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The Baltic salmon in battle with pollutants and disease. / Östersjölaxen i kamp mot miljögifter och sjukdom.

Hansson, Maria LU and Langefors, Åsa LU (2001) In Fauna och Flora: populär tidskrift för biologi 96(2). p.91-96
Abstract
The Baltic salmon has during the latter part of the 20th century been subjected to several threats. Most notable have been the high levels of contaminant release and a disease that causes early life mortality of the young. Ever since utilization of water power from the Swedish rivers began in the 1940ies, thus deminishing the natural breeding areas for the salmons, an extensive hatchery program has compensated for the loss and, generally, increased the salmon populations in the Baltic Sea but simultanously decreased the genetic variation. In the 70ies a disease appeared in the hatcheries, causing high mortality (up to 95%) of the salmon fry. The explanation for this devastating syndrome, known today as M74, has not been found but it has... (More)
The Baltic salmon has during the latter part of the 20th century been subjected to several threats. Most notable have been the high levels of contaminant release and a disease that causes early life mortality of the young. Ever since utilization of water power from the Swedish rivers began in the 1940ies, thus deminishing the natural breeding areas for the salmons, an extensive hatchery program has compensated for the loss and, generally, increased the salmon populations in the Baltic Sea but simultanously decreased the genetic variation. In the 70ies a disease appeared in the hatcheries, causing high mortality (up to 95%) of the salmon fry. The explanation for this devastating syndrome, known today as M74, has not been found but it has been suggested that the high load of persistent environmental pollutants like PCB and dioxin that historically has been released into the water systems, have contributed to the problem. Since these chemicals strongly resemble endogenous signalling substances -hormones- exposed individuals experience altered cellular signalling which eventually results in cell death. This signalling is mediated by a receptor protein known as the aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor which during recent years has been subjected to much interest because of its role in mediating toxicity of several environmental pollutants. Further research on the Ah receptor may in the future bring greater understanding of some the problems that the Baltic salmons presently are suffering from. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Fauna och Flora: populär tidskrift för biologi
volume
96
issue
2
pages
91 - 96
publisher
Artdatabanken
ISSN
0014-8903
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
03f76f8b-9400-439f-9503-6c0116b8b10d (old id 153132)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:17:48
date last changed
2020-09-23 15:19:06
@article{03f76f8b-9400-439f-9503-6c0116b8b10d,
  abstract     = {{The Baltic salmon has during the latter part of the 20th century been subjected to several threats. Most notable have been the high levels of contaminant release and a disease that causes early life mortality of the young. Ever since utilization of water power from the Swedish rivers began in the 1940ies, thus deminishing the natural breeding areas for the salmons, an extensive hatchery program has compensated for the loss and, generally, increased the salmon populations in the Baltic Sea but simultanously decreased the genetic variation. In the 70ies a disease appeared in the hatcheries, causing high mortality (up to 95%) of the salmon fry. The explanation for this devastating syndrome, known today as M74, has not been found but it has been suggested that the high load of persistent environmental pollutants like PCB and dioxin that historically has been released into the water systems, have contributed to the problem. Since these chemicals strongly resemble endogenous signalling substances -hormones- exposed individuals experience altered cellular signalling which eventually results in cell death. This signalling is mediated by a receptor protein known as the aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor which during recent years has been subjected to much interest because of its role in mediating toxicity of several environmental pollutants. Further research on the Ah receptor may in the future bring greater understanding of some the problems that the Baltic salmons presently are suffering from.}},
  author       = {{Hansson, Maria and Langefors, Åsa}},
  issn         = {{0014-8903}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{91--96}},
  publisher    = {{Artdatabanken}},
  series       = {{Fauna och Flora: populär tidskrift för biologi}},
  title        = {{The Baltic salmon in battle with pollutants and disease. / Östersjölaxen i kamp mot miljögifter och sjukdom.}},
  volume       = {{96}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}