Restoring biodiversity and a valuable fishery: Atlantic salmon reintroduction into Lake Ontario

大西洋鲑鱼曾经在安大略湖很丰富，是安大略湖最有价值的渔业之一，但这些鲑鱼在世纪前就从安大略湖灭绝了。成功将大西洋鲑鱼重新引入 ** 安大略湖已成为管理机构和保护团体的首要任务，因为据估计 ** 它可以在10年内为当地经济提供高达1500万美元的新收入通过渔业，并且 ** 将是恢复失去的生物多样性的重要一步。一个自我维持的大西洋鲑鱼种群还将通过它们作为顶级捕食者的作用提供生态系统服务，增加食物网和渔业的弹性。2010年，我们与多个组织合作，获得了NSERC战略合作伙伴关系 ** 赠款，该赠款确定了高流中死亡率是安大略湖 ** 成功恢复大西洋鲑鱼的主要障碍。我们现在将在过去研究的基础上，采用综合方法详细说明 ** 流中死亡率的原因，并提供最佳缓解方法。这些分析将包括环境 **DNA和下一代，实时监测大西洋鲑鱼的运动，性能，生存和死亡原因 **。使用稳定同位素和肠道内容物DNA的食物网分析将研究竞争和捕食对大西洋鲑鱼的影响。最后，** 免疫和运动挑战后的转录谱将详细说明不同品系 ** 和饲养处理之间生存差异的机制。因此，该项目将对影响一个具有相当大的生态和经济价值的物种的重新引入结果的因素进行全面的科学评估，并将 ** 有助于制定孵化场饲养、释放时间、品系和地点选择的最佳做法 **，以支持安大略湖和整个加拿大大西洋鲑鱼的恢复。

Atlantic salmon were once abundant in Lake Ontario and supported one of its most valuable fisheries, but these**fish were extirpated from the lake a century ago. The successful reintroduction of Atlantic salmon into Lake**Ontario has become a top priority for management agencies and conservation groups, as it has been estimated**that it could provide up to $15 million in new revenue over 10 years to local economies through fisheries, and**would be a substantial step towards the recovery of lost biodiversity. A self-sustaining population of Atlantic**salmon would also provide ecosystem services through their role as a top predator, increasing the resiliency of**food webs and fisheries. In 2010, we partnered with multiple organizations on an NSERC Strategic Partnership**Grant that identified high in-stream mortality as a major hurdle to successful Atlantic salmon rehabilitation in**Lake Ontario. We will now build on this past research by using an integrated approach to detail the causes of**in-stream mortality and provide best approaches for mitigation. These analyses will include environmental**DNA and next-generation, real-time monitoring of movement, performance, survival, and causes of mortality**of Atlantic salmon. Food web analyses using stable isotopes and gut content DNA will examine the**consequences of competition and predation on Atlantic salmon. Finally, transcriptional profiling following**immune and exercise challenges will detail the mechanisms underlying differences in survival across strains**and rearing treatments. The project will thus provide a comprehensive scientific evaluation of the factors**affecting reintroduction outcome in a species of considerable ecological and economic value, and will**contribute to the development of best practices for hatchery rearing, release timing, and strain and site selection**to support the restoration of Atlantic salmon in Lake Ontario and throughout Canada.********