NEPTUNE SEMINAR SERIES | ANA TAVARES | 03 MAY | 11:30

Title: Long range gene flow beyond predictions from oceanographic transport in a tropical marine foundation species

The transport of passively dispersed organisms across tropical margins remains poorly understood. Hypotheses of oceanographic transportation potential lack testing with large scale empirical data. This study investigates whether simulated oceanographic transport can predict genetic differentiation across the large-scale biogeographic range of the seagrass Halodule wrightii. Alternatively, we considered that dispersal may be independent of ocean currents. We genotyped 8 microsatellite loci on populations distributed across the tropical Atlantic region and developed a biophysical model with high-resolution ocean currents. Genetic data revealed low gene flow and high differentiation between the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean/Brazil, and Atlantic Africa regions. The biophysical model indicated low or no probability of passive dispersal among populations, supporting an alternative hypothesis of a role for biotic dispersal vectors.

Name: Ana Tavares

Ana Isabel Tavares is a PhD student at CCMAR – Centre of Marine Sciences at the University of Algarve, Portugal. Her research focuses on the study of genetic biodiversity, population connectivity and evolution of seagrass species, with the aim to understand their evolutionary history in different regions with contrasting oceanographic and seascape characteristics.

The seminar will take place at CIIMAR headquarters (Boca da Baleia Auditorium ).

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