Does habitat stability structure intraspecific genetic diversity? It’s complicated...

Regional phylogeographic studies have long been conducted in the southeastern United States for a variety of species. With some exceptions, many of these studies focus on single species or single clades of organisms, and those considering multiple species tend to focus on deep historical breaks causing differentiation. However, in many species more recent factors may be influencing genetic diversity. To understand the roles of historic and contemporary processes in structuring genetic diversity, we reanalyzed existing genetic data from Southeast of North America using approaches gleaned from phylogeographic and landscape genetic literature that were implemented across species including AMOVAs, PCoAs, Species Distribution Modelling, and tests of isolation by distance, environment, and habitat instability. Genetic variance was significantly partitioned by ecoregions, watersheds, and across phylogeographic breaks in the majority of species. Similarly, genetic variation was significantly associated with some combination of geographic or environmental distance or habitat instability in most species. Patterns of genetic variation were largely idiosyncratic across species. While habitat instability over time is significantly correlated with genetic diversity in some species, it appears generally less important than isolation by geographic or environmental distance. Our results suggest that many factors, both historical and contemporary, impact genetic diversity within a species, and more so, that these patterns aren’t always similar in closely related species. This supports the importance of species- specific factors and cautions against assumptions that closely related species will respond to historical and contemporary forces in similar ways

Fall 2025 Environmental Sciences Seminar Series, Heather Glon

Dr. Heather Glon is the Lobster Research Biologist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources (ME DMR). She will be primarily presenting an overview of her lobster life history research program within ME DMR, and how the interdisciplinary collaborations between research institutions, government agencies, and industry members have facilitated big steps forward within research on one of the most valuable fisheries within the United States. Heather will also provide her perspective on her path to ME DMR, and what a research career at the State level entails

Reconstructing the distribution of the non-native sea anemone, Diadumene lineata (Actiniaria), in the Canadian Maritimes: local extinction in New Brunswick and no regional range expansion in Nova Scotia since its initial detection

Since its first observations in New Brunswick (Sam Orr’s Pond) and Nova Scotia (Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth) in 2009 and 2013, respectively, Diadumene lineata has been observed spreading to new locations in the Canadian Maritimes. In 2017 and 2018, regional surveys for non-native species did not detect D. lineata in New Brunswick, suggesting local extinction. Recent surveys also did not detect D. lineata in Prince Edward Island. However, between 2013 and 2018, D. lineata was detected in Nova Scotia (in chronological order) from Lunenburg Harbour (Lunenburg), Hermans Island (Lunenburg), Black Rock Beach (Halifax), Oak Island Marina (Chester), and Dartmouth Yacht Club (Dartmouth)

First Record of the Blue Crawfish, Cambarus monongalensis Ortmann, 1905 (Decapoda: Cambaridae), from Ohio, USA

This paper documents the first record of the blue crawfish, Cambarus monongalensis Ortmann, 1905, in the state of Ohio, United States. The blue crawfish is a small- to medium-sized primary burrowing crayfish common in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Because of the prevalence of this species on the east side of the Ohio River, numerous researchers have sought the blue crawfish in Ohio—to no avail. On 16 May 2020, turkey hunters in Monroe County, Ohio, located a blue-colored crayfish and sent photos to one of the authors of this study. On 19 May 2020, the authors sampled in the vicinity of where the photo was taken and located 4 sites that yielded a total of 5 blue crawfish specimens, confirming the existence of this species in Ohio. Further research is needed on the blue crawfish to determine its range and abundance in Ohio, and to explore factors relating to its biogeography

Invader in disguise for decades: the plumose sea anemone Metridium senile in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean

The attention towards non-native sea anemone introductions has been steadily increasing as multiple species are reported from new locations each year. However, a lack of monitoring efforts and difficulties associated with the detection and identification of these species may result in overlooking introductions in certain areas. In the southern hemisphere, one of these non-native species is Metridium senile, whose current taxonomic and invasion status in Argentina is unclear. Here, we pooled scientific and community records to shed light on the past, current and future invasion scenario of this species. First, we clarified the taxonomic and invasion status of suspected M. senile populations from Argentina by revising available morphological descriptions and attributes associated with non-native species. Then, we inferred and described the potential dispersal pattern in Argentina from the late 1890s to present day. Finally, we provided a forecast of the species potential distribution range in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, along the coast and in off-shore areas. Enough evidence suggests that M. senile is a non-native species that has successfully established in Argentina. This species has been mistakenly considered as native for decades due to taxonomic errors and historical and geographical gaps (i.e., pseudoindigenous species). Its current distribution range in Argentina covers over 2000 km of coastline with a southward expansion in recent years. Moreover, according to our forecasted potential distribution, this species can spread further and reach novel areas in coastal and off-shore locations. As M. senile combines multiple traits of a successful invader, monitoring efforts should be implemented to early detect or prevent its establishment in areas recently colonized or at risk.Fil: Gimenez, Lucas Hernán. Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción; ChileFil: Battini, Nicolás. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos; ArgentinaFil: González Muñoz, Ricardo Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Glon, Heather. Ohio State University; Estados Unido