Larval Dispersal and Local Adaptation of Nearshore Marine Invertebrates
Erik Sotka, Grice Marine Laboratory, College of Charleston
2 Dec 2005
The degree by which marine organisms adapt to local habitats depends largely on the strength of local selection and the homogenizing effect of dispersal. In this talk, I'll use several marine invertebrates to discuss 1) how restricted gene flow can promote adaptation to local habitats, and conversely, 2) how local adaptation can promote restricted gene flow. Such issues become important in an era of increasing human impacts: can local marine organisms adapt to profound alterations in habitat in order to persist?