Abstract
Oceanographic features shape the distributional and genetic patterns of marine species by interrupting or promoting connections among populations. Although general patterns commonly arise, distributional ranges and genetic structure are species-specific and do not always comply with the expected trends. By applying a multimarker genetic approach combined with Lagrangian particle simulations (LPS) we tested the hypothesis that oceanographic features along northeastern Atlantic and Mediterranean shores influence dispersal potential and genetic structure of the intertidal mussel Perna perna. Additionally, by performing environmental niche modelling we assessed the potential and realized niche of P. perna along its entire native distributional range and the environmental factors that best explain its realized distribution. Perna perna showed evidence of panmixia across >4,000 km despite several oceanographic breaking points detected by LPS. This is probably the result of a combination of life history traits, continuous habitat availability and stepping-stone dynamics. Moreover, the niche modelling framework depicted minimum sea surface temperatures (SST) as the major factor shaping P. perna distributional range limits along its native areas. Forthcoming warming SST is expected to further change these limits and allow the species to expand its range polewards though this may be accompanied by retreat from warmer areas.
Highlights
The physical environment influences species distribution patterns and shapes the genetic structure of their populations[1,2,3,4]
There is ample evidence that, during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), species retreated to restricted glacial refugia areas, persisting throughout unsuitable conditions to reveal contemporary genetic signatures that are the result of accumulated genetic diversity[13, 14]
Perna perna was detected at 14 locations out of the 49 surveyed (Fig. 1)
Summary
The physical environment influences species distribution patterns and shapes the genetic structure of their populations[1,2,3,4]. The Mediterranean Sea and the northeastern Atlantic are ideal regions to study the effects of dispersal barriers and environmental gradients on species distribution and genetic patterns. Towards the Atlantic, the Strait of Gibraltar is the meeting point where Atlantic water enters the Mediterranean Sea at the surface, overriding the denser Mediterranean water mass[19] and forming the focus of several studies of the effect of regional oceanographic barriers on genetic structure A northward expansion of the intertidal Brown mussel Perna perna was described from north Africa to southern Iberia[29] This dominant habitat-forming species occurs naturally along the northern, eastern and western coast of Africa and in the Arabian Peninsula. This intertidal subtropical species has become invasive in the Gulf of Mexico and eastern South America (reviewed in ref. 30)
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