OBJECTIVES and REQUIREMENTS

OBJECTIVES:
The specific objective of the class is to acquaint students with the life cycles of Pacific salmonids, with emphasis on the anadromous species. The broader objective is to give students an opportunity to think critically about a well-studied group of fishes, seeking lessons that pertain to general themes in ecology and behavior. The life cycles of salmon are studied from behavioral and ecological perspectives, and are first placed in the context of general patterns of fish life histories. We then follow the homeward migration of adults from the ocean through coastal waters and up rivers to the stream where they were spawned years earlier. We discuss spawning site selection, reproductive behavior, and the survival during the incubation period. We then discuss the behavior and ecology of juvenile salmon in streams, lakes, and during their migration out to the ocean. We consider factors affecting marine survival, growth and the age at maturation. Finally, we address selected topics that are both pertinent to salmon management and serve to integrate the life cycle: the evolution of local adaptations, interactions between forestry practices and salmonids, and the interactions between wild and hatchery-produced salmonids. The course gives students experience collecting, analyzing and writing about data in scientific format, and in designing and writing a proposal to do scientific research.

REQUIREMENTS:

Students may enroll in either the lecture only (3-credit) or lecture + lab (5-credit) version of FISH 450. Intentions and expectations for each of these follows:

All Students:

All students are required to attend lecture 3 days a week MWF 9:30-10:20 am. These lectures and additional assigned readings will be the basis for a mid-term and final exam (counting 20% and 30%) for this course. The mid-term exam will be held during regular class time (check course schedule for date); the final will be in a take-home exam due during finals week.

Lecture Only (intended for graduate students): 3-credits

The lecture only section of 450 is intended primarily for graduate students and targets development of original and independent research proposals as well as ghe background lecture material. Undergraduate students who have already taken FISH 312 should enroll in this section. In addition to the exams, students enrolled in the 3-credit FSH 450 will write draft and final versions of an original research proposal to investigate some aspect of the life history, ecology, or behavior of some salmonid fish species. Because this section is designed for graduate students, the quality of these proposals is expected to reflect thoughtful development of research ideas and methods and writing experience. The proposal should be about 15 double spaced pages, with about 10 or more references to the primary published literature (i.e., journal articles or book chapters), and a budget. Two copies of a draft version are to be submitted (check course schedule for date). One copy will be edited by the instructors and the other will be edited by a student in the class. The author will have the benefit of both sets of comments in preparing the final version, which will be submitted in a binder with the drafts. The draft will constitute 10% of the basis for the grade, the final version will be 30%, and the remaining 10% part of the grade will be based on the editorial comments provided to the other student.

Lecture + Lab (intended primarily for undergraduate students): 5-credits

The lecture + lab section of FISH 450 is primarily intended for undergraduate students that are interested in being exposed to salmon behavior and ecology through lectures, field methods and research projects. In addition to attending lectures and exams associated with the lectures, students will be required to attend weekly lab sessions (Tuesdays 09:30-11:20), participate in all three field trips (see below for details), and complete a research paper and oral presentation based on data from one of these field trips. All students are responsible for collecting and handing in data from all trips but students will divide themselves into groups and will analyze data for one of the trips. See course schedule for dates and times of field trips. Students who have already taken FISH 312 should take the 3-credit lecture – proposal writing section of FISH 450.

Lake Washington: This field trip is on Lake Washington aboard the F.V. Chasina. Our purposes are to examine the patterns of diel vertical movement and feeding by sockeye salmon and longfin smelt, their main competitor for food. We will sample the lake for limnetic fishes from the afternoon to the night at three discrete depths to estimate the vertical distribution of the fishes. We will sample to zooplankton to estimate the food resources available to the fish, and will examine the stomach contents of the fish to determine the timing of feeding and prey selection. Similar data have been collected in spring, and we will look at long-term patterns of growth.

Upper Cedar River Stream Community and Habitat: This field trip will be to the upper Cedar River above Landsburg diversion. IN fall 2003, for the first time since 1901, coho, chinook and steelhead were allowed above Landsburg on the Cedar River. Our objectives are to describe the stream community and stream habitat that these and other fishes experience, testing hypotheses regarding the links between habitat complexity and community diversity, and habitat segregation by species and age-groups. We are also looking at long-term colonization processes and possible interactions with resident fishes.

Weaver Creek Spawning Channel: For this trip we will be to the Weaver Creek Spawning Channel. The purpose is to observe, measure and compare the behavior (digging and aggression) of adult male and female sockeye, chum, and (on odd-numbered years) pink salmon. We will record the number and severity of attacks which males and females direct at other males and females and the frequency of digging.

SPECIAL NOTE: Weaver Creek is in Canada and all students must bring all relevant documentation to cross the border and to return to the US. Please check with US and Canadian immigration departments if you are unsure as to what documents to bring.

Academic Integrity
Plagiarism, cheating, and other misconduct are serious violations of your contract as a student. We expect that you will know and follow the University's policies on cheating and plagiarism. Any suspected cases of academic misconduct will be handled according to University regulations. More information, including definitions and examples of Academic Misconduct, can be found at: http://depts.washington.edu/grading/issue1/honesty.htm

Disability Accommodations
To request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact Disabled Student Services, 448 Schmitz, (206)543-8924 (V/TTY). If you have a letter from Disabled Student Services indicating that you have a disability which requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to the instructor so we can discuss the accommodations needed for this class.