Genetic stock structure of Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus' from drainages to the Beaufort Sea in Alaska and Canada. Report for 1987-88

Technical Report · Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:6347004

Everett, R J; Wilmot, R L

To study anadromous Arctic char that may be affected by oil and gas development activities in the Beaufort Sea area of Alaska and Canada, the authors have used protein electrophoresis to genetically characterize samples from spawning stocks and to identify the tributary-of-origin of mixed stocks. In 1986 and 1987, they collected samples of Arctic char from 11 tributaries to the Beaufort Sea. These collections were analyzed for 49 presumptive gene loci, 19 of which are available. Twelve loci were used as baseline data. The average heterozygosity is 0.038 (SE=0.010); pairwise genetic identity values (Nei) exceed 0.98; and tests of genetic heterogeneity between stocks are generally significant. Computer simulations using maximum likelihood statistics were used to analyze the accuracy and precision of composition estimates of artificial mixed stocks of known proportions. These simulations indicate that certain Arctic char stocks are identifiable and others are not using the current baseline data. Analyses of actual mixed-stock samples of the Arctic char collected during the summer of 1987 near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska indicate that most of the fish came from nearby drainages, but that stocks from as far away as Canada were present. Planners of development activities should consider the genetic distinctness of populations of North Slope Arctic char and their patterns of migration.

• Research Organization: Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6347004
• Report Number(s): PB-91-119594/XAB; CNN: ABNC-803020
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
ANADROMOUS FISHES
SENSITIVITY
BEAUFORT SEA
WATER POLLUTION
NATURAL GAS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
PETROLEUM
BASELINE ECOLOGY
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
ELECTROPHORESIS
GENES
GENETIC VARIABILITY
HABITAT
OIL SPILLS
POPULATION DYNAMICS
PROTEINS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARCTIC OCEAN
BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY
ECOLOGY
ENERGY SOURCES
FISHES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SEAS
SIMULATION
SURFACE WATERS
VERTEBRATES
020900* - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
030800 - Natural Gas- Environmental Aspects