Individual Variation in Migration Speed of Upriver-Migrating Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River in Relation to Their Physiological and Energetic Status at Marine Approach
Date
2008
Authors
Hanson, Kyle C.
Cooke, Steven J.
Hinch, Scott G.
Crossin, Glenn Terrence
Patterson, David A.
English, Karl K.
Donaldson, Michael R.
Shrimpton, JMark
Van der Kraak, Glen
Farrell, Anthony P.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Chicago Press, P.O. Box 37005 Chicago IL 60637 USA,
[mailto:help@press.uchicago.edu], [URL:http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/]
Abstract
Little research has examined individual variation in migration speeds of Pacific salmon
(Oncorhynchus spp.) in natural river systems or attempted to link migratory behavior with
physiological and energetic status on a large spatial scale in the wild. As a model, we used three
stocks of summer-run sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) from the Fraser River watershed, British
Columbia, to test the hypothesis that individual variation in migration speed is determined by a
combination of environmental factors (i.e., water temperature), intrinsic biological differences
(sex and population), and physiological and energetic condition. Before the freshwater portion of
the migration, sockeye salmon (Quesnel, Chilcotin, and Nechako stock complexes) were captured in
Johnstone Strait ([image]215 km from river entry), gastrically implanted with radio transmitters,
and sampled for blood, gill tissue, and energetic status before release. Analyses focused solely on
individuals that successfully reached natal subwatersheds. Migration speeds were assessed by an
extensive radiotelemetry array. Individuals from the stock complex that migrated the longest
distance (Nechako) traveled at speeds slower than those of other stock complexes. Females traveled
slower than males. An elevated energetic status of fish in the ocean was negatively correlated with
migration speed in most river segments. During the transition from the ocean to the river, migration
speed was negatively correlated with mean maximum water temperature; however, for the majority of
river segments, it was positively correlated with migration speed. Physiological status measured in
the ocean did not explain among-individual variability in river migration speeds. Collectively,
these findings suggest that there could be extensive variation in migration behavior among
individuals, sexes, and populations and that physiological condition in the ocean explained little
of this variation relative to in-river environmental conditions and energetic status. Interestingly,
individual fish generally retained their rank in swimming speed across different segments, except
when transiting a challenging canyon midway during the migration.
Description
Keywords
Sockeye salmon, Bioenergetics, Anadromous species, Freshwater, Watersheds, Fraser River, Migration, Oncorhynchus nerka, Gills, Rivers, Temperature effects, Marine, Body conditions, Freshwater environments, Recruitment, Brackish, Water temperature, Blood, Oceans, Johnstone Strait, Migrations, Population structure
Citation
Hanson, Kyle C., Steven J. Cooke, Scott G. Hinch, Glenn T. Crossin, et al. 2008. "Individual Variation in Migration Speed of Upriver-Migrating Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River
in Relation to Their Physiological and Energetic Status at Marine Approach." Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 81(3): 255-268. doi:10.1086/529460