High‐density genomic data reveal fine‐scale population structure and pronounced islands of adaptive divergence in lake whitefish (<i>Coregonus clupeaformis</i>) from Lake Michigan

Understanding how multiple species and populations vary in their recruitment dynamics can elucidate the processes driving recruitment across space and time. Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) and Cisco (C. artedi) are socioecologically important fishes across their range; however, many Laurentian Great Lakes populations have experienced declining, poor, or sporadic recruitment in recent decades. We integrated catch and age data from 38 long-term surveys across each of the Great Lakes and Lake Simcoe, resulting in a combined time series spanning 1960–2019. We estimated Lake Whitefish and Cisco year-class strength (YCS) in each lake using longitudinal mixed-effects regressions of relative cohort abundance. We subsequently quantified interspecific, spatial, and temporal synchrony in YCS using correlation and dynamic factor analyses. Lake Whitefish YCS was positively spatially synchronous on average, and YCS in all six lakes was elevated during the 1980s–1990s. In contrast, Cisco YCS was sporadic, not spatially synchronous, and highly variable around long-term, lake-specific means. YCS was not synchronous between species in any lake. Collectively, our analyses demonstrate that these species exhibit differential recruitment dynamics that may be regulated by species-specific factors. Results from this study can be leveraged in future research on the causes and consequences of cross-species, cross-basin recruitment variability.

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Human Impacts on Great Lakes Walleye Sander vitreus Structure, Diversity and Local Adaptation

Euclide,

Kuhl,

Wilson

et al. 2024

Molecular Ecology

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Artificial propagation and wild release may influence the genetic integrity of wild populations. This practice has been prevalent in fisheries for centuries and is often termed ‘stocking’. In the Laurentian Great Lakes (Great Lakes here‐on), walleye populations faced declines from the 1950s to the 1970s, prompting extensive stocking efforts for restoration. By the mid‐2010s, walleye populations showed signs of recovery, but the genetic legacy of stocking on population structure at the genomic level remains unclear. Using a dataset of 45,600 genome‐aligned SNP loci genotyped in 1075 walleye individuals, we investigated the genetic impacts of over 50 years of stocking across the Great Lakes. Population structure was associated with both natural geographic barriers and stocking from non‐native sources. Admixture between Lake Erie walleye and walleye from the re‐populated Tittabawassee River indicate that stocking may have re‐distributed putatively adaptive alleles around the Great Lakes. Genome scans identified FST outliers and evidence of selective sweeps, indicating local adaptation of spawning populations is likely. Notably, one genomic region showed strong differentiation between Muskegon River and walleye from the Tittabawassee River, which was re‐populated by Muskegon strain walleye, suggesting admixture and selection both impact the observed genetic diversity. Overall, our study underscores how artificial propagation and translocations can significantly alter the evolutionary trajectory of populations. The findings highlight the complex interplay between stocking practices and population genetic diversity, emphasising the need for careful management strategies to preserve the genetic integrity of wild populations amidst conservation efforts.

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High‐density genomic data reveal fine‐scale population structure and pronounced islands of adaptive divergence in lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) from Lake Michigan

Cited by 3 publications

References 125 publications

Initial insights on the thermal ecology of lake whitefish in northwestern Lake Michigan

Initial insights on the thermal ecology of lake whitefish in northwestern Lake Michigan

Reconstructing half a century of coregonine recruitment reveals species-specific dynamics and synchrony across the Laurentian Great Lakes

Human Impacts on Great Lakes Walleye Sander vitreus Structure, Diversity and Local Adaptation

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