Thesis Title: Energetics and behaviour of adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) during migration from coastal waters to inland natal spawning sites in British Columbia
Sockeye salmon face a myriad of anthropogenic and natural obstacles throughout their final coastal and freshwater migrations, including increased water temperatures, decreased water quality, and a variety of natural predators. Coping with these obstacles, apart from inducing physiological stress and, in some instances injury, also depletes energy resources. Over the last 15 years several bioenergetic models have been proposed, each based on data collected from electromyogram (EMG) telemetry and data loggers used in the Fraser River. While both techniques have been widely used in literature, the development of new technology in the form of tri-axial acoustic accelerometers has enabled the study of sockeye salmon through the entirety of their coastal and freshwater migration. The aim of my study is to increase the understanding of the energy budget of adult sockeye salmon on an entire migration scale as well as study the links between endogenous factors (e.g. initial energy, physio state, gender) and environment (e.g. temperature, salinity, travel speed, lake use) on energy use.
Research and Background:
2011 - B.Sc. Honours in Biochemistry with COOP option from Carleton University (Ottawa, ON)
Undergraduate Thesis: Oxidative stress associated with paternal care in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) supervised by Dr. William Willmore and Dr. Steven Cooke
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