About Me
I am exploring the influence of movement patterns for the diversification of arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) from Southern Greenland.
Intra-population variation in migratory propensity, resulting in partially migratory populations is a widespread phenomenon occurring across many taxa. A major gap in our knowledge concerns the effects of partial migration on the ecology and structure of the resident conspecifics. Due to their relative simplicity, the high degree of replication and low anthropogenic influence, Greenlandic freshwater systems offer a unique possibility to study the evolution of migration versus residency.
The migratory individuals leave their native freshwater environment for the summer in order to increase their growth by feeding on high quality resource items in the marine environment.
The migratory habitat represents an heterogenous environment exposing arctic charr to different conditions (e.g. salinity, temperature). I am exploring how these contrasted conditions may induce phenotypic differences that can potentially lead to reproductive isolation within or among streams.
Habitat quality has the potential to trigger variation in life-history strategies among and within populations. Therefore, I am also interested in how age and size at migration differ according to streams presenting different environmental conditions.
