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Article: The effect of sea lice infestation on the salinity preference and energetic expenditure of juvenile pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha).
- Article from:
- Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
- Article date:
- April 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 NRC Research Press. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Abstract: Ocean-going juvenile salmonids heavily infected with salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, have been observed prematurely returning to freshwater. This change in salinity preference may be an attempt either to regain osmotic balance or to remove the lice. For either hypothesis to be true, freshwater habitats must provide infected fish with a higher net fitness than saltwater habitats. The objectives of this study were to use behavioural titration to quantify the energetic cost of different salinities to infected and uninfected pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and to determine if infection alters salinity preference. Results demonstrate that infection changes ...