Ten years of varying lake level and selection on size-at-maturity in sockeye salmon

Despite the ubiquity of studies quantifying the strength and form of selection in nature, rarely is the ecological context for contemporary selection understood. Here we report a case where lake level is a selective factor acting on sockeye salmon body size-at-maturity because low lake levels cause...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecology (Durham) 2007-10, Vol.88 (10), p.2620-2629
Main Authors: Carlson, Stephanie M., Quinn, Thomas P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
adult animals
Alaska
anadromous fish
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Body length
body size
Body Size - genetics
climate
Climate models
Creeks
Environment
Evolution
Female
females
Fisheries science
Fresh water ecosystems
Freshwater
Freshwater ecology
Freshwater fishes
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
Lake Aleknagik
Lakes
life history
life-history traits
Male
males
Mortality
natural selection
Oncorhynchus nerka
predation
Reproduction - physiology
reproductive behavior
reproductive success
Rivers
Salmon
Salmon - anatomy & histology
Salmon - genetics
Salmon - growth & development
Salmonidae
selection criteria
selection in sockeye salmon
Selection, Genetic
Sex Factors
Sexual Behavior, Animal - physiology
spawning
surface water level
survival
Synecology
Time Factors
Ursidae
USA
water level
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Summary:Despite the ubiquity of studies quantifying the strength and form of selection in nature, rarely is the ecological context for contemporary selection understood. Here we report a case where lake level is a selective factor acting on sockeye salmon body size-at-maturity because low lake levels cause large salmon to stand and die rather than reach the breeding grounds. As a result of a semelparous life history, death for salmon at this stage results in lifetime fitness of zero. We combined information on the level of Lake Aleknagik (southwestern Alaska, USA) from 1952 through 2006 with a detailed comparison of the body size of mature salmon that died at the mouth of Hansen Creek vs. individuals that successfully ascended to the spawning grounds over 10 breeding seasons (1997—2006). The percentage of salmon stranding at the mouth varied among years: 2—42% in males and
ISSN:0012-9658
1939-9170
DOI:10.1890/06-1171.1