Temporal stability in patterns of genetic diversity and structure of a marine foundation species (Zostera marina).

Genetic diversity and population structure reflect complex interactions among a diverse set of processes that may vary temporally, limiting their potential to predict ecological and evolutionary outcomes. Yet, the stability of these patterns is rarely tested. We resampled eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows from published studies to determine variability in genetic diversity and structure within and between meadows over 5-12 years. The meadows sampled (San Francisco, Tomales and Bodega Bays in California and the Virginia coastal bays) represent a range of life histories (annual vs perennial), age (well-established vs restored) and environments (rural vs urbanized). In all of these systems, neither diversity nor differentiation (FST) changed over time. Differences among tidal heights within Bodega Bay were also remarkably consistent, with the high intertidal being more diverse than the subtidal, and tidal height differentiation being modest but significant at both time points. Historical studies used only a few microsatellite loci; therefore, our temporal comparisons were based on 4-5 loci. However, analysis of the current data using a set of 12 loci show that 4-5 loci are sufficient to describe diversity and differentiation patterns in this system. This temporal consistency was not because of the resampling of large clones, underscoring the feasibility and relevance of understanding drivers of the differences. Because seagrasses are declining at rapid rates, restoration and conservation are increasingly a coastal management priority. Our results argue that surveys of eelgrass genetic structure and diversity at decadal scales can provide accurate depictions of populations, increasing the utility of published genetic data for restoration and designing networks of reserves.