Oral Presentation Freshwater Sciences 2023

How do spatial scale and species traits influence genetic structure of freshwater invertebrates? (#12)

Samuel C. Silknetter 1 , Daniel C. Allen 2 , Carla L. Atkinson 3 , Michael T. Bogan 4 , Kate S. Boersma 5 , Michelle H. Busch 6 , Thibault Datry 7 , Brian A. Gill 4 , Corey A. Krabbenhoft 8 , David A. Lytle 9 , Yarelis Martinez 1 , Mathis Messager 10 11 , Julian D. Olden 12 , Jane Rogosch 13 14 , Albert Ruhi 15 , Arial J. Shogren 3 , Jonathan D. Tonkin 16 , Daryl R. Trumbo 1 , Richard H. Walker 17 , Meryl C. Mims 1
  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
  2. Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
  3. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
  4. School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
  5. Department of Biology, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
  6. Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
  7. INRAE, UR RiverLy, Centre Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Villeurbanne, France
  8. Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
  9. Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
  10. INRAE, UR RiverLy, Centre Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Villeurbanne, France
  11. Department of Geography, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
  12. School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
  13. Department of Natural Resources Management, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
  14. U.S. Geological Survey, Texas Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, Lubbock, TX, USA
  15. Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
  16. School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
  17. Department of Biology and Chemistry, Upper Iowa University, Fayette, IA, USA

Investigations of genetic structure, or genetic variation within and among populations, offer insights into ecological and evolutionary processes in freshwater ecosystems and beyond. However, there exists no framework to organize our understanding of how the spatial scales at which genetic structure is detected may vary with biological and environmental factors. This limits the transferability and generality of findings from one area to another. In our study, we investigated the spatial scale at which population genetic structure is detected for freshwater invertebrates and how this was mediated by species traits, including dispersal (mode and strength), longevity (lifespan and voltinism), and reproduction (mode and fecundity). We hypothesized that dispersal, a key driver of gene flow, would most strongly influence the scale at which genetic structure is detected, but that longevity and reproduction may be important for poor dispersers or if dispersal potential is reduced by low habitat connectivity. First, we conducted a systematic literature review to obtain > 35 microsatellite datasets for freshwater invertebrates located across four continents. We calculated FST’, a standardized measure of genetic differentiation, for all population pairs per dataset. We then tested for isolation-by-distance using Mantel correlograms to relate pairwise FST’ to pairwise Euclidean and river network distances. Trait data have been compiled for all species, and analyses to quantify the effect of traits on observed genetic structure are ongoing. Identifying how species traits may mediate the effects of spatial scale helps inform how genetic diversity is structured, particularly for freshwater invertebrates that exist in a mosaic of dendritic networks and isolated waterbodies. The framework implemented here can be used to predict genetic structure and diversity for other populations and guide future freshwater biodiversity conservation efforts.