Morphological divergence and origin of sympatric populations of European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretusL.) in Lake Femund, Norway

Abstract

Combining morphological and genetic analysis, we compared patterns of diversification within and between morphs among sympatric European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus L.) populations in Lake Femund, Norway. Seven external populations, from potential colonization routes into Lake Femund were included. We found that deep‐, shallow‐, river‐ and bay spawning populations are distinct morphs in Lake Femund. Within morphs, populations range from being similar genetically (Fst = 0–0.005) among deep‐spawning populations to being highly differentiated (Fst = 0.153) between bay‐spawning populations. Between morphs, genetic differences ranged from a low (Fst = 0.008–0.022) between deep‐ and shallow‐spawning populations to high difference (Fst = 0.125–0.143) between shallow‐ and bay‐spawning populations. A higher proportion of molecular variance was seen among (3.9%) than within morphs (2.8%). The adaptive gene combinations behind the four morphs seem to have originated within the lake, although the lake could have been colonized from more than one source population.

On the origin of species: insights from the ecological genomics of lake whitefish

“…Moreover, the life history and ecology of sympatric whitefish populations have been well documented (e.g. Amundsen et al 2004;Harrod & Kahilainen 2006;Hudson et al 2007;Kahilainen et al 2007) such that the genomics of phenotypic divergence and reproductive isolation can be interpreted in a natural, ecological context (reviewed in Bernatchez 2004;Østbye et al 2005b;Landry et al 2007a;Vonlanthen et al 2009). …”

Adaptive Phenotypic Diversification along a Temperature-Depth Gradient

“…Such a bimodal spawning opportunity would strengthen assortment based on similarity in optimum temperature. Reproductive isolation through assortative mating based on differences in spawning time and/ or location, possibly in combination with differentiation in body size, has been described for many species, including freshwater fishes in postglacial lakes (Jonsson and Jonsson 2001;Østbye et al 2004). It should also be noted, however, that whether assortative mating preceded or followed ecological divergence remains uncertain in most cases (Snowberg and Bolnick 2008).…”

Genetic characteristics of Polish whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus maraena) broodstocks - recommendations for the conservation management

“…Genetic characteristics of a fish stock or population are important not only for the protection of natural populations (Hansen et al 1999;Ostbye et al 2005), but also for breeding valuable fish species under aquaculture conditions (Fopp-Bayat and Ciereszko 2012; Kaczmarczyk and Fopp-Bayat 2013). Data on genetic variability within and among populations are also useful for fisheries researchers and managers because such results can provide information on stock or population subdivision and relatedness in fish (Patton et al 1997) or on hybridization events among closely related species.…”

“…Data on genetic variability within and among populations are also useful for fisheries researchers and managers because such results can provide information on stock or population subdivision and relatedness in fish (Patton et al 1997) or on hybridization events among closely related species. Genetic studies on European whitefish have been conducted by several authors, who applied various types of genetic analyses among protected natu- (Douglas et al 1999;Hansen et al1999;Ostbye 2005). Molecular genetics has generated many important and powerful methods useful for fish breeding in aquaculture, especially when a valuable fish broodstock must be obtained.…”