Monitoring effective population sizes of North Sea houting using genetic markers (38272)

Project Details

Description

This project was aimed at providing basic information on the genetic structure of lake whitefish and North Sea houting, species where population genetic data are needed in order to improve conservation and management efforts, including principles for stocking.

The project focused on North Sea houting within the framework of the EU LIFE project Urgent Actions for the endangered houting (Coregonus oxyrhunchus). It was investigated if there are other remaining indigenous populations than that in the Vidaa River, which is currently assumed to be the last remnant of this species/form. 
Moreover, effective population size was estimated in order to assess if it was below the threshold where inbreeding and loss of genetic variation is an immediate concern. 
A paper was published on genetic monitoring of effective population size in North Sea houting, showing that the described methods are useful for monitoring purposes. 
All analyses were based on microsatellite DNA analysis of contemporary and historical samples. In addition, the results were used in the context of a US-based working group, aimed at defining and developing the emerging field of genetic monitoring, i.e. the use of genetic markers for monitoring populations.
The project was coordinated by the Nature Agency, Danish Ministry of the Environment, Denmark and funded by EU LIFE.
Research area: Population GeneticsResearch area: Freshwater Fisheries and Ecology
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date01/01/200531/12/2011

Collaborative partners

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