Landscape genetics of two large sized migratory freshwater fish within Neotropics

• Grant number: 14/20567-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): December 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): April 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Applied Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Leonardecz Neto
• Grantee: Josi Margarete Ponzetto Do Nascimento
• Supervisor: James Harris
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Universidade do Porto (UP), Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 12/03553-8 - Population and phylogeographic studies of two species of the genus (P. corruscans and P.reticulatum) (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae) Parana-Paraguai river basin: BASES FOR CONSERVATION PROGRAMS AND AQUACULTURE, BP.DR

Abstract

Understanding many evolutionary patterns and processes requires consideration of the variation in the abiotic enviroment. The landscape genetics is a rapidly evolving interdisciplinary field that integrates approaches from population genetics and landscape ecology. It provides information about landscape features and microevolutionary processes, such as gene flow, genetic drift, and selection. The integration of data and landscape ecology methods, spatial statistics, geography and population genetics allow knowing the distribution of genetic variation. In the context of habitat fragmentation, understand the matrix effects on functional connectivity among populations will become essential for conservation and management. And estimate the effects of anthropogenic fragmentation on population genetic structure is difficult, mainly in large regions, like South America, that undergone complex geological and climate changes over the years. But there are some methods to separate the effects of historical and contemporary processes on population genetic structure. To address these challenges, we 'll examine the phylogenetic and population structure of two large sized migrator fish, with known distribution in the major basins of South America, P. corruscans and P. reticulatum (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae). To reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships among haplotypes with mtDNA (Citb and ATPase 8/6), I'll utilize a Bayesian search method. Moreover, the effects of prehistoric fragmentation and recent fragmentation will be approached using arcgis 9.1 and QGIS2.2 , respectively. We expect understand the current genetic population structure in the context of the long-term species history, along the studied ecosystem. Besides corroborate with the project developed in the country, with the preparation of better proposals for the management and conservation of the species . (AU)