Ecology of Salmonids in Estuaries around the World: Adaptations, Habitats, and Conservation

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 over 1,000 scientific papers and reports, including data from 196 estuaries around the world, to describe the specific adaptation of eighteen anadromous salmonids in four genera (Hucho, Oncorhynchus, Salmo, and Salvelinus) explain the ecological relationship between anadromous salmonids, the fish they co-exist 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; and offer directions for future research. This critical reference is further enhanced by extensive supplementary appendices that are available to readers online.