Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Evaluation of Genetic Diversity in Zostera japonica (Aschers. et Graebn.) for Seagrass Conservation in Brackish Lower Reaches of the Hii River System, Japan

  • Published:
Estuaries and Coasts Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examined the genetic diversity and composition of 15 populations of Zostera japonica in the Hii River system, Japan. Genetic and genotypic diversity were consistently higher in populations in the Ohashi River than those in Lake Nakaumi, and the local tidal movements may explain the observed patterns of genetic diversity. Pairwise fixation index values among the populations in Lake Nakaumi were higher than among those in the Ohashi River, even though the ranges of the distances among the populations in the two locations were almost the same. The gene flow from the Ohashi River populations was important for some populations in Lake Nakaumi. The low genotypic diversity and gene flow in Lake Nakaumi seemed similar to those of marginal populations. If this low genotypic diversity and genetic differentiation were partly caused by human activities, the promotion of gene flow should be taken into account in conserving the populations in Lake Nakaumi.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abe, M., K. Yokota, A. Kurashima, and M. Maegawa. 2009a. Temperature characteristics in seed germination and growth of Zostera japonica Ascherson & Graebner from Ago Bay, Mie Prefecture, central Japan. Fishery Science 75: 921–927.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Abe, M., K. Yokota, A. Kurashima, and M. Maegawa. 2009b. High water temperature tolerance in photosynthetic activities of Zostera japonica Ascherson & Graebner seedlings from Ago Bay, Mie Prefecture, central Japan. Fishery Science 75: 1117–1123.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Abe, M., K. Yokota, A. Kurashima, and M. Maegawa. 2010. Estimation of light requirement for growth of Zostera japonica cultured seedlings based on photosynthetic properties. Fishery Science 76: 235–242.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aioi, K., and M. Nakaoka. 2003. The seagrass of Japan. In World atlas of seagrasses. Prepared by the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, ed. E.P. Green and F.T. Short, 185–192. Berkley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alberto, F., S. Massa, P. Manent, E. Diaz-Alemela, S. Arnaud-Haond, C.M. Duarte, and E.A. Serrao. 2008. Genetic differentiation and secondary contact zone in the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa across the Mediterranean–Atlantic transition region. Journal of Biogeography 35: 1279–1294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Almasi, K.N., and P.M. Eldridge. 2008. A dynamic model of an estuarine invasion by a non-native seagrass. Estuaries and Coasts 31: 163–176. doi:10.1007/s12237-007-9024-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bigly, R.E., and J.L. Barreca. 1982. Evidence for synonymizing Zostera americana den Hartog with Zostera japonica Ashers. & Graebn. Aquatic Botany 14: 349–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Billingham, M.R., T.B.H. Reusch, F. Alberto, and E.A. Serrao. 2003. Is asexual reproduction more important at geographical limits? A genetic study of the seagrass Zostera marina in the Ria Formosa, Portugal. Marine Ecology Progress Series 265: 77–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Britton-Simmons, K.H., S. Wyllie-Echeverria, E.K. Day, K.P. Booth, K. Cartwright, S. Flores, C.C. Garcia, T.L. Higgins, C. Montanez, A. Rames, K.M. Welch, and V. Wyllie-Echeverria. 2010. Distribution and performance of the nonnative seagrass Zostera japonica across a tidal height gradient on Shaw Island, Washington. Pacific Science 64: 187–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coyer, J.A., O.E. Diekmann, E.A. Serrão, G. Procaccini, M. Milchakova, G. Pearson, W.T. Stam, and J.L. Olsen. 2004a. Population genetics of dwarf eelgrass Zostera noltii throughout its biogeographic range. Marine Ecology Progress Series 281: 51–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coyer, J.A., T.B.H. Reusch, W.T. Stam, E.A. Serrão, G. Pearson, G. Procaccini, and J.L. Olsen. 2004b. Characterization of microsatellite loci in the dwarf eelgrass Zostera noltii (Zosteraceae) and cross-reactivity with Z. japonica. Molecular Ecology Notes 4: 497–499.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • den Hartog, C. 1970. The sea-grass of the world. Verhandlingen der Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen, Afdeling Natuurkunde, Tweede Reeks. Deel. 59, No.1. Amsterdam; London: North Holland Publishing Company.

  • Diaz-Almela, E., S. Arnaud-Haond, M.S. Vliet, E. Alvarez, N. Marba, C.M. Duarte, and E.A. Serrao. 2007. Feed-backs between genetic structure and perturbation-driven decline in seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) meadows. Conservation Genetics 8: 1377–1391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diekmann, O., J.A. Coyer, J. Ferreira, J.L. Olsen, W.P. Stam, G.A. Pearson, and E.A. Serrão. 2005. Population genetics of Zostera noltii along the west Iberian coast: consequence of small population size, habitat discontinuity and near-shore current. Marine Ecology Progress Series 290: 89–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diekmann, O.E., L. Gouveia, J.A. Oerez, C. Gil-Rodriguez, and E.A. Serrão. 2010. The possible origin of Zostera noltii in the Canary Islands and guidelines for restoration. Marine Biology 157: 2109–2115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dorken, O.E., and C.G. Eckert. 2001. Severely reduced sexual reproduction in northern populations of a clonal plant, Decodon verticillatus (Lythraceae). Journal of Ecology 89: 89–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doyle, J.J., and J.L. Doyle. 1987. A rapid DNA isolation procedure for small quantities of fresh leaf tissue. Phytochemical Bulletin 19: 11–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eckert, C.G. 2002. The loss of sex in clonal plants. Evolutionary Ecology 15: 501–520.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehlers, A., B. Worm, and T.B.H. Reusch. 2008. Importance of genetic diversity in eelgrass Zostera marina for its resilience to global warming. Marine Ecology Progress Series 355: 1–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hämmerli, A., and T.B.H. Reusch. 2003. Inbreeding depression influences genet size distribution in a marine angiosperm. Molecular Ecology 12: 619–629.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, P.G. 1976. Zostera japonica Aschers. & Graebn. in British Columbia, Canada. Syesis 9: 359–360.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, P.G., and R.E. Bigley. 1982. The recent introduction of the seagrass Zostera japonica Aschers. and Graebn. to the Pacific coast of North America. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 39: 1642–1648.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hitchcock, C.L., A. Cronquist, M. Ownbey, and J.W. Thompson. 1969. Vascular plants of the Pacific Northwest. Part 1. Seattle: University of Washington Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, A.R., and J.J. Stachowicz. 2004. Genetic diversity enhances the resistance of a seagrass ecosystem to disturbance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America 101: 8998–9002.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kalinowski, S.T., M.L. Taper, and T.C. Marshall. 2007. Revising how the computer program CERVUS accommodates genotyping error increases success in paternity assignment. Molecular Ecology 16: 1099–1106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kunii, H. 2001. Distribution of endangered aquatic macrophytes in Lakes Shinji and Nakaumi. Laguna 8: 95–100. in Japanese with English abstract.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, S.Y. 1997. Annual cycle of biomass of a threatened population of the intertidal seagrass Zostera japonica in Hong Kong. Marine Biology 129: 183–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, S., S. Ma, Y. Lim, H.-K. Choi, and H. Shin. 2004. Genetic diversity and its implications in the conservation of endangered Zostera japonica in Korea. Journal of Plant Biology 47: 275–281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mantel, N. 1967. The detection of disease clustering and a generalized regression approach. Cancer Research 27: 209–220.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. 2007. The characteristics of hydrological and water quality in Lake Nakaumi and Lake Sinji. In The technology of hydrological and water quality regulation on lakes and ponds, 247–321. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan (in Japanese).

  • Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. 2008. Final report of environmental research on projects for the improvement of the Ohashi River. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan (in Japanese).

  • Miyamoto, Y., T. Kuki, A. Hatsuda, and H. Kunii. 2008. Transplanting methodology of eelgrass Zostera japonica in the brackish lagoon Lake Nakaumi (Preliminary report). Laguna 15: 83–89. in Japanese with English abstract.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakaoka, M., and K. Aioi. 2001. Ecology of seagrasses Zostera spp. (Zosteraceae) in Japanese waters. Otsuchi Marine Science 26: 7–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsen, J.L., W.T. Stam, J.A. Coyer, T.B.H. Reusch, M.R. Billingham, C. Boström, H.E. Calvert, H. Christie, S. Granger, R.L. Lumière, N. Milchakova, M.P. Oudot-Le Secq, G. Procaccini, B. Sanjabi, E. Serrao, J. Veldinsk, S. Widdicombe, and S. Wyllie-Echeverria. 2004. North Atlantic phylogeography and large-scale population differentiation of the seagrass Zostera marina L. Molecular Ecology 13: 1923–1941.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, R.C., and R.F. Shaw. 1976. Zostera noltii in Washington, U.S.A. Syesis 9: 355–358.

    Google Scholar 

  • Procaccini, G., J.L. Olsen, and T.B.H. Reusch. 2007. Contribution of genetics and genomics to seagrass biology and conservation. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 350: 234–259.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reusch, T.B.H. 2001. Fitness consequences of geitonogamous selfing in a clonal marine angiosperm (Zostera marina). Journal of Evolutionary Biology 14: 129–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reusch, T.B.H. 2002. Microsatellites reveal high population connectivity in eelgrass (Zostera marina) in two contrasting coastal areas. Limnology and Oceanography 47: 78–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reusch, T.B.H., A. Ehlers, A. Hammeri, and B. Worm. 2005. Ecosystem recovery after climatic extremes enhanced by genotypic diversity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America 102: 2826–2831.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reusch, T.B.H., W.T. Stam, and J.L. Olsen. 1999a. Size estimated age of genets in eelgrass, Zostera marina, assessed with microsatellite markers. Marine Biology 133: 519–525.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reusch, T.B.H., W.T. Stam, and J.L. Olsen. 1999b. Microsatellite loci in eelgrass Zostera marina reveal marked polymorphism within and among populations. Molecular Ecology 8: 317–321.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reusch, T.B.H., C. Bostrom, W.T. Stam, and J.L. Olsen. 1999c. An ancient eelgrass clone in the Baltic. Marine Ecology Progress Series 183: 301–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, L.K., W. Waycott, K.J. McGlathery, R.J. Orth, and J.C. Zieman. 2012. Eelgrass restoration by seed maintains genetic diversity: case study from a coastal bay system. Marine Ecology Progress Series 448: 223–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rousset, F. 1997. Genetic differentiation and estimation of gene flow from F-statistics under isolation by distance. Genetics 145: 1219–1228.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rousset, F. 2008. Genepop '007: a complete re-implementation of the Genepop software for Windows and Linux. Molecular Ecology Resources 8: 103–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruggiero, M.V., S. Capone, P. Pirozzi, T.B.H. Reusch, and G. Procaccini. 2005. Mating system and clonal architecture: a comparative study in two marine angiosperms. Evolutionary Ecology 19: 487–499.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Serra, I.A., A.M. Innocenti, G. Dimaita, S. Calvo, M. Migliaccio, E. Zambianchi, C. Pizzigalli, S. Arnaud-Haond, C.M. Duarte, E.A. Serrao, and G. Procaccini. 2010. Genetic structure in the Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica: disentangling past vicariance events from contemporary patterns of gene flow. Molecular Ecology 19: 557–568.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shin, H., and H.-K. Choi. 1998. Taxonomy and distribution of Zostera (Zosteraceae) in eastern Asia, with special reference to Korea. Aquatic Botany 60: 49–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sokal, R.R., and F.J. Rohlf. 1997. Biometry: the principles and practice of statistics in biological research, 3rd ed. New York: Freeman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spielman, D., B.W. Brook, D.A. Briscoe, and R. Frankham. 2004. Does inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity reduce disease resistance? Conservation Genetics 5: 439–448.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsai, C., S. Yang, A.C. Trimble, and J.L. Ruesink. 2010. Interactions between two introduced species: Zostera japonica (dwarf eelgrass) facilitates itself and reduces condition of Ruditapes philippinarum (Manila clam) on intertidal flats. Marine Biology 157: 1929–1936.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, S.L. 2001. Reduced genetic diversity in eelgrass transplantations affects both population growth and individual fitness. Ecological Applications 11: 1472–1488.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Katwijk, M.M., A.R. Bos, V.N. de Jonge, L.S.A.M. Hanssen, D.C.R. Hermus, and D.J. de Jong. 2009. Guidelines for seagrass restoration: importance of habitat selection and donor population, spreading of risks, and ecosystem engineering effects. Marine Pollution Bulletin 58: 179–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamuro, M., J. Hiratsuka, Y. Ishitobi, S. Hosokawa, and Y. Nakamura. 2006. Ecosystem shift resulting from loss of eelgrass and other submerged aquatic vegetation in two estuarine lagoons, Lake Nakaumi and Lake Shinji, Japan. Journal of Oceanography 62: 551–558.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research [A] [19201017]).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Yoshikuni Hodoki

    Present address: Department of Biology, Keio University, 4-1-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 223-8521, Japan

  2. Kako Ohbayashi

    Present address: Biodiversity Conservation Planning Section, Center for Environmental Biology and Ecosystem Studies, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Onogawa, Tsukuba, 305-8506, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center for Coastal Lagoon Environments, Shimane University, 1060 Nishi-kawatsu, Matsue, 690-8504, Japan

    Yoshikuni Hodoki, Kako Ohbayashi & Hidenobu Kunii

  2. Tsukuba Botanical Garden, National Museum of Nature and Science, 4-1-1, Amakubo, Tsukuba, 305-0005, Japan

    Norio Tanaka

Authors
  1. Yoshikuni Hodoki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kako Ohbayashi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Norio Tanaka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hidenobu Kunii
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yoshikuni Hodoki.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hodoki, Y., Ohbayashi, K., Tanaka, N. et al. Evaluation of Genetic Diversity in Zostera japonica (Aschers. et Graebn.) for Seagrass Conservation in Brackish Lower Reaches of the Hii River System, Japan. Estuaries and Coasts 36, 127–134 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-012-9564-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-012-9564-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation