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Bidirectional gene flow on a mangrove river landscape and between-catchment dispersal of Rhizophora racemosa (Rhizophoraceae)

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Abstract

Understanding how landscape structure shapes the genetic structure of populations of keystone species is important for their long-term management. We tested the unidirectional dispersal hypothesis on the linear river landscape of the Wouri River and the one catchment-one gene pool hypothesis on red mangrove (Rhizophora racemosa) populations of the Cameroon Estuary complex. Therefore, we conducted release–recapture experiments in the field, and sampled 649 adult trees for plant material for genetic analyses. This allowed for estimating genetic diversity and structure, as well as dispersal directionality. Genetic diversity in populations downstream did not differ significantly from upstream populations and the molecular variance of populations did not correlate with their position on the linear landscape. Contemporary and historical migration estimates indicated bidirectional dispersal, i.e. in both the downstream and the upstream direction along the Wouri River. This was confirmed by the propagule dispersal directions derived from our field experiments. Bayesian clustering analysis assigned all individuals of this estuary into one cluster, suggesting high inter-catchment connectivity. River flow currents, tides, and wind plausibly operate together to ensure the high genetic connectivity within this complex estuary.

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Acknowledgments

The Rufford Foundation (UK) Small Grant (17335-1) awarded to M.N. Ngeve catered for the field work and field experiments. This study was part of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel—International Relations and Mobility Office (VUB—IRMO) Doctoral Scholarship awarded to M.N. Ngeve. The BAS 42 funding of the VUB also supported the laboratory analyses of this study. We are grateful to Ms. Natalie Kana, Ma Christiana Nalova Ngenye, Mr. Peter Elive Ikome, and Mr. Henri Larry Etonde Kingue, for their logistical and field assistance. We are grateful to the anonymous reviewers for their comments on earlier versions of this manuscript that helped in its improvement.

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  1. Ecology and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Magdalene N. Ngeve, Tom Van der Stocken, Tim Sierens, Nico Koedam & Ludwig Triest

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  1. Magdalene N. Ngeve
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Ngeve, M.N., Van der Stocken, T., Sierens, T. et al. Bidirectional gene flow on a mangrove river landscape and between-catchment dispersal of Rhizophora racemosa (Rhizophoraceae). Hydrobiologia 790, 93–108 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-016-3021-2

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