Biophysical data for: Dispersive currents explain patterns of population connectivity in an ecologically and economically important fish

How to identify the drivers of population connectivity remains a fundamental question in ecology and evolution. Answering this question can be challenging in aquatic environments where dynamic lake and ocean currents coupled with high levels of dispersal and gene flow can decrease the utility of modern population genetic tools. To address this challenge, we used RAD-Seq to genotype 959 yellow perch (Perca flavescens), a species with an ~40-day pelagic larval duration (PLD), collected from 20 sites circumscribing Lake Michigan. We also developed a novel, integrative approach that couples detailed biophysical models with eco-genetic agent-based models to generate 'predictive' values of genetic differentiation. By comparing predictive and empirical values of genetic differentiation, we estimated the relative contributions for known drivers of population connectivity (e.g., currents, behavior, PLD). For the main basin populations (i.e., the largest contiguous portion of the lake), we found ..., For the biophysical model, we used a Lagrangian particle tracking model previously developed to study the transport of larval cod (Churchill et al., 2011; Huret et al., 2007), where three-dimensional current velocities and turbulent diffusivity were output from the application of the Finite Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM). A random-walk scheme for spatially varying vertical diffusivity was used, including a vertical floating/sinking/swimming velocity (Gräwe, 2011; Rowe et al., 2016). Particles were designated to be either 1.) neutrally buoyant or 2.) have an upward vertical swimming velocity of 0.0003 m/s. We chose to use an upward vertical swimming velocity because yellow perch larvae are more likely to be collected in the upper layers of Lake Michigan (Martin et al. 2011). The Lagrangian particle tracking simulations were forced by output from FVCOM simulation of Lake Michigan-Huron (Anderson & Schwab, 2013) incorporating exchange currents in the Straits of Mackinac. Horizont..., The files consist of text files (*.txt) and inage files (*.png). A simple text editor and photo imager should be suffifient to open all files.