Migration of steelhead - Genetic Basis of Migratory Tendency and Life History Plasticity in Oncorhynchus mykiss

Steelhead population abundance is depressed throughout much of its southern range, and several Distinct Population Segments (DPSs) are listed as threatened or endangered under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA). Some anadromous populations are associated with relatively large resident trout populations, and some of these resident populations can produce migrating smolts. We are trying to determine the genetic architecture, population history, and plasticity of anadromy and residency in this species, with the intent of determining whether the hybrid migratory strategy expressed in wild populations like this is key to maintaining long-term resilience and productivity of anadromous populations. This collection of NWFSC Genetics and Evolution Program studies represents a long-term collaboration between NWFSC and the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, the Southwest Fisheries Science Center, the National Park Service, the US Forest Service, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and the US Geological Survey to understand the intrinsic (biological, genetic) and extrinsic (environmental) factors that influence production, diversity, and variation in these characteristics in wild steelhead and the resident trout they interact with. It involves annual fieldwork to collect data on juvenile and adult fish and reconstruct their molecular pedigrees and conduct quantitative genetic analyses, as well as to assess temporal trends in abundance and productivity and the condition of their freshwater habitats.
Genetic basis of migratory tendency and life history plasticity in Oncorhynchus mykiss.