RAPID: Basin-scale genetics of marine zooplankton

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Marine zooplankton show strong ecological responses to climate change, but little is known about their capacity for evolutionary response. Many authors have assumed that the evolutionary potential of zooplankton is limited. However, recent studies provide circumstantial evidence for the idea that selection is a dominant evolutionary force acting on these species, and that genetic isolation can be achieved at regional spatial scales in pelagic habitats. This RAPID project will take advantage of a unique opportunity for basin-scale transect sampling through participation in the Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) cruise in 2014. The cruise will traverse more than 90° of latitude in the Atlantic Ocean and include boreal-temperate, subtropical and tropical waters. Zooplankton samples will be collected along the transect, and mitochondrial and microsatellite markers will be used to identify the geographic location of strong genetic breaks within three copepod species. Bayesian and coalescent analytical techniques will test if these regions act as dispersal barriers. The physiological condition of animals collected in distinct ocean habitats will be assessed by measurements of egg production (at sea) as well as body size (condition index), dry weight, and carbon and nitrogen content. The PI will test the prediction that ocean regions that serve as dispersal barriers for marine holoplankton are areas of poor-quality habitat for the target species, and that this is a dominant mechanism driving population genetic structure in oceanic zooplankton.Two graduate students will be trained in association with this project, gaining experience in both sea-going and laboratory research. Science outreach will be conducted through a dedicated cruise blog that will target elementary school children and draw from the live zooplankton images and science content generated during the 2014 AMT cruise. The proposed research will provide important insights into processes controlling genetic variation in marine holoplankton, and is directly relevant to understanding the capacity of these populations to respond to climate change.