Description
Background: Temporal variation in the genetic structure of populations can
be caused by multiple factors, including natural selection, stochastic
environmental variation, migration, or genetic drift. In benthic marine
species, the developmental mode of larvae may indicate a possibility for
temporal genetic variation: species with dispersive planktonic larvae are
expected to be more likely to show temporal genetic variation than species
with benthic or brooded non-dispersive larvae, due to differences in
larval mortality and dispersal ability. We examined temporal genetic
structure in populations of Pygospio elegans, a poecilogonous polychaete
with within-species variation in developmental mode. P. elegans produces
either planktonic, benthic, or intermediate larvae, varying both among and
within populations, providing a within-species test of the generality of a
relationship between temporal genetic variation and larval developmental
mode. Results: In contrast to our expectations, our microsatellite
analyses of P. elegans revealed temporal genetic stability in the UK
population with planktonic larvae, whereas there was variation indicative
of drift in temporal samples of the populations from the Baltic Sea, which
have predominantly benthic and intermediate larvae. We also detected
temporal variation in relatedness within these populations. A large
temporal shift in genetic structure was detected in a population from the
Netherlands, having multiple developmental modes. This shift could have
been caused by local extiction due to extreme environmental conditions and
(re)colonization by planktonic larvae from neighboring populations.
Conclusions: In our study of P. elegans, temporal genetic variation
appears to be due to not only larval developmental mode, but also the
stochastic environment of adults. Large temporal genetic shifts may be
more likely in marine intertidal habitats (e.g. North Sea and Wadden Sea)
which are more prone to environmental stochasticity than the sub-tidal
Baltic habitats. Sub-tidal and/or brackish (less saline) habitats may
support smaller P. elegans populations and these may be more susceptible
to the effects of random genetic drift. Moreover, higher frequencies of
asexual reproduction and the benthic larval developmental mode in these
populations leads to higher relatedness and contributes to drift. Our
results indicate that a general relationship between larval developmental
mode and temporal genetic variation may not exist.
Pygospio_genotype_dataThe 'Pygospio_genotype_data.txt' file
contains microsatellite genotype data of 765 P. elegans individuals used
in the study. There is 2 to 3 temporal samples collected from 7 different
European collection sites.
be caused by multiple factors, including natural selection, stochastic
environmental variation, migration, or genetic drift. In benthic marine
species, the developmental mode of larvae may indicate a possibility for
temporal genetic variation: species with dispersive planktonic larvae are
expected to be more likely to show temporal genetic variation than species
with benthic or brooded non-dispersive larvae, due to differences in
larval mortality and dispersal ability. We examined temporal genetic
structure in populations of Pygospio elegans, a poecilogonous polychaete
with within-species variation in developmental mode. P. elegans produces
either planktonic, benthic, or intermediate larvae, varying both among and
within populations, providing a within-species test of the generality of a
relationship between temporal genetic variation and larval developmental
mode. Results: In contrast to our expectations, our microsatellite
analyses of P. elegans revealed temporal genetic stability in the UK
population with planktonic larvae, whereas there was variation indicative
of drift in temporal samples of the populations from the Baltic Sea, which
have predominantly benthic and intermediate larvae. We also detected
temporal variation in relatedness within these populations. A large
temporal shift in genetic structure was detected in a population from the
Netherlands, having multiple developmental modes. This shift could have
been caused by local extiction due to extreme environmental conditions and
(re)colonization by planktonic larvae from neighboring populations.
Conclusions: In our study of P. elegans, temporal genetic variation
appears to be due to not only larval developmental mode, but also the
stochastic environment of adults. Large temporal genetic shifts may be
more likely in marine intertidal habitats (e.g. North Sea and Wadden Sea)
which are more prone to environmental stochasticity than the sub-tidal
Baltic habitats. Sub-tidal and/or brackish (less saline) habitats may
support smaller P. elegans populations and these may be more susceptible
to the effects of random genetic drift. Moreover, higher frequencies of
asexual reproduction and the benthic larval developmental mode in these
populations leads to higher relatedness and contributes to drift. Our
results indicate that a general relationship between larval developmental
mode and temporal genetic variation may not exist.
Pygospio_genotype_dataThe 'Pygospio_genotype_data.txt' file
contains microsatellite genotype data of 765 P. elegans individuals used
in the study. There is 2 to 3 temporal samples collected from 7 different
European collection sites.
| Date made available | 7 Jan 2015 |
|---|---|
| Publisher | DRYAD |
Cite this
- DataSetCite