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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crwiley:10.1002/ece3.8110 2024-06-02T08:03:05+00:00 Population genetics of Bull Trout ( Salvelinus confluentus) in the upper Athabasca River basin Carroll, Emma K. T. Vamosi, Steven M. Canadian Network for Research and Innovation in Machining Technology, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Alberta Conservation Association Alberta Society of Professional Biologists 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8110 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ece3.8110 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/ece3.8110 en eng Wiley http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ecology and Evolution volume 11, issue 21, page 14509-14520 ISSN 2045-7758 2045-7758 journal-article 2021 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8110 2024-05-03T11:23:58Z 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. Article in Journal/Newspaper Athabasca River Wiley Online Library Athabasca River Ecology and Evolution 11 21 14509 14520 |
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Wiley Online Library |
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English |
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. |
author2 |
Canadian Network for Research and Innovation in Machining Technology, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Alberta Conservation Association Alberta Society of Professional Biologists |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Carroll, Emma K. T. Vamosi, Steven M. |
spellingShingle |
Carroll, Emma K. T. Vamosi, Steven M. Population genetics of Bull Trout ( Salvelinus confluentus) in the upper Athabasca River basin |
author_facet |
Carroll, Emma K. T. Vamosi, Steven M. |
author_sort |
Carroll, Emma K. T. |
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 |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8110 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ece3.8110 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/ece3.8110 |
geographic |
Athabasca River |
geographic_facet |
Athabasca River |
genre |
Athabasca River |
genre_facet |
Athabasca River |
op_source |
Ecology and Evolution volume 11, issue 21, page 14509-14520 ISSN 2045-7758 2045-7758 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8110 |
container_title |
Ecology and Evolution |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
21 |
container_start_page |
14509 |
op_container_end_page |
14520 |
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1800747542348038144 |