"Evolutionary Changes and Salmon: Consequences of anthropogenic changes for the long-term viability of Pacific salmon and steelhead," will be the topic of a symposium sponsored by NOAA Fisheries Northwest Fisheries Science Center on Dec. 7 in Seattle .

In announcing the symposium this week, the science center said, "A great deal of effort (and money) has been expended in evaluating the anthropogenic factors that have contributed to the widespread declines of anadromous Pacific salmonids.  With few exceptions, however, these efforts have focused on ecological/demographic effects, and relatively little attention has been paid to the evolutionary response of salmon to anthropogenic change.  This is unfortunate, because any changes to the ecosystems that salmon inhabit will alter the selective regimes they experience and can be expected to elicit an evolutionary response.  What is not clear is the nature and magnitude of these evolutionary changes and the consequences they have for long-term viability of natural populations of these species, which play such an important role in marine and terrestrial ecosystems as well as in human societies.”

The symposium is expected to bring together top salmon biologists and top evolutionary biologists to explore the topic.

The meeting will end with a hosted reception and poster session.

Contributed posters are being solicited on three general themes:

-- 1) The nature and extent of anthropogenic changes that affect salmon and their ecosystems;

-- 2) Data for salmon that provide insights into their potential for evolutionary change;

--  3) Case studies from other organisms that demonstrate an evolutionary response to anthropogenic change.

Posters on other related topics also will be considered.

Anyone interested in presenting a poster at the Symposium, should submit an abstract (less than 200 words) by November 10 to Robin Waples (robin.waples@noaa.gov).  You will be notified soon afterwards whether the poster is accepted.

Please contact Waples for any questions.  More information about the meeting and how to register can be found at the following website:  http://www.regonline.com/108983.  For questions about registration or logistics, contact Tara Torres (tara@ucar.edu; 303-497-8694).