Evolution of temperature tolerance in the introduced seaweed &lt;i&gt;Gracilaria vermiculophylla&lt;/i&gt;.

Shainker, Sarah

Evolution of temperature tolerance in the introduced seaweed <i>Gracilaria vermiculophylla</i>.

dc.contributor.advisor	Sotka, Erik E
dc.contributor.author	Shainker, Sarah
dc.date.accessioned	2022-03-25T17:34:01Z
dc.date.available	2022-03-25T17:34:01Z
dc.date.created	2016-05
dc.date.submitted	May 2016
dc.description.abstract	The red macroalga <i>Gracilaria vermiculophylla</i> is native to the Northwest Pacific and invaded North American and European coastlines in recent decades. We tested whether the success of this invasion was aided by genetic adaptation of temperature tolerance. We sampled 15 native Japanese populations and 25 introduced populations from North America and Europe. Within a week of field collection, we subjected samples to extreme hot and cold temperatures then followed their rates of bleaching and survivorship for 8 days following exposure. Significantly more native populations bleached and died after hot and cold exposure compared to introduced populations. Similar results were found when common garden samples were exposed to heat, suggesting that the greater thermal tolerance among introduced populations has a genetic basis. Given the invasion history of this species, we propose that adaptation to greater heat tolerance occurred post-introduction. Evolution in this and other algal traits facilitated invasion success.
dc.format.mimetype	application/pdf
dc.identifier.uri	https://repository.library.cofc.edu/handle/123456789/5026
dc.language.iso	en_US
dc.subject	biological invasion, evolution, introduced species, thermal tolerance
dc.title	Evolution of temperature tolerance in the introduced seaweed <i>Gracilaria vermiculophylla</i>.
dc.type.genre	thesis
dc.type.material	text
thesis.degree.department	Biology
thesis.degree.discipline	Marine Biology
thesis.degree.grantor	College of Charleston
thesis.degree.name	Bachelor of Science