Nutrient limitation in Atlantic salmon rivers and streams: Causes, consequences, and management strategies

Abstract Freshwater catchments can experience nutrient deficits that result in reduced primary and secondary productivity. The most commonly limiting nutrients are nitrogen and phosphorus, either separately or together. This review considers the impact of increasing nutrient limitation in temperate...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
Main Authors: Bernthal, Fionn R., Armstrong, John D., Nislow, Keith H., Metcalfe, Neil B.
Other Authors: H2020 European Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3811
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/aqc.3811
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/aqc.3811
id crwiley:10.1002/aqc.3811
record_format openpolar
spelling crwiley:10.1002/aqc.3811 2024-06-09T07:44:47+00:00 Nutrient limitation in Atlantic salmon rivers and streams: Causes, consequences, and management strategies Bernthal, Fionn R. Armstrong, John D. Nislow, Keith H. Metcalfe, Neil B. H2020 European Research Council Natural Environment Research Council 2022 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3811 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/aqc.3811 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/aqc.3811 en eng Wiley http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems volume 32, issue 6, page 1073-1091 ISSN 1052-7613 1099-0755 journal-article 2022 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3811 2024-05-16T14:27:32Z Abstract Freshwater catchments can experience nutrient deficits that result in reduced primary and secondary productivity. The most commonly limiting nutrients are nitrogen and phosphorus, either separately or together. This review considers the impact of increasing nutrient limitation in temperate basin stream and river systems, focusing on upland areas that currently or previously supported wild Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) populations. Anthropogenic changes to land use and increases in river barriers have altered upland nutrient dynamics, with particular impacts on salmon and other migratory fish species which may be net importers of nutrients to upland streams. Declining salmon populations may further reduce nutrient sources, reducing ecosystem and fisheries productivity below desired levels. Experimental manipulations of nutrient levels have examined the impacts of this cultural oligotrophication. There is evidence that growth and biomass of juvenile salmon can be increased via appropriate additions of nutrients, offering potential as a conservation tool. However, further research is required to understand the long‐term effects of these additions on salmon populations and stream ecosystems, and to assess the vulnerability of downstream habitats to eutrophication as a result. Although purposeful nutrient addition with the aim of enhancing and conserving salmonid populations may be justified in some cases, it should be undertaken in an adaptive management framework. In addition, nutrient addition should be linked to nutrient retention and processing, and integrated into large‐scale habitat restoration and recovery efforts. Both the scientific and the management community should recognize that the ecological costs and benefits associated with adding nutrients to salmon streams may change in a non‐stationary world. Article in Journal/Newspaper Atlantic salmon Salmo salar Wiley Online Library Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
institution Open Polar
collection Wiley Online Library
op_collection_id crwiley
language English
description Abstract Freshwater catchments can experience nutrient deficits that result in reduced primary and secondary productivity. The most commonly limiting nutrients are nitrogen and phosphorus, either separately or together. This review considers the impact of increasing nutrient limitation in temperate basin stream and river systems, focusing on upland areas that currently or previously supported wild Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) populations. Anthropogenic changes to land use and increases in river barriers have altered upland nutrient dynamics, with particular impacts on salmon and other migratory fish species which may be net importers of nutrients to upland streams. Declining salmon populations may further reduce nutrient sources, reducing ecosystem and fisheries productivity below desired levels. Experimental manipulations of nutrient levels have examined the impacts of this cultural oligotrophication. There is evidence that growth and biomass of juvenile salmon can be increased via appropriate additions of nutrients, offering potential as a conservation tool. However, further research is required to understand the long‐term effects of these additions on salmon populations and stream ecosystems, and to assess the vulnerability of downstream habitats to eutrophication as a result. Although purposeful nutrient addition with the aim of enhancing and conserving salmonid populations may be justified in some cases, it should be undertaken in an adaptive management framework. In addition, nutrient addition should be linked to nutrient retention and processing, and integrated into large‐scale habitat restoration and recovery efforts. Both the scientific and the management community should recognize that the ecological costs and benefits associated with adding nutrients to salmon streams may change in a non‐stationary world.
author2 H2020 European Research Council
Natural Environment Research Council
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Bernthal, Fionn R.
Armstrong, John D.
Nislow, Keith H.
Metcalfe, Neil B.
spellingShingle Bernthal, Fionn R.
Armstrong, John D.
Nislow, Keith H.
Metcalfe, Neil B.
Nutrient limitation in Atlantic salmon rivers and streams: Causes, consequences, and management strategies
author_facet Bernthal, Fionn R.
Armstrong, John D.
Nislow, Keith H.
Metcalfe, Neil B.
author_sort Bernthal, Fionn R.
title Nutrient limitation in Atlantic salmon rivers and streams: Causes, consequences, and management strategies
title_short Nutrient limitation in Atlantic salmon rivers and streams: Causes, consequences, and management strategies
title_full Nutrient limitation in Atlantic salmon rivers and streams: Causes, consequences, and management strategies
title_fullStr Nutrient limitation in Atlantic salmon rivers and streams: Causes, consequences, and management strategies
title_full_unstemmed Nutrient limitation in Atlantic salmon rivers and streams: Causes, consequences, and management strategies
title_sort nutrient limitation in atlantic salmon rivers and streams: causes, consequences, and management strategies
publisher Wiley
publishDate 2022
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3811
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/aqc.3811
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/aqc.3811
genre Atlantic salmon
Salmo salar
genre_facet Atlantic salmon
Salmo salar
op_source Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
volume 32, issue 6, page 1073-1091
ISSN 1052-7613 1099-0755
op_rights http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3811
container_title Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
_version_ 1801373605032886272