Population genomic structure of the gelatinous zooplankton species Mnemiopsis leidyi in its nonindigenous range in the North Sea

摘要

Nonindigenous species pose a major threat for coastal and estuarine ecosystems. Risk management requires genetic information to establish appropriate management units and infer introduction and dispersal routes. We investigated one of the most successful marine invaders, the ctenophore , and used genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) to explore the spatial population structure in its nonindigenous range in the North Sea. We analyzed 140 specimens collected in different environments, including coastal and estuarine areas, and ports along the coast. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were called in approximately 40 k GBS loci. Population structure based on the neutral SNP panel was significant ( .02;  F .02–.04;  M. leidyi. Additionally, seven specimens collected at one location in the indigenous range (Chesapeake Bay, USA) were highly differentiated from the North Sea populations (pairwise .36–.39;