rsg_book_2013

FishInvertebratesExamining genetic diversity, outbreedingdepression, and local adaptation with slimysculpin re-introductions in the southeastMinnesota Driftless Region, USADavid D. HuffResearch Scholar, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California,110 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA ddhuff@ucsc.eduIntroductionThe slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus) is a small fish that occupies benthic, coldwaterhabitats in small streams of the Driftless Region in Minnesota, USA. Theyare often locally abundant where they are present and are considered animportant component of the ecosystems in which they are native. Populations ofslimy sculpin were present in this region historically, but many were extirpated asa result of poor land use practices. This re-introduction project aimed to reestablishthe slimy sculpin to a portion of its former range in the Driftless Region,but the re-introduction environments, although they were improved, have beensubstantially modified by humans. A challenge was to decide whether the existinggenetically distinct source populations should be matched to a set of localconditions at the re-introduction sites or be mixed to provide greater geneticallybasedadaptive potential inanthropogenically affected (disturbed)environments (Huff et al., 2010).Mixed-source re-introductions are thoughtto be advantageous in disturbedenvironments, but they have drawbacksbecause unique evolutionary lineagesshould be preserved as much as possibleto preserve genetic diversity. Our researchinvestigated the persistence and fitnessrelatedtraits of multi-source re-introducedpopulations of slimy sculpin in the DriftlessRegion (Huff et al., 2011).Close-up of a slimy sculpin© David Huff / Lorissa FujishinGoals Goal 1: Re-establish the slimy sculpin tonine isolated locations within its formerrange in the Driftless Region of southeastMinnesota and ensure population viability,long-term persistence in the face of10