Novel distribution pattern between coexisting sexual and obligate asexual variants of the true estuarine macroalga Ulva prolifera.

ABSTRACT: Where sexual and asexual forms coexist within a species, the asexuals are often found to be prevalent in marginal habitats. This asexual distribution pattern has received evolutionary attention linked to the paradox of sex. In many marine species, there is a distributional trend of asexual modes being more common in lower salinity waters regarded as the ecogeographic marginal, being explained by negative effects of low salinities on sexual reproductive success. However, the distribution pattern of estuarine species recently adapted to low salinity waters has remained unknown. The brackish macroalga Ulva prolifera being a major benthic component of estuarine ecosystems includes a sexual variant and obligate asexual variants by means of motile spores. We examined the sexual-asexual di

SUBMITTER: Hiraoka M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5513300 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature