Honours Theses

Permanent URI for this collection

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1

Genetic and phenotypic variation of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) young-of-the-year in the Upper Salmon River, NB, Canada
(University of New Brunswick, 2022-04) Diesbourg, Emilie; Samways, Kurt; D’Aloia, Cassidy
Determining the spatial scale at which genetic structuring occurs is one of the main goals of conservation genetics because such data can help identify management units. This study assessed the hierarchical genetic structure of Atlantic salmon young-of-the-year in the Upper Salmon River, NB at a fine spatial scale (~6 km). Using seven microsatellite loci, genetic clustering analyses and FST estimates were computed to determine the strength of genetic structure within the river. Patterns of genetic structure were then tested to detect whether they aligned with previously identified morphological groupings, using the same individuals. Subtle genetic differentiation (mean pairwise FST=0.036) and a weak isolation by distance pattern was found to exist within this ~6 km stretch of river. Additionally, not all morphological groupings were genetically distinct. This study highlights the importance of considering within-river genetic structure across small spatial scales for more informed conservation design.