title: The life aquatic: advances in marine vertebrate genomics.
abstract: The ocean is hypothesized to be where life on earth originated, and subsequent evolutionary transitions between marine and terrestrial environments have been key events in the origin of contemporary biodiversity. Here, we review how comparative genomic approaches are an increasingly important aspect of understanding evolutionary processes, such as physiological and morphological adaptation to the diverse habitats within the marine environment. In addition, we highlight how population genomics has provided unprecedented resolution for population structuring, speciation and adaptation in marine environments, which can have a low cost of dispersal and few physical barriers to gene flow, and can thus support large populations. Building upon this work, we outline the applications of genomics tools to conservation and their relevance to assessing the wide-ranging impact of fisheries and climate change on marine species.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, PO Box 644236, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA.
authors.forename: Joanna L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kelley
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, PO Box 644236, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, 208 Fernow Hall, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Nina Overgaard
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Therkildsen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, Bern CH-3012, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Foote
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D044822:Biodiversity; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods*