Study finds wild coho may seek genetic diversity in mate choice, June 2

The study this story is based upon is available online, at http://bit.ly/1is9ydT
A new study by researchers at Oregon State University suggests that wild coho salmon that choose mates with disease-resistant genes different from their own are more likely to produce greater numbers of adult offspring returning to the river some three years later.  The researchers also found that hatchery-reared coho – for some unknown reason – do not appear to have the same ability to select mates that are genetically diverse, which may, in part, explain their comparative lower reproductive success.  Results of the study have been published in this month’s Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.