Inter-Research > MEPS > v229 > p165-172  
MEPS
Marine Ecology Progress Series

via Mailchimp

MEPS 229:165-172 (2002)  -  doi:10.3354/meps229165

Larval transport processes of barnacle larvae in the vicinity of the interface between two genetically different populations of Semibalanus balanoides

Charles-Antoine Drouin1, Edwin Bourget1,*, Réjean Tremblay2

1Groupe interuniversitaire de recherches océanographiques du Québec (GIROQ), Département de biologie, Université Laval, Ste-Foy, Québec G1K 7P4, Canada
2Centre aquicole marin de Grande-Rivière (CAMGR), Ministère de l'agriculture, des pêcheries et de l'alimentation du Québec, 6 du Parc, Grande-Rivière, Québec G0C 1V0, Canada
*Corresponding author. Present address: Bourget, Vice-recteur à la recherche, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke J1K 2R1, Canada. E-mail:

ABSTRACT: Previous studies have shown a genetic interface (MPI, GPI loci) between 2 populations of the barnacle Semibalanus balanoides in the vicinity of the Miramichi Estuary, New Brunswick, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. We examined whether gene flow between these 2 adjacent populations was restricted by larval dispersal. We determined the distribution pattern of Semibalanus balanoides planktonic larvae. Current velocity and direction, larval settlement and genetic structure of recruits were measured. Physical results and genotype distribution for MPI support the larval exchange hypothesis (north to south). The presence of another allele, GPI4, suggests a substantial contribution of another population, possibly from the subtidal zone, to the larval pool. In accordance with previous studies, our results suggest strong selection on newly settled spat in the intertidal zone.


KEY WORDS: Larval transport · Semibalanus balanoides · MPI · GPI · Gene flow · Hydrodynamic structure · Circulation patterns


Full text in pdf format
 Previous article Next article