Population genetics of the freshwater red alga <i>Batrachospermum gelatinosum</i> (Rhodophyta) I: Frequent intragametophytic selfing in a monoicous, haploid–diploid species

Life cycles with a prolonged haploid phase are thought to be correlated with greater rates of selfing and asexual reproduction. In red algae, recent population genetic studies have aimed to test this prediction but have mostly focused on marine species with separate sexes. We characterized the reproductive system of the obligately monoicous (i.e., hermaphroditic) freshwater red alga Batrachospermum gelatinosum and predicted that we would find genetic signatures of uniparental reproduction because of its haploid-diploid life cycle. We sampled 18 sites and genotyped 311 gametophytes with 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci to describe the reproductive system. Genotypic richness was low (<0.5) and pareto β values (describing clonal membership) were <0.7 for most sites. In taxa with separate sexes, these patterns are typically indicative of asexual reproduction. However, the genetic consequences of selfing in monoicous gametophytes are indistinguishable from those caused by asexual processes. Since we sampled gametophytes and have not yet genotyped the chantransia (i.e., the diploid phase), we interpreted low diversity as a signature of intragametophytic selfing. Additionally, to understand the factors that drive selfing, we tested latitude and several other environmental variables, but none was significantly correlated with the genetic variation we observed. Nevertheless, future studies should genotype the chantransia to measure observed heterozygosity among other summary statistics to disentangle the effects of selfing versus asexual reproduction. Together, these data, coupled with further characterization of abiotic factors that influence population genetic patterns, will allow us to test potential drivers of reproductive system evolution.