Asymmetric dispersal allows an upstream region to control population structure throughout a species' range

99Citations
Citations of this article
130Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

In a single well-mixed population, equally abundant neutral alleles are equally likely to persist. However, in spatially complex populations structured by an asymmetric dispersal mechanism, such as a coastal population where larvae are predominantly moved downstream by currents, the eventual frequency of neutral haplotypes will depend on their initial spatial location. In our study of the progression of two spatially separate, genetically distinct introductions of the European green crab (Carcinus maenas) along the coast of eastern North America, we captured this process in action. We documented the shift of the genetic cline in this species over 8 y, and here we detail how the upstream haplotypes are beginning to dominate the system. This quantification of an evolving genetic boundary in a coastal system demonstrates that novel genetic alleles or haplotypes that arise or are introduced into upstream retention zones (regions whose export of larvae is not balanced by import from elsewhere) will increase in frequency in the entire system. This phenomenon should be widespread when there is asymmetrical dispersal, in the oceans or on land, suggesting that the upstream edge of a species' range can influence genetic diversity throughout its distribution. Efforts to protect the upstream edge of an asymmetrically dispersing species' range are vital to conserving genetic diversity in the species.

References Powered by Scopus

Genetic consequences of range expansions

986Citations
1447Readers
Get full text
Get full text

This article is free to access.

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Pringle, J. M., Blakeslee, A. M. H., Byers, J. E., & Roman, J. (2011). Asymmetric dispersal allows an upstream region to control population structure throughout a species’ range. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108(37), 15288–15293. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1100473108

Readers over time

‘11‘12‘13‘14‘15‘16‘17‘18‘19‘20‘21‘22‘23‘24‘2506121824

Readers' Seniority

Tooltip

PhD / Post grad / Masters / Doc 58

55%

Researcher 23

22%

Professor / Associate Prof. 21

20%

Lecturer / Post doc 3

3%

Readers' Discipline

Tooltip

Agricultural and Biological Sciences 77

73%

Environmental Science 19

18%

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Bi... 5

5%

Mathematics 4

4%

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free
0