Tides of genetic exchange: Exploring the impact of reproductive strategies and ocean currents on scleractinian coral connectivity in the Dutch Caribbean.
López Márquez, Violeta Scherpereel, Colin Hellemans, Bart Mijts, Eric
Hanert, Emmanuel Volckaert, Filip
Scherpereel, Colin
Hellemans, Bart
Hanert, Emmanuel
Volckaert, Filip
Citations
Altmetric:
Keyword
Location research
Date
2024-05-28
Language
ISSN
ISBN
Collections
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Abstract
Tides of genetic exchange: Exploring the impact of reproductive strategies and ocean currents on scleractinian coral connectivity in the Dutch Caribbean
Violeta López-Márquez1,2, Colin Scherpereel3, Bart Hellemans2, Eric N. Mijts1, Emmanuel Hanert3, Filip A.M. Volckaert2
1 SISSTEM programme, University of Aruba, Oranjestad, Aruba
2 Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
3 Earth and Life Institute & Institute of Mechanics, UC Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Dispersal dynamics shape the (meta)population dynamics of marine organisms. This study explores (i) the interplay between ocean circulation and two reproductive strategies of scleractinian corals, and (ii) their collective impact on genetic connectivity off the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. The reproductive mode of corals, specifically in the case of brooders and broadcast spawners, significantly influences the genetic structuring of their populations. We hypothesize that local brooding corals are more genetically structured compared to species with external gamete broadcasting, where the planula larvae reside longer in the water column. 3D hydrodynamic simulations replicating ocean circulation of the Caribbean Current off the islands coupled to an individual based model simulating the biological traits of the brooding corals Favia fragum and Porites astreoides, and the broadcast corals Diploria labyrinthiformis and D. strigosa, provide a first assessment of the complex abiotic connectivity. As expected, the potential of broadcast spawners to disperse proves much higher. Genotyping of all four species with about 15 microsatellite markers each reveals high genetic differentiation of brooding corals, and comparatively lower levels of broadcast spawners. We also observe occasional dispersive events of brooding corals that contribute to the considerable genetic diversity, and evidence of source-sink dynamics. Our thorough analysis of population connectivity and genetic structure in scleractinian corals enhances our understanding of reef ecosystems and establishes a basis for well-informed conservation decision-making. This research plays an important role in advancing the long-term sustainability efforts of these crucial reef-building species.
Citation
López-Márquez, V., Scherpereel, C., Hellemans, B., Mijts, E., Hannert, E., & Volckaert, F. (2024). Tides of genetic exchange: Exploring the impact of reproductive strategies and ocean currents on scleractinian coral connectivity in the Dutch Caribbean. I-MarCo 2024 - 7th International Conference on Marine Connectivity.
Sponsorship
Publisher
Journal
iMARCO
Target group
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14473/1349