Work

Population genetic structure and connectivity of Enhalus acoroides along the Southern Vietnamese coastline

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction Seagrass meadows have undergone substantial declines in Vietnam over recent decades owing to habitat loss, climate change, nutrient enrichment, and other anthropogenic disturbances. Enhalus acoroides , a dominant large tropical seagrass, has experienced marked reductions in distribution and abundance, yet information on its population genetic structure remains limited. Methods We analyzed genetic diversity, population structure, and contemporary connectivity using 12 microsatellite loci genotyped from 154 multilocus genotypes collected from ten populations distributed across the Eastern waters (central Vietnam, South China Sea) and Western waters (An Giang coast, Gulf of Thailand), with distances among sampling locations ranging from 20 to 1,250 km. Results High clonal diversity (R = 0.77–1.00) indicated that populations were maintained predominantly through sexual reproduction. Genetic diversity varied among populations, with the highest allelic richness observed in Van Phong Bay and Cam Ranh Bay, whereas Cu Mong Lagoon exhibited the lowest diversity. Population genetic analyses revealed significant genetic differentiation, restricted connectivity between the Eastern and Western waters, and a weak but significant pattern of isolation by distance. Nha Trang Bay was highly differentiated from all other populations and received very limited contemporary gene flow, suggesting the influence of habitat-associated isolation. Based on migration rates and relative genetic contribution, Van Phong Bay, Cam Ranh Bay, and Hai Tac Archipelago were identified as candidate source populations for conservation and restoration. Discussion These findings provide a comprehensive assessment of the population genetic structure of E. acoroides in Vietnamese waters and provide a scientific basis for conserving and restoring tropical seagrass ecosystems dominated by E. acoroides .

Source: Frontiers in Plant Science

DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2026.1953986