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Abstract Essential information for the conservation unit is still unclear in commercially important kelpSaccharina japonica. Previous analyses of population genetic structure have yielded inconsistent results regarding the number of clusters, especially in Japan. Thus, the genetic structure ofS. japonicain Japan was studied using the mitochondrialnad3-16S rDNA region. We detected 88 haplotypes in the 483 individuals collected from 46 localities. Unique haplotypes and one or a few shared haplotypes at a local scale were found in most localities. The observed genetic structure revealed cryptic invasions ofS. japonicawithin Japan and the potential for thenad3-16S rDNA region to identify the geographic origin. Bayesian Analysis of Population Structure analysis andFSTsuggested genetic distinctiveness in southwestern Hokkaido. The haplotype network showed a more detailed starburst pattern compared with the results of previous studies based on mitochondrialCOIandtrnW-trnI. Accordingly,S. japonicain Japan may represent one genetic group that experienced a recent expansion. Unique or locally shared haplotypes and similarity in haplotype diversity on various coasts of Hokkaido could be explained by the refugia ofS. japonicaduring the Last Glacial Maximum on various coasts. Furthermore, the present study also recognized inconsistencies in the genetic structure and distribution ofS. japonicavarieties.Therefore, further investigations focused on the taxonomic validation of varieties are needed.
Chizaki et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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