22 Oct
Heather Galindo
Research Associate, School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, University of Washington
Insights into Connectivity Among Marine Populations Using Genetic and Oceanographic Approaches
Video (QuickTime)
Abstract
For many marine species, biological connectivity among locations takes place via larval dispersal. These larval connections can affect the genetic diversity, differentiation, and demography of populations, yet larval trajectories are almost impossible to track directly. Historically, knowledge of oceanographic circulation patterns has been used to generate hypotheses about connectivity patterns, and the development of empirically based oceanographic models now allows us to explicitly predict possible pathways for larval movement. Increasingly, population genetics can serve as a tool to compare model outcomes to observed patterns. These comparisons can help validate model assumptions and also shed new light on mechanisms of larval dispersal where model and empirical data disagree. Examples of this approach at two spatial scales include studies focused on Caribbean corals and central California intertidal barnacles. In addition, new genetic markers subject to natural selection are improving our ability to detect population structure in highly mobile and harvested fish populations. Not only do these markers have potential to reveal adaptively important genetic differentiation, but they may also have other unexpected applications relevant to management, as recently demonstrated in Pacific halibut. Together, these advances in oceanography and genetics give us new insight into marine population connectivity in ecological, evolutionary and management contexts.
Bio
Heather M. Galindo has a background in biological oceanography and english literature from the University of Washington. She then went on to get her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Stanford University at Hopkins Marine Station. Her research interests include using genetic tools to investigate marine larval dispersal and population connectivity, the effects of natural selection on marine ecology, integrating data across scientific disciplines, and reconciling empirical data with model predictions. She has worked on organisms from diatoms to halibut and is steadily making her way up the food chain. When not in the lab or field, she can generally be found thinking about issues involving science communication and outreach, both with the general public and with decision makers aiming to incorporate science into policy. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the University of Washington's School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences.
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