Genomic signatures of neutral and adaptive microevolutionary processes in Fragilariopsis kerguelensis, a main silicate sinker of the Southern Ocean

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Bánk Beszteri; Professor Dr. Ludwig Eichinger, since 10/2020; Dr. Uwe John; Dr. Klaus Valentin
• Subject Area: Oceanography
• Term: from 2016 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 315170671

The original aim of the project was to test the hypothesis that the latitudinal environmental gradients of the Southern Ocean might have led to the development of population genomic and adaptive clines in a phytoplankton species, the diatom Fragilariopsis kerguelensis. To address this hypothesis, we chose a combined genomic and phenotypic approach. The results we obtained during the first half of the project run time give a strong indication that the target taxon of our project consists of at least three, so far overlooked (semi-)cryptic species. This brings unforeseen challenges but also novel possibilities into the work. We can now address adaptive differentiation processes both in a case when they were accompanied by the emergence of species boundaries, as well as without the latter, in the presence of gene exchange between populations. The extension of the project will enable us to address the topic of local adaptation at both levels, and to re-focus on the originally envisaged topic of intraspecific adaptation.

• DFG Programme: Infrastructure Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1158: Infrastructure area - Antarctic Research with Comparative Investigations in Arctic Sea Ice Areas
• International Connection: United Kingdom
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Dr. Thomas Mock
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Gernot Glöckner, until 10/2020 (†)