Date of Award
12-12-2017
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Biology, MS
First Advisor
Brook Fluker
Committee Members
Jerry Farris; Ron Johnson
Call Number
LD 251 .A566t 2017 D36
Abstract
Etheostoma caeruleum and Chrosomus erythrogaster are widespread with overlapping distributions that show comparable patterns of naturally disjunct populations on their range margins. Both species have populations on Crowley’s Ridge, AR and the Bluff Hills, MS, relatively recent geological formations. Microsatellite DNA loci were examined for both fish species to evaluate genetic diversity and connectivity among populations on Crowley’s Ridge, the Bluff Hills, and larger core populations. Genetic structuring was found between all populations of both species with lower genetic diversity found in populations of both species on Crowley’s Ridge. Results from this study suggest that both target species colonized these regions and became isolated. Assignment tests suggest that Crowley’s Ridge was colonized in a single event by both species, while the northern and southern Bluff Hills were colonized in two separate events. Isolation on these regions has direct conservation implications for these populations, as well as increasing their conservation priority.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Dineen, Kyle James, "Genetic Structure and Diversity of Southern Disjunct Populations of Etheostoma caeruleum and Chrosomus erythrogaster" (2017). Student Theses and Dissertations. 554.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/554
