North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission

Technical Report 17

Table of Contents

Integrated Research on Olfactory and Geomagnetic Imprinting and Homing in Pacific Salmon

Authors: 
Hiroshi Ueda, Nathan F. Putman, and Tatsufumi Okino

Abstract Excerpt:
Pacific salmon are recognized for their amazing abilities to memorize their natal river information during a short-distance downstream migration, carry out a long-distance feeding migration in the ocean for many years for growth, and make a precise long-distance spawning migration from oceanic feeding habitat to their natal river for reproduction. Two different sensory mechanisms, olfaction, and magnetoreception, are involved in the imprinting and homing processes in Pacific salmon. It is believed that olfactory imprinting occurs from the spawning ground to the mouth of a natal river, and olfactory homing occurs from the vicinity of the river mouth to the spawning ground of a natal river (Ueda 2019, 2020); Geomagnetic imprinting is thought to occur as juveniles depart the mouth of their natal river to oceanic nursery habitat, and geomagnetic homing occurs from the oceanic feeding habitat back to the mouth of their natal river (Putman 2018, 2021) (Fig. 1). This report presents current findings on olfactory and geomagnetic imprinting and homing in Pacific salmon and proposes an international collaborative research project to test olfactory and geomagnetic imprinting and homing in Pacific salmon across the Pacific Ocean.

*This is the first paragraph of an extended abstract. Download the full abstract below.

DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23849/npafctr17/135.137.

Citation

Ueda, H., N.F. Putman, and T. Okino.  2021.  Integrated research on olfactory and geomagnetic imprinting and homing in Pacific salmon.  N. Pac. Anadr. Fish Comm. Tech. Rep. 17: 135–137.  https://doi.org/10.23849/npafctr17/135.137.