We review the ecology and conservation of three lesser‐known chars (genus Salvelinus): Dolly Varden (S. malma), white‐spotted char (S. leucomaenis), and bull trout (S. confluentus). Dolly Varden is distributed across the northern Pacific Rim and co‐occurs with bull trout and white‐spotted char at the southern extremes of its range. In contrast, bull trout and white‐spotted char are naturally isolated, with the former restricted to North America and the latter distributed in northeastern Asia. Though the range of Dolly Varden overlaps with the two other chars, it is most closely related to Arctic char (S. alpinus), whereas bull trout and white‐spotted char are sister taxa. Each species exhibits diverse life histories with respect to demographic characteristics, trophic ecology, and movement. This diversity appears to be tied to environmental variability (e.g., temperature, habitat connectivity), resource availability (e.g., food), and species interactions. Increasingly, these interactions involve nonnative species including nonnative salmonines and changes in food webs related to establishment of species such as Mysis shrimp in large lakes. As humans expand into the remote and pristine habitats that support these three chars, we encourage proactive consideration of the lessons learned where chars have already declined and internationally‐based research and conservation.

DS, Allendorf FW. Population structure and partial anadromy in Oncorhynchus mykiss from Kamchatka: relevance for conservation strategies around the Pacific Rim.Abstract -Conservation of life-history diversity found in Oncorhynchus mykiss requires knowledge of the underlying population structure and genetic basis of this variability. We analysed variation at 10 microsatellite loci from seven rivers across Kamchatka to identify population structure and to test for divergence between life-history forms. We found lower heterozygosity in Kamchatkan populations compared with North American populations, but population structure was substantial (region-wide F ST ¼ 0.11) and followed an isolation-by-distance pattern similar to that reported for older North American populations. We found no evidence for genetic divergence between resident and anadromous individuals in the Sopochnaya River or between typically anadromous individuals and 'half-pounders' in the Utkholok River. A review of other studies of reproductive isolation, in combination with our results, suggests: (1) that pristine populations of steelhead should be expected to exhibit partial anadromy; and (2) that managing anadromous and resident individuals separately without demonstrating reproductive isolation is biologically unsound.

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SynopsisTwo sympatric morphs of threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus are found in Lake Azabachije (Kamchatka, USSR); resident low-plated leiurus and completely plated trachurus, migrating from the Bering sea into the Lake to spawn. The absence of the intermediate morph semiarmatus and significant differences in a number of characters are indicative of reproductive isolation. The results show that the leiurus morph is common in the regions other than those with mild climate and small seasonal fluctuations of temperature.