title: Genetic diversity in Monoporeia affinis at polluted and reference sites of the Baltic Bothnian Bay.
abstract: The amphipod Monoporeia affinis plays an important role in the Baltic Sea ecosystem as prey and as detritivore. The species is monitored for contaminant effects, but almost nothing is known about its genetics in this region. A pilot screening for genetic variation at the mitochondrial COI gene was performed in 113 individuals collected at six sites in the northern Baltic. Three coastal sites were polluted by pulp mill effluents, PAHs, and trace metals, and two coastal reference sites were without obvious connection to pollution sources. An off-coastal reference site was also included. Contaminated sites showed lower levels of genetic diversity than the coastal reference ones although the difference was not statistically significant. Divergence patterns measured as ΦST showed no significant differentiation within reference and polluted groups, but there was significant genetic divergence between them. The off-coastal sample differed significantly from all coastal sites and also showed lower genetic variation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Division of Population Genetics, Stockholm University, SE 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guban
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Division of Population Genetics, Stockholm University, SE 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: lovisa.wennerstrom@zoologi.su.se.
authors.forename: Lovisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wennerström
authors.affiliation: Baltic Sea Centre, Stockholm University, SE 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Elfwing
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ASES), Stockholm University, SE 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Brita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sundelin
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Division of Population Genetics, Stockholm University, SE 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Laikre
mesh_terms: D033304:Amphipoda / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001454:Baltic States; D061006:Bays / Q000737:chemistry; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Benthos; Biodiversity; Brackish; Coastal; Invertebrates; Monitoring