Anatomy
What organ pumps blood through a salmon’s body to make it move and keep it alive?
The heart
What tiny fish still attached to a yolk sac live hidden in gravel after hatching?
Alevin
What is the name for a species that has a big impact on an ecosystem despite not being numerous?
Keystone species
Which salmon species turns bright red when ready to spawn?
Sockeye salmon
What sense helps salmon locate the exact river where they were born?
Sense of smell
Which organ lets salmon absorb oxygen from water and release carbon dioxide?
The gills
What type of water do salmon spawn in?
Freshwater
What nutrient do salmon carcasses add to stream and forest ecosystems?
Nitrogen
Which Pacific salmon is the largest in size?
Chinook salmon
What is something in the ocean that creates a block for the salmon?
Boats, predators, nets, pollution
What is the internal gas-filled sac that lets salmon float without swimming?
The swim bladder
How long do salmon spend at sea?
1-7 years
Which forest animal often carries salmon carcasses away from rivers, spreading nutrients?
Bears
What is the smallest of salmon that live in the Puget Sound?
Steelhead salmon
What human-made structures often block salmon from swimming upstream?
Dams
Which large organ stores nutrients, makes digestive chemicals, and cleans blood?
The liver (and gallbladder)
After absorbing the yolk sac, what do these baby fish become when they begin feeding?
Fry
What happened to the salmon you dissected?
They were returned to the river to spread their nutrients.
What is it called the annual salmon migration event called, in which they migrate from the ocean back to where they were spawned?
Salmon run
What happens to most Pacific salmon after they spawn?
They die
What finger-like pouches near the intestine help salmon absorb lots of nutrients?
The pyloric caeca
Which stage features silver scales and prepares salmon to live in the ocean?
Smolt
What term describes salmon that live in oceans as adults but spawn in freshwater?
Anadromous
What is a park/field trip we went on where salmon migrate through each year?
Swan Creek
What does the City of Tacoma do when salmon reach the dam?
The city uses a big truck to suck up the salmon and drive them around the dam.