Genetic Diversity and Population Structure in the Kuskokwim River Drainage Support the Recurrent Evolution Hypothesis for Sockeye Salmon Life Histories

Riverine sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka (those that do not use nursery lakes for juvenile rearing) tend to be characterized by greater genetic diversity and weaker population structure than lake-type populations. These findings have led to the 'recurrent evolution' hypothesis for sockeye salmon life histories, which proposes that riverine sockeye salmon are the principal colonizing form and play the dominant role in the long-term persistence of sockeye salmon in a dynamic landscape. However, previous studies in Kamchatka (Russia) and Alaska have suggested that the general patterns of riverine sockeye salmon do not apply in all parts of the species' range. In this study, we examined genetic diversity and population structure in lake-type [...]