New study: Stranger in a strange river – The genetics of hatchery steelhead in California
Genes are the blueprints that inform development and behavior, and over time they are molded by evolution into adaptations that allow species to persist in an ever-changing world. However, animals adapted to one environment sometimes find themselves suddenly dropped in another. Such is the case for certain hatchery-raised steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in California’s Central Valley. The genes of steelhead play an important role in determining their life history, and may influence the timing of migration and maturation. To evaluate how such genes may be impacted by hatchery practices, researchers from UC Santa Cruz and the National Marine Fisheries Service dove into the genetics of steelhead from four hatcheries in the Sacramento River Basin (Goetz et al. 2024). The findings of their investigation show just how influential genes are in determining the path that a steelhead’s life will take.