Question

) The Atlantic salmon lives in the ocean for most of its life. Every year, it returns to freshwater rivers to spawn. Based on what you’ve learned so far about membrane proteins, diffusion, and osmosis, what kind of mechanism allows the salmon cells to adapt to freshwater after leaving saltwater?

Answer 1

When the salmon comes back into freshwater, it tends to have a water loading problem - water tends to diffuse in because the cells are more concentrated than the surroundings. The kidneys produce more urine in frshwater than salt, getting rid of some of the water which has diffused in. There's lots of info here:

http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/knowledge/salmon-facts.html

Answer 2

Thanks so much!