Interannual variation in effective number of breeders and estimation of effective population size in long-lived iteroparous lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)

Quantifying interannual variation in effective adult breeding number (Nb) and relationships between Nb, effective population size (Ne), adult census size (N) and population demographic characteristics are important to predict genetic changes in populations of conservation concern. Such relationships are rarely available for long-lived iteroparous species like lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens). We estimated annual Nb and generational Ne using genotypes from 12 microsatellite loci for lake sturgeon adults (n = 796) captured during ten spawning seasons and offspring (n = 3925) collected during larval dispersal in a closed population over 8 years. Inbreeding and variance Nb estimated using mean and variance in individual reproductive success derived from genetically identified parentage and using linkage disequilibrium (LD) were similar within and among years (interannual range of Nb across estimators: 41–205). Variance in reproductive success and unequal sex ratios reduced Nb relative t...