The overall objective of BIOGAP was to develop specific, testable models for demography and gene flow in four marine algal species representative of the main life histories types and with a main ecological significance along the European coastlines. In these species, the evolutionary demography was investigated using a matrix modelling approach, that integrated the particular life-history graphs and measurements of standard vital rates. The population spatial genetic structure and gene flow were modelled using molecular markers: Microsatellites and Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD).
The four species studied in the BIOGAP exhibit different life histories and distribution patterns. Two study species were red algae, Gracilaria gracilis and Gelidium canariensis and the two other species brown algae, Laminaria digitata and Ascophyllum nodosum. Three of these species represent a sustainable coastal resource, and they provide important habitats for fish and invertebrates. Preliminary attempts to develop meaningful projections about ecosystem stability/resilience and the maintenance of the biodiversity of these European marine natural algal resources were made in BIOGAP