Genetic Assignment of Brook Trout Reveals Rapid Success of Culvert Restoration in Headwater Streams. (31st August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wood, Darren M.; Welsh, Amy B.; Todd Petty, J.
• Is Part Of: North American journal of fisheries management. Volume 38:Number 5(2018)
• Page Start: 991
• Page End: 1003
• Publication Date: 2018-08-31
• Subjects: Fishery management -- United States -- Periodicals; 333.956097305
• DOI: 10.1002/nafm.10185
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0275-5947

Abstract

Abstract: Fragmentation of aquatic habitats is a global conservation concern. Losses of both biodiversity and genetic diversity have been attributed to this phenomenon as dispersal movements between habitat patches are restricted. Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis in the upper Shavers Fork watershed of West Virginia exhibit high dispersal rates and lengthy dispersal distances; however, road culverts have been hypothesized to influence the movement of Brook Trout between tributaries. Removing impassable culverts could serve as a tool to facilitate movements into previously isolated streams. We classified the passability of road culverts by their physical attributes and collected samples above each structure as well as in two streams without culverts to test for genetic population differentiation attributed to culverts. After we determined that the majority of streams consisted of a single genetic population, with the exception of two streams containing culverts designated as impassable (Beaver Creek and Lamothe Hollow), the culvert structures were restored to eliminate outlets perched above the stream bottom and were subsequently resampled 1 year after project completion. Although no individuals were assigned as first‐generation migrants into either Beaver Creek or Lamothe Hollow before culvert restoration, five individuals were detected as first‐generation migrants into Beaver Creek (13%), and one individual was identified as a first‐generation migrant into Lamothe Hollow (4.5%) after culvert restoration. Three different streams were found to be sources of the migrants into Beaver Creek, and the single individual migrating into Lamothe Hollow was from a fourth source stream. The identification of first‐generation migrants through genetic assignment not only provides a tool with which to test the effectiveness of barrier removal and subsequent restoration success but also to support the importance of culvert replacement in headwater streams.