Effects of phytoplankton blooms on juvenile salmon in Cowichan Bay in 2014 and 2015.
Presentation Abstract
As part of the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project, a pioneer research was initiated to study the effects of phytoplankton dynamics on wild juvenile salmon. During a 2 year observation period in Cowichan Bay we found strong evidence of phytoplankton blooms having impact on juvenile salmon. During high biomass blooms, Chinook salmon significantly reduced feeding with a two fold increase in the proportion of empty stomachs. Change in the behavior of Chinook salmon and a 25 fold increase in post pit-tagging mortality was also associated with a bloom of Heterosigma akashiwo. High concentrations of mechanically harmful Chaetoceros convolutus and C. concavicorne appeared to cause lesions and necrosis in salmon gills. These observations suggest that algal blooms and/or their absence in coastal waters could have profound impacts on juvenile salmon survival.
Session Title
The Salish Sea Marine Survival Project- Novel Approaches, Project Status and Key Findings
Conference Track
Species and Food Webs
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Salmon fisheries--Environmental aspects--British Columbia--Vancouver Island; Algal blooms--Monitoring--British Columbia--Vancouver Island; Algal blooms--Research--British Columbia--Vancouver Island; Toxic algae--British Columbia--Vancouver Island; Environmental impact analysis
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Vancouver Island (B.C.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Effects of phytoplankton blooms on juvenile salmon in Cowichan Bay in 2014 and 2015.
2016SSEC
As part of the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project, a pioneer research was initiated to study the effects of phytoplankton dynamics on wild juvenile salmon. During a 2 year observation period in Cowichan Bay we found strong evidence of phytoplankton blooms having impact on juvenile salmon. During high biomass blooms, Chinook salmon significantly reduced feeding with a two fold increase in the proportion of empty stomachs. Change in the behavior of Chinook salmon and a 25 fold increase in post pit-tagging mortality was also associated with a bloom of Heterosigma akashiwo. High concentrations of mechanically harmful Chaetoceros convolutus and C. concavicorne appeared to cause lesions and necrosis in salmon gills. These observations suggest that algal blooms and/or their absence in coastal waters could have profound impacts on juvenile salmon survival.
