User:Adisuresh3654/Pacific lamprey

[Article] Copied from Pacific Lamprey article

Adi's Main Contribution: Added passages about indigenous cuisine, culture, and conservation efforts

Minor Contribution: Cited Sources and fixed grammatical errors

[ Pacific Lamprey] Copied from article

Pacific lampreys are an important ceremonial food for Native American tribes in the Columbia River basin and the Yurok people and Karuk of the Klamath River Wiyot people of the Eel River in northern California. Pacific lamprey numbers in the Columbia River have greatly declined with the construction of the Columbia River hydropower system. Almost no harvest opportunity for Native Americans remains in the Columbia River and its tributaries except for a small annual harvest at Willamette Falls on the Willamette River (tributary to the Columbia River). The Yurok and Wiyot snag lampreys in the surf at the mouth of the Klamath River, often at night, using hand-carved wooden "hooks". It is dangerous work. Because lampreys are fatty and have a very high caloric count, tribes like the Wiyot and Yurok have traditionally fed them to babies and young children.

In terms of tribal cuisine, the lamprey is often smoked over open fires, a method that enhances the flavor and aids in preservation, allowing them to be stored and consumed over extended periods. The smoked lamprey is a staple, featured in various communal feasts. In some tribal communities, lamprey is also prepared in stews, where its meat is combined with herbs and vegetables.

The high caloric count also make lampreys an important piece of the river ecosystem, as other animals also rely on them. The documentary film, The Lost Fish, chronicles how current tribal communities are actively studying, breeding, and working to restore lamprey and lamprey habitats to the waterways of the Pacific Northwest.

Pacific lampreys also hold deep cultural and spiritual importance for many indigenous tribes of the Pacific Northwest. They are seen as essential components of the ecosystem, serving both as predators and as prey. The tribes have traditional tales that discuss the lamprey's ecological and cultural significance. Their presence or absence in specific waterways would sometimes be interpreted as omens.

[Article] Copied from Pacific Lamprey article

There have also been concerns over the conditions in which Pacific Lamprey larva will have to endure in the coming century. The main concern is climate change because we could see temperatures in which the larva live in increase to 27-31 °C. The preferred temperature for lamprey hatching is about 18°C, anything more than that could potentially be deadly. Studies have shown that temperatures that exceed 30.7 °C is a deadly for the larva. A temperature of up to 27.7 °C however is manageable for the larva. Depending on the temperature increase, the larva may also exhibit a change in behavior which could lead to its death. The primary behavior change exhibited is in relation to their burrowing habits. Larva exposed to the higher temperatures were observed to experience impaired burrowing. Pacific Lamprey larva take a typical amount of time to burrow their hole, however at a higher temperature, typically at or above 27°C they took significantly longer to burrow. Inactive burrowing also increased in larva who were located in waters at or 27°C alongside an increase in stopping during their burrowing process.

The Pacific lamprey is not the same fish as the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) that has invaded the Great Lakes via the Erie Canal.

The Pacific Lamprey Conservation Initiative (PLCI) emerged as a collaborative effort, comprising Native American tribes, federal, state and local agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations. The collective's aim is to preserve Pacific lampreys as well as their habitats. PLCI is working to achieve long-term persistence of Pacific Lamprey, and support the ongoing use for native tribes. PLCI was initiated in 2008 by the USFWS. A notable collaboration has emerged in the Columbia River basin where several organizations and native tribes have come together under the PLCI to implement various conservation methods.

JP's Main Contribution (I will be adding in information on the conditions needed for Pacific Lamprey larva to live in): There have also been concerns over the conditions in which Pacific Lamprey larva will have to endure in the coming century. The main concern is climate change because we could see temperatures in which the larva live in increase to 27-31 °C. The preferred temperature for lamprey hatching is about 18°C, anything more than that could potentially be deadly. Studies have shown that temperatures that exceed 30.7 °C is a deadly for the larva. A temperature of up to 27.7 °C however is manageable for the larva. Depending on the temperature increase, the larva may also exhibit a change in behavior which could lead to its death. The primary behavior change exhibited is in relation to their burrowing habits. Larva exposed to the higher temperatures were observed to experience impaired burrowing. Pacific Lamprey larva take a typical amount of time to burrow their hole, however at a higher temperature, typically at or above 27°C they took significantly longer to burrow. Inactive burrowing also increased in larva who were located in waters at or 27°C alongside an increase in stopping during their burrowing process.