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The genetic structure of the rare lagoonal sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis (Cnidaria; Anthozoa) in the United Kingdom based on RAPD analysis

The genetic structure of the rare lagoonal sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis (Cnidaria; Anthozoa) in the United Kingdom based on RAPD analysis
The genetic structure of the rare lagoonal sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis (Cnidaria; Anthozoa) in the United Kingdom based on RAPD analysis
The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis occurs in lagoons in the United States and along the southern and eastern coasts of the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom it is considered rare and is threatened, principally through the destruction of lagoonal habitat. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) data from populations across most of the rane of N. vectensis in the United Kingdom revealed that 61% of individuals had an identical genotype, the frequency of which varied from 0.01 to 1.00. These data provide strong evidence for predominantly clonal reproduction and for the existence of a 'general-purpose genotype' in the UK populations. Alternatively, the low levels of genetic variation observed in some N. vectensis populations may have resulted if they were founded from very few successful individuals from the United States. Analysis of molecular variance (amova) showed significant genetic differentiation between lagoons with no large-scale pattern of geographical variation. This result is consistent with occasional passive or anthropogenic dispersal of low numbers of individuals between lagoons followed by asexual proliferation of immigrants. Transplantation of individuals of the predominant (general-purpose) genotype, for conservation purposes, will probably stand a good chance of survival given its prevalence throughout the United Kingdom.
0962-1083
2285-2293
Pearson, C.V.M.
01cdc5f0-5ac7-462a-8fd8-3eb95ebc57de
Rogers, A.D.
906fd860-72c9-4e72-ba43-36e78a1f4037
Sheader, M.
fc6fc729-69bd-460d-846f-e2ba1c8e1b6b
Pearson, C.V.M.
01cdc5f0-5ac7-462a-8fd8-3eb95ebc57de
Rogers, A.D.
906fd860-72c9-4e72-ba43-36e78a1f4037
Sheader, M.
fc6fc729-69bd-460d-846f-e2ba1c8e1b6b

Pearson, C.V.M., Rogers, A.D. and Sheader, M. (2002) The genetic structure of the rare lagoonal sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis (Cnidaria; Anthozoa) in the United Kingdom based on RAPD analysis. Molecular Ecology, 11 (11), 2285-2293. (doi:10.1046/j.1365-294X.2002.01621.x).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis occurs in lagoons in the United States and along the southern and eastern coasts of the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom it is considered rare and is threatened, principally through the destruction of lagoonal habitat. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) data from populations across most of the rane of N. vectensis in the United Kingdom revealed that 61% of individuals had an identical genotype, the frequency of which varied from 0.01 to 1.00. These data provide strong evidence for predominantly clonal reproduction and for the existence of a 'general-purpose genotype' in the UK populations. Alternatively, the low levels of genetic variation observed in some N. vectensis populations may have resulted if they were founded from very few successful individuals from the United States. Analysis of molecular variance (amova) showed significant genetic differentiation between lagoons with no large-scale pattern of geographical variation. This result is consistent with occasional passive or anthropogenic dispersal of low numbers of individuals between lagoons followed by asexual proliferation of immigrants. Transplantation of individuals of the predominant (general-purpose) genotype, for conservation purposes, will probably stand a good chance of survival given its prevalence throughout the United Kingdom.

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Published date: 2002

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 13557
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/13557
ISSN: 0962-1083
PURE UUID: ee7ebd1f-ede8-40cd-80e2-bc808965c975

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Date deposited: 08 Dec 2004
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 05:08

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Contributors

Author: C.V.M. Pearson
Author: A.D. Rogers
Author: M. Sheader

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