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Dissertation_9.27.21_REVISED.pdf (15.26 MB)

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Environmental Tolerance, Spread, and Diversification of the Sea Anemone Genus Metridium

Glon, Heather
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4152-6706
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1632759299012306

Abstract Details

2021, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology.
Members of the sea anemone genus Metridium are widespread through the circumboreal waters of the northern hemisphere. Multiple populations of Metridium senile have been introduced to South America and also South Africa, but these populations and the ability of M. senile to be transported long-distances is not well understood. As marine species commonly exhibit minimal morphological variation, molecular studies have been instrumental in identifying divergence and relationships. My research seeks to describe and understand the processes driving the current distribution of the species within Metridium. Beginning with Chapter 1, I give an in-depth introduction to Metridium. In Chapter 2, I test the temperature and salinity tolerance of M. senile in Japan. I find that the tolerance of M. senile is very broad, particularly for a cold-water sea anemone, but that asexual reproduction only takes place within the comfortable temperature and salinity range. The ability of M. senile to withstand temperature and salinity fluctuations as it applies to being a successful invader is further examined in Chapter 3 through broadly looking at several species of sea anemones. In this chapter, I review and consolidate information on the ten most well-known species of sea anemones that have been introduced outside of their native range, and elucidate specific characteristics that are common among these species. I pair these characteristics with vector potential and suggest how conditions both at the new location and in transit facilitate the introduction of each these species. In Chapters 4 & 5, I move into examining relationships both at the species and population level within Metridium to answer questions directly related to their current distribution. Genetic data has not recently been used to elucidate relationships within Metridium; thus, with the rapid evolution of genomic scale data as applied to biogeographic questions, we can now apply these data to worldwide datasets. In Chapter 4, I test multiple types of genetic data on small test datasets of Metridium to determine which method would be most efficient to use to answer my remaining questions, and I find that sequence capture data provides high resolution at both the species level and at the population level. I apply this knowledge in Chapter 5 to a scaled-up dataset of Metridium (n=236) that encompasses both the native range and several introduced populations in the southern hemisphere to confirm species boundaries, explore the dispersal history, and assess the influence of anthropogenic activities on the current distribution and genetic structure. I identify that there are multiple introductions to the southern hemisphere oceans, and that the introduced populations are spreading to new areas. Within the native range, there is admixture between oceans due to transport of the species, and hybridization between Metridium farcimen and M. senile occurs in human-disturbed habitat.
Marymegan Daly (Advisor)
John Freudenstein (Committee Member)
Bryan Carstens (Committee Member)
209 p.
Ecology; Evolution and Development; Organismal Biology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Glon, H. (2021). Environmental Tolerance, Spread, and Diversification of the Sea Anemone Genus Metridium [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1632759299012306

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Glon, Heather. Environmental Tolerance, Spread, and Diversification of the Sea Anemone Genus Metridium. 2021. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1632759299012306.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Glon, Heather. "Environmental Tolerance, Spread, and Diversification of the Sea Anemone Genus Metridium." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1632759299012306

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1632759299012306
114
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