Interpreting early species range descriptions for Pacific salmon, Oncorhynchus spp., in coastal California watersheds: The historical context

Abstract

Scientists and managscientists and others have often taken these ers implementing endangered species laws es. Further confounding interpretation of early range descriptions at face value, often face the task of defining the histori-early reports is that the first systematic ex-without critically examining the underlying cal geographic ranges for threatened and plorations of coastal watersheds took place historical context. When Jordan and his endangered species. To do so, they com-well after significant anthropogenic damage contemporaries first began writing about monly turn to the writings of early bioloto salmon habitats had already occurred; the ranges of Pacific salmon, scientific ex-gists seeking accounts of species in regions thus, failure to detect species on these surploration of coastal watersheds of Cali-where they may have been extirpated as a veys does not necessarily indicate a species fornia was in its infancy. Additionally, the result of anthropogenic activities over the was absent, either at the time of the survey taxonomy and nomenclature of Pacific sallast 150–175 years. In the case of Pacific or in the years prior to significant human monids were in states of extreme disarray, salmon, Oncorhynchus spp., the writings disturbances. As a result, any single writ-with numerous putative species described of David Starr Jordan, Charles Henry Giling of Jordan’s and his colleagues between based on variations due to age, sex, and bert, John Otterbein Snyder, and other facthe late 1870’s and the early 1900’s is like-reproductive condition. ulty and staff at Stanford University during ly to contain species range information that Even after Jordan and Gilbert began the late 1800’s and early 1900’s have been is equivocal, if not demonstrably inaccuto resolve Pacific salmon taxonomy in the particularly influential, as these scientists rate. This is not to disparage Jordan and his 1880’s, confusion in nomenclature, exacerwere widely recognized as the leading aucontemporaries in any way or to diminish bated by a primitive understanding of Pacifthorities on west coast fishes and salmotheir extraordinary scientific achievements. ic salmon life histories, contributed to frenids in particular. However, scientists and managers need to quent misidentification of west coast salmoBecause of the tremendous achieve-be cognizant of these limitations when using nids and hence inaccurate descriptions of ments of these pioneering ichthyologists, historical writings to guide management of their historical freshwater spawning rang-endangered species.