Department of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Universitetsvej 1, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
BMC Ecol Evol. 2022 Nov 2;22(1):125. doi: 10.1186/s12862-022-02087-6.
Species- and genetic diversity can change in parallel, resulting in a species-genetic diversity correlation (SGDC) and raising the question if the same drivers influence both biological levels of diversity. The SGDC can be either positive or negative, depending on whether the species diversity and the genetic diversity of the measured species respond in the same or opposite way to drivers. Using a traditional species diversity approach together with ultra-conserved elements and high throughput sequencing, we evaluated the SGDCs in benthic macrofauna communities in the Baltic Sea, a geologically young brackish water sea characterised by its steep salinity gradient and low species richness. Assessing SGDCs from six focal marine invertebrate species from different taxonomic groups and with differing life histories and ecological functions on both a spatial and temporal scale gives a more comprehensive insight into the community dynamics of this young ecosystem and the extrinsic factors that might drive the SGDCs.
No significant correlations between species diversity and genetic diversity were found for any of the focal species. However, both negative and positive trends of SGDCs for the individual focal species were observed. When examining the environmental drivers, no common trends between the species were found, even when restricting the analysis to specific taxonomic classes. Additionally, there were no common environmental factors driving the diversity relationships for species sharing the same SGDC trend (positive or negative). Local population dynamics, together with the invasion history of the individual species and their unique adaptation to the distinctive environment of the Baltic Sea, are expected to be of major influence on the outcome of the SGDCs.
The present results highlight the importance of assessing SGDCs using multiple species, not just a single indicator species. This emphasises a need to pay attention to the ecology and life history of the focal species. This study also provides insight into the large differences in both patterns and drivers of genetic diversity, which is important when including genetic biodiversity in conservation plans. We conclude that the effects of environmental and biological factors and processes that affects diversity patterns at both the community and genetic levels are likely species dependent, even in an environment such as the Baltic Sea with strong environmental gradients.
物种和遗传多样性可以并行变化，导致物种-遗传多样性相关性（SGDC），并提出了一个问题，即相同的驱动因素是否会同时影响这两个生物多样性水平。SGDC 可以是正相关，也可以是负相关，这取决于所测量物种的物种多样性和遗传多样性对驱动因素的响应是相同还是相反。本研究使用传统的物种多样性方法，结合超保守元件和高通量测序，评估了波罗的海底层海洋大型动物群落的 SGDC，波罗的海是一个地质年轻的半咸水海洋，具有陡峭的盐度梯度和较低的物种丰富度。从不同分类群的六个焦点海洋无脊椎动物物种评估物种多样性和遗传多样性之间的 SGDC，并在时空尺度上评估它们的生态功能，这可以更全面地了解这个年轻生态系统的群落动态以及可能驱动 SGDC 的外在因素。
没有发现任何焦点物种的物种多样性和遗传多样性之间存在显著相关性。然而，观察到了个体焦点物种的 SGDC 呈负相关和正相关的趋势。当检查环境驱动因素时，即使在将分析限制在特定的分类类别时，也没有发现物种之间的共同趋势。此外，没有共同的环境因素可以驱动具有相同 SGDC 趋势（正或负）的物种之间的多样性关系。局部种群动态，以及个别物种的入侵历史及其对波罗的海独特环境的独特适应，预计将对 SGDC 的结果产生重大影响。
本研究结果强调了使用多种物种而不仅仅是单一指示物种评估 SGDC 的重要性。这强调了需要注意焦点物种的生态学和生活史。本研究还深入了解了遗传多样性的模式和驱动因素的巨大差异，这对于将遗传生物多样性纳入保护计划非常重要。我们的结论是，影响社区和遗传水平多样性模式的环境和生物因素和过程可能取决于物种，即使在波罗的海这样具有强烈环境梯度的环境中也是如此。
