Detailed Research Information

Detailed project information for
Study Plan Number 01067-02

Branch : Fish Health Branch

Study Plan Number : 01067-02

Study Title : Assessment of spatial and temporal distribution of genetic diversity in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Starting Date : 03/15/1995

Completion Date : 09/30/2000

Principal Investigator(s) : Schill, Bane (William)

Primary PI : Schill, Bane (William)

Telephone Number : (304) 724-4438

Email Address : bane_schill@usgs.gov

SIS Number : 5002176

Primary Program Element : Endangered and At-Risk Species

Second Program Element : Fish and Aquatic Habitats

Status : Completed

Abstract : The eastern coastal rivers of North America have historically supported anadromous populations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Numbers of these animals have declined due to overfishing and loss of habitat, and population numbers have been supplemented by stocking efforts that span at least the last hundred years. Often, these stockings used fish of diverse origins. This is exemplified by the fact that several Maine rivers were stocked with Canadian fish from at least two locations. Because of this stocking history, it is not known if significant remnants of native Atlantic salmon stocks exist in the coastal rivers of Maine. Atlantic salmon in five Maine rivers were designated as category 2 candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act in 1991 in response to the precipitous decline in population numbers. In October 1993, all anadromous U.S. Atlantic salmon were included in a petition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for a Rule to List the species under the Endangered Species Act.

Research Summary:

The eastern coastal rivers of North America have historically supported anadromous populations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Numbers of these animals have declined due to overfishing and loss of habitat, and population numbers have been supplemented by stocking efforts that span at least the last hundred years. Often, these stockings used fish of diverse origins. This is exemplified by the fact that several Maine rivers were stocked with Canadian fish from at least two locations. Because of this stocking history, it is not known if significant remnants of native Atlantic salmon stocks exist in the coastal rivers of Maine. Atlantic salmon in five Maine rivers were designated as category 2 candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act in 1991 in response to the precipitous decline in population numbers. In October 1993, all anadromous U.S. Atlantic salmon were included in a petition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for a Rule to List the species under the Endangered Species Act.

Atlantic salmon (n = 1682) from 27 anadromous river populations and two nonanadromous strains ranging from south-central Maine, USA to northern Spain were genotyped at 12 microsatellite DNA loci. This suite of moderate to highly polymorphic loci revealed 266 alleles (5-37/locus) range-wide. Statistically significant allelic and genotypic heterogeneity was observed across loci between all but one pairwise comparison. Significant isolation by distance was found within and between North American and European populations, indicating reduced gene flow at all geographical scales examined. North American Atlantic salmon populations had fewer alleles, fewer unique alleles (though at a higher frequency) and a shallower phylogenetic structure than European Atlantic salmon populations. We believe these characteristics result from the differing glacial histories of the two continents, as the North American range of Atlantic salmon was glaciated more recently and more uniformly than the European range. Genotypic assignment tests based on maximum-likelihood provided 100% correct classification to continent of origin and averaged nearly 83% correct classification to province of origin across continents. This multilocus method, which may be enhanced with additional polymorphic loci, provides fishery managers the highest degree of correct assignment to management unit of any technique currently available. Atlantic salmon in Maine were protected as an Endangered Species on November 13, 2000.

Products:

Peer-reviewed Publications-

King, T.L., S.T. Kalinowski, W.B. Schill, A.P. Spidle & B.A. Lubinski. 2001. Population structure of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.): a range-wide perspective from microsatellite DNA variation. Mol Ecol 10: 807-821.

King, T.L., A.P. Spidle, M.S. Eackles, B.A. Lubinski & W.B. Schill. 2000. Mitochondrial DNA diversity in North American and European Atlantic salmon with emphasis on the downeast rivers of Maine. Journal of Fish Biology 57: 614-630.

Spidle, A.P., W.B. Schill, B.A. Lubinski & T.L. King. 2001. Fine-scale population structure in Atlantic salmon from Maine's Penobscot River drainage. Conservation Genetics 2: 11-24.

Reports-

Schill, W.B. & R.L. Walker. 1994. Genetic evaluation of Atlantic salmon populations of the "Downeast" Rivers of Maine: RAPD markers, National Fish Health Research Laboratory, Kearneysville, WV.

King, T. L., W. B. SCHILL, B. L Lubinski, M. C. Smith, and M. S. Eackles. 1997. Genetic diversity analysis of mtDNA and microsatellite DNA in Atlantic Salmon with emphasis on the downeast rivers of Maine. A preliminary report to Region 5, USFWS, Hadley, MA.

King, T. L., W. B. SCHILL, B. A. Lubinski, M. C. Smith, M. S. Eackles, and R. Coleman. 1999. Microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA diversity in Atlantic salmon with emphasis on small coastal drainages of the downeast and midcoast regions of Maine. A report to Region 5, USFWS, Hadley, MA.

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Branch :	Fish Health Branch
Study Plan Number :	01067-02
Study Title :	Assessment of spatial and temporal distribution of genetic diversity in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
Starting Date :	03/15/1995
Completion Date :	09/30/2000
Principal Investigator(s) :	Schill, Bane (William)
Primary PI :	Schill, Bane (William)
Telephone Number :	(304) 724-4438
Email Address :	bane_schill@usgs.gov
SIS Number :	5002176
Primary Program Element :	Endangered and At-Risk Species
Second Program Element :	Fish and Aquatic Habitats
Status :	Completed
Abstract :	The eastern coastal rivers of North America have historically supported anadromous populations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Numbers of these animals have declined due to overfishing and loss of habitat, and population numbers have been supplemented by stocking efforts that span at least the last hundred years. Often, these stockings used fish of diverse origins. This is exemplified by the fact that several Maine rivers were stocked with Canadian fish from at least two locations. Because of this stocking history, it is not known if significant remnants of native Atlantic salmon stocks exist in the coastal rivers of Maine. Atlantic salmon in five Maine rivers were designated as category 2 candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act in 1991 in response to the precipitous decline in population numbers. In October 1993, all anadromous U.S. Atlantic salmon were included in a petition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for a Rule to List the species under the Endangered Species Act. Research Summary: The eastern coastal rivers of North America have historically supported anadromous populations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Numbers of these animals have declined due to overfishing and loss of habitat, and population numbers have been supplemented by stocking efforts that span at least the last hundred years. Often, these stockings used fish of diverse origins. This is exemplified by the fact that several Maine rivers were stocked with Canadian fish from at least two locations. Because of this stocking history, it is not known if significant remnants of native Atlantic salmon stocks exist in the coastal rivers of Maine. Atlantic salmon in five Maine rivers were designated as category 2 candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act in 1991 in response to the precipitous decline in population numbers. In October 1993, all anadromous U.S. Atlantic salmon were included in a petition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for a Rule to List the species under the Endangered Species Act. Atlantic salmon (n = 1682) from 27 anadromous river populations and two nonanadromous strains ranging from south-central Maine, USA to northern Spain were genotyped at 12 microsatellite DNA loci. This suite of moderate to highly polymorphic loci revealed 266 alleles (5-37/locus) range-wide. Statistically significant allelic and genotypic heterogeneity was observed across loci between all but one pairwise comparison. Significant isolation by distance was found within and between North American and European populations, indicating reduced gene flow at all geographical scales examined. North American Atlantic salmon populations had fewer alleles, fewer unique alleles (though at a higher frequency) and a shallower phylogenetic structure than European Atlantic salmon populations. We believe these characteristics result from the differing glacial histories of the two continents, as the North American range of Atlantic salmon was glaciated more recently and more uniformly than the European range. Genotypic assignment tests based on maximum-likelihood provided 100% correct classification to continent of origin and averaged nearly 83% correct classification to province of origin across continents. This multilocus method, which may be enhanced with additional polymorphic loci, provides fishery managers the highest degree of correct assignment to management unit of any technique currently available. Atlantic salmon in Maine were protected as an Endangered Species on November 13, 2000. Products: Peer-reviewed Publications- King, T.L., S.T. Kalinowski, W.B. Schill, A.P. Spidle & B.A. Lubinski. 2001. Population structure of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.): a range-wide perspective from microsatellite DNA variation. Mol Ecol 10: 807-821. King, T.L., A.P. Spidle, M.S. Eackles, B.A. Lubinski & W.B. Schill. 2000. Mitochondrial DNA diversity in North American and European Atlantic salmon with emphasis on the downeast rivers of Maine. Journal of Fish Biology 57: 614-630. Spidle, A.P., W.B. Schill, B.A. Lubinski & T.L. King. 2001. Fine-scale population structure in Atlantic salmon from Maine's Penobscot River drainage. Conservation Genetics 2: 11-24. Reports- Schill, W.B. & R.L. Walker. 1994. Genetic evaluation of Atlantic salmon populations of the "Downeast" Rivers of Maine: RAPD markers, National Fish Health Research Laboratory, Kearneysville, WV. King, T. L., W. B. SCHILL, B. L Lubinski, M. C. Smith, and M. S. Eackles. 1997. Genetic diversity analysis of mtDNA and microsatellite DNA in Atlantic Salmon with emphasis on the downeast rivers of Maine. A preliminary report to Region 5, USFWS, Hadley, MA. King, T. L., W. B. SCHILL, B. A. Lubinski, M. C. Smith, M. S. Eackles, and R. Coleman. 1999. Microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA diversity in Atlantic salmon with emphasis on small coastal drainages of the downeast and midcoast regions of Maine. A report to Region 5, USFWS, Hadley, MA.
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U.S. Department of the Interior \|\| U.S. Geological Survey 11700 Leetown Road, Kearneysville, WV 25430, USA URL: http://www.lsc.usgs.gov Maintainer: lsc_webmaster@usgs.gov Last Modified: October 21, 2002 dwn Privacy Policy and Disclaimers \|\| FOIA \|\| Accessibility