MSGID: 1:317/3 646ee4ad   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Global macrogenetic map of marine habitat-forming species    
    Genetic diversity is also a component of biodiversity    
      
     Date:   
         May 24, 2023   
     Source:   
         University of Barcelona   
     Summary:   
         Species known as marine habitat-forming species -- gorgonians,   
         corals, algae, seaweeds, marine phanerogams, etc.-- are organisms   
         that help generate and structure the underwater landscapes. These   
         are natural refuges for other species, and provide biomass   
         and complexity to the seabeds. But these key species in marine   
         ecosystems are currently threatened by climate change and other   
         perturbations derived from human activity. Now, a study warns that   
         even in the marine protected areas (MPAs) the genetic diversity of   
         structural species is not protected, although it is essential for   
         the response and adaptation of populations to changes that alter   
         the natural environment.   
      
      
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   Species known as marine habitat-forming species -- gorgonians, corals,   
   algae, seaweeds, marine phanerogams, etc. -- are organisms that help   
   generate and structure the underwater landscapes. These are natural   
   refuges for other species, and provide biomass and complexity to the   
   seabeds. But these key species in marine ecosystems are currently   
   threatened by climate change and other perturbations derived from   
   human activity. Now, a study published in the journal Global Ecology   
   and Biogeography warns that even in the marine protected areas (MPAs)   
   the genetic diversity of structural species is not protected, although   
   it is essential for the response and adaptation of populations to changes   
   that alter the natural environment.   
      
   The study was carried out by Laura Figuerola-Ferrando, Cristina Linares,   
   Ignasi Montero-Serra and Marta Page`s-Escola`, from the Faculty of   
   Biology of the University of Barcelona and the Biodiversity Research   
   Institute of the UB (IRBio); Jean-Baptiste Ledoux and Aldo Barreiro,   
   from the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research   
   (CIIMAR) in Portugal, and Joaquim Garrabou, from the Institute of Marine   
   Sciences (ICM-CSIC).   
      
   Genetic diversity is also a component of biodiversity Traditionally,   
   marine biodiversity management and conservation plans have considered   
   factors such as species richness. Genetic diversity -- another major   
   component of biodiversity -- reflects the genetic variation that exists   
   among organisms of the same species and is a determining factor in   
   the adaptive capacity of populations and their survival. Despite its   
   importance, genetic diversity has so far been overlooked in management   
   and conservation plans.   
      
   "Genetic diversity plays a key role in enhancing the ability of species,   
   populations and communities to adapt to rapid environmental changes   
   resulting from climate change and thus increase their resilience,"   
   says researcher Laura Figuerola-Ferrando, first author of the study.   
      
   "However, -- she continues -- so far, the vast majority of marine   
   protected areas are implemented based on the presence of several species   
   and habitats, without considering their genetic diversity. Another   
   example would be the red list of the International Union for Conservation   
   of Nature (IUCN), which does not consider genetic diversity either."   
   "In recent years, the need to focus conservation efforts on the protection   
   of genetic diversity has been reinforced. Technological progress in the   
   massive development of different techniques to determine genetic diversity   
   (for example, through the use of microsatellites or small DNA fragments),   
   as well as their affordable cost, can help to include genetic diversity   
   in management and conservation plans," says the researcher from the   
   Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences   
   of the UB.   
      
   From the northwest Atlantic to the Gulf of Guinea The study applies   
   macrogenetic techniques to identify general genetic patterns of diverse   
   marine species at large spatial scales. The authors have analyzed data   
   from a global database containing genetic diversity information (based   
   on microsatellites) for more than 9,300 populations of 140 species in   
   different marine regions around the globe.   
      
   The results outline a reference scenario of genetic patterns in marine   
   habitat- forming species (corals, macroalgae, marine phanerogams,   
   etc.) of potential interest for improving marine life management and   
   conservation plans.   
      
   The northwest Atlantic provinces and the Bay of Bengal are the regions   
   where the highest genetic diversity in marine landscape species has   
   been identified.   
      
   Quite high values (above the global average) have also been identified   
   in the Mediterranean. In contrast, the marine provinces with the lowest   
   values of genetic diversity are the Gulf of Guinea and the southwest   
   Atlantic.   
      
   The findings also indicate a positive correlation between genetic   
   diversity and species richness of both animal and plant marine   
   habitat-forming species.   
      
   However, the paper warns of a worrying result: the Network of Marine   
   Protected Areas (RAMP) in the large oceanic ecoregions does not preserve   
   areas where the genetic diversity of marine habitat-forming species   
   is highest.   
      
   "What we have seen is that what is not being protected in MPAs is genetic   
   diversity. In the study, the initial hypothesis was that within these   
   areas there would be greater genetic diversity, but this has not been   
   the case. In fact, we have seen, at a global level, that there are no   
   differences in genetic diversity between inside and outside the MPAs,"   
   notes Laura Figuerola-Ferrando, who is doing her doctoral thesis under   
   the supervision of Cristina Linares (UB) and Joaquim Garrabou (ICM-CSIC).   
      
   A new pattern of equatorial biodiversity at the poles The authors   
   have also identified a specific pattern in the distribution of genetic   
   diversity of the marine habitat-forming species that differs from the   
   traditional models known to date. "This is a bimodal latitudinal pattern:   
   it is a complex biogeographic model and it implies that if we model how   
   the genetic diversity of these species varies with latitude, we find   
   two peaks in temperate zones and a small dip in genetic diversity at the   
   equator," notes the ICREA Academia professor Cristina Linares (UB-IRBio),   
   one of the coordinators of the study together with Jean-Baptiste Ledoux   
   (CIIMAR).   
      
   This scientific discovery is relevant because until a few decades ago   
   it was considered that the distribution of biodiversity on the planet   
   followed a unimodal pattern, that is, it had maximum values at the   
   equator and decreased towards the poles. "This is not always the case,   
   especially in terms of species diversity in marine ecosystems. For   
   example, in the case of benthic species, this pattern is biomodal rather   
   than unimodal in terms of both species richness and genetic diversity,"   
   explains Cristina Linares.   
      
   "In our study, the bimodal latitudinal pattern is influenced by taxonomy:   
   in the used model, we found statistically significant differences between   
   animal species (more genetic diversity) and plant species (less genetic   
   diversity).   
      
   Furthermore, if we explore the latitudinal pattern separating animal   
   and plant species, we can see that a bimodal pattern continues to be   
   observed in animals, but the same cannot be said for plants," adds   
   researcher Jean-Baptiste Ledoux (CIIMAR).   
      
   Genetic diversity: improving conservation management plans The   
   conclusions of the work recall the need to include the genetic diversity   
   of populations in biodiversity management and conservation plans on   
   the planet.   
      
   "The importance of having genetic diversity in biodiversity management and   
   conservation plans has just been reinforced with the 'Kunming-Montreal   
   Global Biodiversity Framework' within the Convention on Biological   
   Diversity (CBD/COP/ 15/L25, 2022). In this context, we believe that the   
   baseline on genetic diversity patterns in marine habitat-forming species   
   defined as our work can be very relevant," notes Jean-Baptiste Ledoux.   
      
   This study also reveals that the Mediterranean and Atlantic regions are   
   among the most present in the scientific literature used in this work   
   on macrogenetic patterns of deep-sea structural species.   
      
   "On the other hand, if we look at the analyzed taxa, we see that the   
   Mediterranean Sea is the marine province where we have studies of more   
   different taxa (octocorals, hexacorals, sponges, marine phanerogams   
   and algae).   
      
   In the northern Atlantic there is also quite a variety of taxa (mainly   
   algae, marine phanerogams, but also hexacorals, octocorals, bryozoans   
   and sponges). On the other hand, in the southern Atlantic, studies are   
   mainly focused on algae," the researchers conclude.   
      
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Plants_&_Animals   
                   # Evolutionary_Biology # New_Species # Nature # Fish   
             o Earth_&_Climate   
                   # Biodiversity # Ecology # Environmental_Awareness #   
                   Exotic_Species   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Marine_conservation o Marine_biology o Biodiversity   
             o Artificial_reef o Evolution o Red_tide o   
             The_evolution_of_human_intelligence o Fishery   
      
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   Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Barcelona. Note:   
   Content may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
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   Journal Reference:   
      1. Laura Figuerola‐Ferrando, Aldo Barreiro, Ignasi   
         Montero‐Serra, Marta Page`s‐Escola`, Joaquim Garrabou,   
         Cristina Linares, Jean‐Baptiste Ledoux. Global patterns and   
         drivers of genetic diversity among marine habitat‐forming   
         species. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 2023; DOI:   
         10.1111/geb.13685   
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   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230524181950.htm   
      
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