Population genomics of the deep-water glass sponges Vazella portalesi and Pheronema carpenter

Prosjekttittel

Population genomics of the deep-water glass sponges Vazella portalesi and Pheronema carpenter

Veiledere

Hans Tore Rapp

Prosjektbeskrivelse

My project aims to investigate the genetic diversity, structure, and connectivity of key habitat-forming sponges of the North Atlantic. The thesis focuses on species from the class Hexactinellida that formstructurally complex habitats and provide important services for the deep sea. We want to learn more about spatial patterns of genetic diversity across each species distribution range, asses the impact of variable fishing pressure on the population structure, and evaluate reproduction strategies in populations (asexual vs. sexual) on different scales and different distribution ranges. We use NGS methods (RADseq) to accomplish our goals.The generated data will deepen our understanding of genetic patterns in the deep-sea sponge grounds and we will learn more about how sustainable they are under human impact. The results will help to design conservation strategies and potential restoration activities of the grounds.