Evidence of Olfactory Imprinting at an Early Life Stage in Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha).
Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) navigate towards spawning grounds using olfactory cues they imprinted on as juveniles. The timing at which imprinting occurs has been studied extensively, and there is strong evidence that salmon imprint on their natal water during the parr-smolt transformation (PST). Researchers have noted, however, that the life histories of some species of Pacific salmon could necessitate imprinting prior to the PST. Juvenile pink salmon (O. gorbuscha) spend less time in fresh water than any other species of Pacific salmon, and presumably must imprint on their natal water at a very young age. The time at which imprinting occurs in this species, however, has not been experimentally tested. We exposed juvenile pink salmon as alevins to phenethyl alcohol (PEA) or control water, reared these fish to adulthood, and then tested their behavioural responses to PEA to determine whether the fish successfully imprinted. We found that pink salmon exposed to PEA as alevins were attracted to the chemical as adults, suggesting that imprinting can occur during this stage. Our finding provides some of the first evidence to support the long-standing belief that imprinting can occur in pink salmon prior to the PST.
University of British Columbia, Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Nolan N
NN
Bett
University of British Columbia, Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Scott G
SG
Hinch
Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA, 98112, USA.
Andrew H
AH
Dittman
University of British Columbia, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Sang-Seon
SS
Yun
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D007173:Imprinting, Psychological; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol / Q000494:pharmacology; D012474:Salmon / Q000502:physiology*; D012903:Smell
D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol