First Record of a Novel Mitochondrial DNA Haplotype of a Marble Trout Lineage of Salmo Trutta in Turkey

A new record of a marble trout mtDNA haplotype known to be restricted to Adriatic basin (called marmoratus lineage within Salmo trutta complex) has been reported from Eşen Stream in the Aegean Sea basin of southeastern Turkey, based on sequence data of the mitochondrial DNA control region. The results of this study showed a single unique haplotype from this population, called MATR1. Phylogenetic analyses of this haplotype along with other haplotypes belonging to different mitochondrial DNA lineages of the S. trutta complex confirmed the existence of the marmoratus lineage in Turkey, suggesting a possible river capture between the Adriatic and Aegean Sea basins until the last (Würmian) marine regression.

Izražanje transferinskih genov pri postrvih (Salmo sp.)

Salmonidae family combines freshwater and anadromous fish species. Duplicates of numerous genomic DNA loci are characteristic for this family, some as a consequence of tetraploidisation, and others as independent doubling of discrete DNA regions. In the genus <em>Salmo</em>, duplication of transferrin gene in Atlantic salmon, brown and marble trout has been demonstrated. The aim of the study was to characterize the promoter region of both genes (TF1 and TF2) in all three species and to determine the ratio of expression of TF1 and TF2 in Atlantic salmon. Applying qPCR we showed that TF2 is expressed in Atlantic salmon six times weaker than TF1. It has been previously shown that the difference in the expression of both genes in brown and marble trout is even higher. The nucleotide sequence was determined for promoter regions of both genes in all species. In promoter region, microsatellite was found, which differs in length as well within species as between TF1 and TF2 locus, and four SNPs that differentiate TF1 and TF2. For Atlantic salmon, longer sequence of promoter region was determined. In TF1 gene, promoter contains a minisatellite, comprised of 37 bp long motif with over 20 replicates, while in TF2 minisatellite is not present. Analyzing potential binding sites in promoter region, functional elements for regulation of transferrin gene expression were found.

Estimates of vital rates and predictions of population dynamics change along a long-term monitoring program

Despite the widespread recognition of the importance of monitoring, only a few studies have investigated how estimates of vital rates and predictions of population dynamics change with additional data collected along the monitoring program. We investigate how using the same models estimates of survival, individual growth, along with predictions about future population size change with additional years of monitoring and data collected, using as a model system freshwater populations of marble (Salmo marmoratus), rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) living in Western Slovenian streams. Fish were sampled twice a year between 2004 and 2015. We found that in 3 out of 4 populations, a few years of data (3 or 4 sampling occasions, between 300 and 500 tagged individuals for survival, 100 to 200 for growth) provided the same estimates of average survival and growth as those obtained with data from more than 15 sampling occasions, while the estimation of the range of survival required more sampling occasions (up to 22 for marble trout), with little reduction of uncertainty around the point estimates. Predictions of mean density and variation in density over time did not change with more data collected after the first 5 years (i.e., 10 sampling occasions) and overall were within 10% of the observed mean and variation in density over the whole monitoring program.

Effects of species invasion on population dynamics, vital rates, and life histories of the native species

Invasions occurring in natural environments provide the opportunity to study how vital rates change and life histories evolve in the presence of a competing species. In this work, we estimate differences in reproductive traits, individual growth trajectories, survival, life histories, and population dynamics between a native species living in allopatry and in sympatry with an invasive species of the same taxonomic Family. We used as a model system marble trout Salmo marmoratus (native species) and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (non-native) living in the Idrijca River (Slovenia). An impassable waterfall separates the stream in two sectors only a few hundred meters apart: a downstream sector in which marble trout live in sympatry with rainbow trout and a upstream sector in which marble trout live in allopatry. We used an overarching modeling approach that uses tag-recapture and genetic data (> 2,500 unique marble and rainbow trout were sampled and SNP-genotyped) to reconstruct pedigrees, test for synchrony of population dynamics, and model survival and growth while accounting for individual heterogeneity in performance. The population dynamics of the two marble trout populations and of rainbow trout were overall synchronous. We found higher prevalence of younger parents, higher mortality, and lower population density in marble trout living in sympatry with rainbow trout than in marble trout living in allopatry. There were no differences in the average individual growth trajectories between the two marble trout populations. Faster life histories of marble trout living in sympatry with rainbow trout are consistent with predictions of life-history theory.

Stronger effects of heterozygosity on survival in harsher environments

A stronger correlation between heterozygosity and fitness or its components (e.g., life-history traits such as survival, growth, morphology) is expected in harsher environments, but few studies have investigated whether the effects of heterozygosity on life-history traits vary with environmental conditions in natural populations. Here, the hypothesis that the effects of heterozygosity vary with environmental conditions was tested using six populations of marble trout Salmo marmoratus from Western Slovenia as a model system. Specifically, the tested hypotheses were: stronger effects of heterozygosity on survival in populations characterized by low average survival, no effects of heterozygosity on probability of surviving flash floods owing to their largely non-selective effects across traits, and stronger effects of heterozygosity on survival for fish born after floods than fish born before. A significant effect of heterozygosity on survival was found in populations characterized by low average survival. There were no effects of heterozygosity on probability of surviving flash floods, but in one population a positive correlation between heterozygosity and survival for fish born after the extreme events was found, probably because crowding in a small section of the stream caused more intense competition for resources.