What major geological events caused initial separation of distinct walleye genetic groups?

Answer

Pleistocene glaciations

The complex population structure of the walleye, characterized by distinct genetic groups across its massive distribution, is largely attributed to historical barriers to gene flow. Foremost among these geological events were the Pleistocene glaciations. When massive continental ice sheets covered extensive areas of North America, they acted as powerful environmental filters, forcing walleye populations into isolated refugia, primarily in southern and western areas. When the ice sheets eventually retreated, these surviving lineages expanded northward, but the genetic signatures—the unique DNA traces—of those ancient hiding places persist, resulting in significant divergence between eastern and western groups, for example.

What major geological events caused initial separation of distinct walleye genetic groups?

Related Questions

To which genus does the walleye (*Sander vitreus*) belong alongside the sauger?What specialized trait allows walleye to hunt effectively in low light?What major geological events caused initial separation of distinct walleye genetic groups?What water characteristics does the Federal government screening process suggest walleye generally prefer?What concept describes how larval conditions influence adult walleye size and maturity decades later?Which growth strategy is favored where predation risk is high for young walleye?What physiological tolerances fundamentally restrict the walleye’s colonization potential?What two drainage systems define the northernmost and southernmost limits of the walleye's native range?What type of selection favors earlier maturity at a smaller size due to heavy fishing?What niche did key evolutionary innovations in the *Sander* lineage enable walleye to exploit?
evolutionfishWalleye