PARENT SESSION
OOS 1: Genetic Explorations of the Seascape: Using Molecules and Experiments to Understand Marine Biodiversity.
Organized by: E Sotka and R Thacker
Monday, August 2, 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM, Meeting Room E 141 .

Using genetic data to study invasion on North Atlantic rocky intertidal shorelines.

Wares, John^*,1, ¹ University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, United States

ABSTRACT- The snail Littorina littorea has long been considered an invasive species. Shells of this species were first recognized in North America in the 1840s, and the spread of L. littorea along the New England coast was accompanied by significant ecological change. However, some evidence (including fossil and allozyme data) suggests that this snail existed in the Americas prior to European colonization. High-resolution genetic analysis of populations in the North America and Europe support the idea that L. littorea is indigenous. Further analysis and comparison with other invasive species may help determine the cause of the recent geographic expansion and population explosion of this species.

Key words: range expansion, introduction, Littorina littorea, colonization