Fine scale population structure of Acropora palmata and Acropora cervicornis in the Colombian Caribbean

Rocio García-Urueña; Sheila A Kitchen; Nikolaos V Schizas

doi:10.7717/peerj.13854

Fine scale population structure of Acropora palmata and Acropora cervicornis in the Colombian Caribbean

PeerJ. 2022 Aug 30:10:e13854. doi: 10.7717/peerj.13854. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Rocio García-Urueña¹, Sheila A Kitchen², Nikolaos V Schizas³

Affiliations

¹ Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia.
² Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States of America.
³ Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, PR, United States of America.

Abstract

Using a standardized SNP array, we identified two populations of Acropora cervicornis and one population of A. palmata in the Caribbean coast of Colombia. San Andrés was the most genetically differentiated location for both species. An average pairwise F_ST value of 0.131 and 0.050 between San Andrés and neighboring collection sites was estimated, for A. cervicornis and A. palmata, respectively. Based on population patterns of both acroporid species, we inferred that Magdalena River is not a barrier of genetic connectivity among Colombian populations. Genetic comparisons between the Colombian coast of Caribbean with other Caribbean locations agree with previous studies for both species, where four populations were identified in A. cervicornis and three in A. palmata. Our results support published bio-physical model predictions and highlight the Panama-Colombia gyre as a possible isolating mechanism within the western Caribbean. However, the genetic diversity in both species was about half (mean HE per site = 0.321 in A. palmata and 0.369 in A. cervicornis) than previous estimates in acroporid populations in the Caribbean. The lower genetic diversity as well their relative isolation and high levels of reef degradation may be of particular conservation concern that may require species-specific management coupled with science-based restoration efforts.

Keywords: Conservation status; Genetic connectivity; Scleractinian corals.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Anthozoa* / genetics
Caribbean Region
Colombia
Panama
Population Dynamics

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the project “Acropora: a key genus for conservation. Genetic diversity, connectivity and ecological updating of Acropora populations in the Colombian Caribbean” COLCIENCIAS (code 11177141011) and the University of Magdalena. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.