Genome-wide SNPs data provides new insights into the population structure of the Atlantic-Mediterranean gold coral Savalia savaglia (Zoantharia: Parazoanthidae)

Poliseno, Angelo; Terzin, Marko; Costantini, Federica; Trainito, Egidio; Mačić, Vesna; Boavida, Joana; Pérez, Thierry; Abbiati, Marco; Cerrano, Carlo; Reimer, James Davis

doi:10.1016/j.egg.2022.100135

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…In the same paper, it was stated that the strong linkage imbalance recorded across loci and the detection of clonal individuals in shallow populations suggest that the S. savaglia populations adopt asexual reproduction as its main reproductive strategy [21]. During our survey, we recorded several hints that support this hypothesis as the numerous portions of branches recorded alive on the sea oor and the small, settled colonies.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 55%

A large non-parasitic population of Savalia savaglia (Bertoloni, 1819) in the Boka Kotorska Bay (Montenegro)

Canessa,

Trainito,

Bavestrello

et al. 2023

Preprint

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The golden coral Savalia savaglia is a long living ecosystem engineer of the Mediterranean circalittoral assemblages, able to induce necrosis of gorgonians and black corals coenenchyme and grow on their cleaned organic skeleton. Despite its rarity, in Boka Kotorska Bay (Montenegro) a shallow population of more than 1000 colonies was recorded close to underwater freshwater springs, which create very peculiar environmental conditions. In this context, the species was extremely abundant in two sites, while gorgonians were rare. The abundance and size of S. savaglia colonies and the diversity of the entire benthic assemblage were investigated by photographic sampling in a depth range of 0–35 m. Several living fragments of S. savaglia spread on the sea floor and small settled colonies (< 5 cm height) suggested a high incidence of asexual reproduction and a non-parasitic behaviour of this population. This was confirmed by studying thin sections of the basal portion of the trunk lacking the central core due to the remains of the gorgonian host skeleton. The S. savaglia population of Boka Kotorska Bay forms the unique Mediterranean animal forest of the species. Recent important mitigation measures of anthropogenic impact are now temporary and minimal. Therefore, establishing an MPA is strongly recommended.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 55%

A large non-parasitic population of Savalia savaglia (Bertoloni, 1819) in the Boka Kotorska Bay (Montenegro)

Canessa,

Trainito,

Bavestrello

et al. 2023

Preprint

Self Cite

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“…In the same paper, it was stated that the strong linkage imbalance recorded across loci and the detection of clonal individuals in shallow populations suggest that the S. savaglia populations adopt asexual reproduction as the main reproductive strategy 21 . During our survey, we recorded several hints that support this hypothesis as the numerous portions of branches recorded alive on the seafloor and the small, settled colonies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The use of ddRAD-Seq 21 genotyping on individuals collected from the Tyrrhenian Sea, Adriatic Sea (comprising the population of the Boka Kotorska Bay) and the Eastern Atlantic highlighted the presence of three main genetic clusters, two in the Tyrrhenian Sea and one comprising the two Adriatic populations and the Portuguese one. New research will be necessary to establish if the specimens of this peculiar genetic cluster are more related to a non-parasitic lifestyle.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the following years, diving activity and, more recently, Remote Operative Vehicle (ROV) prospections demonstrated the wide distribution of this species in the western and eastern Mediterranean basins 16 . Today, the occurrence of the species has been assessed in the whole Mediterranean Sea and on the Atlantic coast of Portugal, Spain, the Canary Archipelago and Madeira 7 , 17 – 21 . Most recently the species was recorded along the French Basque coast of the Bay of Biscay, with colonies presumably established on Paramuricea grayi (Johnson, 1861) at 35–40 m depth 22 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A large non-parasitic population of Savalia savaglia (Bertoloni, 1819) in the Boka Kotorska Bay (Montenegro)

Canessa,

Trainito,

Bavestrello

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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The golden coral Savalia savaglia is a long-living ecosystem engineer of Mediterranean circalittoral assemblages, able to induce necrosis of gorgonians’ and black corals’ coenenchyme and grow on their cleaned organic skeleton. Despite its rarity, in Boka Kotorska Bay (Montenegro) a shallow population of more than 1000 colonies was recorded close to underwater freshwater springs, which create very peculiar environmental conditions. In this context, the species was extremely abundant at two sites, while gorgonians were rare. The abundance and size of S. savaglia colonies and the diversity of the entire benthic assemblage were investigated by photographic sampling in a depth range of 0–35 m. Several living fragments of S. savaglia spread on the sea floor and small settled colonies (< 5 cm high) suggested a high incidence of asexual reproduction and a non-parasitic behaviour of this population. This was confirmed by studying thin sections of the basal portion of the trunk where the central core, generally represented by the remains of the gorgonian host skeleton, was lacking. The S. savaglia population of Boka Kotorska Bay forms the unique Mediterranean assemblage of the species deserving the definition of animal forest. Recently, temporary mitigation measures for anthropogenic impact were issued by the Government of Montenegro. Nevertheless, due to the importance of the sites the establishment of a permanent Marine Protected Area is strongly recommended.

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“…In the northeast Atlantic, E. verrucosa is typically found in depths shallower than 50 m (Readman & Hiscock, 2017 ) and can occur in dense, ‘forest‐like’ (Chimienti et al., 2020 ) aggregations, such as those described in southern UK coastal waters (Jenkins & Stevens, 2022 ), while in the Mediterranean Sea it is present down to depths of up to 200 m (Grasshoff, 1992 ; Sartoretto & Francour, 2012 ). Typically, soft corals exhibit patchy distributions (Grasshoff, 1992 ; Poliseno et al., 2022 ), driven by habitat suitability (Gori et al., 2011 ), abiotic factors (irradiance and hydrography, Linares, Coma, et al., 2008 ) and biological interactions, such as competition with algae (Cúrdia et al., 2013 ). This patchy pattern of distribution appears particularly characteristic of pink sea fan populations at their range‐edges, for example, in western Ireland and in Pembrokeshire, southwest Wales (Holland et al., 2017 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rare, long‐distance dispersal underpins genetic connectivity in the pink sea fan, Eunicella verrucosa

Macleod,

Jenkins,

Witt

et al. 2024

Evolutionary Applications

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Characterizing patterns of genetic connectivity in marine species is of critical importance given the anthropogenic pressures placed on the marine environment. For sessile species, population connectivity can be shaped by many processes, such as pelagic larval duration, oceanographic boundaries and currents. This study combines restriction‐site associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) and passive particle dispersal modelling to delineate patterns of population connectivity in the pink sea fan, Eunicella verrucosa, a temperate octocoral. Individuals were sampled from 20 sites covering most of the species' northeast Atlantic range, and a site in the northwest Mediterranean Sea to inform on connectivity across the Atlantic‐Mediterranean transition. Using 7510 neutral SNPs, a geographic cline of genetic clusters was detected, partitioning into Ireland, Britain, France, Spain (Atlantic), and Portugal and Spain (Mediterranean). Evidence of significant inbreeding was detected at all sites, a finding not detected in a previous study of this species based on microsatellite loci. Genetic connectivity was characterized by an isolation by distance pattern (IBD) (r2 = 0.78, p < 0.001), which persisted across the Mediterranean‐Atlantic boundary. In contrast, exploration of ancestral population assignment using the program ADMIXTURE indicated genetic partitioning across the Bay of Biscay, which we suggest represents a natural break in the species' range, possibly linked to a lack of suitable habitat. As the pelagic larval duration (PLD) is unknown, passive particle dispersal simulations were run for 14 and 21 days. For both modelled PLDs, inter‐annual variations in particle trajectories suggested that in a long‐lived, sessile species, range‐wide IBD is driven by rare, longer dispersal events that act to maintain gene flow. These results suggest that oceanographic patterns may facilitate range‐wide stepping‐stone genetic connectivity in E. verrucosa and highlight that both oceanography and natural breaks in a species' range should be considered in the designation of ecologically coherent MPA networks.

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Genome-wide SNPs data provides new insights into the population structure of the Atlantic-Mediterranean gold coral Savalia savaglia (Zoantharia: Parazoanthidae)

Cited by 4 publications

References 101 publications

A large non-parasitic population of Savalia savaglia (Bertoloni, 1819) in the Boka Kotorska Bay (Montenegro)

A large non-parasitic population of Savalia savaglia (Bertoloni, 1819) in the Boka Kotorska Bay (Montenegro)

A large non-parasitic population of Savalia savaglia (Bertoloni, 1819) in the Boka Kotorska Bay (Montenegro)

Rare, long‐distance dispersal underpins genetic connectivity in the pink sea fan, Eunicella verrucosa

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