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Genetic structure and dynamics of a small introduced population: the pikeperch, Sander lucioperca, in the Rhône delta

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Abstract

Genetic data on introduced populations may help us to understand how these species succeed in colonising new territories. The pikeperch is a predatory fish widely introduced in Europe and has at times been considered as an invasive species. However, little is known about the genetics of both native and introduced populations. In the present study, we surveyed an introduced pikeperch population from the Rhône River delta, a habitat that has been highly modified for agricultural purposes. Using six microsatellites, we genotyped 93 individuals distributed among four hydraulically connected water bodies: the Rhône River, an irrigation canal, a drainage canal and a brackish lagoon. Population isolation were revealed by significant genetic distances and bottleneck highlighted by population monitoring. However, values of allelic richness and unbiased expected heterozygosity observed in these populations were similar, or even higher, compare to 18 native populations from the Baltic Sea drainage. It may be explained by multiple introductions in the Rhône drainage but also by demographic strategy that would have facilitated population persistence in this fragmented habitat. Similarly, heterozygote deficits (revealed by FIS values) have been detected, but were also found in native populations suggesting that mating among relatives could also result from a mating behavior of the species, maybe reinforce here by the reduced carrying capacity of the artificial canals and their respective isolation. Despite harsh environmental conditions and suspected inbreeding, the pikeperch has successfully maintained viable populations in the Rhône delta. Our study suggests that one of the factors in this invasive success, apart from its ecology, could be the maintenance of a good level of genetic diversity in introduced pikeperch populations. This genetic diversity probably stem from both its popularity as game fish and food resource which led to numerous stocking and an increasing propagule pressure and the reproductive strategy of the species.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Alain J. Crivelli for providing fish monitoring data, Patrick Berrebi for his valuable comments on the earlier version of the manuscript, Pascal Contournet for his help on the field, Peter Shipley Cock van Oosterhout for providing useful advices about Microcheker and Vincent Castric for his useful advice about the MLH method. We thank Mark, Emma, Suzanne and Turi for their fruitful comments on the early draft of the manuscript. Funding for this study was provided by the Cemagref (to NP), the Swedish Research Council (to MB) and Carl Tryggers Foundation (to MB). We are indebted to the numerous reviewers for their advices and suggestions.

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Author notes

  1. Nicolas Poulet

    Present address: Office de l’Eau et des Milieux Aquatiques, 16, avenue Louison-Bobet, 94132, Fontenay-sous-Bois, France

  2. Patricia Balaresque

    Present address: Department of genetics, University of Leicester, Adrian building, University Road, LE17RH, Leicester, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cemagref, UR Hydrobiologie—Equipe Ecosystèmes Lacustres, 361 rue Jean-François Breton, BP 5095, Montpellier Cedex 05, France

    Nicolas Poulet

  2. Musée de l’Homme, UMR 5145 Hommes, Natures, Sociétés, Eco anthropologie et Ethnobiologie, MNHN, 17 place du Trocadéro, 75116, Paris, France

    Patricia Balaresque

  3. Institute of Coastal Research, P.O. Box 109, 74071, Öregrund, Sweden

    Teija Aho

  4. Department of Animal Ecology, EBC, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, 752 36, Uppsala, Sweden

    Mats Björklund

  5. Integrative Ecology Group, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, Helsinki, 00014, Finland

    Mats Björklund

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  1. Nicolas Poulet
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Correspondence to Nicolas Poulet.

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Poulet, N., Balaresque, P., Aho, T. et al. Genetic structure and dynamics of a small introduced population: the pikeperch, Sander lucioperca, in the Rhône delta. Genetica 135, 77–86 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-008-9260-z

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