MEPS

Marine Ecology Progress Series

MEPS is a leading hybrid research journal on all aspects of marine, coastal and estuarine ecology. Priority is given to outstanding research that advances our ecological understanding.

Online: ISSN 1616-1599

Print: ISSN 0171-8630

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps

Impact Factor2.1 (JCR 2025 release)

Article Acceptance Rate52.2% (2024)

Average Time in Review216 days (2024)

Total Annual Downloads3.015.169 (2025)

Volume contents
Mar Ecol Prog Ser 658:135-148 (2021)

Sex-biased dispersal depends on the spatial scale in a tube-building amphipod

ABSTRACT: Behavioral differences between males and females can lead to sex-biased dispersal (SBD), and tube-building amphipods are good model organisms to study this process. Depending on the species, males or females have a different affinity to their tubes, and one sex may be more mobile than the other. This distinct dispersal behavior and the scales at which it occurs are not fully understood. Here, we tested the SBD hypothesis at different spatial scales in Cymadusa filosa using direct and indirect approaches. We conducted laboratory (small scale) and field experiments (local scale), and molecular analyses (local and large scale). Laboratory experiments indicated male-biased dispersal over small scales (cm), whereas over local scales (m), field experiments showed similar colonization rates of previously cleaned fronds for both males and females, suggesting no SBD. A higher proportion of juveniles than expected had colonized these fronds, suggesting that juveniles have higher dispersal rates than adults. Also, neighboring individuals were not more genetically related than spatially distant individuals. Over large scales (km), molecular analyses did not indicate SBD, and there were no differences in genetic structure between sexes. Our results showed that SBD depends on the spatial scale. Combining different approaches, we showed that the dispersal of males and females over local and large scales is sufficient to cause a lack of genetic differentiation within each sex, despite small-scale SBD.

KEYWORDS

Pedro A. Peres (Corresponding Author)

  • Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil
pedro.peres27@gmail.com

Ana Paula Ferreira (Co-author)

  • Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil

Glauco B. O. Machado (Co-author)

  • Biosciences Institute, Coastal Campus, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São Vicente, São Paulo 11330-900, Brazil

Marianne Azevedo-Silva (Co-author)

  • Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil

Silvana G. L. Siqueira (Co-author)

  • Department of Animal Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil

Fosca P. P. Leite (Co-author)

  • Department of Animal Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil