Seagrasses are marine angiosperms, and seagrass beds maintain the species diversity of tropical and subtropical coastal ecosystems. For proper understanding, management and conservation of coastal ecosystems, it is essential to understand seagrass population dynamics. Population genetic studies can cover large geographic scales and contribute to a comprehensive understanding of reproductive dynamics and potential dispersal amo...

What limits a species' distribution in the absence of physical barriers? Genetic load due to asymmetric gene flow and the absence of genetic variation due to lack of gene flow are hypothesized to constrain adaptation to novel environments in marginal populations, preventing range expansion. Here, we examined the genetic structure and geographic variation in morphological traits in two damselflies ( Ischnura asiatica and I. sen...

Cymodocea rotundata is an ecologically important tropical pioneer seagrass species distributed in the Indo‐Pacific region. The population genetic diversity and structure of this species were analysed at 46 sites spanning the Philippines, Ryukyu Islands (northern limit) and Hainan Island, by using microsatellite simple sequence repeat ( SSR ) markers. Analyses revealed the persistence of C. rotundata likely relies on local popu...

Information on genetic diversity and differentiation of seagrass populations is essential for the conservation of coastal ecosystems. However, little is known about the seagrasses in the I ndo‐ W est P acific O cean, where the world's highest diversity of seagrasses occurs. The influence of sea currents on these populations is also unknown. We estimated the genetic diversity and population genetic structure and identified repr...