There and back again: migration in freshwater fishes
Author
Summary, in English
Animal migration is an amazing phenomenon that has fascinated humans for long. Many freshwater fishes also show remarkable migrations, whereof the spectacular mass migrations of salmonids from the spawning streams are the most well known and well studied. However, recent studies have shown that migration occurs in a range of freshwater fish taxa from many different habitats. In this review we focus on the causes and consequences of migration in freshwater fishes. We start with an introduction of concepts and categories of migration, and then address the evolutionary causes that drive individuals to make these migratory journeys. The basis for the decision of an individual fish to migrate or stay resident is an evaluation of the costs and benefits of different strategies to maximize its lifetime reproductive effort. We provide examples by discussing our own work on the causes behind seasonal migration in a cyprinid fish, roach (Rutilus rutilus (L., 1758)), within this framework. We then highlight different adaptations that allow fish to migrate over sometimes vast journeys across space, including capacity for orientation, osmoregulation, and efficient energy expenditure. Following this we consider the consequences of migration in freshwater fish from ecological, evolutionary, and conservation perspectives, and finally, we detail some of the recent developments in the methodologies used to collect data on fish migration and how these could be used in future research.
Department/s
Publishing year
2014
Language
English
Pages
467-479
Publication/Series
Canadian Journal of Zoology
Volume
92
Issue
6
Document type
Journal article review
Publisher
National Research Council Canada
Topic
- Ecology
Keywords
- fish migration
- seasonal
- evolution
- consequences
- cyprinids
Status
Published
Research group
- Aquatic Ecology
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1480-3283