PARENT SESSION
Organized Oral Session 8: Contaminants in aquatic systems: Individual effects and community consequences.
Organizer(s): J Kerby and R Relyea
Monday, August 8, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM, Meeting Room 510b, Level 5, Palais des congrès de Montréal

Genetic diversity and differentiation of populations in a PAH-contaminated habitat mosaic.

Newman, Michael^*,1, Mulvey, Margaret¹, Unger, Michael ¹, Vogelbein, Wolfgang¹, ¹ College of William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, VA, USA

ABSTRACT- Genetic structure and diversity of mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) populations from the heavily industrialized Elizabeth River (Virginia USA) were explored with allozyme and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) techniques. Regardless of the associated sediment polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations, fish from all sites had comparable levels of enzyme polymorphism and heterogeneity, and mtDNA gene and nucleotide diversity. The mtDNA haplotype and allozyme frequencies were distinct at the most heavily PAH-contaminated sites. Mummichog from these most contaminated sites also had enhanced tolerance of PAH. Three-way Mantel analysis indicated no significant correlation between genetic distance and geographic distance at the spatial scale of this study. Despite high rates of migration among sites, there was a significant correlation between differences in PAH contamination and genetic distance. Genetic structure, but not genetic diversity, was an effective tool for exploring population-level consequences of contamination within this landscape mosaic of sites varying in PAH contamination.

Key words: population genetics, fish, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons