Population genetics of Marginopora vertebralis (Foraminifera: Miliolidae) from the Great Barrier Reef and the western Coral Sea

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A study of the population genetics of the foraminiferan, Marginopora vertebralis, from the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and the Coral Sea was carried out in 1989. Samples were collected from 2 GBR reefs (Britomart Reef and Davies Reef) and 10 reefs in the western Coral Sea (Coringa Islets, Diamond Islets, Flinders Reef, Holmes Reefs, Lihou Reef (Observatory Cay and SW Cay), Magdelaine Cays, Marion Reef, Osprey Reef and Willis Islets).Two replicate samples of Marginopora vertebralis were collected from each of the reef flat and lagoon habitats at Britomart Reef and Davies Reef. Replicate samples were also collected from the intermediate reef flat/lagoon habitat at Britomart Reef. In each habitat, at depths between 2 and 4 m, replicate 15 x 15 m quadrats, about 200 m apart, were sampled. Ten individuals were collected from each of 10 criss-crossing transects within each quadrat. Coral Sea reefs were sampled at depths between 4 and 20m, either in the lagoon or on the ocean facing slope. At least 30 Individuals were collected within a 10 m x 10 m area at each reef. Samples were collected with forceps and placed in plastic bags of seawater, which were later drained, and the specimens snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen and then stored at -80°C. Initially, 24 enzymes were tested for activity using 3 different buffers on a cellulose acetate substrate and 3 different buffers on starch gels. Five of these systems had sufficient activity and resolution for inclusion in further work and 4 enzymes (AAT, GPI, IDH, GPT) had clear genetic interpretation. The fifth enzyme, EST was scored phenetically (the presence or absence of bands was scored, without assigning bands to loci) to compare with data from the genetically defined systems.Calculation of gene frequencies and population genetic statistics were carried out using the BIOSYS-1 package. Phenetic analyses used principal coordinates analyses with programs in the PATN package. Distances between populations were calculated using the Canberra metric and the frequency of occurrence of each band in each population, analogous to the Jaccard matching coefficient for presence/absence data.
This research was undertaken to estimate connectivity and dispersal between populations of Marginopora vertebralis in the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea, and to determine discrete species identities.

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Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned

Statement: Statement: The techniques used for assaying enzymes are described in:Benzie JAH, Pandolfi JM (1991) Allozyme variation in Marginopora vertebralis (Foraminifera: Miliolidae) from coral reef habitats in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Journal of Foraminiferal Research 21: 222-227.All zymograms were visualized using enzyme specific stains following recipes for starch in: Harris H and Hopkinson DA (1976) Handbook of enzyme electrophoresis in human genetics. Oxford: North Holland Publishing Company. Oxford. (looseleaf).and for cellulose acetate in:Richardson BJ, Baverstock, PR and Adams M (1986) Allozyme electrophoresis. A handbook for animal systematics and population studies. Academic Press, Sydney, 410 pp.References for statistical analyses:Belbin L (1987) PATN pattern analysis package. CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Rangelands Research, Canberra.Eanes WF and Koehn RK (1978) An analysis of genetic structure in the monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus L.: Evolution 32: 784-797.Nei M (1978) Estimation of average heterozygosity and genetic distance from a small number of individuals: Genetics 89: 583-590.Swofford DL and Selander RB (1981) BIOSYS-1: A Fortran program for the comprehensive analysis of electrophoretic data in population genetics and systematics: Journal of Heredity 72: 281-283.

Notes

Credit
Benzie, John AH, Dr (Principal Investigator)

Credit
Ballment, Elizabeth R, (Beth) (Custodian)