Presentation Abstract
Despite its vast geographic range and important role in coastal ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest, the bull kelp, Nereocystis luetkeana, has historically not been as widely studied as its globally distributed sister kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera. To date, there have been no published studies on the population genetic structure of Nereocystis luetkeana. We developed 10 polymorphic microsatellite markers with 454 sequencing and used them to genotype a total of over 1000 samples distributed from over 32 sites within the Salish Sea. Anthropogenic impact in the Salish Sea has been associated with decreasing kelp cover in areas close to large urban centers. The study of genetic differentiation can shed light on the demographic connectivity between disjunct populations in this system and identify areas of concern. We found that genetic diversity decreased with increasing isolation within the Salish sea. In general, genetic differentiation was low in the Salish Sea suggesting high gene flow between sites. We tested different association models of pair-wise genetic differentiation within the Salish Sea. We will show how spatial distance, hydrodynamic transport and environmental distance between sampling sites are associated with the pattern of genetic differentiation found in bull kelp.
Session Title
Kelp Distribution and Recovery Strategies in the Salish Sea: Part II
Keywords
Nereocystis luetkeana, Population genetics, Bull kelp
Conference Track
SSE1: Habitat Restoration and Protection
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE1-382
Start Date
6-4-2018 10:45 AM
End Date
6-4-2018 11:00 AM
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Nereocystis luetkeana--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)--Genetics; Kelp bed ecology--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Included in
Fresh Water Studies Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
Genetic structure of the bull-kelp Nereocystis luetkeana in the Salish Sea
Despite its vast geographic range and important role in coastal ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest, the bull kelp, Nereocystis luetkeana, has historically not been as widely studied as its globally distributed sister kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera. To date, there have been no published studies on the population genetic structure of Nereocystis luetkeana. We developed 10 polymorphic microsatellite markers with 454 sequencing and used them to genotype a total of over 1000 samples distributed from over 32 sites within the Salish Sea. Anthropogenic impact in the Salish Sea has been associated with decreasing kelp cover in areas close to large urban centers. The study of genetic differentiation can shed light on the demographic connectivity between disjunct populations in this system and identify areas of concern. We found that genetic diversity decreased with increasing isolation within the Salish sea. In general, genetic differentiation was low in the Salish Sea suggesting high gene flow between sites. We tested different association models of pair-wise genetic differentiation within the Salish Sea. We will show how spatial distance, hydrodynamic transport and environmental distance between sampling sites are associated with the pattern of genetic differentiation found in bull kelp.
