Cited by 69Animal Behavior and ReproductionFish Ecology and Management StudiesReproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species

Life‐history strategies in salmonids: the role of physiology and its consequences

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Birnie‐Gauvin, Kim, Bordeleau, Xavier, Cooke, Steven J., Davidsen, Jan G., Eldøy, Sindre H., Eliason, Erika J., Moore, Andy, Aarestrup, Kim·2021·Biological Reviews

Abstract

Salmonids are some of the most widely studied species of fish worldwide. They span freshwater rivers and lakes to fjords and oceans; they include short‐ and long‐distance anadromous migrants, as well as partially migratory and non‐migratory populations; and exhibit both semelparous and iteroparous reproduction. Salmonid life‐history strategies represent some of the most diverse on the planet. For this reason, salmonids provide an especially interesting model to study the drivers of these different life‐history pathways. Over the past few decades, numerous studies and reviews have been published, although most have focused on ultimate considerations where expected reproductive success of different developmental or life‐history strategies are compared. Those that considered proximate causes generally focused on genetics or the environment, with less consideration of physiology. Our objective was therefore to review the existing literature on the role of physiology as a proximate driver for life‐history strategies in salmonids. This link is necessary to explore since physiology is at the core of biological processes influencing energy acquisition and allocation. Energy acquisition and allocation processes, in turn, can affect life histories. We find that life‐history strategies are driven by a range of physiological processes, ranging from metabolism and nutritional status to endocrinology. Our review revealed that the role of these physiological processes can vary across species and individuals depending on the life‐history decision(s) to be made. In addition, while findings sometimes vary by species, results appear to be consistent in species with similar life cycles. We conclude that despite much work having been conducted on the topic, the study of physiology and its role in determining life‐history strategies in salmonids remains somewhat unexplored, particularly for char and trout (excluding brown trout) species. Understanding these mechanistic links is necessary if we are to understand adequately how changing environments will impact salmonid populations.

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  • Individuals can ascend and descend in social status due to multiple factors including alternative reproductive tactics, seasonal changes, onset of migratory behavior, or changes in the social or ecological environment.

    “Individuals can ascend and descend in social status due to multiple factors including alternative reproductive tactics [65], seasonal changes [66], onset of migratory behavior [67,68] or changes in the social or ecological environment.”

    From Rapid changes in plasma corticosterone and medial amygdala transcriptome profiles during social status change reveal molecular pathways associated with a major life history transition in mouse dominance hierarchies (2025) · cites this paper as [67]

    The passages labeled Abstract contain bibliographic information and list migration as a keyword, but do not discuss social status. Searches for dominance, social hierarchy, and migratory behavior found no passage showing that the onset of migration causes individuals to ascend or descend in status—the part of the sentence attributed to this source by [67,68]. (LLM, conf=0.72)

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Authors
Birnie‐Gauvin, K., Bordeleau, X., Cooke, S. J., Davidsen, J. G., Eldøy, S. H., Eliason, E. J., Moore, A., & Aarestrup, K.
Affiliations
  • Technical University of Denmark (DK)
  • Fisheries and Oceans Canada (CA)
  • Carleton University (CA)
  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO)
  • University of California, Santa Barbara (US)
  • Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (GB)
Corresponding author
Birnie‐Gauvin, Kim
Venue
Biological Reviews
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2021-05-27
Volume
96
Issue
5
Pages
2304-2320
ISSN
  • 0006-3231 (ISSN-L)
  • 1464-7931
  • 1469-185X
OpenAlex
W3165032051
Cited by
68
References
189
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 4
FWCI
1.02
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Technical University of Denmark, DTU Orbit (Technical University of Denmark, DTU) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • Canadian Network for Research and Innovation in Machining Technology, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
  • European Regional Development Fund (175806)
  • National Science Foundation
  • Norges Forskningsråd (303301)
  • Solid State Lighting and Energy Electronics Center, University of California Santa Barbara
  • Villum Fonden (37166)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Fish Ecology and Management Studies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Physiology › Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species
Keywords
salmonids, life history strategies, fish physiology, energy allocation, metabolism, nutritional status, endocrinology, anadromy, semelparity, iteroparity, char, trout, brown trout, environmental change
MeSH terms
Animals, Humans, Salmonidae, Trout, Animal Migration, Rivers, Lakes

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