Study Shows Changes in Yukon River Discharge May Be Impacting Salmon
Scientists studying new information on changes in river discharge from winter ice melt and temperature in the Yukon River in Alaska say it may be influencing the timing and duration of juvenile chum, Chinook and coho salmon migrations.
They are trying to determine whether, as salmon migrations change, due to shifting environmental conditions, whether it leads to a mismatch with the availability of prey.
Katharine Miller, a fish biologist and lead author of the study, which was released on March 20, said the work is important in helping communities better understand what is behind recent declines in salmon abundance and how climate-induced environmental changes may alter migration patterns in future years.
The long-term decline of Chinook salmon along the Yukon River since the early 19...
