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Effects of growth on age of maturity and oogenesis in female coho and chinook salmon
Physiology/Endocrinology
Growth and Female Maturation in Salmon
Project Title
Effects of growth on age of maturity and oogenesis in female coho and chinook salmon
Description
One of the major aims of the captive broodstock program is to optimize
the production of fertile eggs from captive broodstock, which are
either introduced to the wild or spawned artificially in captivity.
Some salmon broodstock display dysfunctional ovarian development such
as small gonads, atretic eggs, variable egg quality, reduced egg size
and egg number, and delayed timing of ovulation compared with wild
counterparts. Such problems result in a significant reduction in
offspring production severely reducing the effectiveness of these
recovery programs. The factors that cause dysfunction in ovarian
development in captively-reared salmon broostock are unknown. It is
hypothesized that such abnormal development is a result of
inappropriate environmental signals (e.g. food availability and
temperature) during periods when females are allocating body resources
towards maturation. Thus abnormal ovarian development may be due to
rearing conditions early in the life cycle when physiological
commitments to egg number and size are occurring, and/or during the
year prior to spawning when ovary growth commences. Since growth has
been shown to influence egg size and egg number in fish, the goal of
this project is to determine the effects of growth on the initial
recruitment of oocytes into the pool of maturing eggs, and the
maintenance of oocyte growth and maturation. Critical seasonal
periods for onset of primary and secondary oocyte growth are being
determined in coho and chinook salmon. This information will aid in
understanding critical periods when ocean productivity and freshwater
habitat may influence important reproductive processes in female
Pacific salmon.
Principal Investigator
Penny Swanson, Brian Beckman (Resource Enhancement Utilization Technology Division)
Briony Campbell, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle
Collaborators
Jon Dickey, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle
Nicholas Hodges School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle
Dr. Graham Young, Department of Biology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID
William Fairgrieve, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission
Related Links
School of Aquatic and Fishery Science, University of Washington
Center of Reproductive Biology, Washington State University and University of Idaho
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission
Physiology/Endocrinology
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last modified 01/30/03
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