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Small-scale geographic differences in multiple-driver environmental variability can modulate contrasting phenotypic
Nicole Castillo1, Juan Diego Gaitán-Espitia2, Julian F Quintero-Galvis3
1Coastal Ecosystems & Global Environmental Change Lab (ECCALab), Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile; Coastal Social-Ecological Millennium Institute (SECOS), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
The Science of the Total Environment
|October 8, 2024
Summary
Climate change impacts marine environments, affecting mussel adaptability. Environmental variability and extreme events shape mussel traits, but aquaculture reduces genetic diversity, highlighting conservation needs.
Area of Science:
- Marine Ecology
- Climate Change Biology
- Population Genetics
Background:
- Climate change alters marine environments, impacting species' adaptive capacity.
- Environmental heterogeneity across seascapes can accentuate intra-specific differences in plasticity and evolutionary potential.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for predicting species' responses and ensuring biodiversity conservation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the phenotypic and genetic profiles of mussels in response to environmental variability and extreme events.
- To investigate how temporal variability, predictability, and extreme conditions modulate mussel plasticity and optimal environmental conditions.
- To determine the influence of aquaculture-induced gene flow on genetic differentiation among mussel populations.
Main Methods:
- Phenotypic and genetic profiling of mussels from three distinct study sites in Chilean Patagonia.
- Analysis of environmental data including temporal variability, predictability, and extreme events (low pH/low salinity).
- Assessment of genetic differentiation and gene flow patterns.
Main Results:
- Temporal variability, predictability, and extreme events significantly modulate mussel plasticity and optimal conditions.
- Phenotypic differences were observed among mussels across study sites.
- Low genetic differentiation was found, attributed to aquaculture-driven gene flow, which reduced geographic variation.
Conclusions:
- Environmental variability and predictability are key drivers of phenotypic diversity, even at small spatial scales.
- Aquaculture can homogenize genetic diversity, potentially impacting long-term population resilience.
- Balancing environmental factors is essential for enhancing species resilience and ecological success in the face of climate change.
Keywords:
Climate changeEnvironmental mosaicEnvironmental predictabilityExtreme environmental eventsGenetic profilesPhenotypic plasticityMore Related Videos
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