Abstract
Massive losses of eelgrass Zostera marina beds in Japan have occurred over the past 100 years. Toward their restoration, transplantation of eelgrass has been attempted in some areas, including Tokyo Bay. This study examined population genetic structures and gene flow in eelgrass in Tokyo Bay to establish guidelines for conducting restoration. Genotypes of a total of 360 individuals from 12 beds were determined using five microsatellite markers. The eelgrass beds in inner bay had above-average genetic diversity. A neighbor-joining tree based on F ST values among beds revealed that a strong gene flow had occurred among six beds in the inner bay. Genetic assignment testing of drifting shoots indicated that those with seeds migrate in both directions between the inner and outer bay. We suggested that the restoration of eelgrass in the innermost part of Tokyo Bay, where natural habitats have been lost, should be conducted using the inner bay beds.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank Yuji Omori, Takahiro Kudo, Futtsu Fishery Cooperative for collecting samples, and Toshiyuki Yamaguchi, Yasuyuki Watano, Tadashi Kajita for helpful comments to analyze the data. Thanks also to Chikako Ishii and Haruka Matsuyoshi for technical support of genetic analysis and Shoh Nagata and Yuki Ando for making figures.
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Tanaka, N., Demise, T., Ishii, M. et al. Genetic structure and gene flow of eelgrass Zostera marina populations in Tokyo Bay, Japan: implications for their restoration. Mar Biol 158, 871–882 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-010-1614-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-010-1614-2