title: Imprints from genetic drift and mutation imply relative divergence times across marine transition zones in a pan-European small pelagic fish (Sprattus sprattus).
abstract: Geographic distributions of most temperate marine fishes are affected by postglacial recolonisation events, which have left complex genetic imprints on populations of marine species. This study investigated population structure and demographic history of European sprat (Sprattus sprattus L.) by combining inference from both mtDNA and microsatellite genetic markers throughout the species' distribution. We compared effects from genetic drift and mutation for both genetic markers in shaping genetic differentiation across four transition zones. Microsatellite markers revealed significant isolation by distance and a complex population structure across the species' distribution (overall θ(ST)=0.038, P<0.01). Across transition zones markers indicated larger effects of genetic drift over mutations in the northern distribution of sprat contrasting a stronger relative impact of mutation in the species' southern distribution in the Mediterranean region. These results were interpreted to reflect more recent divergence times between northern populations in accordance with previous findings. This study demonstrates the usefulness of comparing inference from different markers and estimators of divergence for phylogeographic and population genetic studies in species with weak genetic structure, as is the case in many marine species.
authors.affiliation: Section for Population Ecology and Genetics, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Silkeborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Limborg
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hanel
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Debes
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ring
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: André
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Tsigenopoulos
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bekkevold
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D005060:Europe; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005399:Fishes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D040961:Genetic Drift; D014644:Genetic Variation; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D009154:Mutation; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial