Journal article
Strong genetic differentiation and low genetic diversity in a habitat-forming fucoid seaweed (Cystophora racemosa) across 850 km of its range
Journal of phycology, Vol.61(3), pp.539-557
06/2025
PMID: 40318169
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Abstract
Temperate seaweed forests are among the most productive and widespread habitats in coastal waters. However, they are under threat from climate change and other anthropogenic stressors. To effectively conserve and manage these ecosystems under these rising pressures, an understanding of the genetic diversity and structure of habitat-forming seaweeds will be necessary. Australia's Great Southern Reef, a global hotspot of endemic diversity, is home to one of the world's most speciose habitat-forming seaweed genera, Cystophora (order Fucales). Despite severe declines in some species, genomic data on this genus remain limited. We used a reduced representation genomic approach (DaRTSeq) to investigate the genetic diversity and structure of Cystophora racemosa, a dominant canopy-forming species, across ~850 km of its range. Our sequencing captured 4741 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and we distinguished neutral loci from those under natural selection (i.e., outlier loci). We identified strong population structure and high genetic differentiation for both neutral (mean FST = 0.404) and outlier loci (mean FFST = 0.901). Across populations, genetic diversity was low (neutral: mean HE = 0.046; outlier: HE = 0.042), with high inferred inbreeding (neutral loci mean FIS = 0.531) and no evidence of isolation-by-distance. Several SNPs (n = 70) were observed to be putatively adaptive, with most (97%) correlated with annual maximum sea surface temperature (SST, °C), indicating local adaptation to this key ocean variable. Our results show that C. racemosa populations have low genetic diversity and high differentiation, both of which may increase the vulnerability of this important foundation species to global change.
Details
- Title
- Strong genetic differentiation and low genetic diversity in a habitat-forming fucoid seaweed (Cystophora racemosa) across 850 km of its range
- Creators
- Jane M Edgeloe - The University of Western AustraliaSamuel Starko - The University of Western AustraliaAlbert Pessarrodona - The University of Western AustraliaMelinda A Coleman - The University of Western AustraliaJacqueline Batley - The University of Western AustraliaThomas Wernberg - The University of Western AustraliaGeorgina V Wood - The University of Western Australia
- Publication Details
- Journal of phycology, Vol.61(3), pp.539-557
- Publisher
- Wiley Periodicals LLC.
- Number of pages
- 19
- Grant note
- This research was supported by the Winnifred Violet Scott Foundation (GW, AP & TW), the Australian Research Council (IE230100464, GW; DP190100058,LP190100346, DP20010020119, TW & MAC;FL240100015, TW), the Norwegian Research Council(GecoKelp Project no. 335371, TW, MAC, & GW)and the Forrest Research Foundation (SS). Open access publishing facilitated by The University of Western Australia, as part of the Wiley -The University of Western Australia agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians.
- Identifiers
- 991013281448702368
- Copyright
- © 2025 The Author(s)
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article