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- Gene pool and connectivity patterns of Pinna nobilis in the Balearic Islands (Spain, Western Mediterranean Sea): Implications for its conservation through restockingPublication . Gonzalez-Wanguemert, Mercedes; Basso, Lorena; Balau, Ana; Costa, Joana; Renault, Lionel; Serrao, Ester; Duarte, Carlos M.; Hendriks, Iris E.Pinna nobilis is an endemic bivalve of the Mediterranean Sea, and a vulnerable species registered as endangered and protected under the European Council Directive 92/43/EEC and Barcelona Convention. In early autumn 2016, a mass mortality event impacted P. nobilis populations in the south-western Mediterranean Sea, including the Balearic Islands. At the time of this study, P. nobilis still maintained high population densities along the Balearic coasts (Western Mediterranean). This study evaluated the connectivity of P. nobilis post-larvae and adults in seagrass habitats around the Balearic Islands and identified its source and sink populations. These objectives were reached through a multidisciplinary approach including population genetics (10 microsatellites) and hydrodynamic modelling. High genetic diversity was found and significant genetic differentiation (inferred by fixation index F-ST) was detected between post-larvae samples, but not between adult populations. Significant genic and genotypic differentiation was recorded for adults and post-larvae. This pattern was confirmed by correspondence analysis using allele frequencies. The genetic connectivity pattern was consistent with marine currents and dispersal models. This work not only improves knowledge of the P. nobilis gene pool in south-west Mediterranean populations and their connectivity patterns, but is also crucial to help evaluate the possibility of recovery from source populations and the possibility of restocking programmes, as well as provide a solid base to establish effective marine reserve networks.
- Wider sampling reveals a non-sister relationship for geographically contiguous lineages of a marine musselPublication . Lopes Da Cunha, Regina; Nicastro, Katy; Costa, Joana; McQuaid, Christopher D.; Serrao, Ester A.; Zardi, GerardoThe accuracy of phylogenetic inference can be significantly improved by the addition of more taxa and by increasing the spatial coverage of sampling. In previous studies, the brown mussel Perna perna showed a sister-lineage relationship between eastern and western individuals contiguously distributed along the South African coastline. We used mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (ITS) sequence data to further analyze phylogeographic patterns within P.perna. Significant expansion of the geographical coverage revealed an unexpected pattern. The western South African lineage shared the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) with specimens from Angola, Venezuela, and Namibia, whereas eastern South African specimens and Mozambique grouped together, indicating a non-sister relationship for the two South African lineages. Two plausible biogeographic scenarios to explain their origin were both supported by the hypotheses-testing analysis. One includes an Indo-Pacific origin for P.perna, dispersal into the Mediterranean and Atlantic through the Tethys seaway, followed by recent secondary contact after southward expansion of the western and eastern South African lineages. The other scenario (Out of South Africa) suggests an ancient vicariant divergence of the two lineages followed by their northward expansion. Nevertheless, the Out of South Africa hypothesis would require a more ancient divergence between the two lineages. Instead, our estimates indicated that they diverged very recently (310 kyr), providing a better support for an Indo-Pacific origin of the two South African lineages. The arrival of the MRCA of P.perna in Brazil was estimated at 10 [0-40] kyr. Thus, the hypothesis of a recent introduction in Brazil through hull fouling in wooden vessels involved in the transatlantic itineraries of the slave trade did not receive strong support, but given the range for this estimate, it could not be discarded. Wider geographic sampling of marine organisms shows that lineages with contiguous distributions need not share a common ancestry.
- Boating tourism and fishing Interactions: a social network analysis using AIS dataPublication . Ramos, Jorge; Drakeford, Benjamin; Costa, Joana; Leitão, FranciscoBoating tourism in coastal-maritime areas often overlaps spatially and temporally with other economic activities, such as fishing, leading to complex interactions. These interactions can create opportunities for positive cooperation or generate conflicts that pressure natural resources and stakeholders. The aim of this study is to show whether or not there is evidence of interactions between fishing (nf = 43) and tourism/recreation (nt = 65) vessels. This study focuses on the interaction between maritime tourism activities and fishing in southern Portugal, using a social network analysis (SNA) approach based on automatic identification system (AIS) data to evaluate spatial and temporal patterns. The findings reveal that tourism activities dominate zones closer to the coast, with intermediate areas serving as shared spaces where interactions between vessel activities are more likely to occur. There was evidence of occasional interactions between a few recreational and fishing vessels (two passengers and three seiners), but the inferences from the results are insufficient to demonstrate how beneficial they are for both activities.