Recent declines in salmon body size impact ecosystems and fisheries

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dc.contributor.authorOke, K. B.en
dc.contributor.authorCunningham, C. J.en
dc.contributor.authorWestley, P. A. H.en
dc.contributor.authorBaskett, M. L.en
dc.contributor.authorCarlson, S. M.en
dc.contributor.authorClark, J.en
dc.contributor.authorHendry, A. P.en
dc.contributor.authorKaratayev, V. A.en
dc.contributor.authorKendall, N. W.en
dc.contributor.authorKibele, J.en
dc.contributor.authorKindsvater, Holly K.en
dc.contributor.authorKobayashi, K. M.en
dc.contributor.authorLewis, Bert A.en
dc.contributor.authorMunch, S.en
dc.contributor.authorReynolds, John D.en
dc.contributor.authorVick, G. K.en
dc.contributor.authorPalkovacs, E. P.en
dc.contributor.departmentFish and Wildlife Conservationen
dc.date.accessioned2020-10-06T12:50:25Zen
dc.date.available2020-10-06T12:50:25Zen
dc.date.issued2020-08-19en
dc.description.abstractDeclines in animal body sizes are widely reported and likely impact ecological interactions and ecosystem services. For harvested species subject to multiple stressors, limited understanding of the causes and consequences of size declines impedes prediction, prevention, and mitigation. We highlight widespread declines in Pacific salmon size based on 60 years of measurements from 12.5 million fish across Alaska, the last largely pristine North American salmon-producing region. Declines in salmon size, primarily resulting from shifting age structure, are associated with climate and competition at sea. Compared to salmon maturing before 1990, the reduced size of adult salmon after 2010 has potentially resulted in substantial losses to ecosystems and people; for Chinook salmon we estimated average per-fish reductions in egg production (-16%), nutrient transport (-28%), fisheries value (-21%), and meals for rural people (-26%). Downsizing of organisms is a global concern, and current trends may pose substantial risks for nature and people. The average body size of salmon has declined rapidly over recent decades. Here the authors quantify changes in body size distributions for Pacific salmon in Alaska and examine the causes and consequences of size declines for ecosystems, food security, and commercial fisheries.en
dc.description.notesWe are extremely grateful to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game and their partners for immense efforts collecting, curating, and sharing the data analyzed in this project, especially R. Brenner for his leadership in championing open and reproducible science. We thank J. Spaeder, J. Ohlberger, and D. Schindler for discussions that improved the manuscript and I. Dutton and F. Davis for leading the State of Alaska Salmon and People (SASAP) Initiative. NCEAS provided computational and data support and supported working group meetings. This project resulted from an NCEAS SASAP working group, funded by the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation and Nautilus Impact Investing.en
dc.description.sponsorshipGordon & Betty Moore FoundationGordon and Betty Moore Foundation; Nautilus Impact Investingen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17726-zen
dc.identifier.issn2041-1723en
dc.identifier.issue1en
dc.identifier.other4155en
dc.identifier.pmid32814776en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/100279en
dc.identifier.volume11en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.rightsCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en
dc.titleRecent declines in salmon body size impact ecosystems and fisheriesen
dc.title.serialNature Communicationsen
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten

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