Mechanisms underlying the increase in young-of-the-year Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) density with habitat complexity

2008 ◽  
Vol 65 (9) ◽  
pp. 1956-1964 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar Venter ◽  
James W.A. Grant ◽  
Michelle V. Noël ◽  
Jae-woo Kim
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Salmon ◽  
Salmo Salar ◽  
Habitat Complexity ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Growth Potential ◽  
Territory Size ◽  
Complex Environments ◽  
Atlantic Salmon Salmo Salar ◽  
Direct Support ◽  
Young Of The Year

We tested three hypotheses used to explain the increase in young-of-the-year (YOY) Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) density with habitat complexity: the territory-size, predator-refuge, and foraging-benefits hypotheses. We manipulated habitat complexity in three different treatments (boulder-removed, control, and boulder-added) at eight sites in Catamaran Brook and the Little Southwest Miramichi River, New Brunswick. The density of juvenile salmon was two times higher in the boulder-added treatment than in the other treatments. Our data were consistent with the territory-size hypothesis; visual isolation was highest and territory size was smallest in the boulder-added treatment, and salmon selected microhabitats to maximize their field of view. Our results showed partial support for the predator-refuge hypothesis; salmon in the boulder-added sites were closer to cover and showed a reduced reaction distance to a novel stimulus, but did not preferentially select microhabitats closer to cover. We found no direct support for the foraging-benefits hypothesis; however, there is indirect evidence that boulders may improve the growth potential of instream habitat. Our results suggest that YOY Atlantic salmon may be attracted to complex environments for the increased cover and that the decreased visibility of these sites causes a reduction in territory size, allowing a higher density of fish.

Allometric and environmental correlates of territory size in juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

1995 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 186-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernest R. Keeley ◽  
James W. A. Grant
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Atlantic Salmon ◽  
Salmo Salar ◽  
Territory Size ◽  
Environmental Correlates ◽  
Atlantic Salmon Salmo Salar ◽  
Juvenile Atlantic Salmon ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Body Sizes ◽  
Young Of The Year

We observed juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) over a wide range of stream conditions and body sizes to determine the relative importance of environmental factors and body size as predictors of territory size. Defended and foraging areas were virtually identical in size. Eighty-eight percent of the variation in territory size was explained by differences in body size and age; territory size increased with body size, but young-of-the-year salmon had relatively larger territories for their body size than older fish. Territory size was inversely related to food abundance, the only significant environmental correlate of territory size, but food only explained an additional 2% of the variation in territory size. Intruder pressure, visual isolation, and current velocity were not significantly related to territory size. The allometric scaling of territory size was consistent with the hypothesis that Atlantic salmon maintain a maximum daily ration of drift flowing over their territory. Atlantic salmon in Catamaran Brook have larger territories than is reported in the literature for other stream-dwelling salmonids of a similar size.

Patterns and correlates of movement and site fidelity in individually tagged young-of-the-year Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

2003 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefán Ó Steingrímsson ◽  
James W.A Grant
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Salmon ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Salmo Salar ◽  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Population Regulation ◽  
Fish Movement ◽  
Population Densities ◽  
Atlantic Salmon Salmo Salar ◽  
Young Of The Year ◽  
Study Sites

The literature on stream fish movement offers diverse views on the patterns (restricted vs. nonrestricted), causes (competition vs. habitat use), and consequences (mobile fish of lower vs. equal fitness) of movement. We tagged 320 young-of-the-year Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) (30.1–55.3 mm), using relatively noninvasive tagging (elastomers) and recovery (snorkeling) techniques, to test these alternative views. Most fish (mean = 63.8%) stayed in the study sites (10–120 m) throughout their respective study season (28–74 days). Of the resighted fish, 61.8% moved less than 1 m up- or down-stream and only three fish moved more than 10 m, causing extremely leptokurtic movement curves. Movement and site fidelity were weakly affected by habitat use and competition. Fish originally found in slow water moved farther than fish from fast water, whereas fish found at high population densities were more likely to disappear than fish from low densities. Finally, mobile fish grew as fast or faster than more sedentary fish, supporting the idea that movement can be advantageous and is not just a by-product of density-dependent population regulation.

Nocturnal activity of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in late summer: evidence of diel activity partitioning

1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 1408-1413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabe Gries ◽  
Kevin G Whalen ◽  
Francis Juanes ◽  
Donna L Parrish
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Salmon ◽  
Salmo Salar ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Diel Activity ◽  
Juvenile Salmon ◽  
Time Budgets ◽  
Nocturnal Activity ◽  
Atlantic Salmon Salmo Salar ◽  
Juvenile Atlantic Salmon ◽  
Young Of The Year

Paired day-night underwater counts of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were completed on tributaries of the West River, Vermont, U.S.A., between 28 August and 10 September 1995. At water temperatures ranging from 13 to 23°C, the relative count of juvenile salmon was greater at night. Nocturnal counts differed for young-of-the-year and post-young-of-the-year (PYOY) salmon, with PYOY exhibiting almost exclusive nocturnal activity. Nocturnal activity in late summer may enable salmon to maintain population densities when space and suitable feeding areas may be limited. Nocturnal activity of juvenile salmon should be considered in studies of habitat use, competition, time budgets, and associated bioenergetic processes.

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