Cah. Biol. Mar. (2011) 52 : 467-483 Using genetic tools for sustainable management of kelps: a literature review and the example of Laminaria digitata Myriam VALERO1,2, Christophe DESTOMBE1,2, Stéphane MAUGER1,2, Cécile RIBOUT1,2,3, Carolyn R. ENGEL1,2, Claire DAGUIN-THIEBAUT1,2 and Florence TELLIER4 (1) UPMC Univ Paris 6, UMR 7144, Laboratoire Adaptation et Diversité en Milieu Marin, Station Biologique, 29680 Roscoff, France. Email:
[email protected] (2) CNRS, UMR 7144, Laboratoire Adaptation et Diversité en Milieu Marin, Station Biologique, 29680 Roscoff, France (3) Present address: CNRS, Université de la Méditerranée Aix Marseille UMR 6540, Diversité, évolution et écologie fonctionnelle marine, Centre d'Océanologie de Marseille, Marseille, France (4) Facultad de Ciencias del Mar & CEAZA, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile Abstract: Kelp forests are threatened by human activities that result in habitat loss or deplete natural stocks, but little is known about genetic diversity, importance of gene flow and effect of population fragmentation on genetic structure. We reviewed the literature to characterize the patterns of connectivity and scales of population structure in kelps. In all, 44 papers have been published on the patterns of genetic differentiation in 17 kelp species, using various kinds of molecular markers. Our literature review showed that population connectivity depends mainly on species’ dispersal abilities and habitat characteristics (intertidal vs. subtidal), but little on their life-span characteristics. Data on within-population gene diversity were found for only seven species and reflect differences in effective population sizes. In addition, we focused on the Brittany populations of Laminaria digitata, one of the most commonly harvested species in Europe, and re-sampled populations studied seven years prior.