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Applied Math Seminar: Tracking Nemo: Using genetics and modelling to infer larval movement

Event Type: 
Seminar
Speaker: 
Rosemary Steinberg
Event Date: 
Monday, April 25, 2016 - 3:30pm
Location: 
SMLC 356
Audience: 
General PublicFaculty/StaffStudentsAlumni/Friends

Event Description: 

Abstract:

Globally, marine species are under increasing pressure from human activities, including ocean warming, acidification, pollution and overfishing. Species most vulnerable to these pressures tend to be ecological specialists that have low abundance and small distribution ranges (endemics). Marine endemics often exist as meta-populations distributed among few isolated locations. Adult fish at these locations are generally sedentary, so populations are connected via migration of larvae, known as connectivity. Determining connectivity among these locations is essential to understanding the recovery potential of endemics after local extinction events. Here, we examined connectivity in the endemic anemonefish, Amphiprion latezonatus, a habitat specialist with low abundance at most locations. We assessed connectivity at various scales using three techniques – We analyzed mitochondrial DNA to elucidate connectivity on historical time scales using Migrate-n, a Bayesian inference program. We then analyzed microsatellites using BayesAss, which uses a Markov Chain Monte Carlo technique to infer migration in the last 2-3 generations. Finally, we used Conn4D, a 3D x time oceanographic model, to visualize larval movement between locations. Our analyses suggest that while historical connectivity may have been high, contemporary connectivity is limited by barriers to larval dispersal, most notably isolation by distance, which creates demographic independence between locations. Our findings provide evidence that A. latezonatus is at risk from human impacts on the environment, and may need protections in the near future.

Tea and cookies served at 15.00 in the lounge.

Event Contact

Contact Name: Daniel Appelo