Potential Impact of Climate Change on Salmonid Smolt Ecology

Abstract

The migratory life history of anadromous salmonids requires successful migration between nursery, feeding, and spawning habitats. Smolting is the major transformation anadromous salmonids undergo before migration to feeding areas. It prepares juvenile fish for downstream migration and their entry to seawater. We reviewed the effects of climate change on smolt ecology from the growth of juveniles in fresh water to early post-smolts in the sea to identify the potential effects of climate change on migratory salmonid populations during this period in their life history. The focus was especially on Atlantic salmon. The shift in suitable thermal conditions caused by climate change results in Atlantic salmon expanding their range northward, while at the southern edge of their distribution, populations struggle with high temperatures and occasional droughts. Climatic conditions, particularly warmer temperatures, affect growth during the freshwater river phase. Better growth in northern latitudes leads to earlier smolting. Thermal refuges, the areas of cooler water in the river, are important for salmonids impacted by climate change. Restoring and maintaining connectivity and a suitably diverse mosaic habitat in rivers are important for survival and growth throughout the range. The start of the smolt migration has shifted earlier as a response to rising water temperatures, which has led to concerns about a mismatch with optimal conditions for post-smolts in the sea, decreasing their survival. A wide smolt window allowing all migrating phenotypes from early to late migrants’ safe access to the sea is important in changing environmental conditions. This is also true for regulated rivers, where flow regulation practices cause selection pressures on migrating salmonid phenotypes. The freshwater life history also affects marine survival, and better collaboration across life stages and habitats is necessary among researchers and managers to boost smolt production in rivers. Proactive measures are recommended against population declines, including sustainable land use in the catchment, maintaining a diverse mosaic of habitats for salmonids, restoring flow and connectivity, and conserving key habitats.