Is dolly varden in arctic Alaska increasing in length in a warming climate?

Abstract

The body condition, abundance, and size of several vertebrate taxa occupying the Alaskan and Canadian Arctic have increased in this rapidly changing environment. Presently, anecdotal stakeholder reports suggest that anadromous populations of Dolly Varden Salvelinus malma in Arctic Alaska are attaining greater maximum sizes than reported in the past. However, growth analyses have not been conducted for any substantial period of time. To qualitatively examine one facet of growth, we reviewed scientific journal articles, gray literature, and unpublished data for reported maximum lengths of Dolly Varden from the Chukchi and Beaufort seas collected over the past ~50 y (1969–2015). Regression analyses of maximum length of Dolly Varden from 1969 to 2015 support the observations that the maximum size of this species is likely increasing in a changing Arctic. These results, coupled with the lack of comprehensive growth data, highlight the importance of long-term monitoring of organismal responses to a changing environment and provide valuable direction for future research on this important subsistence resource for Indigenous peoples who inhabit the Arctic.