Posted on 12/07/2021 12:30:54 PM PST by Red Badger
Salmon can colonize newly created streams, but face many other challenges from climate change. Credit: Freshwaters Illustrated
Retreating glaciers in the Pacific mountains of western North America could produce around 6,150 kilometers (3,820 miles) of new Pacific salmon habitat by the year 2100, according to a new study.
Scientists have ‘peeled back the ice’ from 46,000 glaciers between southern British Columbia and south-central Alaska to look at how much potential salmon habitat would be created when underlying bedrock is exposed and new streams flow over the landscape.
Modeling glacier retreat under different climate change scenarios, researchers discovered that, under a moderate temperature increase, the glaciers could reveal potential new Pacific salmon habitat nearly equal to the length of the Mississippi River (6,275 km).
Desirable for salmon, in this case, means low-gradient streams (less than 10% incline) connected to the ocean with retreating glaciers at their headwaters. The team discovered that 315 of the glaciers examined met these criteria.
The international team, led by researchers at Simon Fraser University (Canada) with University of Birmingham (UK), and other organizations, published their findings today (December 7, 2021) in Nature Communications.
Exit Glacier, in Alaska, is one of hundreds of glaciers that are melting and retreating creating new salmon habitat. Credit: Alexander Milner
Lead author, Simon Fraser University spatial analyst Dr. Kara Pitman comments: “We predict that most of the emerging salmon habitat will occur in Alaska and the transboundary region, at the British Columbia-Alaska border, where large coastal glaciers still exist. The Gulf of Alaska sub-region is predicted to see the most gains—a 27% increase in salmon-accessible habitat by 2100.
“Once conditions stabilize in the newly-formed streams, salmon can colonize these areas quite quickly. It’s a common misconception that all salmon return home to the streams they were born in. Most do, but some individuals will stray—migrating into new streams to spawn and, if conditions are favorable, the population can increase rapidly.”
Co-author Professor Alexander Milner from the University of Birmingham has researched glacial retreat and salmon populations in southeast Alaska for over three decades. His team has worked on Stonefly Creek in Glacier Bay where glacier retreat revealed a new stream in the late 1970s and he comments:
“Colonization by salmon can occur relatively quickly after glacial retreat creates favorable spawning habitat in the new stream. For example, Stonefly Creek was colonized within 10 years by pink salmon that grew rapidly to more than 5,000 spawners. Other species also colonized including Coho and Sockeye salmon, especially where a lake is associated with the stream.”
The researchers caution that while the newly created habitat is a positive for salmon in some locations; overall, climate change still poses grave challenges for some salmon populations.
“On one hand, this amount of new salmon habitat will provide local opportunities for some salmon populations,” says Dr. Pitman. “On the other hand, climate change and other human impacts continue to threaten salmon survival—via warming rivers, changes in stream flows, and poor ocean conditions.
“Climate change means we increasingly need to look to the future. We can’t just protect current-day habitat for species but need to consider what habitats they might rely on in the future.”
Reference: “Glacier retreat creating new Pacific salmon habitat in western North America” 7 December 2021, Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26897-2
No Land O Lakes. They kicked out the Indian and kept the land.
Lol!!!!!
How much of the Salmon in the Pacific is actually East Coast Salmon....transferred circa 1830.
Ha! We’re supposed to believe this? There aren’t any more glaciers to melt....
/s
I’ve been wondering lately why the west coast of North America north of Vancouver is not more populated. Climatically, it’s more or less equivalent to Northern Europe, which of course has over 100 million people. Plenty of water, relatively mild winters, access to incredible natural features. But north of Vancouver, are there even a million people along the entire Pacific Coast?
If this is true and our leaders are correct why are they all buying beachfront properties?
The researchers caution that while the newly created habitat is a positive for salmon in some locations; overall, climate change still poses grave challenges for some salmon populations.
“On one hand, this amount of new salmon habitat will provide local opportunities for some salmon populations,” says Dr. Pitman. “On the other hand, climate change and other human impacts continue to threaten salmon survival—via warming rivers, changes in stream flows, and poor ocean conditions.
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Shut up and pass the melted butter.
The West Coast of Canada is gorgeous and very sparsely populated away from Vancouver.
One of the most beautiful places on the planet in my estimation.
Good news? Are you MAD?
Salmon will take over all of coastal North America!
It will be pandemonium!
LOX-A-GEDDON!
/sarc
These Salmon must be stopped, even if we have to kill them.
... and eat them.
Don’t worry. There are plenty of nations, led by China, who will be glad to net the bounty.
It’s probably all government land..........................
Can more or less guarantee all the new ‘habitat will be commandeered by BC Hydro. And any salmon will die in the hot water pools, as they do now on the Frazer.
Rotten for beautiful Polar Bears, great for salmon.
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Polar bears don’t live on glaciers - they live along the coasts and eat what ever turns up, including people ; plenty of people - mostly tasty environmentalist and polar bear tourists, so they are all set, food wise.
How much of the Salmon in the Pacific is actually East Coast Salmon....transferred circa 1830.
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Hardly. No such thing ever occurred. Pacific salmon are native to the Pacific Coast and are distinct from Atlantic Salmon. The Pacific variety were there since the glaciers melted and likely migrated up the coast from the Sacramento River thousand of years ago.
There is a resemblance between Atlantic and Steelhead salmon, but the later has been classified as a variety of trout.
bookmark
Oooooh - yummy!
The land is very very rugged and not at all suited for roads or large populations. Beside the bugs are worse than Florida, not to mention the wolves, black and brown bears which are always on the lookout for a tasty human meal. Then there are the moose which kill more humans that the bears and wolves combined.
Climate wise along the BC coast it is more rain forestish. A lot of the interior is owned by the Tribes, lots of low swampy areas, and the associated bugs by the trillions. Only a few people relatively live there because it is a tough place to live.
Well alrighty then! But really, is Florida so different?
Two words. Change Doctors
Well alrighty then! But really, is Florida so different?
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Yeah it got much lower taxes and fewer bugs (bad, but not Alaskan in numbers or size - legend has it one young lad was carried off by a large mosquito never to be seen again and presumably drain dry). However, Alaskan residents get an oil allowance every year around $600 or so.
Florida is also hot, sweaty and you need AC most of the year. So yeah, vast differences.
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