What type of life cycle does the sockeye salmon have?

What type of life cycle does the sockeye salmon have?

• A. It stays in freshwater its entire life.
• B. It migrates only in saltwater.
• C. It has an anadromous life cycle in both fresh and saltwater.
• D. It spends life on land.

Answer: (C)

Sockeye salmon have anadromous life cycles: they start life in freshwater streams, migrate to the ocean to grow in saltwater, and then swim back to freshwater to spawn. This pattern uses both environments across their life stages, which is exactly what an anadromous life cycle means. They aren’t confined to freshwater for life, they don’t live on land, and their life clearly involves a transition between fresh and saltwater.

Sockeye salmon have anadromous life cycles: they start life in freshwater streams, migrate to the ocean to grow in saltwater, and then swim back to freshwater to spawn. This pattern uses both environments across their life stages, which is exactly what an anadromous life cycle means. They aren’t confined to freshwater for life, they don’t live on land, and their life clearly involves a transition between fresh and saltwater.