Projects per year
Abstract
This thesis consists of four papers bridging genetics and ecology at varying spatial scales. Papers I & II use molecular techniques to determine the spatial genetic structure over long and short temporal scales. I determine that the Baltic Sea free-living Fucus should continue to be taxonomically classified as F. vesiculosus, yet free-living populations are markedly different from their attached counterparts. In particular, clonality plays a major role in forming and maintaining populations yet is nearly entirely absent from the attached form. This reliance on clonality significantly reduces the genetic diversity of the free-living form, nevertheless the genetic diversity can still be considered relativity high. Papers III & IV examine the potential ecological significance of the free-living form. Paper III describes the heterogeneity of the free-living form’s phenotype in terms of morphological traits. Free-living thalli are polymorphous with phenotypic complexity varying at the population and individual level. Consequently, I conclude that free-living mats of F. vesiculosus form highly complex canopies similar to those of the attached form. Paper IV provides biodiversity estimates for the associated faunal community. The paper confirms the ecological significance of free-living F. vesiculosus as a habitat forming species comparable to the attached form.
The four papers included in this thesis highlight the heterogeneous nature of the free-living form of F. vesiculosus. Thus for Baltic Sea F. vesiculosus, it is imperative that management strategies are tailored throughout the varying scales of biodiversity, including that of the intraspecific variation within and between the two forms.
Original language | English |
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Supervisors/Advisors |
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Place of Publication | Helsinki |
Publisher | |
Print ISBNs | 978-951-51-8960-8 |
Electronic ISBNs | 978-951-51-8961-5 |
Publication status | Published - 2023 |
MoE publication type | G5 Doctoral dissertation (article) |
Fields of Science
- 1181 Ecology, evolutionary biology
Projects
- 1 Finished
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FunkVeg: The origin and regeneration of free-living populations of Fucus vesiculosus in the northern Baltic Sea
Preston, R. (Project manager), Blomster, J. (Participant), Seppä, P. (Participant) & Schagerström, E. (Participant)
Stokholm University, Societas pro Fauna and Flora Fennica, Stockholm University, Walter and Andrée de Nottbeck Foundation, University of Helsinki
01/01/2018 → 31/03/2023
Project: Research project
Datasets
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mtDNA ITS and 23S sequencing for Baltic Sea Fucus vesiculosus
Preston, R. (Creator), Seppä, P. (Creator), Schagerstrom, E. (Creator) & Blomster, J. (Creator), Figshare, 2 Sept 2022
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.17049041
Dataset
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Fucus vesiculosus DNA barcode mitochondrial intergenic spacer and 23S
Preston, R. (Creator), Seppä, P. (Creator), Schagerstrom, E. (Creator) & Blomster, J. (Creator), NCBI GenBank, 2022
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/popset/2294331717 and 2 more links, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/MZ779027.1/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/MZ779028 (show fewer)
Dataset
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Microsatellite genotyping and morphology datasets of Baltic Sea Fucus vesiculosus
Preston, R. (Creator) & Franco Rodil, I. (Creator), Figshare, 2022
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19690930, https://figshare.com/account/projects/145689/articles/19690930
Dataset
Equipment
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Molecular Ecology and Systematics Laboratory MES
Ahjos, M. (Manager)
Facility/equipment: Core Facility