Overall genetic structure
Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) of retained samples based on
pairwise identity-by-state did not identify any significantly
genetically distinct population:age groups (PERMANOVA p> 0.1, Fig. 1 E). Lack of genetic differentiation between
adults indicates that, on the island scale larval dispersal and
recruitment are unrestricted, as is expected for broadcast-spawning
corals (Davies et al.
2015). Yet, we don’t have support for the first prediction of the SRS,
that juveniles would show some genetic structure, or “chaotic genetic
patchiness” sensu(Johnson and Black 1982),
due to different parents “winning the sweepstakes” at different
locations.