Salmon
1. Research on the organism and list down 5 facts about the organism.
5 facts about the salmon
· All Pacific salmon die shortly after spawning, but Atlantic salmon are capable of surviving and spawning again.
· The Chinook salmon is the largest species of salmon. It averages about 9kg but can weigh up to 45kg.
· For the earlier stages of their life, salmon species prefer large, cool rivers and streams.
· Salmon are anatropous fish, meaning they are able to travel between freshwater and salt water.
· About 90% of salmon return to their place of birth to spawn, laying eggs in the exact same river where they hatched.
2. Describe the behavioural adaptation of this organism in the area of reproduction. How does this adaptation benefit its predator?
Salmon migrate up to 4,000 miles from the ocean to freshwater areas to spawn (or lay eggs). They also must swim against very strong ocean currents just to reach freshwater, and then swim upstream against the powerful flow of the river. Additionally, they must leap clear of the water to get above falls, and do all this while avoiding predators. They do all this only to die only minutes after spawning. After that, its predators would be eaten by the salmon found on the surface of the water. It also benefits the predators as they could eat the salmon without hunting.
3. Explain why there is a need for the female to spawn about 3000 - 15000 eggs in one spawn run.
There will be many eggs being eaten or damaged, so the more eggs the more chance of survival and also ensure the population of the salmon would not extinct.
