Rivers in Alaska and Yukon Warming: Impact on Salmon
Research from the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado Boulder, which incorporated Indigenous knowledge, found that the North, including the Yukon and Alaska, is warming faster than the rest of the world due to climate change.
A recent study examined the temperature of several rivers, including the Porcupine River, Teedriinjik, Aniak, Andreafsky, Koyukuk, Takotna, and Chena, to determine the effect on baby salmon.
The study found that the warming of the Porcupine River may limit the growth of Chinook salmon, based on the frequency of days and river length that will warm to the upper limit of the temperature range for individual growth.
The North, including the Yukon and Alaska, is warming much faster than the rest of the world due to climate change.
The Porcupine River connects to the Yukon River at Fort Yukon in Alaska and flows out to the Bering Sea, where salmon migrate from inland freshwater to sea and back to spawn and die.
Author's summary: Climate change affects salmon growth in Alaska and Yukon rivers.