Climate Change - Cohen Commission

APPENDIX 3
Reviewers‟ comments with authors‟ responses
Report Title: Climate Change
Reviewer Name: Dr. Steven J. Cooke
Date: January 3, 2011
The authors‟ responses to reviewer comments are provided in bold text after each
paragraph where a response is needed. References for publications cited on the responses
are provided unless they are already listed on section 5 (Literature cited) of the revised
report.
1. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of this report.
Note – The report is divided into two separate sections so for the purpose of this review
I provide separate comments for each section and where appropriate discuss their
integration. As a preamble, I like the clarity and organization (including bulleted
executive summary) for both reports.
The real strength is the integration of material and concepts from diverse disciplines.
For example, the authors combine information from physiological ecology, behaviour,
and evolutionary biology (and more) to provide an overview of the mechanisms
associated with the patterns (e.g., in timing and mortality) that are observed.
I also appreciate the integration of new/forthcoming material. Although such material
has not yet been subject to full peer review, in some cases it can help to illuminate
biological phenomena, particularly given that some of these topics represent frontiers in
biology and thus there is a rapidly evolving literature.
The report is fairly easy to read with ample subheadings. It is also a very clean
manuscript (few typos). Both sections could be submitted to peer reviewed journals
with little additional effort. The authors have grounded their work around Fraser
sockeye but have also pulled upon global literature as needed. I am unaware of a
similar synthesis for any Pacific salmon species or system elsewhere.
Report 1. This report is titled “Adult mortality during river migration and on spawning
grounds” with stated objectives to “review the major environmental factors responsible
for adult sockeye salmon mortality during Fraser River migrations and for premature
mortality on spawning grounds, review the early migration – high mortality Late-run
sockeye phenomenon, describe interannual and within-year among stock patterns in
adult mortality, provide a mechanistic understanding for several of these patterns, and
identify scientific knowledge gaps that need to be filled in order to facilitate the
improvement of sockeye management”. Clearly the scope for this report is wide which
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