Research in modern experimental and theoretical population genetics has been strengthened by advances in molecular techniques for the analysis of genetic variability. The evolutionary relationships of organisms may be investigated by comparing DNA sequences. This book covers chapters on population genetics, DNA polymorphism, genetic homeostasis, an

Our current knowledge of marine organisms and the factors affecting their ecology, distribution and evolution has been revolutionised by the use, in the last 20 years, of molecular population genetics tools. This book is the result of a meeting of world-leading experts, in Rio de Janeiro, where the state of the art of this field was reviewed. Topics covered include the molecular analysis of bio-invasions, the recent developments in marine biotechnology, the factors affecting levels of genetic variation and population structure in marine organisms and their application to conservation biology, fisheries and aquaculture. This is the first book dedicated to the genetic study of marine organisms. It will be very useful to biology students, scientists and anyone working or simply interested in areas such as marine biology, zoology, ecology, and population and molecular genetics.

A comprehensive volume providing broad and detailed coverage of marine mussels Marine Mussels: Ecology, Physiology, Genetics and Culture provides readers with in-depth, fully up-to-date information on all major aspects of marine mussels. Written by an internationally renowned expert in the field, this authoritative volume addresses morphology, ecology, feeding, phylogeny and evolution, reproduction and larval development, settlement and recruitment, genetics, disease, management of culture systems and more. The book encompasses many different species of marine mussels: genus Mytilus, other important commercial marine genera such as Perna, Aulacomya and Choromytilus, and non-commercial genera including Modiolus, Geukensia, Brachidontes and hydrothermal vent Bathymodiolus. Comprising twelve extensively cross-referenced chapters, the book discusses a diversity of integrated topics that range from fundamental physiology of marine mussels to new techniques being applied in their biology and ecology. Author Elizabeth Gosling reviews contemporary developments and issues in the field such as the use of DNA genetic markers in detecting and diagnosing different strains of pathogenic bacteria, the use of mussels as monitors of marine contaminants, sophisticated modelling techniques that simulate disease and forecast outbreaks, and the impacts of global warming, ocean acidification and hypoxia on marine mussels. Presenting an inclusive, highly detailed treatment of mussel biology, physiology, genetics, and culture, this invaluable resource: Contains thorough descriptions of external and internal anatomy, global and local distribution patterns, the impacts of mussels on marine ecosystems, and the processes of circulation, respiration, excretion and osmoregulation Reflects significant advances in mussel science and new areas of research in marine mussels Describes the fundamentals of mussel aquaculture, the types and levels of contaminants in the marine environment and new approaches for sustainable aquaculture development Discusses the application of genetic methods, population genetics, global breeding programmes and the emerging area of bivalve genomics Addresses the role of mussels in disease transmission to humans, including production and processing controls, regulation of monitoring and quality control Marine Mussels: Ecology, Physiology, Genetics and Culture is essential reading for biological scientists, researchers, instructors and advanced students in the fields of biology, ecology, aquaculture, environmental science, toxicology, genetics, pathology, taxonomy and public health.

This volume brings together, for the first time, a wide range of up-to-the-minute and traditional techniques and approaches to the study of genetics of organisms living in freshwater or marine habitats. Carefully edited chapters are headed by broad review articles against which are set a number of more specific experience papers which demonstrate the breadth and range of approaches currently being undertaken.

Mussels are important to the aquaculture industries and in providing environmental services, as environmental sentinels. Blue mussels (Mytilus sp) have been used for many years as an environmental sentinel species to study stress responses and the biological/chemical analysis made on them act as a diagnostic tool of the presence of environmental contaminants. Such responses are distinct in different sexes of mussels and thus it is very important to know the sex of the mussels while using them as a sentinel organism. The problem is that while mussels are gonochoristic, sex cannot be established by anatomy and instead requires resource-demanding histology. To circumvent this difficulty molecular techniques for sex identification have been developed and also used to study the reproductive cycle. The analysis of reproductive cycle is important for the aquaculture industries so that ropes can be placed during the spawning stages to increase the settlement of spat. The Scottish government has challenged the aquaculture industry to double their production by 2020 and it is very , important to more accurately identify the mussel spawning season at different locations. This study focuses on the molecular characterisation of the reproductive , genes, identifying new sex-specific genes and also analysing the reproductive cycle. Since the cycle may be subject to environmental factors, the effects of heavy metals on the levels of sex-specific transcripts were also studied. A temporal study using a qPCR assay was performed to analyse the level of male- specific VCL (vitelline coat lysin) and female-specific VERL (vitelline envelope \, receptor for lysin) transcripts thereby analysing the gametogenesis and spawning stages of the cycle. This study of mussels from Lunderston Bay, Firth of Clyde, UK showed that gametogenesis was initiated during September, gametes were mature by February and spawning occurred between then and June. Mussels were quiescent between July and August. Parallel histology anchored the observation in variation of the transcripts to specific gametogenic stages. It was observed that water temperature is correlated with the reproductive cycle and initiation of gametogenesis occurred as temperature declined from their maxima whiles the start of spawning coincided with temperatures rising from' their winter minima. Using gametes collected by artificial spawning it was shown that the VCL and VERL transcripts were present in the gametes and thus their decline through the spring is a proxy for spawning. This study set out to discover new sex -specific transcripts, and focussed on female specific targets isolated from a previously prepared female-specific SSH library. One such transcript, termed H5, because its identity could not be established through BLAST searches, was found to follow the same temporal profile as VERL and to be present in eggs. A study on the effects of metals (copper and arsenic) on the levels of VCL/VERL and metallothionein transcripts was also conducted and it showed that exposure to metals does affect the levels of the sex-specific transcripts. The exposure to copper resulted in an increased level of expression in VCLNERL transcripts while exposure to arsenic resulted in a decrease in the mussel gonads. The level of metallothionein transcripts were also assessed in the mussels exposed to metals during a field experiment in a site putatively contaminated with 'copper and the exposure experiment. The levels of metallothioneins varied, in a sex-specific, concentration- dependent tissue-specific and metal-specific way. So as to understand local variation in the timing of the reproductive cycle a study of the levels of VCL/VERL transcription in mussels at various locations in the Hebrides, mainly Isle of Lewis, was conducted. Significant differences were found in the time at which gamete maturity and initiation of spawning were reached and in apparent fecundity even over small spatial distances in a period between January and March. ", Surprisingly at one location in Lewis, mussels matured earlier than at Lunderston Bay even though the site is at significantly higher latitude. This study demonstrates the importance of knowing the reproductive cycle for mussel growers. and for the use of mussels as environmental sentinels.