Genetic Data on Invasive Tunicate Populations in Nova Scotia

Data from a study disentangling invasion processes in a dynamic shipping-boating network. The dataset includes genetic analysis results from 874 Botryllus schlosseri individuals sampled from 26 coastal populations in Nova Scotia, Canada. It was created by Anaïs Lacoursière-Roussel and published in 2020 to evaluate the roles of commercial shipping and recreational boating in species introduction and spread.

Use Cases

• Analyze genetic diversity and structure across 26 port and marina populations to infer single vs. multiple introduction scenarios.
• Compare mitochondrial COI and nuclear microsatellite marker data from 874 individuals to assess the relative influence of shipping and boating vectors on primary introductions.
• Model population similarity and connectivity patterns to evaluate the interaction between shipping and boating networks for secondary spread.
• Use the 10 microsatellite markers to study loss of genetic diversity from port to marina populations as evidence of vector strength.

Strengths

• Includes genetic data from 874 individual tunicate specimens, providing a substantial sample for population-level analysis.
• Covers 26 distinct geographic populations (5 ports, 21 marinas) along the Nova Scotia coast, enabling spatial comparison.
• Employs two complementary genetic markers: mitochondrial COI gene sequences and 10 nuclear microsatellite loci for robust analysis.
• Dataset is openly available under a CC0 1.0 public domain dedication, facilitating unrestricted reuse.

Limitations

• Dataset scope is geographically limited to the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, which may limit generalizability to other regions.
• The sample of ~30 individuals per population, while standard, may limit power for detecting rare alleles or fine-scale genetic structure.
• Data is a static snapshot from a specific study period; temporal dynamics of invasion are inferred, not directly observed over time.

Provenance

Source

Dryad digital repository, from the study 'Disentangling invasion processes in a dynamic shipping - boating network'.

Collection Method

Field collection of tunicate specimens followed by laboratory genetic analysis using mitochondrial COI sequencing and 10 nuclear microsatellite markers.

Time Range

Specific collection dates not provided in input; study published in 2020.

Freshness

Data represents a study published in 2020.

Geography

Coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, specifically 5 ports and 21 marinas.