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Spatial patterns of hybridization between bull trout, Salvelinus confluentus, and brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis in an Oregon stream network

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Abstract

Hybridization with introduced species represents a serious threat to the persistence of many native fish populations. Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) have been introduced extensively throughout the native range of bull trout (S. confluentus) and hybridization has been documented in several systems where they co-exist and is seen as a significant threat to the persistence of bull trout populations. We identified a group of diagnostic microsatellite loci to differentiate bull trout and brook trout and then used these loci to examine the spatial distribution of hybrids in the Malheur River basin, Oregon USA. In random samples of approximately 100 fish from each of three creeks we identified 181 brook trout, 112 bull trout and 14 hybrids. Although bull trout, brook trout and hybrids were found in all three creeks, they were not evenly distributed; brook trout were primarily found in the lower sections of the creeks, bull trout further upstream, and hybrids in the areas of the greatest overlap. One creek with a population of brook trout in a headwater lake provided an exception to this pattern; brook trout were found distributed throughout the creek downstream of the lake. Several post-F1 hybrids were identified suggesting that hybrids are reproducing in the Malher River Basin. Mitochondrial DNA analysis indicated that both female bull trout and brook trout are involved in hybridization events. Analysis of population structure suggested that brook trout have established multiple spawning populations within the Malheur system. Data presented in this study suggest that relative abundance of brook trout and habitat quality are important factors to consider when evaluating the threat of hybridization to bull trout populations.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this project was provided by Bonneville Power Administration through a grant to the Burns Paiute Tribe. We would like to thank Alisha Goodbla and Jennifer Whalen for providing laboratory assistance, Ken Warheit, Sewall Young, and Tim King for sharing unpublished microsatellite primers, Matt Campbell for providing mtDNA primers and PCR conditions, biologists from the Burns-Paiute Tribe for assisting with sample collection and Eric White for providing technical assistance. Additionally we would like to thank Don Campton for helping to initiate this study and Patty Crandell, Andrew Matala, Jason Dunham, Craig Primmer and two anonymous reviewers for providing helpful comments on earlier versions of this manuscript. The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

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  1. Lawrence T. Schwabe

    Present address: The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Natural Resources Division, 47010 SW Hebo Rd., P.O. Box 10, Grand Ronde, OR, 97347, USA

  2. William R. Ardren

    Present address: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Western New England Complex, 11 Lincoln St., Essex Junction, VT, 05452, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Abernathy Fish Technology Center, 1440 Abernathy Creek Road, Longview, WA, 98632, USA

    Patrick W. DeHaan & William R. Ardren

  2. Burns Paiute Tribe, 100 Pasigo St., Burns, OR, 97720, USA

    Lawrence T. Schwabe

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  1. Patrick W. DeHaan
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Correspondence to Patrick W. DeHaan.

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Appendix 1

Appendix 1

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Table 3 PCR conditions and estimates of diversity for the 11 diagnostic microsatellite loci selected for this study
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DeHaan, P.W., Schwabe, L.T. & Ardren, W.R. Spatial patterns of hybridization between bull trout, Salvelinus confluentus, and brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis in an Oregon stream network. Conserv Genet 11, 935–949 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-009-9937-6

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