title: Combining genetic and demographic data for the conservation of a Mediterranean marine habitat-forming species.
abstract: The integration of ecological and evolutionary data is highly valuable for conservation planning. However, it has been rarely used in the marine realm, where the adequate design of marine protected areas (MPAs) is urgently needed. Here, we examined the interacting processes underlying the patterns of genetic structure and demographic strucuture of a highly vulnerable Mediterranean habitat-forming species (i.e. Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826)), with particular emphasis on the processes of contemporary dispersal, genetic drift, and colonization of a new population. Isolation by distance and genetic discontinuities were found, and three genetic clusters were detected; each submitted to variations in the relative impact of drift and gene flow. No founder effect was found in the new population. The interplay of ecology and evolution revealed that drift is strongly impacting the smallest, most isolated populations, where partial mortality of individuals was highest. Moreover, the eco-evolutionary analyses entailed important conservation implications for P. clavata. Our study supports the inclusion of habitat-forming organisms in the design of MPAs and highlights the need to account for genetic drift in the development of MPAs. Moreover, it reinforces the importance of integrating genetic and demographic data in marine conservation.
authors.affiliation: Departament d´Ecologia, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arizmendi-Mejía
authors.affiliation: Departament d´Ecologia, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Linares
authors.affiliation: Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garrabou
authors.affiliation: CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Rua dos Bragas 177, 4050-123, Porto, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Agostinho
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CSIC), Accés Cala St. Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Spain.
authors.forename: Enric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ballesteros
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CSIC), Accés Cala St. Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Spain.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cebrian
authors.affiliation: Instituto Español de Oceanografia, C/ Moll de Ponent s/n, 07015, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.affiliation: Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Rua dos Bragas 177, 4050-123, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Jean-Baptiste
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Ledoux
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D003710:Demography / Q000379:methods*; D017753:Ecosystem; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D040961:Genetic Drift; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008386:Marine Biology; D008522:Mediterranean Sea