Coupling natural tags to assess connectivity patterns and population structure of fish species with ontogenetic migrations

Abstract

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Connectivity and population structure are influenced by physical, biological and ecological processes and interactions that impact over a range of temporal scales. Therefore the best inference on population connectivity may be achieved by using multiple and potentially complementary techniques that integrate over different spatio-temporal scales. In the present study, we examined natal origin, movement and population structure of European flounder Platichthys flesus and Senagelense sole Solea senegalensis by combining otolith geochemical composition and microsatellite DNA markers of fish collected from multiple areas along the northeast Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. A Bayesian statistical framework was used to simultaneously analyse the two datasets. This integrated approach of otolith and genotypic markers enhanced the present connectivity assessment. The added value of using otolith geochemistry to complement the assessment of early life stage dispersal in marine populations with high gene flow is discussed, as well as the advantages of objectively integrating data from these different natural markers. Ultimately, unravelling connectivity and population structure via multiple methodological approaches are increasingly important to identify management requirements for these commercially important species.

Keywords

• Conservation of Natural Resources
• connectivity
• Bayesian Models
• microsatellites
• otolith chemistry
• Natural tags