Shared genomic outliers across two divergent population clusters of a highly threatened seagrass.

ABSTRACT: The seagrass, Zostera capensis, occurs across a broad stretch of coastline and wide environmental gradients in estuaries and sheltered bays in southern and eastern Africa. Throughout its distribution, habitats are highly threatened and poorly protected, increasing the urgency of assessing the genomic variability of this keystone species. A pooled genomic approach was employed to obtain SNP data and examine neutral genomic variation and to identify potential outlier loci to assess differentiation across 12 populations across the ∼9,600 km distribution of Z. capensis. Results indicate high clonality and low genomic diversity within meadows, which combined with poor protection throughout its range, increases the vulnerability of this seagrass to further declines or local extinct

SUBMITTER: Phair NL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6497040 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature