A Fine-scale Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Population Genetic Patterns in the Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens)
type: CreativeWork
description: The genetic structure of a species encompasses the distribution of genetic diversity and composition among its component populations, providing important insight for conservation and management. This knowledge can be used to evaluate life history, gene flow, recruitment dynamics, and responses to exploitation and habitat changes. Discerning the changes or consistencies in population genetic patterns over time can provide important insights into the mechanisms that regulate genetic resiliency. Ultimately, analyses of spatial and temporal population genetic patterns may be used to conserve genetic diversity, unique variability, and adaptive potential. The yellow perch Perca flavescens (Percidae: Teleostei) provides an opportunity to investigate these patterns, as its population groups have experienced variable annual recruitment, high exploitation as a popular fishery in the Laurentian Great Lakes, and have not been evaluated previously for temporal consistency in genetic patterns. The objective of this thesis is to analyze the spatial and temporal genetic diversity and divergence of yellow perch spawning groups in order to better understand its life history responses and advance knowledge aiding its management. Population genetic patterns of yellow perch spawning groups are assessed across the Huron-Erie Corridor (HEC) and from locations in Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario using 15 nuclear DNA microsatellite loci. Results of this thesis research indicate that yellow perch spawning groups have appreciable genetic diversity and are distinguished from one another by considerable genetic differences. For example, the group spawning at the Belle Isle restoration site in the Detroit River has relatively high genetic diversity, with an appreciable number of alleles and private alleles. Yellow perch spawning at sites in Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario also show substantial genetic diversity whose levels are consistent over time. However, the genetic composition of yello…
abstract: The genetic structure of a species encompasses the distribution of genetic diversity and composition among its component populations, providing important insight for conservation and management. This knowledge can be used to evaluate life history, gene flow, recruitment dynamics, and responses to exploitation and habitat changes. Discerning the changes or consistencies in population genetic patterns over time can provide important insights into the mechanisms that regulate genetic resiliency. Ultimately, analyses of spatial and temporal population genetic patterns may be used to conserve genetic diversity, unique variability, and adaptive potential. The yellow perch Perca flavescens (Percidae: Teleostei) provides an opportunity to investigate these patterns, as its population groups have experienced variable annual recruitment, high exploitation as a popular fishery in the Laurentian Great Lakes, and have not been evaluated previously for temporal consistency in genetic patterns. The objective of this thesis is to analyze the spatial and temporal genetic diversity and divergence of yellow perch spawning groups in order to better understand its life history responses and advance knowledge aiding its management. Population genetic patterns of yellow perch spawning groups are assessed across the Huron-Erie Corridor (HEC) and from locations in Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario using 15 nuclear DNA microsatellite loci. Results of this thesis research indicate that yellow perch spawning groups have appreciable genetic diversity and are distinguished from one another by considerable genetic differences. For example, the group spawning at the Belle Isle restoration site in the Detroit River has relatively high genetic diversity, with an appreciable number of alleles and private alleles. Yellow perch spawning at sites in Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario also show substantial genetic diversity whose levels are consistent over time. However, the genetic composition of yello…
author: Sullivan, Timothy J., Jr.
language: English
keywords: Biology, Conservation, Ecology, Genetics, Lake Erie, Yellow Perch, Microsatellites, Population Genetics
date published: 2013-08-22
date modified: 2026-07-24T03:37:01Z
provider: OhioLINK
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Toledo