Abstract
Genomic analyses have become fundamental in advancing our understanding of species conservation. Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), a charr native to northwestern North America, face population declines and require protection to ensure their persistence and survival. In my thesis, I used genetic loci known as Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) to investigate the genetic status of bull trout across Alberta. My two main objectives were to: 1) assess the extent of hybridization between bull trout and brook trout (S. fontinalis), and 2) examine the genetic structure and diversity of bull trout across Alberta’s Eastern Slopes. Our results indicate that while hybridization outcomes vary by site, post-F1 hybridization was low. This suggests that a loss of demographic output to F1 hybrids is likely the greatest impact from hybridization on bull trout populations in Alberta. From assessing genetic structure, clear genetic differentiation of bull trout was also observed between the two bull trout Designatable Units, the Western Arctic and Saskatchewan-Nelson, suggesting the presence of two distinct populations in northern and southern Alberta. Additionally, within-watershed diversity was also observed from this analysis, indicating that a high amount of local diversity contributes to bull trout exhibiting a hierarchical metapopulation structure. These findings suggest that management actions should be implemented at a local scale to protect the local adaptations and genetic integrity of bull trout.
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Citation
Franks, E. (2024). Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) population structure and extent of hybridization with brook trout (S. fontinalis) across Alberta’s eastern slopes (Master’s thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.
