Demographic history, marker variability and genetic differentiation in sandy beach fauna: What is the meaning of low FST's?

This note demonstrates the effect of locus variability and demographic history on the estimation of genetic differentiation and its interpretation in terms of ecological connectivity. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI, mtDNA) sequences of the beach clam Donax serra from four sites along the South African coast were analysed. D. serra showed low COI haplotype diversity (h = 0.30 ± 0.069, 7 haplotypes), suggesting expansion from a small source population into extant habitats. As a consequence, statistical power to measure genetic connectivity was low. The lack of genetic population structure therefore does not necessarily demonstrate high connectivity. Although COI has been used successfully to identify species and populations isolated for prolonged periods of time, lack of differentiation has to be interpreted with caution, especially in terms of extant patterns of connectivity.