A Genetic Investigation of the Brook Trout Population Structure of Three Watersheds Located in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan, U.S.A

Project Title:  A Genetic Investigation of the Brook Trout Population Structure of Three Watersheds Located in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan, U.S.A.

Authors:  Jonathan J. Pearce, Katherine C. Teeter and Jill B. K. Leonard

Presentation Type:  Poster

Abstract:  In the Lake Superior basin, brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) display several life histories including stream residents and adfluvial coasters, which have been the focus of a project to determine the genetic interrelationships between populations residing in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan. Tissue samples were analyzed from brook trout residing in three watersheds (Hurricane, Mosquito, Sevenmile) that are known to be connected by the movement of individuals. The upper stream sections of the watershed provide genetic information from landlocked/spatially separated brook trout for comparison to lower stream sections that provide genetic information on possible mixed populations between watersheds. Multilocus genotypes were determined using polymorphic microsatellite markers amplified via PCR, and fluorescently labeled via CAG tag modifications. These products were run on the Applied Biosystems 3100 Avant Genetic Analyzer, scored with Applied Biosystem’s GeneMapper software to determine allele sizes, and analyzed using the Arlequin software package to determine basic measures of genetic diversity and population genetic parameters. Additional analyses will be performed for the detection of population structure and putative migration between groups. Results suggest structure within the populations that is linked to movement patterns previously identified within the systems.