Using RAD Sequencing and Bioinformatics to Quantify the Frequency and Dynamics of Hybridization of Yellowstone Cutthroat and Rainbow Trout in the Teton River Basin

Humans have had a major impact on the interactions of wildlife species throughout the years including the introduction of new species to ecosystems and the causing of hybridization. An example of this impact would be the problematic frequency change in hybridization of Yellowstone Cutthroat and Coastal Rainbow Trout. During this internship, I visited a previous GEM3 study and built on it in order to take a closer look at the correlation between the presence of certain human interest groups, and hybridization rates of native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri) and introduced Coastal Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus irideus). To do this, I will perform Restriction-site-Associated-DNA sequencing (RADseq) on samples of fin clips taken from Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, and potential hybrids from across the Teton River Basin. We will then use bioinformatics to identify the genetic ancestry of fish and the frequency of hybrids across the landscape. If certain human interest groups manage the land in different ways, then the presence of those groups, and therefore their changes made to the landscape may impact the frequency of hybridization between these species