Genetic structure of wild European populations of the invasive Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas due to aquaculture practices

Type Article
Date 2013-02
Language English
Author(s) Meistertzheim Anne-Leila, Arnaud-Haond SophieORCID, Boudry PierreORCID, Thebault Marie-Therese
Affiliation(s) Univ Bretagne Occidentale, Lab Sci Environm Marin LEMAR, UMR CNRS 6539, Inst Univ Europeen Mer, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
Univ Perpignan, Ctr Rech Insulaires & Observ Environm Polynesie F, USR CNRS EPHE 3278, Lab Excellence CORAIL, F-66860 Perpignan, France.
IFREMER, Unite Etud Ecosyst Profonds DEEP, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
IFREMER, Lab Sci Environm Marin LEMAR, UMR CNRS 6539, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
Source Marine Biology (0025-3162) (Springer), 2013-02 , Vol. 160 , N. 2 , P. 453-463
DOI 10.1007/s00227-012-2102-7
WOS© Times Cited 15
Abstract As a result of aquaculture activities, Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg, 1793) have invaded European coasts. Using seven microsatellites, we found virtually no genetic differentiation between natural populations throughout the European range (from the south of the Wadden Sea (the Netherlands) to the south of France) and French cultivated oysters. The genetic homogeneity of Pacific oyster samples appears to be the result of repeated transfers from same seed stocks made for aquaculture and, to a lesser extent, widespread dispersal due to specific biological traits of this species. The only genetic differentiation of Sylt population in the north of the Wadden Sea (Germany) suggests a stronger, persistent impact of ongoing supply of new genetic material from hatchery production, corresponding to seeds selection made by breeders. All of our genetic data highlighted the importance of aquaculture practices on the genetic structure of the keystone invader C. gigas in Europe.
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