Population genetics of Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the upper Athabasca River basin

Abstract Freshwater ecosystems are negatively impacted by a variety of anthropogenic stressors, with concomitant elevated rates of population decline for freshwater aquatic vertebrates. Because reductions in population size and extent can negatively impact genetic diversity and gene flow, which are...

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Autores principales: Emma K. T. Carroll, Steven M. Vamosi
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Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: Wiley 2021
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Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/391854d7d8904100a5daecbb6001eb2b
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spelling oai:doaj.org-article:391854d7d8904100a5daecbb6001eb2b2021-11-08T17:10:40ZPopulation genetics of Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the upper Athabasca River basin2045-775810.1002/ece3.8110https://doaj.org/article/391854d7d8904100a5daecbb6001eb2b2021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8110https://doaj.org/toc/2045-7758Abstract Freshwater ecosystems are negatively impacted by a variety of anthropogenic stressors, with concomitant elevated rates of population decline for freshwater aquatic vertebrates. Because reductions in population size and extent can negatively impact genetic diversity and gene flow, which are vital for sustained local adaptation, it is important to measure these characteristics in threatened species that may yet be rescued from extinction. Across its native range, Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) extent and abundance are in decline due to historic overharvest, invasive non‐native species, and habitat loss. In Alberta's Eastern Slope region, populations at the range margin have progressively been lost, motivating us to better understand the amount and distribution of genetic variation in headwater habitats and some downstream sites where they continue to persist. Across this region, we sampled 431 Bull Trout from 20 sites in the Athabasca and Saskatchewan River basins and assayed 10 microsatellite loci to characterize within‐ and among‐population genetic variation. The Saskatchewan and Athabasca River basins contained similar levels of heterozygosity but were differentiated from one another. Within the Athabasca River basin, five genetically differentiated clusters were found. Despite the evidence for genetic differentiation, we did not observe significant isolation‐by‐distance patterns among these sites. Our findings of ample genetic diversity and no evidence for hybridization with non‐native Brook Trout in headwater habitats provide motivation to ameliorate downstream habitats and remove anthropogenic barriers to connectivity towards the goal of long‐term persistence of this species.Emma K. T. CarrollSteven M. VamosiWileyarticleBull Troutconservationmicrosatellitespopulation geneticspopulation structureSalvelinusEcologyQH540-549.5ENEcology and Evolution, Vol 11, Iss 21, Pp 14509-14520 (2021)
institution DOAJ
collection DOAJ
language EN
topic Bull Trout
conservation
microsatellites
population genetics
population structure
Salvelinus
Ecology
QH540-549.5
spellingShingle Bull Trout
conservation
microsatellites
population genetics
population structure
Salvelinus
Ecology
QH540-549.5
Emma K. T. Carroll
Steven M. Vamosi
Population genetics of Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the upper Athabasca River basin
description Abstract Freshwater ecosystems are negatively impacted by a variety of anthropogenic stressors, with concomitant elevated rates of population decline for freshwater aquatic vertebrates. Because reductions in population size and extent can negatively impact genetic diversity and gene flow, which are vital for sustained local adaptation, it is important to measure these characteristics in threatened species that may yet be rescued from extinction. Across its native range, Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) extent and abundance are in decline due to historic overharvest, invasive non‐native species, and habitat loss. In Alberta's Eastern Slope region, populations at the range margin have progressively been lost, motivating us to better understand the amount and distribution of genetic variation in headwater habitats and some downstream sites where they continue to persist. Across this region, we sampled 431 Bull Trout from 20 sites in the Athabasca and Saskatchewan River basins and assayed 10 microsatellite loci to characterize within‐ and among‐population genetic variation. The Saskatchewan and Athabasca River basins contained similar levels of heterozygosity but were differentiated from one another. Within the Athabasca River basin, five genetically differentiated clusters were found. Despite the evidence for genetic differentiation, we did not observe significant isolation‐by‐distance patterns among these sites. Our findings of ample genetic diversity and no evidence for hybridization with non‐native Brook Trout in headwater habitats provide motivation to ameliorate downstream habitats and remove anthropogenic barriers to connectivity towards the goal of long‐term persistence of this species.
format article
author Emma K. T. Carroll
Steven M. Vamosi
author_facet Emma K. T. Carroll
Steven M. Vamosi
author_sort Emma K. T. Carroll
title Population genetics of Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the upper Athabasca River basin
title_short Population genetics of Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the upper Athabasca River basin
title_full Population genetics of Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the upper Athabasca River basin
title_fullStr Population genetics of Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the upper Athabasca River basin
title_full_unstemmed Population genetics of Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the upper Athabasca River basin
title_sort population genetics of bull trout (salvelinus confluentus) in the upper athabasca river basin
publisher Wiley
publishDate 2021
url https://doaj.org/article/391854d7d8904100a5daecbb6001eb2b
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AT stevenmvamosi populationgeneticsofbulltroutsalvelinusconfluentusintheupperathabascariverbasin
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