Genetic survey of shallow populations of the Mediterranean red coral [Corallium rubrum (Linnaeus, 1758)]: new insights into evolutionary processes shaping nuclear diversity and implications for conservation

Combined action from over-harvesting and recent mass mortality events potentially linked to ongoing climate changes has led to new concerns for the conservation of shallow populations (5-60 m) of Corallium rubrum, an octocorallian that is mainly found in the Mediterranean Sea. The present study was...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular ecology 2010-02, Vol.19 (4), p.675-690
Main Authors: Ledoux, J.-B, Mokhtar-Jamai, K, Roby, C, Feral, J.-P, Garrabou, J, Aurelle, D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Anthozoa - genetics
Biodiversity
Biodiversity and Ecology
Cell Nucleus - genetics
Climate change
Cluster Analysis
conservation biology
Conservation of Natural Resources
Coral reefs
Corallium rubrum
Ecology
Environmental Sciences
Evolution, Molecular
genetic clustering
Genetic Variation
Genetics, Population
Genotype
Geography
isolation by distance
Life Sciences
Marine
Mediterranean Sea
Microsatellite Repeats
microsatellites
Molecular biology
Population genetics
Populations and Evolution
Sequence Analysis, DNA
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Summary:Combined action from over-harvesting and recent mass mortality events potentially linked to ongoing climate changes has led to new concerns for the conservation of shallow populations (5-60 m) of Corallium rubrum, an octocorallian that is mainly found in the Mediterranean Sea. The present study was designed to analyse population structure and relationships at different spatial scales (from 10s of meters to 100s of kilometres) with a focus on dispersal pattern. We also performed the first analysis of the distribution of genetic diversity using a comparative approach between regional-clusters and samples. Forty populations dwelling in four distinct regions between 14 and 60 m in depth were genotyped using 10 microsatellites. Our main results indicate (i) a generalized pair-sample differentiation combined with a weak structure between regional-clusters; (ii) the occurrence of isolation by distance at the global scale, but also within two of the three analysed regional-clusters; (iii) a high level of genetic diversity over the surveyed area with a heterogeneous distribution from regional-cluster to sample levels. The evolutionary consequences of these results are discussed and their management implications are provided.
ISSN:0962-1083
1365-294X
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2009.04516.x