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Population connectivity and genetic structure of burbot (Lota lota) populations in the Wind River Basin, Wyoming

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Abstract

Burbot (Lota lota) occur in the Wind River Basin in central Wyoming, USA, at the southwestern extreme of the species’ native range in North America. The most stable and successful of these populations occur in six glacially carved mountain lakes on three different tributary streams and one large main stem impoundment (Boysen Reservoir) downstream from the tributary populations. Burbot are rarely found in connecting streams and rivers, which are relatively small and high gradient, with a variety of potential barriers to upstream movement of fish. We used high-throughput genomic sequence data for 11,197 SNPs to characterize the genetic diversity, population structure, and connectivity among burbot populations on the Wind River system. Fish from Boysen Reservoir and lower basin tributary populations were genetically differentiated from those in the upper basin tributary populations. In addition, fish within the same tributary streams fell within the same genetic clusters, suggesting there is movement of fish between lakes on the same tributaries but that populations within each tributary system are isolated and genetically distinct from other populations. Observed genetic differentiation corresponded to natural and anthropogenic barriers, highlighting the importance of barriers to fish population connectivity and gene flow in human-altered linked lake-stream habitats.

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Acknowledgements

We could not have accomplished this research without extensive help in the field and lab. Joe Deromedi, Paul Gerrity, and Kevin Johnson with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and Mike Mazur with US Fish and Wildlife collected the majority of our fish for genetic sampling, and were invaluable resources during the planning stages of this project. Sean Lewandoski also collected a number of burbot for us. Alex Buerkle provided direction and advice relating to the genetics sample collection and analyses, and provided extensive computing and lab resources. David Underwood provided figure design support. Carlin Girard, Eric Gardunio, and Mary Kathryn Hooley offered intellectual contributions to data interpretation and discussed initial drafts of this manuscript. Dave McDonald and two anonymous reviewers provided feedback that further improved the manuscript. All fish were treated humanely and anesthetized before all surgical procedures in accordance with University of Wyoming Animal Care and Use Committee protocol #A-3216-01. Funding was provided by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the U.S. Geological Survey. Use of trade, product, or firm names does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA

    Zachary E. Underwood

  2. Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA

    Elizabeth G. Mandeville

  3. U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA

    Annika W. Walters

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  1. Zachary E. Underwood
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  2. Elizabeth G. Mandeville
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Correspondence to Zachary E. Underwood.

Additional information

Handling editor: M. Power

This article was originally intended to appear in ‘Ecology, Culture, and Management of Burbot’ guest edited by Martin A. Stapanian & Christopher A. Myrick (published in volume 757 of Hydrobiologia).

Data accessibility Raw sequence data (.fastq files) are available at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) SRA: SRX1078958. SNP files and necessary scripts are available at http://datadryad.org; doi:10.5061/dryad.7842r.

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Underwood, Z.E., Mandeville, E.G. & Walters, A.W. Population connectivity and genetic structure of burbot (Lota lota) populations in the Wind River Basin, Wyoming. Hydrobiologia 765, 329–342 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-015-2422-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-015-2422-y

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