Abstract
Calanus glacialis is a major component of Arctic zooplankton and a keystone species in Arctic marine ecosystems. Due to the observed climate warming, its numbers are being reduced to the advantage of a sibling Atlantic species Calanus finmarchicus. We developed and characterized the first set of microsatellite markers in this species to investigate its population genetic structure and dispersal capabilities. Nine polymorphic loci displayed an average of 7.3 alleles (range between 2 and 13) and the levels of expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.039 to 0.806. These provide a valuable tool to understand present connectivity patterns across Arctic regions, look for signatures of past climate effects and predict the response to future climate-driven environmental changes. Additionally, due to the cross-amplification with C. finmarchicus, the markers can be used to discriminate between these sibling species.
Highlights
Calanus glacialis is a major component of Arctic zooplankton and a keystone species in Arctic marine ecosystems
We developed and characterized the first set of microsatellite markers in this species to investigate its population genetic structure and dispersal capabilities
These markers are needed for population genetic studies and for species diagnostics, as a contribution to understand the future of Calanus in a warmer Arctic scenario
Summary
Microsatellite markers for the Arctic copepod Calanus glacialis and cross-amplification with C. finmarchicus. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com
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