Genetic diversity of the macroalgal species associated with the Japanese tsunami marine debris, and accumulation of DNA barcoding information

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26440217
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biodiversity/Systematics
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: HANYUDA TAKEAKI 神戸大学, 内海域環境教育研究センター, 助教 (40379334)
• Research Collaborator: Hansen Gayle オレゴン州立大学, 准教授
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 大型漂着物 / DNAバーコード

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Since 2012 a huge amount of marine debris caused by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami has been arriving on Northeastern Pacific shores. Often healthy macroalgae were attached to them, which may become introduced to the Northwestern Pacific coasts and disturb their ecosystems.
In order to elucidate the diversity of those macroalgae, and to establish a basis for detecting their new introduction to Northwestern Pacific coasts, we have examined their species diversity by morphology and genetic identifications. We have obtained gene sequences for 205 specimens, and identified 49 species as JTMD macroalgae. Most of them are known to be distributed in Japan and showed identical or very closely related genetic types to those of Tohoku, and confirmed to be originated from the area. In addition, for several species, there were genetic differences among Japanese and North American populations. Therefore, genetic disturbance is feared by introduced individuals.

Free Research Field

系統分類、生物地理