Variation in developmental biology of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) and chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) in British Columbia

Abstract

Embryos and alevins of coastal-spawning and interior-spawning sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka) and chinook (O. tshawytscha) salmon stocks in British Columbia were incubated under controlled water temperatures of 2, 4, 8, 12, and 15 °C. At low incubation temperatures, interior-spawning stocks of both species had smaller eggs and higher embryo survival rates than did coastal-spawning stocks. Interior-spawning stocks had faster developmental rates to alevin hatching and fry emergence than did coastal-spawning stocks. Interior-spawning stocks had proportionately larger alevins or fry at 2 °C (for sockeye salmon) or 4 °C (for chinook salmon) relative to their performance at 8 °C than did coastal-spawning stocks. Red-fleshed chinook salmon had higher embryo survival rates at 15 °C than did white-fleshed chinook salmon, as well as an indication of proportionately larger alevins or fry relative to the performance at lower incubation temperatures. Differences in developmental biology of interior- and coastal-spawning stocks may reflect adaptation to the thermal conditions experienced during development.