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LoScerbo DC, Wilson SM, Robinson KA, Moore JW, Patterson DA. Physiological condition infers habitat choice in juvenile sockeye salmon. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coae011. [PMID: 38584988 PMCID: PMC10998697 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
The amount of time that juvenile salmon remain in an estuary varies among and within populations, with some individuals passing through their estuary in hours while others remain in the estuary for several months. Underlying differences in individual physiological condition, such as body size, stored energy and osmoregulatory function, could drive individual variation in the selection of estuary habitat. Here we investigated the role of variation in physiological condition on the selection of estuarine and ocean habitat by sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) smolts intercepted at the initiation of their 650-km downstream migration from Chilko Lake, Fraser River, British Columbia (BC). Behavioural salinity preference experiments were conducted on unfed smolts held in fresh water at three time intervals during their downstream migration period, representing the stage of migration at lake-exit, and the expected timing for estuary-entry and ocean-entry (0, 1 and 3 weeks after lake-exit, respectively). In general, salinity preference behaviour varied across the three time periods consistent with expected transition from river to estuary to ocean. Further, individual physiological condition did influence habitat choice. Smolt condition factor (K) and energy density were positively correlated with salinity preference behaviour in the estuary and ocean outmigration stages, but not at lake-exit. Our results suggest that smolt physiological condition upon reaching the estuary could influence migratory behaviour and habitat selection. This provides evidence on the temporally dependent interplay of physiology, behaviour and migration in wild juvenile Pacific salmon, with juvenile rearing conditions influencing smolt energetic status, which in turn influences habitat choice during downstream migration. The implication for the conservation of migratory species is that the relative importance of stopover habitats may vary as a function of initial condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella C LoScerbo
- Department of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Science Branch, Cooperative Resource Management Institute, School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Samantha M Wilson
- Earth2Ocean Research Group, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Kendra A Robinson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Science Branch, Cooperative Resource Management Institute, School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Jonathan W Moore
- Department of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
- Earth2Ocean Research Group, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - David A Patterson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Science Branch, Cooperative Resource Management Institute, School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
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Wilson SM, Robinson KA, Gutzmann S, Moore JW, Patterson DA. Limits on performance and survival of juvenile sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka) during food deprivation: a laboratory-based study. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab014. [PMID: 33815801 PMCID: PMC8009553 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Long-distance migrations can be energetically demanding and can represent phases of high mortality. Understanding relationships between body condition and migratory performance can help illuminate the challenges and vulnerabilities of migratory species. Juvenile anadromous sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) may migrate over 1000 km from their freshwater nursery habitats to estuary and ocean feeding grounds. During the period corresponding to the seaward migration of sockeye salmon, we held smolts in the laboratory to ask the following: (i) Does non-feeding migration duration influence prolonged swim performance and survival? (ii) What are the relationships between individual body condition and swim performance and survival? Wild sockeye salmon were intercepted during their migration and held without food for up to 61 days to represent the non-feeding freshwater migration and the extremes of poor estuary habitat. We conducted 40 sets of prolonged swim trials on 319 fish from 3 treatment groups that represented entrance to the marine environment on (i) an average,(ii) a delayed and (iii) a severely delayed migration schedule. Experimentally controlled freshwater migration duration did not impact swim performance or survival. Swim performance decreased concomitant with condition factor, where smolts with a Fulton's condition factor of <0.69 were less likely (<50% probability) to complete the swim test (90 min swim test, at ~0.50 m/s). Survival of salmon smolts in the laboratory was less likely at energy densities of less than 3.47 MJ/kg. Swim performance decreased much sooner than survival, suggesting that swim performance, and therefore condition factor, may be a good indicator of survival of migratory smolts, as fish with reduced swim performance will likely be predated. These two relationships, one more ecologically relevant and one more clinical, help reveal the limits of long-distance migration for juvenile salmon and can be used to determine population-specific starvation risk associated with various freshwater and marine habitat conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M Wilson
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Kendra A Robinson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Cooperative Resource Management Institute, School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Sarah Gutzmann
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Jonathan W Moore
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - David A Patterson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Cooperative Resource Management Institute, School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
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Houde ALS, Günther OP, Strohm J, Ming TJ, Li S, Kaukinen KH, Patterson DA, Farrell AP, Hinch SG, Miller KM. Discovery and validation of candidate smoltification gene expression biomarkers across multiple species and ecotypes of Pacific salmonids. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz051. [PMID: 31620289 PMCID: PMC6788492 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Early marine survival of juvenile salmon is intimately associated with their physiological condition during smoltification and ocean entry. Smoltification (parr-smolt transformation) is a developmental process that allows salmon to acquire seawater tolerance in preparation for marine living. Traditionally, this developmental process has been monitored using gill Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) activity or plasma hormones, but gill gene expression offers the possibility of another method. Here, we describe the discovery of candidate genes from gill tissue for staging smoltification using comparisons of microarray studies with particular focus on the commonalities between anadromous Rainbow trout and Sockeye salmon datasets, as well as a literature comparison encompassing more species. A subset of 37 candidate genes mainly from the microarray analyses was used for TaqMan quantitative PCR assay design and their expression patterns were validated using gill samples from four groups, representing three species and two ecotypes: Coho salmon, Sockeye salmon, stream-type Chinook salmon and ocean-type Chinook salmon. The best smoltification biomarkers, as measured by consistent changes across these four groups, were genes involved in ion regulation, oxygen transport and immunity. Smoltification gene expression patterns (using the top 10 biomarkers) were confirmed by significant correlations with NKA activity and were associated with changes in body brightness, caudal fin darkness and caudal peduncle length. We incorporate gene expression patterns of pre-smolt, smolt and de-smolt trials from acute seawater transfers from a companion study to develop a preliminary seawater tolerance classification model for ocean-type Chinook salmon. This work demonstrates the potential of gene expression biomarkers to stage smoltification and classify juveniles as pre-smolt, smolt or de-smolt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimee Lee S Houde
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9T 6N7, Canada
| | - Oliver P Günther
- Günther Analytics, 402-5775 Hampton Place, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 2G6, Canada
| | - Jeffrey Strohm
- Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9T 6N7, Canada
| | - Tobi J Ming
- Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9T 6N7, Canada
| | - Shaorong Li
- Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9T 6N7, Canada
| | - Karia H Kaukinen
- Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9T 6N7, Canada
| | - David A Patterson
- School of Resource and Environmental Management, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Anthony P Farrell
- Department of Zoology and Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Scott G Hinch
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Kristina M Miller
- Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9T 6N7, Canada
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Houde ALS, Akbarzadeh A, Günther OP, Li S, Patterson DA, Farrell AP, Hinch SG, Miller KM. Salmonid gene expression biomarkers indicative of physiological responses to changes in salinity and temperature, but not dissolved oxygen. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb198036. [PMID: 31209112 PMCID: PMC6633282 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.198036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
An organism's ability to respond effectively to environmental change is critical to its survival. Yet, life stage and overall condition can dictate tolerance thresholds to heightened environmental stressors, such that stress may not be equally felt across individuals and at all times. Also, the transcriptional responses induced by environmental changes can reflect both generalized responses as well as others that are highly specific to the type of change being experienced. Thus, if transcriptional biomarkers specific to a stressor, even under multi-stressor conditions, can be identified, the biomarkers could then be applied in natural environments to determine when and where an individual experiences such a stressor. Here, we experimentally challenged juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) to validate candidate gill gene expression biomarkers. A sophisticated experimental design manipulated salinity (freshwater, brackish water and seawater), temperature (10, 14 and 18°C) and dissolved oxygen (normoxia and hypoxia) in all 18 possible combinations for 6 days using separate trials for three smolt statuses (pre-smolt, smolt and de-smolt). In addition, changes in juvenile behaviour, plasma variables, gill Na+/K+-ATPase activity, body size, body morphology and skin pigmentation supplemented the gene expression responses. We identified biomarkers specific to salinity and temperature that transcended the multiple stressors, smolt status and mortality (live, dead and moribund). Similar biomarkers for dissolved oxygen were not identified. This work demonstrates the unique power of gene expression biomarkers to identify a specific stressor even under multi-stressor conditions, and we discuss our next steps for hypoxia biomarkers using an RNA-seq study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimee Lee S Houde
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
- Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, BC, Canada, V9T 6N7
| | - Arash Akbarzadeh
- Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, BC, Canada, V9T 6N7
- Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, University of Hormozgan, PO Box 3995, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Oliver P Günther
- Günther Analytics, 402-5775 Hampton Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 2G6
| | - Shaorong Li
- Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, BC, Canada, V9T 6N7
| | - David A Patterson
- School of Resource and Environmental Management, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada, V5A 1S6
| | - Anthony P Farrell
- Department of Zoology and Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
| | - Scott G Hinch
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
| | - Kristina M Miller
- Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, BC, Canada, V9T 6N7
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McCormick SD, Shrimpton JM, Nilsen TO, Ebbesson LO. Advances in our understanding of the parr-smolt transformation of juvenile salmon: a summary of the 10th International Workshop on Salmon Smoltification. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2018; 93:437-439. [PMID: 30259524 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- S D McCormick
- US Geological Survey, Leetown Science Center, S.O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory, Turners Falls, Massachusetts, USA
| | - J M Shrimpton
- Ecosystem Science and Management (Biology) Program, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
| | - T O Nilsen
- Uni Research Environment, Uni Research AS, Nygårdsgaten 112, 5008, Bergen, Norway
| | - L O Ebbesson
- Uni Research Environment, Uni Research AS, Nygårdsgaten 112, 5008, Bergen, Norway
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