Seasonal ecosystem linkages contribute to the maintenance of migratory polymorphism in a salmonid population

Abstract

The influence of resource subsidies on animal growth, survival and reproduction is well understood, but their ultimate effects on life history have been less explored. Some wild species have a partially migratory life history, wherein migration is dictated based upon threshold traits regulated in part by the seasonal availability of resources. We conducted a large-scale field manipulation experiment where we provided a terrestrial invertebrate subsidy to red-spotted masu salmon. Individuals in stream reaches that received a subsidy had, on average, a 53% increase in growth rate relative to those in control reaches. This increased growth resulted in a greater proportion of individuals reaching the threshold body size and smolting in the autumn. Consequently, 19-55% of females in subsidized reaches became migratory, whereas 0-14% became migratory in the control reaches. Our findings highlight seasonal ecosystem linkage as a key ecosystem property for maintaining migratory polymorphism in partially migratory animals.