Future ecologists, who are called upon to solve pressing problems of environmental management, including in the field of biodiversity conservation, were introduced to the results of unique studies of the intraspecific structure of Pacific salmon.
The students learned how reference databases are created to identify the main salmon herds of the Northern Pacific. The branch's specialists explained that the availability of such databases makes it possible to accurately determine the regional and population affiliation of fish from mixed catches. This is critically important for controlling fishing during feeding and pre-spawning migrations, as it helps to effectively manage Pacific salmon stocks and prevent depletion of individual populations.
The students were impressed by the modern instrumentation of the genetic laboratory and the basic molecular genetic methods used in modern research. The children were also shown the process of forming a genetic collection and the storage conditions of frozen biological samples, which serve as the foundation for many years of monitoring research.
The branch's laboratory of molecular Genetics consists mainly of young and energetic employees who have recently been students themselves. Therefore, communication with future environmentalists was easy and relaxed.
VNIRO Press Service