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Understanding the responses of animal populations to climate modes and environmental forcing represents a fundamental ecological challenge. Atmospheric variations on multi-decadal time scales, or climate regimes, can cause significant alterations throughout the physical environment, often with remarkable consequences for animal populations and ecosystems. The salmon life cycle, from their freshwater birthplace through to estuarine and open sea habitats and back again, exposes salmon to a variety of potential effects resulting from climate change and forcing. Goals Long-term time-series of Atlantic salmon catches for the Baltic Sea together with environmental data will be subject to statistical analyses in order to deduce whether climatic factors are forcing long-term dynamics of salmon stock complex in the Baltic Sea area. In addition, experimental approaches will be carried out to study the impacts of ice cover related factors on behaviour and success of young salmonids. The latter results are important for the estimation of the climate change effects, such as changes in hydrology and ice processes, on northern streams and their salmonid populations. Impact of research Improved knowledge on the effects of climate forcing, or in more general climate change, on salmonid fish stocks will facilitate effective and sustainable management practices in the future. Researcher in charge Huusko Ari, Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute
Contacts
Duration 2010 - 2012 Project phase: Completed
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