Publications by authors named "Carles Pla"
Article Synopsis
- The zebra and quagga mussels are invasive species that significantly impact freshwater ecosystems and economies once they become established.
- Early detection of these mussels is critical, as eradication is nearly impossible.
- This study developed a qPCR method using the histone H2B gene to detect and quantify their DNA in water samples, helping to monitor and manage their spread effectively.
Article Synopsis
- The zebra mussel is a highly invasive freshwater species that poses significant ecological and economic challenges once established in new environments.
- Researchers developed and validated 14 polymorphic microsatellite loci (SSRs) from a larger set, aiding in the genetic understanding of zebra mussels in the Iberian Peninsula.
- The findings suggest a method to efficiently determine the number of SSRs needed for validation in similar studies, potentially lowering costs in genetic research.
Article Synopsis
- Captive-bred animals, including non-native brown trout, are often released to boost populations but risk harming native genetic diversity due to hybridization.
- The eastern Pyrenees management agency has established "genetic refuges" to protect native brown trout by banning hatchery releases while maintaining pre-existing fishing regulations.
- Effective management requires addressing scientific, cultural, and political challenges, gaining support from anglers, and monitoring both native and introgressed populations to balance conservation and human use.
Comparative phylogeography has revealed remarkable patterns of concordance in the maternal phylogenies of many species. The phylogeography and historical demography of the mitochondrial control region I for 607 Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and 275 swordfish (Xiphias gladius) were analyzed to clarify the complex phylogenetic signals in the North Atlantic-Mediterranean region where they are sympatric. Atlantic bluefin tuna mtDNA is polyphyletic, and includes rare sequences sister to Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) and introgressed albacore (Thunnus alalunga) sequences.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComplete sequencing of the mitochondrial control region was used to describe phylogenetic relationships of brown trout populations (Salmo trutta) in the Mediterranean river basins of Iberia and to review the historical biogeography of trout from the Mediterranean regions. Phylogenetic relationships among trout lineages suggested that the Danubian one is the most ancestral, in accordance with the eastern origin of most of the European freshwater fish species. Nested-clade and mismatch analyses suggested that the present distribution of haplotypes of the Adriatic and Mediterranean lineages resulted from population expansions originated, respectively, from central and western Europe, which favoured extensive secondary contacts between lineages.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSequence analysis of the mtDNA control region of four samples (n=195) of Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda) collected along the northern Mediterranean reveals two clades about 8.1% divergent distributed in an east-west cline that fits an isolation by distance (IBD) model. The vicariant origin of this genetic discontinuity is proposed, supported in addition to the cline, by evidence of distinct historical demographic factors affecting each clade.
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