Population connectivity of neon damsel, Pomacentrus coelestis, inferred from otolith microchemistry and mtDNA

作者：Liu Shang Yin Vanson; Wang Chia Hui; Shiao Jen Chieh; Dai Chang Feng^*

来源：Marine and Freshwater Research, 2010, 61(12): 1416-1424.

DOI：10.1071/MF10079

• gene flow
• marine protected areas
• mtDNA
• Neon damselfish
• otolith microchemistry
• population connectivity

Understanding dispersal patterns and population connectivity is crucial to the conservation and management of fish assemblages in reef ecosystems. To reveal the population connectivity of reef fishes in the northern West Pacific, we examined the otolith chemistry and the mtDNA control region of Pomacentrus coelestis collected from six localities between Hainan Island (China) and Okinawa (Japan). The results of otolith chemistry analyses on pre-settlement signatures showed that fishes in north-west Taiwan may have a similar origin, whereas those in southern Taiwan might have a separate origin from the South China Sea. Furthermore, the elemental ratios of post-settlement signatures showed clear separation among localities, reflecting their sedentary behaviour after settlement and the influence of local environment. Population genetic analyses revealed that significant genetic differentiation occurred between populations in north-west Taiwan and populations in the South China Sea and the Kuroshio ecosystems. This study demonstrated that otolith chemistry and mtDNA analyses revealed consistent and complementary results of the dispersal and connectivity of P. coelestis populations, and provided evidence supporting that fish populations around Taiwan should be considered as two stocks. Thus, two marine protected area networks should be established for the conservation and management of reef fishes in this area.

• 出版日期2010