Fishery genetics have greatly changed our understanding of population dynamics and structuring in marine fish. In this study, weshow that the Atlantic Bluefin tuna (ABFT, Thunnus thynnus), an oceanic predatory species exhibiting highly migratory behavior, large population size, and high potential for dispersal during early life stages, displays significant genetic differences over space and time, both at the fine and large scales of variation. We compared microsatellite variation of contemporary (n=256) and historical (n= 99) biological samples of ABFTs of the central-western Mediterranean Sea, the latter dating back to the early 20th century. Measures of genetic differentiation and a general heterozygote deficit suggest that differences exist among population samples, both now and 96–80 years ago. Thus, ABFTs do not represent a single panmictic population in the Mediterranean Sea. Statistics designed to infer changes in population size, both from current and past genetic variation, suggest that some Mediterranean ABFT populations, although still not severely reduced in their genetic potential, might have suffered from demographic declines. The short-term estimates of effective population size are straddledon theminimumthreshold (effective population size=500) indicated to maintain genetic diversity and evolutionary potential across several generations in natural populations.

G. Riccioni, M. Landi, G. Ferrara, I. Milano, A. Cariani, L. Zane, et al. (2010). Spatio-temporal population structuring and genetic diversity retention in depleted Atlantic bluefin tuna of the Mediterranean. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 107, 2102-2107 [10.1073/pnas.0908281107].

Spatio-temporal population structuring and genetic diversity retention in depleted Atlantic bluefin tuna of the Mediterranean

RICCIONI, GIULIA;LANDI, MONICA;FERRARA, GIORGIA;MILANO, ILARIA;CARIANI, ALESSIA;TINTI, FAUSTO
2010

Abstract

Fishery genetics have greatly changed our understanding of population dynamics and structuring in marine fish. In this study, weshow that the Atlantic Bluefin tuna (ABFT, Thunnus thynnus), an oceanic predatory species exhibiting highly migratory behavior, large population size, and high potential for dispersal during early life stages, displays significant genetic differences over space and time, both at the fine and large scales of variation. We compared microsatellite variation of contemporary (n=256) and historical (n= 99) biological samples of ABFTs of the central-western Mediterranean Sea, the latter dating back to the early 20th century. Measures of genetic differentiation and a general heterozygote deficit suggest that differences exist among population samples, both now and 96–80 years ago. Thus, ABFTs do not represent a single panmictic population in the Mediterranean Sea. Statistics designed to infer changes in population size, both from current and past genetic variation, suggest that some Mediterranean ABFT populations, although still not severely reduced in their genetic potential, might have suffered from demographic declines. The short-term estimates of effective population size are straddledon theminimumthreshold (effective population size=500) indicated to maintain genetic diversity and evolutionary potential across several generations in natural populations.
2010
G. Riccioni, M. Landi, G. Ferrara, I. Milano, A. Cariani, L. Zane, et al. (2010). Spatio-temporal population structuring and genetic diversity retention in depleted Atlantic bluefin tuna of the Mediterranean. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 107, 2102-2107 [10.1073/pnas.0908281107].
G. Riccioni; M. Landi; G. Ferrara; I. Milano; A. Cariani; L. Zane; M. Sella†; G. Barbujani; F. Tinti
File in questo prodotto:
Eventuali allegati, non sono esposti

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/90293
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 23
  • Scopus 92
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 90
social impact