Caracterização da diversidade genética de populações naturais de tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) através de marcadores moleculares: uma contribuição para conservação da espécie.

Abstract

The floodplain ecosystem shelters and supports most of the fish stocks of commercial importance, such as the tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum, which is considered a key species of this ecosystem. This fish is the largest characin of the Amazon and it is highly appreciated as food by the local population. Currently the tambaqui represents 70% of the regional pisciculture, but despite increasing aquiculture output, wild populations have been experiencing severe over-exploitation. To manage natural stocks of tambaqui it is necessary to access a range of information from diverse areas of knowledge, including genetics. It is thus of fundamental importance to access levels of genetic variability and how this variability is distributed throughout the Amazon region where the species occurs. This information is necessary to guide management strategies and conservation of this species. To obtain such information, mitochondrial (control region and ATPase gene) and nuclear (microsatellites) molecular markers were used. In this study 14 highly polymorphic microsatellite loci for the tambaqui were developed. These molecular markers were successfully transferred to other species of serrasalmids. For the genetic characterization of the tambaqui, 21 localities in the Amazon basin were sampled. We sequenced 1561pb (control region + ATPase gene) from 539 individuals finding 444 haplotypes, of which 440 were unique. The haplotype diversity was high and relatively homogeneous among all localities, however diversity was smallest in Porto Velho. Data from 12 microsatellite loci were collected from 604 individuals, showing an average of 21,4 alleles per locus. Total HE was 0,78 and heterozygosity levels were homogeneous among sampled localities. Porto Velho and Guaporé showed lower values of HE. These results suggest high levels of genetic variability in the tambaqui. AMOVA and other tests to detect population structure based on both markers indicated that within the Brazilian Amazon basin, the tambaqui comprises a single large population, supported by high gene flow between localities. These results indicate that species management in this area can be unified. Considering the entire sampling scheme, the data suggest a metapopulation scenario between the Brazilian and Bolivian basins, with low genetic differentiation between the basins and restricted gene flow due to isolation by distance. The rapids of the Tapajós and Madeira Rivers are not barriers to gene flow among population samples of tambaqui. A demographically stable population was detected in the Bolivian basin and a historical demographic expansion in the Amazon basin, supported by the large number of haplotypes and the presence of unique alleles in Brazilian localities. The migration rates were higher from white water tributaries to the main channel, while the opposite was true for the clear waters of Tapajós River. The effective population size (Ne) was greater in the channel, and in Jacareacanga and Boca do Acre. Genetic effects of over-exploitation were not detected in the tambaqui due to the high genetic diversity found. However, these findings are showing the historical status compatible with a large effective population size of the species in the past since the time of over-exploitation is still be short to be registered genetically.