Unexpectedly complex gradation of coral population structure in the Nansei Islands, Japan.

ABSTRACT: To establish effective locations and sizes of potential protected areas for reef ecosystems, detailed information about source and sink relationships between populations is critical, especially in archipelagic regions. Therefore, we assessed population structure and genetic diversity of Acropora tenuis, one of the dominant stony coral species in the Pacific, using 13 microsatellite markers to investigate 298 colonies from 15 locations across the Nansei Islands in southwestern Japan. Genetic diversity was not significant among sampling locations, even in possibly peripheral locations. In addition, our results showed that there are at least two populations of A. tenuis in the study area. The level of genetic differentiation between these populations was relatively low, but significant betwee

SUBMITTER: Zayasu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4984520 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature