Challenge to the model of lake charr evolution: Shallowand deep-water morphs exist within a small postglacial lake

Louise Chavarie; Andrew M. Muir; Mara S. Zimmerman; Shauna M. Baillie; Michael J. Hansen; Nancy A. Nate; Daniel L. Yule; Trevor Middel; Paul Bentzen; Charles C. Krueger

doi:10.1111/bij.12913

Challenge to the model of lake charr evolution: Shallowand deep-water morphs exist within a small postglacial lake

Louise Chavarie, Andrew M. Muir, Mara S. Zimmerman, Shauna M. Baillie, Michael J. Hansen, Nancy A. Nate, Daniel L. Yule, Trevor Middel, Paul Bentzen, Charles C. Krueger

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

All examples of lake charr (Salvelinus namaycush) diversity occur within the largest, deepest lakes of North America (i.e. > 2000 km²). We report here Rush Lake (1.3 km²) as the first example of a small lake with two lake charr morphs (lean and huronicus). Morphology, diet, life history, and genetics were examined to demonstrate the existence of morphs and determine the potential influence of evolutionary processes that led to their formation or maintenance. Results showed that the huronicus morph, caught in deep-water, had a deeper body, smaller head and jaws, higher eye position, greater buoyancy, and deeper peduncle than the shallow-water lean morph. Huronicus grew slower to a smaller adult size, and had an older mean age than the lean morph. Genetic comparisons showed low genetic divergence between morphs, indicating incomplete reproductive isolation. Phenotypic plasticity and differences in habitat use between deep and shallow waters associated with variation in foraging opportunities seems to have been sufficient to maintain the two morphs, demonstrating their important roles in resource polymorphism. Rush Lake expands previous explanations for lake charr intraspecific diversity, from large to small lakes and from reproductive isolation to the presence of gene flow associated with strong ecological drivers.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	578-603
Number of pages	26
Journal	Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
Volume	120
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/bij.12913
Publication status	Published - Mar 2017

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank the Huron Mountain Club for access to their lands and lakes and for sharing their knowledge of the lake charr of Rush Lake. Special thanks to Kerry Woods, Director of Research, Huron Mountain Club Wildlife Foundation for coordinating and supporting the project. Holly Muir (nee Patrick) and Scott Miehls provided able assistance during sampling. Gregory McCraken provided genetic data from the Kogaluk River watershed, Labrador, Canada. Thanks are also due to Jake Vander Zanden and Stephanie Schmidt (University of Wisconsin-Madison) for assistance in the preparation of stable isotope samples. We thank four anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 The Linnean Society of London.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

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10.1111/bij.12913

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@article{462a8c36fb404a8daf0162821ec3804b,

title = "Challenge to the model of lake charr evolution: Shallowand deep-water morphs exist within a small postglacial lake",

abstract = "All examples of lake charr (Salvelinus namaycush) diversity occur within the largest, deepest lakes of North America (i.e. > 2000 km2). We report here Rush Lake (1.3 km2) as the first example of a small lake with two lake charr morphs (lean and huronicus). Morphology, diet, life history, and genetics were examined to demonstrate the existence of morphs and determine the potential influence of evolutionary processes that led to their formation or maintenance. Results showed that the huronicus morph, caught in deep-water, had a deeper body, smaller head and jaws, higher eye position, greater buoyancy, and deeper peduncle than the shallow-water lean morph. Huronicus grew slower to a smaller adult size, and had an older mean age than the lean morph. Genetic comparisons showed low genetic divergence between morphs, indicating incomplete reproductive isolation. Phenotypic plasticity and differences in habitat use between deep and shallow waters associated with variation in foraging opportunities seems to have been sufficient to maintain the two morphs, demonstrating their important roles in resource polymorphism. Rush Lake expands previous explanations for lake charr intraspecific diversity, from large to small lakes and from reproductive isolation to the presence of gene flow associated with strong ecological drivers.",

author = "Louise Chavarie and Muir, {Andrew M.} and Zimmerman, {Mara S.} and Baillie, {Shauna M.} and Hansen, {Michael J.} and Nate, {Nancy A.} and Yule, {Daniel L.} and Trevor Middel and Paul Bentzen and Krueger, {Charles C.}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank the Huron Mountain Club for access to their lands and lakes and for sharing their knowledge of the lake charr of Rush Lake. Special thanks to Kerry Woods, Director of Research, Huron Mountain Club Wildlife Foundation for coordinating and supporting the project. Holly Muir (nee Patrick) and Scott Miehls provided able assistance during sampling. Gregory McCraken provided genetic data from the Kogaluk River watershed, Labrador, Canada. Thanks are also due to Jake Vander Zanden and Stephanie Schmidt (University of Wisconsin-Madison) for assistance in the preparation of stable isotope samples. We thank four anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2016 The Linnean Society of London.",

year = "2017",

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doi = "10.1111/bij.12913",

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AU - Muir, Andrew M.

AU - Zimmerman, Mara S.

AU - Baillie, Shauna M.

AU - Hansen, Michael J.

AU - Nate, Nancy A.

AU - Yule, Daniel L.

AU - Middel, Trevor

AU - Bentzen, Paul

AU - Krueger, Charles C.

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Challenge to the model of lake charr evolution: Shallowand deep-water morphs exist within a small postglacial lake

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

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