Population dynamics and asynchrony at fine spatial scales: a case history of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) population structure in Alaska, USA

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas P. Quinn ◽  
Harry B. Rich ◽  
Dido Gosse ◽  
Nicolas Schtickzelle

Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) exemplify the ways in which populations are structured by homing and the abiotic factors affecting their dynamics in discrete breeding and rearing habitats. What is the finest spatial scale of their population structure, and where do clusters of spatially proximate breeding groups lie along the continuum from isolated populations – metapopulation – patchy panmictic population? To investigate these questions, we monitored sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka, spawning in a complex of habitats ~1 km apart, joining to form a single stream flowing into Iliamna Lake, Alaska, USA. Annual surveys revealed levels of asynchrony in productivity that were comparable with values reported for sockeye salmon spawning in separate streams flowing into lakes elsewhere in Bristol Bay. A mark–recapture study revealed very little movement of spawning adults among habitats. The ponds occupied at highest density varied among years, and salmon consistently arrived and spawned later in one pond than the others. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the salmon structured as a small-scale metapopulation rather than a single panmictic population.

2020 ◽  
pp. 9-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.E. Lincoln ◽  
A.J. Wirsing ◽  
T.P. Quinn

Scavenging, an underappreciated mechanism of prey consumption for many predators, can contribute substantially to nutritional intake. Facultative scavengers such as brown bears (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758) may both kill and scavenge Pacific salmon (genus Oncorhynchus Suckley, 1861), though the extent of scavenging and factors affecting this behavior are unclear. We tagged 899 sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum in Artedi, 1792)) carcasses and placed them on streambanks over 5 years at multiple sites in southwestern Alaska (USA) where brown bears annually prey on spawning sockeye salmon. Examination of carcasses revealed overall scavenging rates of 15% after 1 day and 54% after 3 days. Scavenging rate varied by site and year and increased throughout the salmon run. Contrary to predictions, scavenging was more frequent in senescent or bear-killed carcasses than ripe carcasses. Carcass consumption ranged from minimal to almost complete; body and brain tissues were most frequently consumed after 3 days (68% and 63% of carcasses, respectively). We also documented secondary scavenging (i.e., tissue consumption on two separate events) and delayed scavenging (i.e., scavenging observed after 3 days but not 1 day). Taken together, the results indicated that scavenging in these streams contributes significantly to total consumption of salmon by bears, with ramifications for other components of these salmon-dependent ecosystems.


2011 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 539-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuichiro Kogura ◽  
James E. Seeb ◽  
Noriko Azuma ◽  
Hideaki Kudo ◽  
Syuiti Abe ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 1255-1260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randall M. Peterman ◽  
Brigitte Dorner

We used data on 64 stocks of sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) from British Columbia (B.C.), Washington, and Alaska to determine whether recent decreases in abundance and productivity observed for Fraser River, B.C., sockeye have occurred more widely. We found that decreasing time trends in productivity have occurred across a large geographic area ranging from Washington, B.C., southeast Alaska, and up through the Yakutat peninsula, Alaska, but not in central and western Alaska. Furthermore, a pattern of predominantly shared trends across southern stocks and opposite trends between them and stocks from western Alaska was present in the past (1950–1985), but correlations have intensified since then. The spatial extent of declining productivity of sockeye salmon has important implications for management as well as research into potential causes of the declines. Further research should focus on mechanisms that operate at large, multiregional spatial scales, and (or) in marine areas where numerous correlated sockeye stocks overlap.


1971 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 485-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. McBride ◽  
A. P. van Overbeeke

A study was made of the histological changes occurring in the skin, stomach, liver, pancreas and kidney of adult gonadectomized male and female sockeye salmon in response to hormone treatments. The males received 11-ketotestosterone, 17α-methyltestosterone or cortisol for 4 or 7 weeks, and the females received estradiol, estradiol cypionate, or cortisol for 8 weeks.In the males, androgen injection evoked a highly significant increase in the thickness of the epidermis, a marked atrophy of the stomach, and a degeneration in the liver and kidney. In the pancreas, the exocrine portion showed characteristics of cytolysis in the acini, whereas the islets of Langerhans were hypertrophied. These changes were generally more pronounced after 7 weeks than after 4 but, in the skin, no further increase in the thickening of the epidermis was noted after the 4th week of treatment. No differences between responses of these tissues to 11-ketotestosterone and 17α-methyltestosterosne were detected.Estrogen administration in the females evoked similar, albeit weaker, responses in the skin, stomach, pancreas, and kidney than those recorded in the androgen-treated males. The liver of the females exhibited the characteristics of a hyperactive organ, which probably reflects estrogen-induced vitellogenesis.The effects of cortisol were similar in both sexes: little, if any, change was noted in the skin; atrophy or degeneration was observed in the stomach, liver, kidney, and in the exocrine portion of the pancreas, and the islets of Langerhans were hypertrophied. The cortisol-induced alterations were not, however, as pronounced as those noted in either the androgen- or estrogen-treated fish.These changes are discussed in relation to the changes observed in normal sexually maturing and reproducing Pacific salmon.


2006 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 3615-3625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michiel Vos ◽  
Gregory J. Velicer

ABSTRACT Myxococcus xanthus is a gram-negative soil bacterium best known for its remarkable life history of social swarming, social predation, and multicellular fruiting body formation. Very little is known about genetic diversity within this species or how social strategies might vary among neighboring strains at small spatial scales. To investigate the small-scale population structure of M. xanthus, 78 clones were isolated from a patch of soil (16 by 16 cm) in T�bingen, Germany. Among these isolates, 21 genotypes could be distinguished from a concatemer of three gene fragments: csgA (developmental C signal), fibA (extracellular matrix-associated zinc metalloprotease), and pilA (the pilin subunit of type IV pili). Accumulation curves showed that most of the diversity present at this scale was sampled. The pilA gene contains both conserved and highly variable regions, and two frequency-distribution tests provide evidence for balancing selection on this gene. The functional domains in the csgA gene were found to be conserved. Three instances of lateral gene transfer could be inferred from a comparison of individual gene phylogenies, but no evidence was found for linkage equilibrium, supporting the view that M. xanthus evolution is largely clonal. This study shows that M. xanthus is surrounded by a variety of distinct conspecifics in its natural soil habitat at a spatial scale at which encounters among genotypes are likely.


2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (6) ◽  
pp. 943-949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan Connors ◽  
Michael J. Malick ◽  
Gregory T. Ruggerone ◽  
Pete Rand ◽  
Milo Adkison ◽  
...  

Pacific salmon productivity is influenced by ocean conditions and interspecific interactions, yet their combined effects are poorly understood. Using data from 47 North American sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) populations, we present evidence that the magnitude and direction of climate and competition effects vary over large spatial scales. In the south, a warm ocean and abundant salmon competitors combined to strongly reduce sockeye productivity, whereas in the north, a warm ocean substantially increased productivity and offset the negative effects of competition at sea. From 2005 to 2015, the approximately 82 million adult pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) produced annually from hatcheries were estimated to have reduced the productivity of southern sockeye salmon by ∼15%, on average. In contrast, for sockeye at the northwestern end of their range, the same level of hatchery production was predicted to have reduced the positive effects of a warming ocean by ∼50% (from a ∼10% to a ∼5% increase in productivity, on average). These findings reveal spatially dependent effects of climate and competition on sockeye productivity and highlight the need for international discussions about large-scale hatchery production.


2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (7) ◽  
pp. 1564-1577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy Flynn ◽  
André E Punt ◽  
Ray Hilborn

The goal of spreading the annual catch of a Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) run proportionally across all segments of the migration is rendered difficult or impossible because of the interannual variability in both run size and run timing. This problem is particularly acute in the case of the fishery for sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in Bristol Bay, Alaska, for which traditional run reconstruction models are not applicable because of the extreme temporal compression of the run. We develop a run reconstruction model appropriate for sockeye salmon in Bristol Bay by accounting for the hierarchical structure of the problem and by including process error. Our results indicate that the hierarchical structure is, in fact, not necessary, whereas the process error parameters are needed to fit the data. We suggest further model development without the hierarchical structure, including incorporating in-river test fishing data. The results of our method can be used to address questions regarding environmental or intrinsic drivers of run timing and the possibility of artificial selection on run timing.


1976 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Ginetz ◽  
P. A. Larkin

Predation of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) on migrant sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) fry in experimental streams was higher on fry at an earlier development stage, in moonlight by contrast to cloudy night light intensities, at lesser turbidities, and at lower stream velocities. At dusk light intensities, from.05 to.30 ft-c, mortality from predation was inversely related to light intensity. The longer the period of exposure of fry to naturally declining light intensities prior to downstream movement, the lower was the loss to predators. Exposure of predators to high light intensities prior to the downstream movement of fry resulted in decreased fry mortality. Fry that had survived exposure to predators in an experimental stream 1 and 2 days previous were less vulnerable to predation than "naive" fry. Successive exposures further decreased the loss to predation. Fry enumerated at a counting fence suffered less predation than fry not enumerated. Experienced fry moved downstream more rapidly than naive fry.In laboratory aquaria, experienced fry formed compact schools prior to and in response to stimuli, while naive fry formed loose schools or did not school. Experienced fry were less active in responding to stimuli. Enumerated fry resembled experienced fry; nonenumerated fry resembled naive fry.Various techniques of enhancing sockeye salmon fry survival during downstream migration are suggested by these results.


1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 1785-1795 ◽  
Author(s):  
C J Foote ◽  
G S Brown ◽  
C C Wood

Protein electrophoresis was used to determine the relative spawning success of jack sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka, males when they joined spawnings of larger, older individuals in experimental enclosures in the natal stream, Pierre Creek, Babine Lake, British Columbia. We attempted to relate the results to distance of the jack from female before spawning and relative size of the jack to the alpha male. Further, we measured the relationships between relative gonad size and available sperm volume to body size to determine if sperm competition could also play a role in determining the relative spawning success of males. Jack spawning success was variable (3-93%) and not significantly different from that of large males, even though they were further from the female before spawning, had smaller gonads, and had less available sperm. Jack males were adept at sneaking, usually commencing spawning within a split second of the alpha male and always on the opposite, free, side of the spawning female. The results are related to various theories on the evolution of alternative mating strategies and tactics in Pacific salmon.


1987 ◽  
Vol 44 (11) ◽  
pp. 1963-1971 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. P. Quinn ◽  
C. C. Wood ◽  
L. Margolis ◽  
B. E. Riddell ◽  
K. D. Hyatt

Although it is widely accepted that adult Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) spawn in their natal stream, there are few quantitative estimates of homing precision in wild populations. The prevalence of two myxosporean parasites, Myxobolus neurobius and Henneguya salminicola, indicated very precise homing in certain sockeye salmon (O. nerka) populations in British Columbia (Long and Owikeno lakes on the central coast and Sproat, Great Central, and Henderson lakes on Barkley Sound, Vancouver Island). These populations were also sampled for electrophoretic differences at 23 loci. Genetic differences were found among all five populations, and estimates of straying from these data corroborated the parasitological evidence that straying is rare (< 1%).


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