There is no animal that can change the entire Earth through sex, except this animal.
The animal we want to talk about here is salmon.
According to a recent study, it turns out that when it comes time to have “sex”, they actually made the whole earth shake. Their power – over millions of years – can … displace the young, change the geological character of the area where they breed and even contribute to the evolution of the breed.
Salmon can “move young to fill the tank”
More specifically, it all started during the salmon breeding season. First, we need to know that the sex of salmon is not as normal as other animals. The female lays eggs, the male releases the sperm into the water, and then the eggs are fertilized.
Salmon is a migratory species. Born in rivers, they descend to the sea, grow up and then rise again to lay eggs. So when the breeding season arrives, many rivers are flooded with pairs of upstream salmon to celebrate.
At this point, the female will rub against the shore to create a nest and lay eggs, and this is also the reason why the topography of the Earth can change.
Salmon upstream to find a place to make love
Scientists have attempted to model the impact of sediment displacement on rock layers, thus forming the landscape of the entire region over millions of years. Therefore, one of the main factors influencing this process is the migration of salmon.
When creating the nest, the salmon also accidentally lowers the slope of the stream, making both shores more susceptible to erosion. Above all, the rate of erosion is faster and faster, and grains of sand and rock are easily pushed downstream more easily. Gradually, the topography of the whole area will change.
“Salmon don’t just move sediment,” said Alex Fremier, study leader. “They change the properties of the stream bed, so that as the water flows, more and more soil, sand and gravel will be washed away.” As a result, the underlying rock surface gradually revealed itself, increasing the risk of erosion for the area.
In addition, it is important to know that different species of salmon have different impacts on the topography and the environment. Chinook salmon (the largest species in the Pacific Ocean), for example, can erode faster over the same amount of time as many other small fish because they carry a lot of sediment.
With this study, experts understand that a single animal can still have a strong impact on the topography, landscape and environment. The presence of all species plays an important role in nature.
The research, conducted by scientists at the universities of Idaho and Indiana, is published in the journal Geomorphology.
