Since 2015, green tides with Ulva prolifera as the dominant species in the Qinhuangdao coastal waters have continued to occur. In this study, the relationship between green tides in Qinhuangdao and the Yellow Sea (setting sites in Rudong and Qingdao) was evaluated by genetic analyses of U. prolifera. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were used to analyze genetic diversity and genetic relationships among groups. Genetic differentiation was lower among floating U. prolifera populations in Rudong and Qingdao than in Qinhuangdao. The floating U. prolifera population had higher genetic diversity and polymorphism levels in Qingdao and Rudong than in Qinhuangdao. Physiological experiments showed that the growth rate and net buoyancy of floating U. prolifera were highest in Qinhuangdao and Qingdao, respectively, under the same environmental conditions (temperature and light). Overall, these findings showed that U. prolifera populations in the Qinhuangdao and Yellow Sea green tides (Rudong and Qingdao) differ significantly at the molecular and physiological levels. Therefore, the Qinhuangdao green tide is not correlated with the Yellow Sea green tide and has a different origin and development mode. This study provides insight into the mechanism underlying green tide blooms in coastal waters of China.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |