Population genomics and connectivity of the blue mussel species complex: insights from a North-East Atlantic hybrid zone

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dc.contributor.authorReed, Thomas
dc.contributor.authorBrophy, D.
dc.contributor.authorGraham, C.T.
dc.contributor.authorLucy, F.E.
dc.contributor.authorMirimin, L.
dc.contributor.funderAtlantic Technological University, ATU
dc.contributor.funderDepartment of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Ireland, DAFM
dc.contributor.funderAndrew Conway
dc.contributor.funderUniversità degli Studi di Trieste, UniTS
dc.contributor.funderMarine Institute
dc.contributor.funderQueen's University Belfast, QUB
dc.contributor.funderGöteborgs Universitet
dc.contributor.funderUniversité de Montpellier, UM
dc.contributor.funderBord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, RFT150321
dc.date.accessioned2026-10-21T12:00:02Z
dc.date.available2026-10-21T12:00:02Z
dc.date.issued2025-11-27
dc.description.abstractBlue mussels (Mytilus spp.) are ecologically and economically important bivalves widespread in both hemispheres. Their relevance to coastal ecosystems and the aquaculture industry has made them extensively studied. The Mytilus complex consists of distinct genetic lineages, including Mytilus edulis, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Mytilus trossulus, and their fertile hybrids. In overlapping areas, they create complex hybrid zones, which have been investigated along European coasts, employing multi-marker approaches. However, knowledge gaps still exist in the North-east Atlantic region, in the middle of their hybrid zone around the island of Ireland, regarding their genomic composition, population structure and connectivity. This study addresses these gaps by genotyping 781 individuals from 26 sites encompassing Ireland's hybrid zone, including both wild and farmed stocks from varying environmental conditions. Using a selected panel of 72 SNP markers we examined relationships among genotypic composition, genetic diversity, isolation by distance (IBD) and environmental variables to identify drivers of Mytilus genetic structure. Results confirmed two distinct genetic lineages and their hybrids, with a clear geographic pattern: the east coast of Ireland is dominated by pure M. edulis genotype populations, while the south, west and north coasts exhibit varying degrees of admixture with M. galloprovincialis genotype. Pure M. galloprovincialis populations were identified at specific sites on the west and north coast. Sea current resistance and wave height were significant predictors for both genotype composition and genetic differentiation. This study corroborates previous findings and provides the first comprehensive investigation of Irish Mytilus spp. population structure and connectivity using a multi-marker approach. The findings highlight the importance of understanding the Mytilus complex's composition and population dynamics to inform sustainable aquaculture practices and monitor potential climate change-driven shifts in the North-east Atlantic region. en
dc.description.sponsorshipBord Iascaigh Mhara|RFT150321
dc.description.versionPublished Version
dc.format.extent22
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.articleide70185
dc.identifier.authororcidReed, Thomas§0000-0002-2993-0477
dc.identifier.authororcidBrophy, D.
dc.identifier.authororcidGraham, C.T.
dc.identifier.authororcidLucy, F.E.
dc.identifier.authororcidMirimin, L.
dc.identifier.citationReed, T, Brophy, D, Graham, C T, Lucy, F E & Mirimin, L 2025, 'Population genomics and connectivity of the blue mussel species complex: insights from a North-East Atlantic hybrid zone', Evolutionary Applications, vol. 18, no. 12, e70185, pp. 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.70185
dc.identifier.doi10.1111/eva.70185
dc.identifier.endpage22
dc.identifier.issn1752-4571
dc.identifier.issued12
dc.identifier.journaltitleEvolutionary Applications
dc.identifier.otherRIS: urn:FDC7D3D539C5E498CB3DBB3DF1A433BD
dc.identifier.otherORCID: /0000-0002-2993-0477/work/199233769
dc.identifier.startpage1
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/19480
dc.identifier.volume18
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherJohn Wiley and Sons Inc
dc.relation.urihttps://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105023310760
dc.rights© 2025, the Author(s). Evolutionary Applications published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
dc.rights.accessrightsopen access
dc.rights.licensenameAttribution 4.0 International
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.statusPeer reviewed
dc.subjectMytilus
dc.subjectNorth-east Atlantic
dc.subjectSNPs
dc.subjectAquaculture
dc.subjectConnectivity
dc.subjectPopulation structure
dc.subject[BEES]
dc.titlePopulation genomics and connectivity of the blue mussel species complex: insights from a North-East Atlantic hybrid zoneen
dc.typeArticle (peer-reviewed)
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