Ecology of Salmonids in Estuaries around the World

Book excerpt: For centuries, biologists have marvelled at how anadromous salmonids – fish that pass from rivers into oceans and back again – survive as they migrate between these two very different environments. Yet, relatively little is understood about what happens to salmonid species (including salmon, steelhead, char, and trout) in the estuaries where they make this transition from fresh to salt water. This book explains the critical role estuaries play in salmonid survival. Ecology of Salmonids in Estuaries around the World synthesizes information from a vast array of literature, to describe the specific adaptation of eighteen anadromous salmonids in four genera (Hucho, Oncorhynchus, Salmo, and Salvelinus) explain the ecological relationships between anadromous salmonids, the fish they coexist with, and their estuarine habitat discuss key fitness elements salmonids need for survival (including those relating to osmoregulation, growth and feeding mechanisms, and biotic interactions) provide guidance on how to conduct estuarine sampling and scientific aspects of management and recovery plans offer directions for future research. The critical reference is further enhanced by extensive supplementary appendices that are available online, including data tables, additional references on estuarine salmonids, and a primer on estuaries and salmonids for citizen scientists.