Ecology Letters, In review

Microsatellites for Ecologists:

A practical guide to using and evaluating microsatellite markers.

Kimberly Selkoe^1,2 and Robert J. Toonen²

¹Dept. of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.

²University of Hawaii at Manoa, The Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Coconut Island, P.O. Box 1346 Kaneohe, Hawaii 97644

Abstract: Recent improvements in genetic analysis and genotyping methods have resulted in a rapid expansion of the power of molecular markers to address ecological questions. Microsatellites have emerged as the most popular and versatile marker for ecological applications. The rise of commercial services that can isolate microsatellites for new study species and genotype samples at reasonable prices presents ecologists with the unprecedented ability to use genetic approaches without heavy investment in specialized equipment. Nevertheless, the lack of accessible and synthesized information on the practicalities and pitfalls of using genetic tools impedes ecologists’ ability to make informed decisions on using molecular approaches and creates the risk that some will use microsatellites without understanding the steps needed to evaluate the quality of a genetic dataset. The first goal of this synthesis is to provide an overview of the strengths and limitations of microsatellites and the risks, cost and time requirements of isolating and using microsatellite markers with the aid of commercial services. The second goal is to encourage the use and consistent reporting of thorough marker screening to ensure high quality genetic data. To that end, we present a multi-step screening process to evaluate candidate loci for inclusion in a genetic study.