Genetic Diversity and Connectivity of Reef-Building <i>Halimeda macroloba</i> in the Indo-Pacific Region
Understanding population genetic connectivity is crucial for the sustainability and persistence of marine biodiversity. As a fundamental reef-building macroalga of the coastal ecosystem, <i>Halimeda macroloba</i> Decaisne is one of the dominant intertidal seaweeds in the Indo-Pacific reg...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Xiaohan Song Jianting Yao Michael Y. Roleda Yanshuo Liang Rui Xu Yude Lin Shienna Mae C. Gonzaga Yuqun Du Delin Duan |
| author_facet | Xiaohan Song Jianting Yao Michael Y. Roleda Yanshuo Liang Rui Xu Yude Lin Shienna Mae C. Gonzaga Yuqun Du Delin Duan |
| author_sort | Xiaohan Song |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding population genetic connectivity is crucial for the sustainability and persistence of marine biodiversity. As a fundamental reef-building macroalga of the coastal ecosystem, <i>Halimeda macroloba</i> Decaisne is one of the dominant intertidal seaweeds in the Indo-Pacific region. However, its genetic structure and population connectivity have been poorly recognized. Here, we explored the population genetic structure and genetic connectivity of <i>H. macroloba</i> using chloroplast <i>tuf</i>A, <i>rps</i>3-<i>rpl</i>14, and <i>rbc</i>L. Our results indicated low genetic diversity and shallow population genetic structure at the intraspecific level, uncovering five genetic groups with six subdivided lineages in <i>tuf</i>A and two genetic clusters in <i>rps</i>3-<i>rpl</i>14. We detected demographic expansion in the last glacial period of the Pleistocene and significantly asymmetric gene flow among different geographical units. We suggest that the southwestward ocean currents under the influence of northeast monsoon in the Indo-Pacific region are the main factor in shaping the present genetic structure, and the asexual reproduction of <i>H. macroloba</i> also plays an important role of the low genetic diversity pattern; in addition, the divergence between genetic clusters might be related to the historical isolation led by the paleoclimate oscillation in the Pleistocene. The Xisha Islands in the northern South China Sea might serve as a potential refugium of <i>H. macroloba</i>, which needs extra attention to conservation management. Given the limitation of sample size, we need to conduct more field work and carry out further research at a larger scale in the future. Our study provided new insights into the theory of population connectivity in the Indo-Pacific region and provided scientific basis for tropical costal seaweed conservation. |
| format | Article |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-9bec4ff9e1ea42f1b714b7c727af957d2025-08-20T02:33:51ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-05-011410149710.3390/plants14101497Genetic Diversity and Connectivity of Reef-Building <i>Halimeda macroloba</i> in the Indo-Pacific RegionXiaohan Song0Jianting Yao1Michael Y. Roleda2Yanshuo Liang3Rui Xu4Yude Lin5Shienna Mae C. Gonzaga6Yuqun Du7Delin Duan8State Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266000, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266000, ChinaAlgal Ecophysiology (AlgaE) Laboratory, Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Quezon City 1101, PhilippinesLaboratory of Marine Organism Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Qingdao Key Laboratory of Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266000, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266000, ChinaAlgal Ecophysiology (AlgaE) Laboratory, Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Quezon City 1101, PhilippinesMelbourne Integrative Genomics, School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, AustraliaState Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266000, ChinaUnderstanding population genetic connectivity is crucial for the sustainability and persistence of marine biodiversity. As a fundamental reef-building macroalga of the coastal ecosystem, <i>Halimeda macroloba</i> Decaisne is one of the dominant intertidal seaweeds in the Indo-Pacific region. However, its genetic structure and population connectivity have been poorly recognized. Here, we explored the population genetic structure and genetic connectivity of <i>H. macroloba</i> using chloroplast <i>tuf</i>A, <i>rps</i>3-<i>rpl</i>14, and <i>rbc</i>L. Our results indicated low genetic diversity and shallow population genetic structure at the intraspecific level, uncovering five genetic groups with six subdivided lineages in <i>tuf</i>A and two genetic clusters in <i>rps</i>3-<i>rpl</i>14. We detected demographic expansion in the last glacial period of the Pleistocene and significantly asymmetric gene flow among different geographical units. We suggest that the southwestward ocean currents under the influence of northeast monsoon in the Indo-Pacific region are the main factor in shaping the present genetic structure, and the asexual reproduction of <i>H. macroloba</i> also plays an important role of the low genetic diversity pattern; in addition, the divergence between genetic clusters might be related to the historical isolation led by the paleoclimate oscillation in the Pleistocene. The Xisha Islands in the northern South China Sea might serve as a potential refugium of <i>H. macroloba</i>, which needs extra attention to conservation management. Given the limitation of sample size, we need to conduct more field work and carry out further research at a larger scale in the future. Our study provided new insights into the theory of population connectivity in the Indo-Pacific region and provided scientific basis for tropical costal seaweed conservation.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/10/1497population structuregene flowocean currentscalcified algaeseaweed conservation |
| spellingShingle | Xiaohan Song Jianting Yao Michael Y. Roleda Yanshuo Liang Rui Xu Yude Lin Shienna Mae C. Gonzaga Yuqun Du Delin Duan Genetic Diversity and Connectivity of Reef-Building <i>Halimeda macroloba</i> in the Indo-Pacific Region Plants population structure gene flow ocean currents calcified algae seaweed conservation |
| title | Genetic Diversity and Connectivity of Reef-Building <i>Halimeda macroloba</i> in the Indo-Pacific Region |
| title_full | Genetic Diversity and Connectivity of Reef-Building <i>Halimeda macroloba</i> in the Indo-Pacific Region |
| title_fullStr | Genetic Diversity and Connectivity of Reef-Building <i>Halimeda macroloba</i> in the Indo-Pacific Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genetic Diversity and Connectivity of Reef-Building <i>Halimeda macroloba</i> in the Indo-Pacific Region |
| title_short | Genetic Diversity and Connectivity of Reef-Building <i>Halimeda macroloba</i> in the Indo-Pacific Region |
| title_sort | genetic diversity and connectivity of reef building i halimeda macroloba i in the indo pacific region |
| topic | population structure gene flow ocean currents calcified algae seaweed conservation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/10/1497 |
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