CSB #7 Certain species of salmon are more likely to survive climate change

In the Fraser River, there are more than 100 different populations of salmon. Each one has a different route to spawn which vary in distance, elevation, temperature, and flow. Researchers from the University of British Columbia found out that, with a study of eight populations from the adult Fraser River sockeye salmon, the salmon with the more difficult migrations had the a more superior swimming ability and had specialized heart adaptations. The sockeye salmon have been on a decline since the 1990's. One contribution to this is that 40 to 95% of the salmon die on their journey to spawn. The river has also risen 2 °C since the 1950's and this has also been contributing to the high death rate. The Chilko salmon have one of the most hardest routes to their spawning grounds and they have been put into a control chamber where it has been found out that they can swim in a broader range of waters. The researchers also found out that the optimal water temperatures for the salmon were the ones in the past. How long do we have until all of the salmon will be wiped out? Can these fish adapt to the temperatures before they are wiped out? Can this happen to the rest of the fish?

Citations:

"Certain Species Of Salmon Are More Likely To Survive Climate Change."
     Environmental Research Web. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 May 2011.
     <http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/45881>.