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Sex reversal, selection against hatchery females or wild males does not explain differences in sex ratio between first generation hatchery and wild steelhead, Oncorhynchus mykiss

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Abstract

Wild steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) returning to the Hood River in Oregon, USA, show a strongly female-biased sex ratio (average of 63 % female from brood years 1992 to 2004) while first-generation hatchery steelhead (created using local, wild broodstock) display an even sex ratio (51 % female). We considered four hypotheses to explain the difference in sex ratio between populations. First, it is well established that wild male O. mykiss adopt the resident (non-anadromous) life history phenotype at a higher rate than do females, and that the propensity to become resident is under genetic and environmental influence. Therefore, the simplest explanation for the difference in sex ratio between anadromous wild and hatchery fish is that hatchery males adopt the resident life history at a lower rate than do wild males. However, alternative explanations include (1) sex reversal of female hatchery fish to phenotypic males, (2) selection against hatchery females or (3) selection against wild males. The possibility of sex reversal in the hatchery was of particular interest given increased temperature has been shown to skew sex ratios to a male bias. Using a Y-chromosome specific marker (OmyY1 locus) and samples of wild and hatchery fish from various life stages, we were able to reject alternative hypotheses 1, 2 and 3. Hatchery fish were sampled at three life stages (onset of exogenous feeding, 1-year of age and returning adult). Phenotypic and chromosomal sex matched in all 1-year old and adult hatchery samples. Therefore, we see no evidence for sex reversal in the hatchery population. Furthermore, hatchery fish at all three life stages exhibited a 50:50 chromosomal (OmyY1 marker) sex ratio. Therefore, selection against hatchery females while in captivity or after release can be ruled out. The chromosomal sex ratio in a sample of wild smolts was female-biased and matched the sex ratio in returning adults from the same cohort. Therefore, we can also rule out selection against wild males at sea. Given no evidence for sex reversal or selection against either sex it seems most plausible that the greater female bias in wild, compared to hatchery, steelhead from the Hood River results from differential life history expression in males. Wild males appear to become resident (non-anadromous) at a higher rate than do hatchery males.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank David Noakes for insightful discussion that led to the initiation of the project. We would also like to thank Jim Gidley and Albert Santos from the Parkdale Fish Facility and the entire crew at Oak Springs hatchery for all their help in producing fish for the project. We also thank R. French, P. Simpson, and all the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife staff that collected and provided tissue samples for this project. The Oregon State Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approved this study. This work was supported by a grant from the Bonneville Power Administration to M.S. Blouin.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, 3029 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331-2914, USA

    Neil F. Thompson, Laura A. McMahon, Melanie L. Marine & Michael S. Blouin

  2. Department of Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2538 McCarthy Hall, Edmonson 152, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA

    Kathleen S. Cole

  3. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 85001 Oak Springs Road, Maupin, OR, 97037, USA

    Lyle D. Curtis

Authors
  1. Neil F. Thompson
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  2. Kathleen S. Cole
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  3. Laura A. McMahon
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  4. Melanie L. Marine
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  5. Lyle D. Curtis
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  6. Michael S. Blouin
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Correspondence to Neil F. Thompson.

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Thompson, N.F., Cole, K.S., McMahon, L.A. et al. Sex reversal, selection against hatchery females or wild males does not explain differences in sex ratio between first generation hatchery and wild steelhead, Oncorhynchus mykiss . Environ Biol Fish 98, 113–120 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-014-0240-0

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