Polygenic discrimination of migratory phenotypes in an estuarine forage fish.

ABSTRACT: Migration is a complex phenotypic trait with some species containing migratory and nonmigratory individuals. Such life history variation may be attributed in part to plasticity, epigenetics, or genetics. Although considered semianadromous, recent studies using otolith geochemistry have revealed life history variation within the critically endangered Delta Smelt. Broadly categorizable as migratory or freshwater residents, we examined Restriction site Associated DNA sequencing data to test for a relationship between genetic variation and migratory behaviors. As previously shown, we found no evidence for neutral population genetic structure within Delta Smelt; however, we found significant evidence for associations between genetic variants and life history phenotypes. Furthermore, discriminan

SUBMITTER: Campbell MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9339312 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature