Populations of the coral species Montastraea cavernosa on the Belize Barrier Reef lack vertical connectivity.

ABSTRACT: Larval connectivity among and within coral reefs is important for sustaining coral metapopulations, enhancing ecosystem resilience through species and genetic diversity, and maintaining reef ecosystems' structure and functions. This study characterized genetic structure and assessed horizontal and vertical connectivity among populations of the ubiquitous gonochoric broadcast spawning coral Montastraea cavernosa in Belize. Using nine polymorphic microsatellite loci, we genotyped M. cavernosa colonies from four depth zones at four study sites within Belizean marine management zones. Study sites were selected within South Water Caye Marine Reserve (3 sites) and Glover's Reef Marine Reserve (1 site). Strong contemporary genetic differentiation was observed between relatively shallow M. caverno

SUBMITTER: Eckert RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6510931 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature