title: Relationship between heavy metals pollution and genetic diversity in Mediterranean populations of the sandhopper Talitrus saltator (Montagu) (Crustacea, Amphipoda).
abstract: Trace metals are one of the groups of pollutants that reduce genetic variability in natural populations, causing the phenomenon known as "genetic erosion". In this study we evaluate the relationship between trace metals contamination (Hg, Cd and Cu) and genetic variability, assessed using fluorescent Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats (fISSRs). We used eight populations of a well-established biomonitor of trace metals on sandy beaches: the amphipod Talitrus saltator. The trace metals analysis confirmed the ability of sandhoppers to accumulate Hg, Cd and Cu. Moreover, populations from sites with high Hg availability had the lowest values of genetic diversity. Our results validate the use of fISSR markers in genetic studies in sandhoppers and support the "genetic erosion" hypothesis by showing the negative influence of Hg contamination on sandhopper genetic diversity. Therefore, genetic variability assessed with fISSR markers could be successfully employed as a biomarker of Hg exposure.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica "Leo Pardi", Università degli studi di Firenze, Via Romana 17, 50125 Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ungherese
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mengoni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Somigli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baroni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Focardi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ugolini
mesh_terms: D033304:Amphipoda / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D014644:Genetic Variation; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D010802:Phylogeny; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012822:Silicon Dioxide