Molecular Ecology and
Fisheries Genetics Laboratory
http:// biology.bangor.ac.uk/research/mefgl
School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH OFFICER IN MOLECULAR ECOLOGY
(08-7/111)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Population structure of cod around the UK: scale, mechanisms and dynamics
Summary. Despite continuing efforts aimed at elucidating the population structure of exploited
marine fishes, most stock assessment and management practices fail to incorporate data from
biologically-based spatial models or take account of stability in the distribution or dynamics of
putative stocks. Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, is one such species where there exists a
comprehensive database on distribution and abundance, though with continuing uncertainty in
the extent and underlying causes of population structuring. Such knowledge gaps hinder not
only our ability to generate meaningful stock-recruitment relationships, but importantly also
constrain implementation of practices requiring a spatial component such as the design of
marine protected areas, regional variation in fishing effort, and certification and traceability of
fish and fish products. Here we aim to determine the spatial scale, stability and nature of factors
impacting the dynamics of structuring in cod populations around the UK. We will integrate
recent research findings and planned new research using microsatellites, single nucleotide
polymorphisms (SNPs), tagging studies, and otolith microchemistry across three UK fisheries
laboratories (Fisheries Research Services (FRS), Centre for Environment, Fisheries and
Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) and Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI)), at HEI’s
(Bangor (UWB), Hull University (HU) and Strathclyde (SU)), and harnessing the capabilities
within a NERC Institute (Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)), and an
international expert (DTU-DIFRES). Data will be embedded within spatially resolved
population dynamics models to address specific hypotheses of stock connectivity and
assessment of fisheries implications. We will generate models that facilitate the translation of
diverse data into tangible fisheries practice.
Environmental Sciences at UWB
Bangor University (BU) includes one of the largest concentrations of natural
and environmental scientists within any UK university. BU is a traditional university
established in 1884 with ca 8500 students in six academic Colleges (College of Arts
& Humanities; College of Business, Social Sciences & Law; College of Education
and Lifelong Learning; College of Natural Sciences; College of Health & Behavioural
Sciences; College of Physical & Applied Sciences).
Biological Sciences
(http://www.bangor.ac.uk/biology/) is part of the College of Natural Sciences (CNS),
together with the Schools of Environment and Natural Resources
(http://www.senr.bangor.ac.uk/) and Ocean Sciences (http://www.sos.bangor.ac.uk/).
A recent BU initiative is the establishment of the Environment Centre Wales (ECW), a
partnership venture between Bangor University and the Natural Environment
Research Council's Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH). The Centre will function
with a strong emphasis on training and innovative science within the context of
sustainability and conservation of natural resources, an important strategic priority
of many national and international funding bodies. The Molecular Ecology and
Evolution research Group, including the MEFGL, is housed within new purpose-bulit
molecular laboratories on the third floor of ECW. Integral to the ECW is the Wales
Environment Research Hub (WERH) which is funded by Welsh Assembly,
Countryside Council for Wales, Environment Agency Wales, Forestry Commission
Wales, Bangor University, and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. The objective
of the Hub is to improve collaboration and effectiveness of environmental science in
Wales to support delivery of the Welsh Environment Strategy. The overall impact of
the ECW initiative is to facilitate research collaborations across the University, to
increase the critical mass of environmental scientists, and to enhance engagement
with external environmental agencies.
The School of Biological Sciences (http://biology.bangor.ac.uk/) has 30
academic staff, 50 research technicians, research assistants and post-doctoral staff, a
teaching support team of 9 and a central administration team of 7. The School has an
undergraduate and postgraduate student population of approximately 500. It is a
research active school with a range of competitively funded research projects that
provides training and research opportunities to a spectrum of levels including
Postdoctoral Research Officers.
Molecular Ecology at BU
The School of Biological Sciences (SBS) supports a vigorous research base in
molecular ecology and evolution The Molecular Ecology and Evolution Group is
currently organized into two main groups: The Molecular Ecology and Fisheries
Genetics Laboratory, and the Evolution of Reptiles Unit. Both laboratories share
common molecular facilities, group meetings and office space. The wider Group
focuses on an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the processes of behaviour,
population structure and divergence, adaptation and speciation through to the broaderscale evolution of organisms and genomes. A wide range of organisms are studied,
but there is particular expertise in the molecular ecology of aquatic animals
(invertebrates and fish) and lower vertebrates such as island lizards and medically
important venomous snakes (and their venoms). We are housed in purpose built
accommodation and laboratories on the third floor of the new, £8 million ECW . Our
well equipped laboratories have recently benefitted from SRIF3 funding, the Research
Council UK has provided a Fellowship/Lectureship in Fisheries Genetics and
Conservation, the EU has supported three Marie-Curie Fellows in the last 2 years, and
the £10.9 million research partnership between Bangor and Aberystwyth has funded
the newly established Chair in Environmental Genomics, with which we interact. Our
main project funding comes from the NERC, BBSRC, EU, Environment Agency,
Royal Society, DEFRA, Wellcome Trust, Nuffield Foundation, and Leverhulme
Trust. The appointee will have access to a suite of fully integrated molecular
laboratories (coordinated by graduate technicians) including a 96 lane ABI automated
sequencer/genotyper and a Beckman-Coulter capillary sequencer, an Applied
Biosystems- 7900HT Fast Real-Time PCR system, wide range of thermal cyclers and
associated support, and a new dedicated ancient DNA facility. Technical skills
include mtDNA and nuclear intron sequencing, cloning, AFLPs, microsatellite and
SNP development and multiplex screening, and in-depth skills in analysing
population genetic and molecular phylogeographic and phylogenetic data.
Bioinformatic facilities are enhanced by a dedicated Biowulf cluster and server, with
a new bioinformatics suite located adjacent to the molecular laboratories.
The Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory (MEFGL)
The new appointee will become a member of The Molecular Ecology and
Fisheries Genetics Laboratory (MEFGL), a leading research division within the
School of Biological Sciences' (SBS) Molecular Ecology and Evolution Group, one of
the largest research areas within the University. The MEFGL represents one of
Europe’s largest centres focusing on population and species diversity of aquatic
animals, with additional activities on terrestrial mammals and invertebrates. The
current membership of 30 includes 3 Chairs, 1 Lecturer, 6 Postdoctoral Research
Officers/Fellows, 10 PhD students, 4 MSc students, 2 Research Technicians/Research
Support Staff, 3 Honorary Fellows/Research Associates, and one Visiting Scientist. A
central part of our work is the application of molecular markers such as
microsatellites, AFLPs, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and sequence data
(454 and Sanger) to fundamental evolutionary and ecological questions relating to the
origins, levels, distribution and ecological significance of genetic variation in wild
populations. In addition to the focus on neutral markers, facilities and expertise are
expanding on the functional analysis of genomes, including application of
transcriptomics and Real-Time PCR. The MEFGL complements molecular genetic
data with detailed ecological, behavioural and physiological information to facilitate
examination of the underlying causes of individual, population or species diversity in
time and space.
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Our research interests include:
The analysis of population genetic structure
Phylogeography and phylogenetics
Evolution of adaptive traits and functional analysis of genomes
Molecular evolution of genes and genomes
Ecological genetics of clonal animals
Ancient/recovered DNA in molecular ecology
Mechanisms of speciation, especially in tropical freshwater fishes
Conservation genetics
Genetic management of commercially exploited species
DNA barcoding and environmental metagenetics
Wildlife forensics
Traceability of fish and fish products
Pattern, implications and functions of social structure in animal populations
Fisheries research themes include stock structure analysis of exploited fishes,
estimation of effective population size, assessing long-term changes in exploited
species, the impact of genetics on stock recovery, DNA barcoding and conservation of
genetic resources. Pioneering contributions, many in association with Professor
Carvalho’s former Molecular and Evolutionary Ecology Group at the University of
Hull (1996-2004), UK include:
 The first comparative analysis of resting egg bank and contemporary
zooplankton populations using PCR-based DNA recovery, contesting classical
models on the extent and maintenance of genetic diversity in cyclic
parthenogens;
 Application of modern phylogeographic methods which have been part of a
paradigm shift in consideration of zooplankter diversity and speciation;
 Provision of estimates of population structuring and the first comprehensive
phylogeny of Lake Malawi cichlid fishes showing evidence for sympatric
speciation;
 The first empirical demonstration that loss of genetic variability is associated
with over-fishing in a marine fish;
 Technical developments which open up innovative approaches in molecular
ecology, including: (a) rapid PCR-based protocol for microsatellite isolation
(PIMA), (b) the first published accounts of DNA recovery, microsatellite and
mtDNA amplification from sediment-borne resting eggs and archived fish
otoliths dating back 45 years, (c) application of 454 sequencing (“massively
parallel sequencing”), including the development of “phylochips”, in the
analysis on marine meiofaunal biodiversity; (d) SNP discovery in
commercially exploited species, including cod, hake, herring and sole.
Additionally, the MEFGL generates long-term population genetic data sets
through the exploitation of natural (e.g. resting eggs, skeletal materials) and archived
(e.g. fish scales and otoliths) biological repositories using ancient DNA technology.
The MEFGL, originally based at the University of Hull, is a recognised International
Centre of Excellence in the molecular ecology of aquatic animals, as indicated by its
past record: (1) an external research income exceeding £3,000,000 since 1998; (2)
considerable support from a major UK Research Council (Natural Environment
Research Council, NERC: approx. £1,400,000 since 1998); (3) organisation of a
NATO Advanced Study Institute (ASI) in 1998 on Advances in Molecular Ecology
(ASI Director: G.R. Carvalho); (4) publication in leading international journals
including Nature, Science, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA, Genetics, Evolution, Trends
Ecol. Evol., Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. The MEFGL is a member of the Marine Genomics
Europe Network of Excellence and the MARBEF Genetic Biodiversity Key Area, both
of which has training and gender issues as active priorities. Strong international links
have been established with the Fisheries Centre (Vancouver), Max-Planck Institute
for Limnology (Germany), the Bergen Marine Laboratory (Norway), the Danish
Institute for Fisheries Research (Copenhagen),The Royal Belgian Institute for Natural
Sciences (Brussels), the Institute for Biology at Leiden University (Netherlands), the
University of Lisbon, the University of Aveiro and Minho in Portugal, the Royal
Museum of Central Africa (Tervuren, Belgium), Boston University, The Marine
Biological Laboratory (Woods Hole, USA), University of California at Long Beach,
and the Falkland Islands Fisheries Department. Since 1998, Carvalho and his previous
group has attracted 45 international visiting scientists for stays of between 3 months
and 2 years (e.g. Fellowships from NATO, UNESCO, NSERC, EU-TMR, National
Governments of Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Portugal, Spain,
Turkey),and has conducted research and training with numerous international
colleagues and species groups, representing links to Europe, Africa, Australia, New
Zealand, South Africa, Canada, USA, Russia and Antarctica.. The laboratory
regularly acts as host to visiting scientists for training and the development of
molecular genetic markers, especially the isolation of species-specific microsatellites,
and molecular genetic data analysis.
Recent group developments
The MEFGL, together with other members of the Molecular Ecology & Evolution
Group, has recently moved into to the purpose-built research suite embedded within
the Environment Centre Wales (ECW). The new facility provides open-plan office
space for up to 28 postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers, alongside dedicated
PCR, sequencing, bioinformatic, and main laboratory facilities. The recent
appointment of a new Chair in Environmental Genomics, Professor Peter Golyshin, to
the School of Biological Sciences at Bangor, provides a valuable extension of
expertise in technologies, as well as new opportunities for collaborations. Recent
significant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council and the European
Commission has been provided for SNP discovery in exploited marine fishes,
furnishing a repository of informative markers for analysis of population structure as
well as facilitating the analysis of candidate genes. Opportunities and activities in
behavioural ecology, speciation and the analysis of social structure, especially in
tropical freshwater fishes, has received a significant boost with the recent arrival of
Professor George Turner and his Group from Hull University, and the transfer of Dr
Darren Croft and his Group from within the School of Biological Sciences.
Fisheries-related activities were extended in 2007 through the appointment of
Dr N Milner, former Head of Fisheries with the Environment Agency, and currently
fisheries consultant with APEM Ltd, as an Honorary Research Fellow in Fisheries
Science within the MEFGL, thereby offering enhanced opportunities for engagement
with stakeholders. Fisheries biology within SBS and SOS also benefits from the
extensive expertise in physical oceanography and modelling available at BU. The
recent appointment of Dr Rob Ogden and Ross McEwan of Wildlife DNA Services
(http://www.wdnas.com/) as Research Associates within the MEFGL, provides a new
dimension of expertise within wildlife forensics, new marker development and the use
of DNA data within a legislative framework.
Management and infrastructure
Management of research and training in the MEFGL is coordinated by Professor
Carvalho, in conjunction with other staff. Fortnightly meetings of all Group members
take place, at which individuals present recent project progress for general
discussion/trouble-shooting. A monthly Molecular Ecology and Evolution Journal
club, coordinated by postgraduate students, provides a forum for discussion of recent
topical and controversial publications. Formal regular individual meetings are held
between Professor Carvalho and research staff, together with appropriate
collaborators. Extensive training is available to all new Group members, both in
molecular and statistical techniques by specialist technicians, as well as more broadly
from the University in research skills, time management and preparation of grant
applications. Financial support is available to promote Fellow’s activities at
international conferences, and Group members are encouraged to invite speakers to an
occasional MEFGL seminar programme.
Key staff associated with the available position:
Professor Gary Carvalho, head of the MEFGL, is Professor of Molecular Ecology,
and Deputy Head of SBS at BU. He is the coordinator of the 15-partner EU
consortium, FishPopTrace, the programme within which the appointee will be
employed. Gary Carvalho’s research interests include the ecology and evolution of
population differentiation, past-population analysis using PCR-based recovery of
DNA from resting eggs and preserved material, the evolutionary genetics of clonal
animals, fisheries genetics and the evolution of adaptive traits using quantitative and
molecular genetic analysis. He has edited 2 major monographs on molecular ecology
and fisheries genetics, and published 110+ ISI-listed papers, as well as numerous
book chapters etc, and is currently on the editorial boards of Proceedings of the Royal
Society of London B, Molecular Ecology, Conservation Genetics, and was recently
appointed Editor of Fish and Fisheries. His external responsibilities include Chair of
the NERC Molecular Ecology & Evolution Moderating Panel (2007), Chair of the
Consortium for the Barcode of Life European Regional Working Group on DNA
barcoding of Fishes (FISH-BOL), member of the NERC College, member of the
Scientific Advisory Panel of the Environment Agency, membership of the ICES
Working Group on Genetics in Fisheries, past Vice-President of the Fisheries Society
of the British Isles, and past membership of the NERC Thematic Programme on
Environmental Genomics, an advisory NERC panel on Post Genomics and
Proteomics, NERC Steering Group of UK Molecular Genetic Facilities, NERC Panel
for the Antarctic Funding Initiative, various ad hoc committees on Freshwater
(Scottish Executive) and Marine (DEFRA, CEFAS) fish and fisheries, and has served
on various national and international bodies (e.g. Councils of the Marine Biological
Association, The Fisheries Society of the British Isles, and the EU Marie Curie Panel
on Population Biology (Framework 5) ).
Dr Martin Taylor is an RC-UK Research Fellow in the MEGFL at BU, and will
become a full faculty member at the end of his current 5-year Fellowship. He has
research interests which span marine fisheries genetics, and the evolution of African
cichlid fishes and South American catfishes. He has led three recent or current UK
Government funded fisheries genetics projects using high-throughput Taqman realtime PCR based assay for the genetic identification of planktonic fish eggs (cod,
haddock and whiting) and used the assay to map spawning grounds of these species.
He is using molecular techniques to investigate stomach contents of potential
predators of cod and plaice eggs in the Irish Sea. He is also a past co-investigator on a
UK Government funded project investigating fine scale genetic differentiation of cod
in UK waters. He is also interested in the evolutionary biology of fishes, and has
considerable experience of using and developing microsatellite and AFLP markers to
investigate population structure and dispersal in cichlid fishes from the all three East
African Great Lakes. This has revealed evidence of sex-biased dispersal, differences
in dispersal between species with different life history characteristics, and the
influence of water turbidity on reproductive isolation between closely related species.
He is also leading a NERC funded project investigating speciation and genome
evolution in a group of South American catfish. Finally, he has considerable
experience of microsatellite development, having developed microsatellites for many
species. He has 20 scientific papers and a book chapter published or in press. His
external responsibilities include: Associate Editor in charge of genetics for the journal
Marine Biology, Deputy Chair of Fish-Bol (the European bar coding of fishes
initiative), and serves on the Institute of Biology Agriculture, Environment and Land
Use Committee.
Further details of MEFGL activities and staff membership can be found at:
http://biology.bangor.ac.uk/research/mefgl/.