REDBAND RAINBOW TROUT

Redband rainbow trout

Jonathan Armstrong

Latin name: Oncorhynchus mykiss newberrii

Redband trout are subspecies of rainbow trout adapted to a challenging life in high desert streams. Able to tolerate higher temperatures and lower oxygen levels than most rainbows, redband trout have flourished in the interior Northwest, even reaching sizes rivaling some Pacific salmon in Oregon's Klamath Basin. There, and likely in many other places, the effects of land use changes and warming waters are now putting these special adaptations to the test in an already unforgiving environment. Dr. Jonny Armstrong studies the unique seasonal migration patterns of Klamath redband trout in order to understand trade-offs that may impact their survival in a warming world.

Did you know? Resident Rainbow trout in Klamath Lake grow as large as steelhead and survive lethal summer water quality by taking refuge in groundwater-dominated tributaries.

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