Mitochondrial DNA diversity of brown bullhead from contaminated and relatively pristine sites in the Great Lakes
- Univ. of Guelph, Ontario (Canada). Dept. of Zoology
Brown bullhead were sampled from contaminated and relatively pristine sites to determine whether there was any association between genetic diversity and site contamination. Nine sites were sampled in the lower Great Lakes: five from Areas of Concern (identified by the International Joint Commission as having significant environmental degradation) and four from relatively clean areas of similar habitat type. Genetic variation was surveyed in the mitochondrial genome using restriction fragment length polymorphisms. Sixteen restriction enzymes were used to identify 42 distinct mitochondrial DNA haplotypes among 163 fish. Eight pairwise comparisons of populations at contaminated vs. clean sites showed that genetic diversity estimates were always lower in populations from contaminated sites. The most parsimonious explanation is that reduced diversity is a result of stochastic reductions in population size that have culled much of the genetic diversity from populations. Although contaminated sites support large populations of brown bullhead, historical environmental degradation at these sites may have reduced population size in the past, resulting in reduced present-day genetic diversity.
- OSTI ID:
- 7078322
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Vol. 13:8; ISSN 0730-7268
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Biomarkers of exposure of brown bullheads (Ameiurus nebulosus) to contaminants in the lower Great Lakes, North America
Biomarkers of exposure of brown bullheads to contaminants in the lower Great Lakes
Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
FISHES
MUTATIONS
GREAT LAKES
WATER POLLUTION
MITOCHONDRIA
GENETIC VARIABILITY
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY
CELL CONSTITUENTS
LAKES
POLLUTION
SURFACE WATERS
VERTEBRATES
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology