Gene flow in mainland and insular populations of Crassostrea (mollusca)

• Published in: The Biological bulletin (Lancaster) Vol. 166; no. 3; pp. 550 - 557
• Main Author: Buroker, Norman E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Woods Hole, MA Marine Biological Laboratory 01-01-1984
• Subjects: Alleles; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Classical genetics, quantitative genetics, hybrids; Crassostrea; Ecology and Evolution; Evolutionary genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene flow; Genetic loci; Genetic variation; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; Gulfs; Invertebrata; Larvae; Marine; Oysters; Population genetics; Species populations; Gene flow; Invertebrata; Mollusca; Bivalvia; Population genetics; Island
• ISSN: 0006-3185; 1939-8697
• DOI: 10.2307/1541161

Insular and mainland populations of Crassostrea species were compared with respect to relative gene flow, levels of genetic variation, and population differentiation. The relative level of gene flow was reduced among Caribbean Island subpopulations as compared to mainland subpopulations along the Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico. However, this reduction in gene flow among island subpopulations has resulted in very little population differentiation between islands or between islands and mainland demes. This suggests that the existing level of insular gene flow may adquately override genetic drift, founder effect, and weak selection. The reduction in gene flow was, however, accompanied by a substantial drop in the average heterozygosity among island demes when compared to mainland populations.