title: Genetic diversity and connectivity withinMytilusspp. in the subarctic and Arctic.
abstract: Climate changes in the Arctic are predicted to alter distributions of marine species. However, such changes are difficult to quantify because information on present species distribution and the genetic variation within species is lacking or poorly examined. Blue mussels,Mytilusspp., are ecosystem engineers in the coastal zone globally. To improve knowledge of distribution and genetic structure of theMytilus eduliscomplex in the Arctic, we analyzed 81 SNPs in 534Mytilusspp. individuals sampled at 13 sites to provide baseline data for distribution and genetic variation ofMytilusmussels in the European Arctic.Mytilus eduliswas the most abundant species found with a clear genetic split between populations in Greenland and the Eastern Atlantic. Surprisingly, analyses revealed the presence ofMytilus trossulusin high Arctic NW Greenland (77°N) andMytilus galloprovincialisor their hybrids in SW Greenland, Svalbard, and the Pechora Sea. Furthermore, a high degree of hybridization and introgression between species was observed. Our study highlights the importance of distinguishing between congener species, which can display local adaptation and suggests that information on dispersal routes and barriers is essential for accurate predictions of regional susceptibility to range expansions or invasions of boreal species in the Arctic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience Arctic Research Centre Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark; Section for Marine Living Resources National Institute of Aquatic Resources Technical University of Denmark Silkeborg Denmark.
authors.forename: Sofie Smedegaard
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Mathiesen
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience Arctic Research Centre Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark.
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1029-3105
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thyrring
authors.affiliation: Section for Marine Living Resources National Institute of Aquatic Resources Technical University of Denmark Silkeborg Denmark.
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hemmer-Hansen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics UiT The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø Norway; The University Centre in Svalbard Longyearbyen Norway.
authors.forename: Jørgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berge
authors.affiliation: White Sea Biological Station Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences St. Petersburg Russia; Invertebrate Zoology Department St. Petersburg State University St. Petersburg Russia.
authors.forename: Alexey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sukhotin
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics UiT The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø Norway.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leopold
authors.affiliation: Institute of Aquaculture University of Stirling Stirling UK.
authors.forename: Michaël
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1206-7654
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bekaert
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience Arctic Research Centre Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark.
authors.forename: Mikael Kristian
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Sejr
authors.affiliation: Section for Marine Living Resources National Institute of Aquatic Resources Technical University of Denmark Silkeborg Denmark.
authors.forename: Einar Eg
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Nielsen
keywords: Mytilus edulis; SNPs; arctic fauna; bivalves; climate change; glacial refugium; hybrid zone; population structure