Publications
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Phylogeography of the introduced species **Rattus rattus** in the western Indian Ocean, with special emphasis on the colonization history of Madagascar University of Antwerp
Aim To describe the phylogeographic patterns of the black rat, Rattus rattus, from islands in the western Indian Ocean where the species has been introduced (Madagascar and the neighbouring islands of Réunion, Mayotte and Grande Comore), in comparison with the postulated source area (India). Location Western Indian Ocean: India, Arabian Peninsula, East Africa and the islands of Madagascar, Réunion, Grande Comore and Mayotte. Methods ...
Learning from small islands in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO): A systematic review of responses to environmental change Vrije Universiteit Brussel Hasselt University
Tropical small islands are particularly vulnerable to environmental impacts. In the small islands of the Western
Indian Ocean (WIO), multiple stressors of environmental and socio-economic change interact and intensify at reduced spatial scales. Actors and institutions need to respond to these changes through responses – reactive or proactive actions planned or implemented by individuals, groups or organisations; aimed at responding to ...
Indian Ocean (WIO), multiple stressors of environmental and socio-economic change interact and intensify at reduced spatial scales. Actors and institutions need to respond to these changes through responses – reactive or proactive actions planned or implemented by individuals, groups or organisations; aimed at responding to ...
Historical biogeographical analysis of the Udoteaceae (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta) elucidates origins of high species diversity in the Central Indo-Pacific, Western Indian Ocean and Greater Caribbean regions Meise Botanic Garden
There is a growing interest in elucidating the biogeographical processes underlying biodiversity patterns of seaweeds, with recent studies largely focusing on red and brown macroalgae. This study focuses on the siphonous green algal family Udoteaceae, which is diverse and globally distributed in tropical to warm-temperate seas, and includes species that form important components of tropical reefs. We explored the historical processes that have ...
Lobophora (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae) from the western Indian Ocean : diversity and biogeography Ghent University Meise Botanic Garden
The brown algal genus Lobophora (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae) is an important ecological component of tropical marine systems. Although still scantily sampled, 35 species of Lobophora were discovered previously from the western Indian Ocean. This study updates previous diversity estimates by incorporating recent collections from Madagascar, Mozambique, and the Red Sea, considerably improving our knowledge of Lobophora diversity and biogeography in ...
Genetic population structure of the coral reef sea star Linckia laevigata in the Western Indian Ocean and Indo-West Pacific Vrije Universiteit Brussel
The coral reef sea star Linckia laevigata is common on shallow water coral reefs of the Indo-West Pacific. Its large geographic distribution and comprehensive data from previous studies makes it suitable to examine genetic differentiation and connectivity over large geo- graphical scales. Based on partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene this study investigates the genetic population structure and connectivity of L. ...
Linkage between fish functional groups and coral reef benthic habitat composition in the Western Indian Ocean Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Benthic habitat composition is a key factor that structures assemblages of coral reef fishes. However, natural and anthropo- genic induced disturbances impact this relationship. This study investigates the link between benthic habitat composition and fish functional groups in four countries in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Benthic composition of 32 sites was quantified visually from percentage cover of hard and soft corals, rubble, turf, ...
Expansion of the mangrove species Rhizophora mucronata in the Western Indian Ocean launched contrasting genetic patterns Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Estimates of population structure and gene flow allow exploring the historical and contemporary processes that determine a species' biogeographic pattern. In mangroves, large-scale genetic studies to estimate gene flow have been conducted predominantly in the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic region. Here we examine the genetic diversity and connectivity of Rhizophora mucronata across a > 3,000 km coastal stretch in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) ...
Genetic population structure of the mangrove snails Littoraria subvittata and L. pallescens in the Western Indian Ocean Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Littoraria snails are an important component of the food chain in the mangrove ecosystem. This study intends to examine the influence of the Western Indian Ocean currents and isolation-by-distance (IBD) on the genetic diversity and structure of Littoraria subvittata and Littoraria pallescens, which are the most dominant species of Littoraria along the East African coast. A fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene from 334 individuals of L. ...
Restricted gene flow among western Indian Ocean populations of the mangrove whelk Terebralia palustris (Linnaeus, 1767) (Caenogastropoda: Potamididae) Vrije Universiteit Brussel
To investigate gene-flow patterns in the western Indian Ocean (WIO), tissue samples of Terebralia palustris were collected along the coasts of East Africa and Madagascar. A fragment of the mitochondrial cyto- chrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was sequenced in 308 individuals from 18 sites. Based on a COI fragment of 624 base pairs, 43 haplotypes were identified. The two most abundant haplotypes were shared among all sample sites, but 20.9% ...