Temporal and spatial variation in population structure among brooding sea stars in the genus Leptasterias

• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7283
• Publication Date: 2021-03-04T10:32:44Z
• Authors: Laura M. Melroy; C. Sarah Cohen
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; Ecology; ecological genetics; low dispersal; phylogeography; 15. Life on land; 01 natural sciences; echinoderm; temporal structure; 14. Life underwater; species complex; QH540-549.5; Original Research

Abstract Temporal genetic studies of low‐dispersing organisms are rare. Marine invertebrates lacking a planktonic larval stage expected to have lower dispersal, low gene flow, and higher potential for local adaptation than with dispersal. Leptasterias is genus brooding sea stars containing several cryptic species complexes. Population methods were used resolve patterns fine‐scale population structure in central California using three loci from nuclear mitochondrial genomes. Historic samples (collected between 1897 1998) compared contemporary 2008 2014) delineate changes distributions space time. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the presence bay‐localized clade revealed an additional previously undescribed . Analysis historic indicates two clades experiencing constriction their southern range limit suggests decrease clade‐specific abundance at sites which they once prevalent. sampling dramatically different distribution diversity along coastline illustrates importance temporal phylogeographic studies. These collected prior significant impacts Sea Star Wasting Disease (SSWD) represent in‐depth over 117 years SSWD‐associated mass die‐off