Life from death

The mass death of Pacific salmon after spawning subsidizes ecosystems with nutrients and productivity originating in the ocean. The total productivity of ecosystems with anadromous salmon is greater than without them. Conservation of salmon thus has many benfits.

Caddisfly larva scavenger
Caddisfly larva scavenging on the pectoral fin of a Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) carcass.
Actinopterygii Alaska arthropod Arthropoda Chinook Salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Invertebrate King Salmon Montana Creek Neopterygii Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Pacific salmon Phylum Arthropoda Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate anadromous anadromy biosphere caddisfly larva carcass chordate diadromous diadromy fresh water freshwater in situ insect lotic migratory naturalworld nature near Talkeetna pectoral fin semelparity semelparous stream under fresh water underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
American Dipper with Coho Salmon egg
American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) wading with Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) egg in bill after scavenging it from the bottom of an Alaska USA stream during autumn
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon American Dipper Autumn Bird Chordata Cinclidae Cinclus mexicanus Class Actinopterygii Class Aves Coho Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Pacific salmon Passeriformes Phylum Chordata Power Creek Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate Water Ouzel biosphere chordate egg egg scavenging in situ lotic naturalworld nature near Cordova ovivore ovivory salmon habitat semelparity songbird stream topside underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Salmon Generations
Juvenile and adult salmon. Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and other species.
Alaska Alaska wild salmon Palmer Hay Flats Sate Game Refuge Rabbit Slough Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Summer United States anadromous anadromous fish anadromy biosphere diadromous diadromy fresh water freshwater in situ lotic migratory naturalworld semelparity semelparous stream under fresh water underwater wild wild salmon
Glaucous-winged Gull dining on a spawned-out male Sockeye Salmon
Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucesens) dining on a spawned-out male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) carcass.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Bird Charadriiformes Chordata Class Actinopterygii Class Aves Glaucouswinged Gull Infraclass Teleostei Laridae Larus glaucescens Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate anadromous anadromy carcass chordate diadromous diadromy fresh water gull lotic migratory nature semelparity semelparous stream underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Male Coho Salmon skeletal remains
Frost covered skeletal remains of a male Coho Salmon after scavenging by birds. Aspect Ratio = 4:5.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate anadromous anadromy biosphere carcass chordate diadromous diadromy in situ migratory naturalworld nature salmon habitat semelparity semelparous stream underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Skeletal remains
Frost covered skeletal remains of Coho Salmon after scavenging by birds. Aspect Ratio = 4:5.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate anadromous anadromy biosphere carcass chordate diadromous diadromy in situ migratory naturalworld nature salmon habitat semelparity semelparous stream underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Peck marks and frost
Peck marks in sand next to frost covered Coho Salmon bones suggest recent foraging. Aspect ratio = 54:5.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate anadromous anadromy biosphere carcass chordate diadromous diadromy frsot in situ migratory naturalworld nature pecking marks salmon habitat semelparity semelparous stream underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Lord of the flies: male
Carcass of a spawned out male Pink Salmon being colonized by flies.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Dog Salmon Fish Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus keta Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate anadromous anadromy biosphere carcass chordate covering redd diadromous diadromy in situ migratory naturalworld nature photographed under water searun semelparity semelparous spawning behavior stream topside underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Lord of the flies: female
Carcass of a spawned out female Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) being colonized by flies (Diptera).
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Arthropoda Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Diptera Dog Salmon Fish Infraclass Teleostei Insect Invertebrate Neopterygii Oncorhynchus keta Pacific salmon Phylum Arthropoda Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate anadromous anadromy arthropod biosphere carcass chordate covering redd diadromous diadromy flies in situ marine life migratory naturalworld nature photographed under water searun semelparity semelparous spawning behavior stream topside underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Coho Salmon fry feeding on Sockeye Salmon carcass
Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) fry feeding on Sockeye Salmon (O. nerka) carcass. Aspect ratio = 4:5.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Arthropoda Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Insect Invertebrate Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Arthropoda Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei Trichoptera United States Vertebrate anadromous anadromous fish anadromy arthropod biosphere caddisfly larvae carcass chordate diadromous diadromy fresh water freshwater fry in situ lotic marine life migratory naturalworld nature salmon carcass searun semelparity semelparous stream under fresh water underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Decomposing salmon carcasses
Decomposing salmon carcasses
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Dog Salmon Fish Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus keta Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate anadromous anadromy biosphere chordate covering redd diadromous diadromy fresh water freshwater in situ lotic migratory naturalworld nature photographed under water searun semelparity semelparous spawning behavior stream under fresh water underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Spawned-out Pink (humpback) Salmon covered with Saprolegnia
Spawned-out Pink (humpback) Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) covered by the protozoan referred to as cotton mold (Saprolegnia) beginning the decomposition process that will eventually transform the carcass to mineral nutrients. Photo taken under water in Hartney Creek, a tributary of Prince William Sound. Summer, South Central Alaska.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Class Oomycota Family Saprolegniaceae Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Kingdom Chromalveolata Neopterygii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Order Saprolegniales Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Phylum Heterokontophyta Pink Salmon Plant Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Saprolegnia Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Superphylum Alveolata Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate anadromous anadromy biosphere chordate cotton mold diadromous diadromy fresh water freshwater in situ lotic migratory naturalworld nature searun semelparity semelparous stream under fresh water underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon