Meeting Abstract
Phenotypic variation in morphology has been well characterized in Alaskan and British Columbian populations of threespine stickleback, with studies demonstrating that the variation is extensive in a wide variety of anti-predator traits and body shape. In contrast, the limited published studies of stickleback in eastern North America suggest that there is relatively little among-population phenotypic variation in anti-predatory armor and body shape. Recent samples obtained from 30 populations of stickleback in Newfoundland, from a wide array of habitats that vary in biotic and abiotic components, indicate that the earlier suggestion of relatively limited phenotypic diversity may need to be reevaluated. Using geomorphic morphometrics plus more traditional measures of specific body parts (for body shape), and measurements and counts of armor features (for anti-predator aspects), I will quantify the degree of variation both within an across populations. Using summary metrics, I will then compare the variability of Newfoundland populations to that of Alaskan populations, to more rigorously test the original suggestion of more limited variation. Data acquisition is currently underway for this comparison.
