Spatial scale of genetic structuring in coastal cod Gadus morhua and geographic extent of local populations

Abstract

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 343:229-237 (2007) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps06922 Spatial scale of genetic structuring in coastal cod Gadus morhua and geographic extent of local populations Per Erik Jorde1,2,*, Halvor Knutsen1, Sigurd Heiberg Espeland2, Nils Chr. Stenseth1,2 1Institute of Marine Research, Flødevigen, 4817 His, Norway 2CEES – Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway *Email: p.e.jorde@bio.uio.no ABSTRACT: We estimated the spatial scale of genetically distinguishable populations of coastal Atlantic cod Gadus morhua using microsatellite DNA markers. Significant overall heterogeneity in allele frequencies was found among 5 cod samples (n = 493) along a 79 km segment of the Norwegian Skagerrak coast (FST = 0.0013; p = 0.021). Most (3 out of 4) samples separated by less than 30 km were genetically highly similar (FST < 0), whereas more distantly separated samples were typically genetically different. This genetic differentiation pattern indicates a patchy population structure with local coastal cod populations being limited in geographic extent to approx. 30 km or less. The spatial structure is thus on the scale of local fjords, suggesting a role for local topography in shaping population structure. The population structuring of coastal cod is more fine-scaled than hitherto reported, but is consistent with mark–recapture studies and data on egg distributions, and emphasises the need to focus on local populations in the management of marine fishes. KEY WORDS: Spatial scale · Coastal Atlantic cod · Gadus morhua · Local populations · Genetic differentiation · Microsatellites Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Jorde PE, Knutsen H, Espeland SH, Stenseth NC (2007) Spatial scale of genetic structuring in coastal cod Gadus morhua and geographic extent of local populations. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 343:229-237. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps06922 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 343. Online publication date: August 07, 2007 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2007 Inter-Research.