Genetic diversity and relatedness in aquaculture and marina populations of the invasive tunicate Didemnum vexillum in the British Isles

Abstract

Introductions of invasive, non-native species in the marine environment are increasing as human activity within coastal areas rises. Genetic datasets are useful tools to identify source populations, track routes of invasions, and illuminate the role of genetic variation in the establishment and subsequent spread of novel introductions. Here, a microsatellite dataset is used to estimate the genetic diversity and population structure of 7 introduced Didemnum vexillum populations in Britain and Ireland, 4 of which are associated with aquaculture and 3 with marinas. Genetic differentiation observed between these populations indicates human-mediated transport as the main mechanism underlying the population structure of D. vexillum in Britain and Ireland. In addition to elucidating patterns of population structure we found that aquaculture sites showed significantly higher genetic diversity (measured as allelic richness) in comparison to the marina sites. We discuss these findings in relation to the history of each invasion, the complex life history of D. vexillum, and available evidence of the relative invasiveness of these populations. Our results show numerous interesting patterns which highlight further research avenues to elucidate the complex factors underlying the global spread of this successful invader.

Urban rendezvous along the seashore: Ports as Darwinian field labs for studying marine evolution in the Anthropocene

“…In Brittany, where this seaweed is largely distributed, and particularly conspicuous in marinas, a SNP‐based study revealed a patchy genetic structure most likely explained by anthropogenic transport in and out of ports (here marinas), inducing low levels of differentiation either between distant or close locations (Guzinski et al, 2018 ). Similar patterns of mosaic genetic structure unrelated to distance, and including long‐distance dispersal events related to boating, have been reported for other species with short‐lived larvae, such as the sea‐squirt Ciona intestinalis in its native range in the English Channel (Hudson et al, 2016 ), the cosmopolitan and cryptogenic tunicate B. schlosseri in Canada (Lacoursière‐Roussel et al, 2012 ) or the colonial invasive tunicate Didemnum vexillum (Prentice et al, 2021 ). We note that exceptions to this observation exist, such as the spread of the ascidian Styela plicata in harbors along the Spanish coasts (Pineda, Lorente, et al, 2016b ).…”