Population structure and geographically structured reproductive strategies of the haplodiplontic seaweed Dictyota dichotoma

Both mating system variation and the propensity of many seaweeds to reproduce both sexually and asexually, leave a strong imprint in the genetic structure of species. In this respect, we study the population genetic structure of Dictyota dichotoma, a common haplodiplont brown subtidal seaweed. This benthic species is widespread in the NE-Atlantic, from the Canary Islands and Mediterranean Sea to southern Norway, but lately populations have been reported from Argentina and South Africa. Phenology and reproduction of D. dichotoma was monitored year-round in four populations to investigate how the species has adapted to the steep thermal gradient in southern and northern ranges of its distribution. Thirteen microsatellites are developed in order to assess patterns of population diversity and structure across the biogeographic range, as shaped by past and present processes. Last, we assess the genetic structure of South African and South American populations and their relationship to the northern hemisphere populations.Throughout its range, D. dichotoma shows a varying reproductive effort, with sexual reproduction being more abundant in the northern range. In contrast, the Mediterranean populations show a clear sporophyte dominance, suggesting that sexual reproduction is not the prime mode of reproduction, and indicating that the species potentially resorts to other modes of propagation as for instance fragmentation or apospory.Genetic diversity is highest in the southern population decreasing gradually northward, indicative for a recolonization pattern after the demise of the last glacial maximum where these areas served as glacial refugia. European mainland populations show an isolation by distance pattern, while the population in the Canary Islands has its own genetic identity, being significantly diverged from the mainland population. Populations in South Africa and Argentina are seemingly introduced from mainland Europe, but no conclusion can be made on the exact timing of these introductions.