David Strauth, Oregon State University News and Communication
The study this story is based on is available online: http://hdl.handle.net/1957/22084
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A recent study suggests that parasites in fish, including threatened species of Oregon coho salmon, may have more profound impacts on fish health than has been assumed, and could be one of the key mechanisms by which habitat and land use changes cause salmon mortality.
It’s not just the presence or absence of parasites that is important, the research found, but their numbers that can build up over years or decades and ultimately cause major impacts.
The study will be published soon in the journals Aquaculture, Journal of Parasitology, and International Journal of Parasitology. It was done by researchers from Oregon State University and other agencies, and concluded that heavy loads of parasites can affect salmon growth, weight, size, immune function, saltwater adaptation, swimming stamina, activity level, ability to migrate and other issues. Parasites drain energy from the fish as they grow and develop.
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