The Geographic Scale of Larval Dispersal

幼虫移动的模式和扩散的空间规模预计将是调节海洋系统中种群和群落动态的主要力量。大多数海洋物种的生活史包括一个幼虫阶段，能够在广泛的地理区域扩散，而了解这些物种的种群动态的努力受到了贫营养发展中固有的幼虫扩散规模的阻碍。幼虫扩散的规模是了解海洋物种补充动态的一个关键参数。我们将利用两种贻贝之间的杂交区形成的遗传镶嵌来评估幼虫扩散的地理规模。在这个系统中，大量的幼虫在特定的位置产生，具有不同的遗传特征，并释放到浮游生物中。通过监测这些“标记”幼虫的定居点，我们将评估幼虫扩散的地理规模和动态。在这项研究中，我们将利用分子遗传标记，我们已经开发了与以前的支持，生物海洋学，使人口遗传学的贻贝幼虫或鱼苗被确定。通过利用我们已经开发的分子遗传标记，以及贻贝物种之间杂交形成的遗传嵌合体的存在，将有可能监测幼虫在地理区域之间的运动。使用这个系统，我们将确定的地理尺度的幼虫扩散，空间和时间变化的扩散能力和测试的假设，即幼虫的运动模式主要是由当地的环流动力学控制。

Patterns of larval movement and the spatial scale of dispersal are expected to be major forces in regulating the dynamics of populations and communities in marine systems. The life history of most marine species includes a larval stage that is capable of dispersal over broad geographic areas and efforts to understand the population dynamics of these species have been stymied by the magnitude of larval dispersal inherent in planktotrophic development. The scale of larval dispersal is a key parameter in understanding the recruitment dynamics of marine species. We will exploit the genetic mosaics formed in a hybrid zone between two species of mussels to assess the geographic scale of larval dispersal. In this system, large numbers of larvae are produced at specific locations with distinct genetic signatures and released into the plankton. By monitoring the settlement of these `marked` larvae we will assess the geographic scale and dynamics of larval dispersal. In this study we will capitalize on molecular genetic markers, that we have developed with previous support from Biological Oceanography, that allow the population genetics of mussel larvae or spat to be determined. By exploiting both the molecular genetic markers we have developed, and the presence of genetic mosaics formed by hybridization between mussel species it will be possible to monitor the movement of larvae between geographic areas. Using this system we will determine the geographic scale of larval dispersal, spatial and temporal variation in dispersal capacity and test the hypothesis that patterns of larval movement are predominantly controlled by local circulation dynamics.