A1 Journal article (refereed)
Enriched rearing environment and wild genetic background can enhance survival and disease resistance of salmonid fishes during parasite epidemics (2016)
Karvonen, A., Aalto-Araneda, M., Virtala, A.-M., Kortet, R., Koski, P., & Hyvärinen, P. (2016). Enriched rearing environment and wild genetic background can enhance survival and disease resistance of salmonid fishes during parasite epidemics. Journal of Applied Ecology, 53(1), 213-221. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12568
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Karvonen, Anssi; Aalto-Araneda, Mariella; Virtala, Anna-Maija; Kortet, Raine; Koski, Perttu; Hyvärinen, Pekka
Journal or series: Journal of Applied Ecology
ISSN: 0021-8901
eISSN: 1365-2664
Publication year: 2016
Volume: 53
Issue number: 1
Pages range: 213-221
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.; British Ecological Society
Publication country: United Kingdom
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12568
Research data link: https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.bf206
Publication open access: Not open
Publication channel open access:
Abstract
We used surveillance data of experimental salmonid populations of wild and hatchery origin under semi‐natural parasite exposure to explore effects of enriched rearing on outbreaks of important aquaculture pathogens and associated fish mortalities in production‐scale fish densities. We also conducted controlled parasite exposures to investigate if enriched rearing reduces susceptibility of fish to infection in comparison with standard rearing conditions.
We found evidence of enriched rearing influencing survival and disease resistance of aquaculture fish during parasite epidemics. Essentially, populations from enriched rearing had a higher survival rate, lower parasite occurrence and greater resistance to most infections compared to fish held in standard rearing conditions. Similarly, fish of wild genetic background had lower mortality during some of the epidemics compared to fish of hatchery origin. However, we also demonstrate significant variation in these patterns and in some cases a tendency for opposite effects of enriched rearing and genetic background depending on the fish species and nature of the epidemic.
Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that parasitic infections and epidemics can be managed through enriched rearing conditions. This may have important implications for economically and ecologically sustainable parasite and disease prevention strategies in aquaculture.
Keywords: aquaculture; Atlantic salmon; domestication; epidemiology; virulence
Free keywords: Salmo salar; disease prevention; parasite; rearing methods
Contributing organizations
Ministry reporting: Yes
Reporting Year: 2016
JUFO rating: 2