Otolith-based studies of the thermal ecology of northern salmonids

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Research proposed here will focus primarily on the continued study of two iconic Canadian fish species, Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), valued as sport and subsistence fisheries and both considered as useful indicators of ecosystem change because of their ecological status as a keystone species in the environments they inhabit. Both species are projected to experience significant negative impacts from climate change. Indeed evidence is mounting that both are already being significantly affected by climate regime shifts either directly as a result of ocean warming or indirectly as a result of distributional shifts of key prey resources. Preparedness to meet the challenges of climate change through the development of mitigative management strategies for these species requires improved knowledge about the thermal ecology of both species relative to that of other possible competitor species such as Brook charr (S. fontinalis). Research proposed here will address that knowledge gap by focusing on studies that aim to: [1] understand differences in temperature use among competing northern salmonids (e.g., Arctic charr, Atlantic salmon, and also Brook charr), the physiological and growth consequences of those differences and how variation among individuals within populations may help buffer the population from the immediate consequences of temperature change; and, [2] improve the oxygen isotope analytical tools available for the study of northern fishes thermal ecology, both past and present, through experimental cross-validation of key assumptions of the techniques used. Studies will, therefore, help to maintain Canadian science at the forefront of the rapidly developing field of otolith stable isotope micro-chemistry. Research will combine cutting-edge laboratory methods with field work to optimize both time and resources. Investigations will be conducted in a number of northern locations along a north-south gradient, including: Baffin Island, Nunavik (northern Quebec) and Nunatsiavut (Labrador). The studies will also contribute significantly to the development of the next generation of trained scientists and resource managers. And for the salmonids studied, the acquired information will improve understanding of functional biological relationships, thereby permitting improved understanding of the implications of ecosystem change and improved science-based stewardship of the affected species.