Journal
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
Volume 10, Issue 1, Pages 1-6Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s10530-007-9099-8
Keywords
haplotypes diversity; invasive species; ITS; mitochondrial DNA
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The rapid range southward expansion of the periwinkle Littorina littorea from the Canadian maritimes has fueled a long-running debate over whether this species was introduced to North America by human activity. A reappraisal of the mitochondrial DNA sequence evidence finds considerable endemic allelic diversity in the American population. The degree of endemic genetic diversity is higher than expected from human-mediated colonization, but not so much to suggest that it survived the last glacial maximum in America. Coalescent estimates of population divergence agree that colonization of America preceded European contact. A reappraisal of the ITS nuclear sequence data finds extensive recombination. Taking this recombination into account strengthens the genetic case against human-mediated introduction. Finally, a reappraisal of conflicting allozyme studies from the 1970's supports a claim of limited divergence between American and European populations. This is consistent with post-glacial colonization, but the allozyme data cannot distinguish between natural or human-mediated colonization. Taken as a whole, the DNA sequence data supports the many sub-fossil reports of an American L. littorea population in the Canadian maritimes that preceded even the first visits by the Vikings.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available