5 | CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study highlight the necessity for understanding the geologic and climatic history of a region and the life history of an organism when interpreting population genomic patterns. The same species in different environments can have very different patterns of genetic diversity due to the dynamic nature of the landscape. This is especially true in riverine environments. In riverscapes where aquatic habitats have been stable over long periods of time, the spatial distribution of genetic diversity will likely fit expectations of models based on the life history of the organism and patterns of the drainage network. However, in riverscapes that are impacted, the observed patterns may not be obvious and are often difficult to interpret based on contemporary processes. In addition, these genetic signatures may persist for a long period of time due to the effects of a time-lag. When interpreting genetic data for conservation of species in glaciated environments, it is imperative that these factors are taken into consideration. A failure to do so may result in an inaccurate interpretation and mislead conservation efforts.