High site fidelity does not equate to population structure for common goldeneye and Barrow’s goldeneye in North America.

Delineation of population structure provides valuable information for conservation and management of species, as levels of demographic and genetic connectivity not only affect population dynamics but also have important implications for adaptability and resiliency of populations and species. Here, we measure population genetic structure and connectivity across the respective ranges of two sister species of Goldeneye, Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) and Common Goldeneye (B. clangula). We use two different marker types: 7 nuclear microsatellite loci assayed across 229 samples and 3,678 double digest Restriction-site Associated DNA Sequencing (ddRAD-seq) loci assayed across 61 samples. First, both datasets failed to uncover genetic structure within Common or Barrow’s Goldeneye, including between North American and European samples of Common Goldeneye. These results are in contrast with previous mitochondrial DNA, band recovery, and telemetry data which suggests that goldeneyes are...