Genetic diversity of a marine foundation species, Laminaria hyperborea (Gunnerus) Foslie, along the coast of Ireland

Worldwide, kelp populations are stressed by warming, increased storms and other anthropogenic disturbances. Marine population distributions are projected to retreat poleward with climate change if they cannot adapt to changing conditions, which would potentially lead to a regime shift in subtidal ha...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	European journal of phycology 2020-07, Vol.55 (3), p.310-326
Main Authors:	Schoenrock, Kathryn M., O' Connor, Aisha M., Mauger, Stéphane, Valero, Myriam, Neiva, João, Serrão, Ester Á., Krueger-Hadfield, Stacy A.
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Anthropogenic factors Bioclimatology Biodiversity and Ecology Boreal Bridges Climate change Climate prediction climate refugia Conservation areas Dispersal Distribution Ecology, environment Ecosystem disturbance Environmental changes Environmental Sciences Genetic diversity Genetic variation Genetics Heterozygosity Indigenous species Introduced species Kelp Laminaria hyperborea Life Sciences Microsatellites Native organisms Organic carbon Population genetics Populations and Evolution Propagules resilience species distribution Species diversity Storms
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Summary:	Worldwide, kelp populations are stressed by warming, increased storms and other anthropogenic disturbances. Marine population distributions are projected to retreat poleward with climate change if they cannot adapt to changing conditions, which would potentially lead to a regime shift in subtidal habitats. In Northern Europe, Laminaria hyperborea is a subtidal ecosystem engineer whose distribution has shifted over millennia, leaving predicted areas of high genetic diversity from the last glacial maximum (LGM) near its southern distribution limit in the Iberian Peninsula. In Ireland, L. hyperborea structures communities by supporting diverse faunal assemblages and producing large quantities of organic carbon throughout the year. We investigated the genetic diversity of eight populations, ranging from the southern coast to the north-west of Ireland, using nine microsatellite loci. Diversity was found to be highest in Lough Hyne, a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), near the predicted climate refugium. We found evidence of isolation by distance, with high connectivity between populations that were geographically close, probably driven by short range dispersal of L. hyperborea propagules. Genetic diversity (measured as expected heterozygosity and allelic richness) was highest at Lough Hyne, and decreased northwards, as predicted from past range shifts. Expected heterozygosity was highest at Lough Hyne (0.706) and decreased northward, with the lowest value at Bridges of Ross (0.283). Based on these patterns, further fine-scale investigation into population diversity, dispersal and potential resilience in Irish kelp forests are necessary as warming and non-native species are observed more and more frequently.
ISSN:	0967-0262 1469-4433