# Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) Population Structure Across Alberta's Eastern Slopes

## TL;DR

This study examines the genetic structure of bull trout in Alberta to guide conservation efforts, finding two distinct populations and a nested population structure.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into bull trout population differentiation and hierarchical structure in Alberta using genetic markers.

## Key findings

- High genetic differentiation (FST = 0.400) was found between the Western Arctic and Saskatchewan-Nelson Designatable Units.
- Bull trout exhibit a hierarchical metapopulation structure at finer spatial scales.
- Results support conservation actions at both broad and local levels to preserve genetic diversity.

## Abstract

Understanding a species' genetic population structure is fundamental for determining its conservation and management units. Bull trout (
Salvelinus confluentus
), a charr native to northwestern North America, have experienced significant population declines across their range. In Alberta, bull trout are classified as Threatened under Alberta's Wildlife Act, but knowledge of their genetic population structure is limited. We aimed to assess bull trout population structure in Alberta using genetic markers from a RADcapture SNP panel. Our samples spanned 24 Hydrologic Unit Code 8 (HUC 8) watersheds across Alberta's Eastern Slopes region. One of our goals was to evaluate support for two previously proposed bull trout Designatable Units (DUs) in Alberta: the Western Arctic DU and the Saskatchewan‐Nelson DU. We found notable population structure and high differentiation (F
ST = 0.400) between these two DUs, suggesting two discreet populations that correspond to the northern and southern biogeographical zones of Alberta. We also conducted ad hoc population differentiation analyses using ADMIXTURE, which revealed that bull trout have a hierarchical (or nested) population structure. Our results inform management of the species and suggest protecting the local adaptations and genetic diversity of bull trout at both broad and fine‐scale spatial scales.

To understand the genetic population structure of native bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) for conservation and management actions, we performed a genetic analysis on 962 bull trout samples collected across Alberta's Eastern Slopes. Our results found evidence for two distinctive populations, which correspond to the two bull trout Designatable Units: the Western Arctic DU and the Saskatchewan‐Nelson DU. We also found bull trout express a “hierarchical metapopulation structure” at a finer scale, which provides insight into the conservation and management of the species.