Population Genetics of Corals in Japan

Abstract

Understanding how coral populations are established and maintained is important to predict how coral reef ecosystems will respond to future conditions. Population genetic analyses using DNA markers have provided useful information on how coral populations are maintained. In this chapter, I briefly introduce the history of using DNA markers in the population genetic analyses of corals. I also explain the merit of population genetic analyses to delineate the species boundaries of corals and infer how reproductive characteristics contribute to connectivity among populations. Based on previous studies on population genetic analyses of corals, I also discuss how population genetic analyses have contributed toward understanding the patterns of connectivity among coral populations and geographic variations in genetic diversity, primarily focusing on examples along the Ryukyu Archipelago. Finally, I propose future directions for the population genetics of corals in Japan, taking several aspects into consideration, including methodological information, such as seascape genetics and the development of novel molecular markers for utilizing next-generation sequencing technologies.