Low genetic variation and strong genetic structure across a range of geographical scales in European smelt (Osmerus eperlanus L.).

ABSTRACT: Populations of anadromous European smelt (Osmerus eperlanus L.) are declining across its range with mitigation efforts for this ecologically important species hindered by a lack of demographic information. Here, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite analyses were used to describe historical and recurrent demographics for the species across a large part of its range. mtDNA revealed a shallow phylogeographic structure indicating a cohesive ancestral population, low overall haplotype and nucleotide diversities. However, microsatellites revealed unexpectedly high genetic structuring (F_ST = 0.15; p < 0.0001), including (i) isolation by distance effects over various scales, (ii) separation between Baltic and Atlantic samples and (iii) the highest interpopulation divergence and

SUBMITTER: McKeown NJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12463765 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature