Biodiversity and evolution of aquatic environments analyzed by molecular tools

Abstract

Molecular tools constitute an universal, unprecedented instrument to study the origin and evolution of biological diversity of complex aquatic systems. These tools, including molecular markers and new theoretical and statistical models to analyze them, have helped to reveal patterns and processes about biodiversity, population genetics, phylogeography and evolution of organisms that inhabit these systems, which previously was not possible with conventional tools. Advances included: 1) the discovery of a large number of species, particularly microorganism, and the knowledge of the complexity and functionality of aquatic microbial communities, 2) the unveiling of the genetic structure to finescale, 3) the extension of the knowledge about the phylopatry behavior, the connection between populations and the evolutionary history of gene lineages and 4) the description of the origin, radiation patterns, adaptation and coevolution at macroevolutive scale from different taxa. The continuous improvement of these tools and the integration of other disciplines help to have a more complete vision on biodiversity, ecology and evolution in these systems.