity and differentiation from wild populations), we compared the levels and patterns of genetic variation between two hatcheries and four nearby wild populations, using samples from both Spain and Ireland. We found that hatchery-reared populations were less diverse and had diverged significantly from the wild populations, with a very small effective population size and a high degree of relatedness between individuals. These results raise a number of concerns about the genetic impacts of their release into wild populations, particularly when such a degree of differentiation can occur in a single generation of hatchery rearing. Consequently, we suggest that caution should be taken when using hatchery-reared individuals to augment fisheries, even for marine species with high dispersal capacity, and we provide some recommendations to improve hatchery rearing and release practices. Our results further highlight the need to consider the genetic risks of releasing hatchery-reared juveniles into the wild during the establishment of restocking, stock enhancement and sea ranching programs.

Population genetics of Cerastoderma edule in Ria Formosa (southern Portugal): the challenge of understanding an intraspecific hotspot of genetic diversity

Coastal lagoons are highly variable environments that may act as hotspots of genetic diversity as a consequence of their ecological role as nursery habitats of marine species with both ecological and fisheries importance. The edible cockle (Cerastoderma edule) is a commercially important shellfish resource inhabiting coastal lagoons in Europe and their fisheries management urgently needs genetic studies to design appropriate strategies to promote the recovery of exploited populations. The aim of this study was to assess the C. edule genetic diversity and population structure at a small geographic scale, inside Ria Formosa coastal lagoon (southern Portugal) using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I sequences in six locations. Outcomes pointed to a common pattern of high haplotype diversity and non-significant genetic structuring inside the Ria Formosa lagoon. A high level of gene flow was detected between all localities and the presence of a single stock from a genetic point of view may be considered for fisheries management purposes. The existence of a high number of haplotypes and high values of haplotype diversity of C. edule in Ria Formosa lagoon could be consistent with the hypothesis that higher genetic diversity is expected in populations occurring in coastal lagoons, suggesting that lagoons could increase standing genetic variation and an adaptive potential of lagoon populations as an ecological response to a highly variable environment.

Genetic diversity across geographical scales in marine coastal ecosystems: Holothuria arguinensis a model species

Coastal lagoons are considered one of the most productive areas of our planet harboring a large variety of habitats. Their transitional character, between terrestrial and marine environments, creates a very particular ecosystem with important variations of its environmental conditions. The organisms that are able to survive on these ecosystems frequently experience strong selective pressures and constrictions to gene flowwith marine populations, which could contribute to genetic divergence among populations inhabiting coastal lagoon and marine environments. Therefore, the main aims of this study are to asses the genetic diversity and population structure of Holothuria arguinensis across geographical ranges, to test the hypothesis of coastal lagoons as hotspots of genetic diversity in the Ria Formosa lagoon, and to determine the role of exporting standing genetic variation from the lagoon to open sea and their implications to recent geographical expansion events. To reach these objectives, we investigate the genetic structure of H. arguinensis using two mitochondrial DNA markers (COI and 16S) at different spatial scales: i) small, inside Ria Formosa coastal lagoon, South Portugal; 2) large, including most of the geographical distribution of this species (South and Western Portuguese coast and Canary islands); these results will allow us to compare the genetic diversity of lagoonal and marine populations of H. arguinensis. On this framework, its recent geographical expansion events, recorded by Rodrigues (2012) and González-Wangüemert and Borrero-Pérez (2012), will be analyzed considering the potential contribution from lagoonal genetic pool. Non-significant genetic structure and high haplotypic diversity were found inside the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon. Both genes were unable to detect significant genetic differentiation among lagoonal and marine localities, suggesting a high rate of gene flow. The results supported our hypotheses that coastal lagoons are not only acting as hotspots of genetic diversity, but also contributing for the genetic variability of the species, working as a source of new haplotypes and enhancing adaptation to the high variable conditions. Different genetic patterns of colonization were found on H. arguinensis, but they must be studied more deeply.