Implications of population connectivity studies for the design of marine protected areas in the deep sea: An example of a demosponge from the Clarion‐Clipperton Zone

• DOI: 10.1111/mec.14888
• Publication Date: 2018-10-31T06:07:06Z
• Authors: Sergi Taboada; Ana Riesgo; Helena Wiklund; Gordon L. J. Pate...; Vasiliki Koutsouveli; Nadiezhda Santodo...; Andrew C. Dale; Craig R. Smith; Daniel O. B. Jones; Thomas G. Dahlgren; Adrian G. Glover
• Keywords: Propagule; Isolation by distance; CLARION; Marine protected area

Abstract The abyssal demosponge Plenaster craigi inhabits the Clarion‐Clipperton Zone ( CCZ ) in northeast Pacific, a region with abundant seafloor polymetallic nodules potential mining interest. Since P. is very encrusting sponge on nodules, understanding its genetic diversity and connectivity could provide important insights into extinction risks design of marine protected areas. Our main aim was to assess effectiveness Area Particular Environmental Interest 6 APEI ‐6) as reservoir for three adjacent exploration contract areas UK ‐1A, ‐1B OMS ‐1A). As many other sponges, COI showed extremely low variability even samples ~900 km apart. Conversely, 168 individuals craigi, genotyped 11 microsatellite markers, provided strong structure at large geographical scales not explained by isolation distance (IBD). Interestingly, we detected molecular affinities between from ‐6 despite being separated ~800 km. Although our migration analysis inferred little progeny dispersal areas, major differentiation ‐1A might be occurrence predominantly northeasterly transport predicted HYCOM hydrodynamic model. study suggests that although does serve conservation role, species it own inadequate propagule source entire eastern portion . new data suggest an located east and/or south ‐1, BGR , TOML NORI would highly valuable.