Genetic analysis of population differentiation and adaptation in Leuciscus waleckii

Demographic events and natural selection both influence animal phenotypic and genetic variation; exploring the effects of demography and selection on population divergence is of great significance in evolutionary biology. To uncover the causes behind the patterns of genetic differentiation and adaptation among six populations of Leuciscus waleckii from Dali Basin (two populations, alkaline vs. freshwater) and Amur Basin (four populations, freshwater rivers vs. alkaline lake), a set of 21 unlinked polymorphic microsatellite markers and two mitochondrial DNA sequences (Cytb and D-loop) were applied to examine whether populations from different environments or habitats have distinct genetic differentiation and whether alkalinity is the major factor that caused population divergence. Bayesian analysis and principal component analysis as well as haplotype network analysis showed that these populations are primarily divided into two groups, which are congruent with geographic separation but not inconsistent with the habitat environment (alkalinity). Using three different approaches, outlier detection indicated that one locus, HLJYL017, may be under directional selection and involved in local adaptation processes. Overall, this study suggested that demographic events and selection of local environmental conditions including of alkalinity are jointly responsible for population divergence. These findings constitute an important step towards the understanding of the genetic basis of differentiation and adaptation, as well as towards the conservation of L. waleckii.