Metabolic drivers of growth and survival in salmonids

This project will investigate the role of environment, physiology, and behaviour in determining life history choices in salmon and trout. Individual fish will be tagged using passive integrated transponders, and tracked throughout key stages of their life-cycle using established tracking stations on rivers in England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Norway, Iceland.

Juvenile metabolic rate will be measured for each fish using field respirometry. Growth rate will be estimated by image analysis of annuli from fish scales. Short- and long-term diets will be quantified through microscopy of stomach contents and stable isotope analysis.

Resource availability will be characterised through taxonomic identification and biomass estimates of macroinvertebrates and algae in each river.