Insights from genetic and demographic connectivity for the management of rays and skates

Studying demographic and genetic connectivity can help assess marine metapopulation structure. Rays and skates have no larval phase; hence, population connectivity can only result from active movement of individuals. Using thornback ray (Raja clavata) in European waters as a case study, demographic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian journal of fisheries and aquatic sciences 2018-08, Vol.75 (8), p.1291-1302
Main Authors: Marandel, Florianne, Lorance, Pascal, Andrello, Marco, Charrier, Grégory, Le Cam, Sabrina, Lehuta, Sigrid, Trenkel, Verena M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abundance
Activity patterns
Animal genetics
Biodiversity and Ecology
Case studies
Conservation
Demographics
Demography
Dispersal
Dispersion
Ecosystem management
Environmental Sciences
Fishery conservation
Fishery management
Genetics
Geographical distribution
Heterogeneity
Life Sciences
Local movements
Marine
Metapopulations
Methods
Mobility
Modelling
Population
Population characteristics
Population genetics
Population number
Population structure
Populations
Populations and Evolution
Protection and preservation
Raja clavata
Rays (Fishes)
Resource conservation
Resource management
Skates (Fishes)
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Summary:Studying demographic and genetic connectivity can help assess marine metapopulation structure. Rays and skates have no larval phase; hence, population connectivity can only result from active movement of individuals. Using thornback ray (Raja clavata) in European waters as a case study, demographic and genetic connectivity were studied for 11 putative populations with unequal population abundances and two hypotheses of dispersal rates. Genetic simulation results highlighted three large metapopulations: in the Mediterranean, around the Azores, and on the Northeast Atlantic shelf. Demographic results highlighted a finer population structure indicating that several pairs of putative populations might be demographically linked. Results were highly sensitive to dispersal assumptions and relative population abundances, which provided insights into the potential magnitude of genetic and demographic connectivity differences. Accounting for demographic connectivity appears to be crucial for managing and conserving rays and skates, while genetic connectivity provides a longer-term perspective and less subtle spatial structures. Moreover, accounting for heterogeneity in population abundances is a key factor for determining or interpreting metapopulation connectivity.
ISSN:0706-652X
1205-7533
DOI:10.1139/cjfas-2017-0291