Allelic losses and gains during translocations of a high conservation value fish, <scp> <i>Coregonus lavaretus</i> </scp>

The use of translocations to establish new or ‘refuge’ populations for species with high conservation value is controversial but widely used in management. One the risks this approach that an establishing population does not adequately capture genetic diversity donor gene pool. This effect, rarely examined, tested here. In study consequences two after five generations (16 years) European whitefish, Coregonus lavaretus, were quantified. Both made using almost same groups and thus represent a partly replicated natural study. Analysis 12 informative microsatellites showed expected heterozygosity, mean number alleles per locus allelic richness did differ between translocated populations. There was also no loss heterozygosity populations, nor deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium expectations, signs linkage disequilibrium. All genetically differentiated pairwise FST values low, indicating magnitude divergence small. evidence inbreeding there significant differences private Of 50 found population, 16% rarer lost one 8% other. Allele without reduction strongly points stochastic drift effects having occurred following translocation. indicates detected have arisen de novo It concluded comprising even modest propagules can successfully proportion variation host reduced may be mitigated by emergence over short time periods.