Our research will investigate the diversity of steelhead and coastal cutthroat trout within BLM's national conservation lands and their watersheds

Little is known regarding the occurrence of imperiled summer-run steelhead and coastal cutthroat trout on BLM-managed national landscape conservation system (nlcs) lands, which will serve as critical refugia from the warming brought about by climate change. The preservation of diversity and other phenotypic complexity is central to the resilience and long-term survival of salmonid species. Further research is needed to understand the distribution of different life-histories and population dynamics in both species across their range. Two run-types of steelhead exist in northern california and southern oregon. They are winter-run, which enter freshwater sexually mature in the late fall through winter and spawn almost immediately before quickly returning to the ocean and summer-run, which enter the river sexually immature in the late spring/early summer, spend the summer and fall months maturing and awaiting the return of the rains before spawning in winter, high in the watershed. As a result of anthropogenic alterations to the landscape and climate change, summer-run steelhead have experienced more severe declines than winter-run steelhead in the past century and are on the verge of extirpation in northern california and southern oregon. Additionally, coastal cutthroat trout are a BLM priority species and california state species of special concern, with no previous research related to the genetic expression of life history. Our objectives are: (1) identify distinct spatial barriers between winter and summer-run steelhead throughout northern california and southern oregon and high priority conservation areas for summer-run fish, considering climate change, (2) investigate the distribution of the genotypes associated with anadromy and residency in steelhead and (3) understand the rate of hybridization of steelhead with coastal cutthroat trout and explore if a genomic region associated with residency/anadromy exists in coastal cutthroat trout. To address these questions, we will collect FIN tissue samples from steelhead and coastal cutthroat trout for genetic sequencing and analysis. Collaboration with BLM staff, tribes, and the public will ensure we achieve these objectives and provide the information necessary for nlcs managers to protect and conserve these unique fishes.