Combining ecological and genetic studies to inform brook trout restoration

The traditional view of Appalachian brook trout population structure holds that the species is isolated within small, cold, low productivity headwater streams with very low levels of intermixing of individuals among streams.  Microsatellite genetics of southern Appalachian populations have tended to reinforce this view.  However, recent studies in central Appalachian streams suggest that the spatial structure of brook trout populations in this region may be more complex than previously thought.  We will present a series of results from both ecological (mark-recapture and telemetry) and genetics (microsatellites) studies of West Virginia brook trout that indicate: 1- dispersal plays a major role in the ecology of brook trout at a watershed scale; and 2- the spatial structure of brook trout populations can be best described as source-sink meta-populations.  These results suggests that managing brook trout streams in isolation of the surrounding stream network may place local populations at risk of extirpation and may fail to maximize the watershed scale productivity of brook trout fisheries.  Finally, we will discuss how the combination of ecological and genetics studies has led to development of comprehensive watershed management plans for brook trout that integrate headwater stream and larger mainstem restoration projects with dispersal barrier removal.