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Author : Anna N. Kagley
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 37 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (631 download)
Download or read book Habitat Use by Juvenile Salmon in the Columbia River Estuary written by Anna N. Kagley and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 37 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 19 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (727 download)
Download or read book Historic Habitat Opportunities and Food-Web Linkages of Juvenile Salmon in the Columbia River Estuary, Annual Report of Research written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 19 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 2002 with support from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), an interagency research team began investigating salmon life histories and habitat use in the lower Columbia River estuary to fill significant data gaps about the estuary's potential role in salmon decline and recovery . The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) provided additional funding in 2004 to reconstruct historical changes in estuarine habitat opportunities and food web linkages of Columbia River salmon (Onchorhynchus spp.). Together these studies constitute the estuary's first comprehensive investigation of shallow-water habitats, including selected emergent, forested, and scrub-shrub wetlands. Among other findings, this research documented the importance of wetlands as nursery areas for juvenile salmon; quantified historical changes in the amounts and distributions of diverse habitat types in the lower estuary; documented estuarine residence times, ranging from weeks to months for many juvenile Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha); and provided new evidence that contemporary salmonid food webs are supported disproportionately by wetland-derived prey resources. The results of these lower-estuary investigations also raised many new questions about habitat functions, historical habitat distributions, and salmon life histories in other areas of the Columbia River estuary that have not been adequately investigated. For example, quantitative estimates of historical habitat changes are available only for the lower 75 km of the estuary, although tidal influence extends 217 km upriver to Bonneville Dam. Because the otolith techniques used to reconstruct salmon life histories rely on detection of a chemical signature (strontium) for salt water, the estuarine residency information we have collected to date applies only to the lower 30 or 35 km of the estuary, where fish first encounter ocean water. We lack information about salmon habitat use, life histories, and growth within the long tidal-fresh reaches of the main-stem river and many tidally-influenced estuary tributaries. Finally, our surveys to date characterize wetland habitats within island complexes distributed in the main channel of the lower estuary. Yet some of the most significant wetland losses have occurred along the estuary's periphery, including shoreline areas and tributary junctions. These habitats may or may not function similarly as the island complexes that we have surveyed to date. In 2007 we initiated a second phase of the BPA estuary study (Phase II) to address specific uncertainties about salmon in tidal-fresh and tributary habitats of the Columbia River estuary. This report summarizes 2007 and 2008 Phase II results and addresses three principal research questions: (1) What was the historic distribution of estuarine and floodplain habitats from Astoria to Bonneville Dam? (2) Do individual patterns of estuarine residency and growth of juvenile Chinook salmon vary among wetland habitat types along the estuarine tidal gradient? (3) Are salmon rearing opportunities and life histories in the restoring wetland landscape of lower Grays River similar to those documented for island complexes of the main-stem estuary? Phase II extended our analysis of historical habitat distribution in the estuary above Rkm 75 to near Bonneville Dam. For this analysis we digitized the original nineteenth-century topographic (T-sheets) and hydrographic (H-sheets) survey maps for the entire estuary. Although all T-sheets (Rkm 0 to Rkm 206) were converted to GIS in 2005 with support for the USACE estuary project, final reconstruction of historical habitats throughout the estuary requires completion of the remaining H-sheet GIS maps above Rkm 75 and their integration with the T-sheets. This report summarizes progress to date on compiling the upper estuary H-sheets above Rkm 75. For the USACE estuary project, we analyzed otoliths from Chinook salmon collected near the estuary mouth in 2003-05 to estimate variability in estuary residence times among juvenile out migrants. In Phase II we expanded these analyses to compare growth and residency among individuals collected in tidal-fresh water wetlands of the lower main-stem estuary. Although no known otolith structural or chemical indicators currently exist to define entry into tidal fresh environments, our previous analyses indicate that otolith barium concentrations frequently increase before individuals encounter salt water. Here we evaluate whether otolith barium levels may provide a valid indicator of tidal fresh water entry by Columbia River Chinook salmon. We also examine otolith growth increments to quantify and compare recent (i.e., the previous 30 d) growth rates among individuals sampled in different wetland habitats along the estuarine tidal gradient.
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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 12 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (727 download)
Download or read book Estuarine Habitats for Juvenile Salmon in the Tidally-Influenced Lower Columbia River and Estuary written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 12 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work focuses on the numerical modeling of Columbia River estuarine circulation and associated modeling-supported analyses conducted as an integral part of a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional effort led by NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center. The overall effort is aimed at: (1) retrospective analyses to reconstruct historic bathymetric features and assess effects of climate and river flow on the extent and distribution of shallow water, wetland and tidal-floodplain habitats; (2) computer simulations using a 3-dimensional numerical model to evaluate the sensitivity of salmon rearing opportunities to various historical modifications affecting the estuary (including channel changes, flow regulation, and diking of tidal wetlands and floodplains); (3) observational studies of present and historic food web sources supporting selected life histories of juvenile salmon as determined by stable isotope, microchemistry, and parasitology techniques; and (4) experimental studies in Grays River in collaboration with Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce (CREST) and the Columbia Land Trust (CLT) to assess effects of multiple tidal wetland restoration projects on various life histories of juvenile salmon and to compare responses to observed habitat-use patterns in the mainstem estuary. From the above observations, experiments, and additional modeling simulations, the effort will also (5) examine effects of alternative flow-management and habitat-restoration scenarios on habitat opportunity and the estuary's productive capacity for juvenile salmon. The underlying modeling system is part of the SATURN1coastal-margin observatory [1]. SATURN relies on 3D numerical models [2, 3] to systematically simulate and understand baroclinic circulation in the Columbia River estuary-plume-shelf system [4-7] (Fig. 1). Multi-year simulation databases of circulation are produced as an integral part of SATURN, and have multiple applications in understanding estuary/plume variability, the role of the estuary and plume on salmon survival, and functional changes in the estuary-plume system in response to climate and human activities.
Author :
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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 43 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (727 download)
Download or read book Historic Habitat Opportunities and Food-Web Linkages of Juvenile Salmon in the Columbia River Estuary and Their Implications for Managing River Flows and Restoring Estuarine Habitat, Physical Sciences Component, Progress Report written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 43 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Long-term changes and fluctuations in river flow, water properties, tides, and sediment transport in the Columbia River and its estuary have had a profound effect on Columbia River salmonids and their habitat. Understanding the river-flow, temperature, tidal, and sediment-supply regimes of the Lower Columbia River (LCR) and how they interact with habitat is, therefore, critical to development of system management and restoration strategies. It is also useful to separate management and climate impacts on hydrologic properties and habitat. This contract, part of a larger project led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), consists of three work elements, one with five tasks. The first work element relates to reconstruction of historic conditions in a broad sense. The second and third elements consist, respectively, of participation in project-wide integration efforts, and reporting. This report focuses on the five tasks within the historic reconstruction work element. It in part satisfies the reporting requirement, and it forms the basis for our participation in the project integration effort. The first task consists of several topics related to historic changes in river stage and tide. Within this task, the chart datum levels of 14 historic bathymetric surveys completed before definition of Columbia River Datum (CRD) were related to CRD, to enable analysis of these surveys by other project scientists. We have also modeled tidal datums and properties (lower low water or LLW, higher high water or HHW, mean water level or MWL, and greater diurnal tidal range or GDTR) as a function of river flow and tidal range at Astoria. These calculations have been carried for 10 year intervals (1940-date) for 21 stations, though most stations have data for only a few time intervals. Longer-term analyses involve the records at Astoria (1925-date) and Vancouver (1902-date). Water levels for any given river flow have decreased substantially (0.3-1.8 m, depending on river flow and tidal range), and tidal ranges have increased considerably (by a factor of 1.5 to 4 for most river-flow levels) since the 1900-1940 period at most stations, with the largest percentage changes occurring at upriver stations. These changes have been caused by a combination of changes in channel roughness, shape and alignment, changes in coastal tides, and (possibly) bed degradation. Tides are growing throughout the Northeast Pacific, and Astoria (Tongue Pt) has one of the most rapid rates of increase in tidal range in the entire Eastern Pacific, about 0.3m per century. More than half of this change appears to result from changes within the system, the rest from larger scale changes in coastal tides. Regression models of HHW have been used to estimate daily shallow water habitat (SWHA) available in a (almost equal to)25 mile long reach of the system from Eagle Cliff to Kalama for 1925-2004 under four different scenarios (the four possible combinations of diked/undiked and observed flow/ virgin flow). More than 70% of the habitat in this reach has been lost (modern conditions vs. virgin flow with not dikes). In contrast, however, to the reach between Skamokawa and Beaver, selective dike removal (instead of a combination of dike removal and flow restoration) would suffice to increase spring SWHA. The second task consists of reconstruction of the hydrologic cycle before 1878, based on historic documents and inversion of tidal data collected before the onset of the historic flow record in 1878. We have a complete list of freshet times and peak flows for 1858-1877, and scattered freshet information for 1841-1857. Based on tidal data, we have reconstructed the annual flow cycles for 1870 and 1871; other time periods between 1854 and 1867 are under analysis. The three remaining tasks relate to post-1878 hydrologic conditions (flows, sediment supply and water temperature), and separation of the human and climate influences thereon. Estimated ob-served (sometimes routed), adjusted (corrected for reservoir manipulation) and virgin (corrected also for irrigation diversion) flows for 1878-2004 have been compiled for the Columbia River at The Dalles and Beaver, and for the Willamette River at Portland. Sediment transports for the ob-served, adjusted and virgin flows have been calculated for 1878-2004 for the Columbia River at Vancouver and Beaver, for the Willamette River at Portland, and for other west-side tributaries seaward of Vancouver. For Vancouver and Portland, it has been possible to estimate sand trans-port (including gravel), fine sediment transport and total load. Only total load can be estimated at Beaver, and only fine sediment transport can be determined for the west-side tributaries, except for the post-1980 period influenced by the 1980 eruption of Mt St. Helens. Changes in flows and sediment transport due to flow regulation, irrigation diversion, and climate have been estimated.
Author : Pascale A. L. Goertler
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 91 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (894 download)
Download or read book Juvenile Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) Life History Diversity and Growth Variability in a Large Freshwater Tidal Estuary written by Pascale A. L. Goertler and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 91 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For many fish and wildlife species, a mosaic of available habitats is required to complete their life cycle, and is considered necessary to ensure population stability and persistence. Particularly for young animals, nursery habitats provide opportunities for rapid growth and high survival during this vulnerable life stage. My thesis focuses on juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and their use of estuarine wetlands as nursery habitat. Estuaries are highly productive systems representing a mosaic of habitats connecting rivers to the sea, and freshwater tidal estuaries provide abundant prey communities, shade, refuge from predation and transitional habitat for the osmoregulatory changes experienced by anadromous fishes. I will be discussing the freshwater tidal wetland habitat use of juvenile Chinook salmon in the Columbia River estuary, which are listed under the Endangered Species Act. I used otolith microstructural growth estimates and prey consumption to measure rearing habitat quality. This sampling effort was designed to target as much genetic diversity as possible, and individual assignment to regional stocks of origin was used to describe the diversity of juvenile Chinook salmon groups inhabiting the estuary. Diversity is important for resilience, and in salmon biocomplexity within fish stocks has been shown to ensure collective productivity despite environmental change. However much of the research which links diversity to resilience in salmon has focused on the adult portion of the life cycle and many resource management policies oversimplify juvenile life history diversity. When this oversimplification of juvenile life history diversity is applied to salmon conservation it may be ignoring critical indicators for stability. Therefore in addition to genetic diversity I also explore methods for better defining juvenile life history diversity and its application in salmon management, such as permitting requirements, habitat restoration, hydropower practices and hatchery management. This study addresses how juvenile salmon growth changes among a range of wetland habitats in the freshwater tidal portion of the Columbia River estuary and how growth variation describes and contributes to life history diversity. To do this, I incorporated otolith microstructure, individual assignment to regional stock of origin, GIS habitat mapping and diet composition, in three habitats (mainstem river, tributary confluence and backwater channel) along ~130 km of the upper estuary. For my first chapter I employed a generalized linear model (GLM) to test three hypotheses: juvenile Chinook growth was best explained by (1) temporal factors, (2) habitat use, or (3) demographic characteristics, such as stock of origin or the timing of seaward migration. I found that variation in growth was best explained by habitat type and an interaction between fork length and month of capture. Juvenile Chinook salmon grew faster in backwater channel habitat and later in the summer. I also found that mid-summer and late summer/fall subyearlings had the highest estuarine growth rates. When compared to other studies in the basin these juvenile Chinook grew on average 0.23, 0.11-0.43 mm/d in the freshwater tidal estuary, similar to estimates in the brackish estuary, but ~4 times slower than those in the plume and upstream reservoirs. However, survival studies from the system elucidated a possible tradeoff between growth and survival in the Columbia River basin. These findings present a unique example of the complexity in understanding the influences of the many processes that generate variation in growth rate for juvenile anadromous fish inhabiting estuaries. In my second chapter, I used otolith microstructure and growth trends produced in a dynamic factor analysis (DFA, a multivariate time series method only recently being used in fisheries) to identify the life history variation in juvenile Chinook salmon caught in the Columbia River estuary over a two-year period (2010-2012). I used genetic assignment to stock of origin and capture location and date with growth trajectories, as a proxy for habitat transitions, to reconstruct life history types. DFA estimated four to five growth trends were present in juvenile Chinook salmon caught in the Columbia River estuary, diversity currently being simplified in many management practices. Regional stocks and habitats did not display divergent growth histories, but the marked hatchery fish did ordinate very similarly in the trend loadings from the DFA analysis, suggesting that hatchery fish may not experience the same breadth of growth variability as wild fish. I was not able to quantify juvenile life history diversity, and juvenile Chinook life history diversity remains difficult to catalog and integrate into species conservation and habitat restoration for resource management. However, by expanding our understanding of how juvenile Chinook salmon experience their freshwater rearing environment we improve our capacity to conserve and manage salmon populations. The findings from my thesis provide the necessary information for a restoration framework to link habitat features with salmon management goals, such as juvenile growth, wild and genetic origin and life history diversity.
Author :
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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 52 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (727 download)
Download or read book Salmon Life Histories, Habitat, and Food Webs in the Columbia River Estuary written by and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From 2002 through 2006 we investigated historical and contemporary variations in juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha life histories, habitat associations, and food webs in the lower Columbia River estuary (mouth to rkm 101). At near-shore beach-seining sites in the estuary, Chinook salmon occurred during all months of the year, increasing in abundance from January through late spring or early summer and declining rapidly after July. Recently emerged fry dispersed throughout the estuary in early spring, and fry migrants were abundant in the estuary until April or May each year. Each spring, mean salmon size increased from the tidal freshwater zone to the estuary mouth; this trend may reflect estuarine growth and continued entry of smaller individuals from upriver. Most juvenile Chinook salmon in the mainstem estuary fed actively on adult insects and epibenthic amphipods Americorophium spp. Estimated growth rates of juvenile Chinook salmon derived from otolith analysis averaged 0.5 mm d-1, comparable to rates reported for juvenile salmon Oncorhynchus spp. in other Northwest estuaries. Estuarine salmon collections were composed of representatives from a diversity of evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) from the lower and upper Columbia Basin. Genetic stock groups in the estuary exhibited distinct seasonal and temporal abundance patterns, including a consistent peak in the Spring Creek Fall Chinook group in May, followed by a peak in the Western Cascades Fall Chinook group in July. The structure of acanthocephalan parasite assemblages in juvenile Chinook salmon from the tidal freshwater zone exhibited a consistent transition in June. This may have reflected changes in stock composition and associated habitat use and feeding histories. From March through July, subyearling Chinook salmon were among the most abundant species in all wetland habitat types (emergent, forested, and scrub/shrub) surveyed in the lower 100 km of the estuary. Salmon densities within wetland habitats fell to low levels by July, similar to the pattern observed at mainstem beach-seining sites and coincident with high water temperatures that approached or exceeded 19 C by mid-summer. Wetland habitats were used primarily by small subyearling Chinook salmon, with the smallest size ranges (i.e., rarely exceeding 70 mm by the end of the wetland rearing season) at scrub/shrub forested sites above rkm 50. Wetland sites of all types were utilized by a diversity of genetic stock groups, including less abundant groups such as Interior Summer/Fall Chinook.
Author : Antonio M. Baptista
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (137 download)
Download or read book Estuarine Habitats for Juvenile Salmon in the Tidally-influenced Lower Columbia River and Estuary written by Antonio M. Baptista and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Author : George Curtis Roegner
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 132 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (477 download)
Download or read book Estuarine Habitat and Juvenile Salmon written by George Curtis Roegner and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Author : George Curtis Roegner
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 62 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (559 download)
Download or read book Estuarine Habitat and Juvenile Salmon written by George Curtis Roegner and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 62 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Author : U.S. Department of the Interior
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781502525871
Total Pages : 58 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (258 download)
Download or read book Crims Island Restoration and Monitoring of Juvenile Salmon Rearing Habitat in the Columbia River Estuary, Oregon, 2004-10 written by U.S. Department of the Interior and published by . This book was released on 2014-10-09 with total page 58 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Under the 2004 Biological Opinion for operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System released by the National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) were directed to restore more than 4,047 hectares (10,000 acres) of tidal marsh in the Columbia River estuary by 2010. Restoration of Crims Island near Longview, Washington, restored 38.1 hectares of marsh and swamp in the tidal freshwater portion of the lower Columbia River.
Download or read book Estuarine Habitat and Juvenile Salmon written by and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Author : Nichole K. Sather
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 256 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (3 download)
Download or read book Aspects of the Early Life History of Juvenile Salmonids in the Dungeness River Estuary written by Nichole K. Sather and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The decline of many Pacific salmon stocks has stimulated interest in the early life history and habitat requirements of juvenile salmon. Although estuarine habitat associations of juvenile salmon have been investigated in many coastal areas of the eastern Pacific Ocean, until recently, little was known about juvenile salmonid ecology within the Straits of Juan de Fuca. During the Spring/Summer outmigration period in 2006 and 2007, I examined the early life history of the five species of anadromous salmon in the Dungeness River estuary on the north Olympic Peninsula, Washington. I sampled multiple spatial scales within several habitat types to characterize salmon distribution and habitat use. My results presented in this thesis are segregated into two components: 1) tidal marsh ecology of juvenile salmonids in the Dungeness River estuary, and 2) the landscape-scale distribution of juvenile salmonids within the Dungeness River estuary. I examined the population of juvenile salmonids within blind tidal sloughs near the vicinity of the Dungeness River delta. Salmonids were present within the tidal marshes throughout the entire outmigration period (e.g., March through July). Juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) were the most abundant salmonid species within the marshes. Based on the temporal distribution and size structure of juvenile Chinook salmon in the estuary I identified at least four life history types: 1) a fry strategy included a large pulse of fish emigrating from the river at a small size (e.g., 35-45mm FL) during late winter and early spring months; 2) the second group of fish was the least abundant group emigrating from the river from April through mid May at sizes ranging from 50-75mm FL; 3) the third group of migrants entered the estuary between from late spring through the summer months at larger sizes than the initial groups (e.g., 60-90mm FL); and 4) the final group of Chinook salmon included a stream-type yearling strategy. In addition to the four life history strategies identified for Chinook salmon, I detected at least three groups of chum salmon migrating into the estuary. These groups were distinguished by their size and timing of migration and are further described according to different rearing strategies. The distribution of juvenile salmonids was most strongly influenced by the degree of connectivity (i.e., distance) between the tidal marshes and the mouth of the Dungeness River. Habitat complexity and opportunity also governed the distribution of juvenile salmonids within the tidal marshes. I also sampled three regions of the estuary with a beach seine to investigate the nearshore distribution of juvenile salmonids within the Dungeness River estuary: the delta face, inner Bay, and outer Bay. Among the three regions, species composition was highly variable between 2006 and 2007. The most common salmonids encountered within the beach seine sites included Chinook salmon, chum salmon (O. kisutch), and pink salmon (O. gorbuscha). The relative abundance of salmonids was highest near the delta face and lowest within the outer bay area. The landscape-scale distribution and habitat use of juvenile salmonids within the Dungeness River estuary is largely influenced by ecosystem connectivity, but is also linked to biotic characteristics of the fish (e.g., life history type and fish size). Although the Dungeness includes hydrogeomorphic characteristics (e.g., steep river gradient, composition of sand spits in the estuary) unique to other Pacific Northwest watersheds, this system produces a variety of life history types comparable to other estuaries. Understanding the mechanisms that drive the distribution of juvenile salmonids within the Dungeness will supply local resource managers with a baseline with which to establish ecosystem restoration goals.
Author : Craig A. Haskell
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 50 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (93 download)
Download or read book Crims Island written by Craig A. Haskell and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Under the 2004 Biological Opinion for operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System released by the National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) were directed to restore more than 4,047 hectares (10,000 acres) of tidal marsh in the Columbia River estuary by 2010. Restoration of Crims Island near Longview, Washington, restored 38.1 hectares of marsh and swamp in the tidal freshwater portion of the lower Columbia River. The goal of the restoration was to improve habitat for juveniles of Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed salmon stocks and ESA-listed Columbian white-tailed deer. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) monitored and evaluated the fisheries and aquatic resources at Crims Island in 2004 prior to restoration (pre-restoration), which began in August 2004, and then post-restoration from 2006 to 2009. This report summarizes pre- and post-restoration monitoring data used by the USGS to evaluate project success. We evaluated project success by examining the interaction between juvenile salmon and a suite of broader ecological measures including sediments, plants, and invertebrates and their response to large-scale habitat alteration. The restoration action at Crims Island from August 2004 to September 2005 was to excavate a 0.6-meter layer of soil and dig channels in the interior of the island to remove reed canary grass and increase habitat area and tidal exchange. The excavation created 34.4 hectares of tidal emergent marsh where none previously existed and 3.7 hectares of intertidal and subtidal channels. Cattle that had grazed the island for more than 50 years were relocated. Soil excavated from the site was deposited in upland areas next to the tidal marsh to establish an upland forest. Excavation deepened and widened an existing T-shaped channel to increase tidal flow to the interior of the island. The western arm of the existing 'T-channel' was extended westward and connected to Bradbury Slough to create a second outlet to the main river. New intertidal channels were constructed from the existing 'T-channel' and tidal mudflats became inundated at high tide to increase rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids. The restoration action resulted in a 95-percent increase in available juvenile salmon rearing habitat. We collected juvenile salmon and other fishes at Crims Island and a nearby reference site using beach seines and fyke nets annually from March through August during all years. Benthic invertebrates were collected with sediment corers and drift invertebrates were collected with neuston nets. Juvenile salmon stomach contents were sampled using lavage. Vegetation and sediments characteristics were surveyed and we conducted a topographic/bathymetric survey using a RTK (real time kinematic) GPS (global positioning system). The fish assemblage at Crims Island, composed primarily of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus), non-native banded killifish (Fundulus diaphanus), peamouth chub (Mylocheilus caurinus), subyearling Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) (hereinafter referred to as subyearlings), and small numbers of juvenile chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), did not differ appreciably pre- and post-restoration. Subyearlings were the primary salmonid collected and were seasonally abundant from April through May during all years. The abundance of juvenile salmon declined seasonally as water temperature exceeded 20 °C in the Reference site by mid-June; however, subyearlings persisted at the Mainstem site and in subtidal channels of the Restoration site through the summer in water temperatures exceeding 22 °C. Residence times of subyearlings in Crims Island backwaters generally were short consisting of one or two tidal cycles. Median residence time was longer in the Restoration site than in the Reference site pre- and post-restoration. Small (mean = 55.7 millimeters) subyearlings primarily consumed dipteran adults and larvae in backwater habitats, while large (mean = 60.0 millimeters) subyearlings consumed Daphnia and Corophium in nearshore mainstem habitats. At all sites, chironomid larvae, Corophium, and oligochaetes were dominant in the benthic invertebrate community, whereas chironomid adults and aphids were dominant in the drift invertebrate community. Based on feeding indexes, subyearlings fed more intensively in the Reference site than in the Restoration and Mainstem sites prior to restoration. However, post-restoration, subyearlings fed more intensively in the Restoration site than in the Reference site and their diet was more similar to that of fish found in the Reference site. Although invertebrate density at the Restoration site did not change significantly post-restoration, invertebrate diversity initially decreased before returning to pre-restoration levels. However, the overall abundance of chironomids actually increased in the Restoration site post-restoration. Although juvenile salmon can feed preferentially, our results indicated that subyearlings fed most intensively on chironomids in backwater habitats and insect diversity, although important to overall ecosystem function, did not appear to limit their abundance. Although we were unable to estimate salmon abundance pre-restoration, a 95-percent increase in available habitat coupled with the large numbers of subyearlings with high condition factors collected post-restoration indicate that the project was largely a success in creating suitable rearing habitat for subyearlings. Catch data indicated that more subyearlings per hour were accessing restored habitat compared to unrestored habitat. We estimated total subyearling numbers ranging from 11,000 to 13,000 in the Restoration site post-restoration. Our before-after-control-impact paired series (BACIPS) study design permitted data analysis using t-tests to evaluate response to restoration and indicated that restored habitat contained larger subyearlings than unrestored habitat. Future monitoring efforts could benefit from sampling additional reference sites and evaluating higher-order metrics, such as survival or growth, to gauge restoration success. Further creation of shallow water rearing habitat will likely benefit subyearlings compared to other juvenile salmon life histories because subyearlings tend to migrate seaward using productive shallow backwaters instead of mainstem habitats more so than yearling Chinook salmon and large subyearlings. Much research in the lower Columbia River is directed toward the survival of large subyearlings using mainstem habitats. Estimating survival and growth of small subyearlings using restored habitats can help in planning and implementing off-channel restoration projects in the future.
Author : Ciara Sharpe
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 98 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (112 download)
Download or read book Abiotic and Biotic Dimensions of Habitat for Juvenile Salmon and Other Fishes in the Skeena River Estuary written by Ciara Sharpe and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Estuaries are increasingly degraded globally but provide nursery services for juvenile fishes through predator protection and increased food availability. This thesis examined the abiotic and biotic factors that contributed to abundance patterns of juvenile salmon and forage fish species in the Skeena River estuary, BC. I first showed that spatial abundance patterns were heterogeneous for salmon and that the combination of variables that predicted abundance differed between species. Inclusion of these dynamic abiotic and biotic variables increased predictive power over solely using static habitat descriptors for juvenile salmon. Next, I examined the association between fish and prey abundance for two forage fish and juvenile salmon species. Overall, fish abundance was not related to prey abundance, except for herring which co-varied with a highly consumed prey species. Understanding the factors influencing estuarine habitat use by economically-important juvenile salmon and forage fish can help inform risk assessment and guide environmental planning.
Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 167 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (727 download)
Download or read book An Ecosystem-Based Approach to Habitat Restoration Projects with Emphasis on Salmonids in the Columbia River Estuary, 2003 Technical Report written by and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 167 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Habitat restoration in the Columbia River estuary (CRE) is an important off-site mitigation action in the 2000 Biological Opinion (BiOp), an operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System. The CRE, defined as the tidally influenced stretch of river from the mouth to Bonneville Dam 146 miles upstream, is part of the migration pathway for anadromous fish in the Columbia Basin, including salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Salmon in various stages of life, from fry to adults, use tidal channels and wetlands in the CRE to feed, find refuge from predators, and transition physiologically from freshwater to saltwater. Over the last 100 years, however, the area of some wetland habitats has decreased by as much as 70% because of dike and levee building, flow regulation, and other activities. In response to the decline in available habitat, the BiOp's Reasonable and Prudent Alternative (RPA) included mandates to 'develop a plan addressing the habitat needs of juvenile salmon and steelhead in the estuary' (RPA Action 159) and 'develop and implement an estuary restoration program with a goal of protecting and enhancing 10,000 acres of tidal wetlands and other key habitats' (RPA Action 160). To meet Action 159 and support Action 160, this document develops a science-based approach designed to improve ecosystem functions through habitat restoration activities in the CRE. The CRE habitat restoration program's goal and principles focus on habitat restoration projects in an ecosystem context. Since restoration of an entire ecosystem is not generally practical, individual habitat restoration projects have the greatest likelihood of success when they are implemented with an ecosystem perspective. The program's goal is: Implementation of well-coordinated, scientifically sound projects designed to enhance, protect, conserve, restore, and create 10,000 acres of tidal wetlands and other key habitats to aid rebuilding of ESA-listed salmon populations and native species using the CRE. The program's underlying principles are: (1) projects are founded on the best available ecological restoration science, implemented in an ecosystem context, and developed with the intent to restore relevant ecological processes; (2) projects incorporate adaptive management practices with testable hypotheses to track ecological responses to a given restoration effort; and (3) projects are implemented in a coordinated, open process and scientific results from monitoring and evaluation are communicated widely and readily accessible. With this goal and these principles in mind, we developed an approach for CRE habitat restoration. The intent of this document is to provide a scientific basis and implementation guidelines for a habitat restoration program designed to improve ecosystem functions and enhance juvenile salmonid survival in the CRE. The stepwise approach to CRE habitat restoration outlined is somewhat general and broad because the available scientific information is incomplete, e.g., juvenile salmon usage of various CRE wetland habitats. As new data become available, a more specific, detailed plan than was possible here can be produced as an outgrowth of this document. In conclusion, this document provides a scientific basis and implementation guidelines for a habitat restoration program designed to improve ecosystem functions and enhance juvenile salmonid survival in the CRE. As more experience is gained with CRE habitat restoration and scientific uncertainties are resolved, this document should be used as a basis for a detailed habitat restoration plan that specifically addresses (1) which habitat types offer the greatest ecological benefit to salmon, (2) the location of potential sites that if restored would likely provide these habitat types, and (3) how and when the restoration work should be done. This document supports the use of adaptive management so that all elements of salmonid habitat restoration actions in the CRE are under continual evaluation and revision at both the project and program levels. Lessons learned from current and proposed habitat restoration projects need to be applied to all future work, such as the Estuary Partnership's habitat restoration program and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers General Investigation Study for the CRE, to ensure the most effective use of resources and the best possible long term environment for salmonid growth and survival in the CRE.
Author : Alan C. Clark
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (137 download)
Download or read book Preserve and Restore Columbia River Estuary Islands to Enchance Juvenile Salmonid and Columbian White-tailed Deer Habitat written by Alan C. Clark and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The goals of this project were to acquire and restore approximately 600 acres of tidal emergent marsh, swamp, slough, and riparian forest habitat in the Columbia Estuary to benefit salmon, Columbian white-tailed deer and other wildlife. The project will help achieve Action 160 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries' Biological Opinion for the Federal Columbia River Power System, which directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and BPA, in coordination with the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership, to develop and implement an estuary restoration program to protect and enhance ten thousand acres of tidal wetlands and other key habitats over a ten-year period, beginning in 2001, to rebuild productivity for listed salmon populations in the lower Columbia River. The project will also contribute to RPAs 7, 157, 158, 159 and 196.
Download or read book An Evidence-Based Evaluation of the Cumulative Effects of Tidal Freshwater and Estuarine Ecosystem Restoration on Endangered Juvenile Salmon in the Columbia River written by and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The listing of 13 salmon and steelhead stocks in the Columbia River basin (hereafter collectively referred to as?salmon?) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, has stimulated tidal wetland restoration in the lower 235 kilometers of the Columbia River and estuary for juvenile salmon habitat functions. The purpose of the research reported herein was to evaluate the effect on listed salmon of the restoration effort currently being conducted under the auspices of the federal Columbia Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program (CEERP). Linking changes in the quality and landscape pattern of tidal wetlands in the lower Columbia River and estuary (LCRE) to salmon recovery is a complex problem because of the characteristics of the ecosystem, the salmon, the restoration actions, and available sampling technologies. Therefore, we designed an evidence-based approach to develop, synthesize, and evaluate information to determine early-stage (1̃0 years) outcomes of the CEERP. We developed an ecosystem conceptual model and from that, a primary hypothesis that habitat restoration activities in the LCRE have a cumulative beneficial effect on juvenile salmon. There are two necessary conditions of the hypothesis: - habitat-based indicators of ecosystem controlling factors, processes, and structures show positive effects from restoration actions, and - fish-based indicators of ecosystem processes and functions show positive effects from restoration actions and habitats undergoing restoration. Our evidence-based approach to evaluate the primary hypothesis incorporated seven lines of evidence, most of which are drawn from the LCRE. The lines of evidence are spatial and temporal synergies, cumulative net ecosystem improvement, estuary-wide meta-analysis, offsite benefits to juvenile salmon, landscape condition evaluation, and evidence-based scoring of global literature. The general methods we used to develop information for the lines of evidence included field measurements, data analyses, modeling, meta-analysis, and reanalysis of previously collected data sets. We identified a set of 12 ancillary hypotheses regarding habitat and salmon response. Each ancillary hypothesis states that the response metric will trend toward conditions at relatively undisturbed reference sites. We synthesized the evidence for and against the two necessary conditions by using eleven causal criteria: strength, consistency, specificity, temporality, biological gradient, plausibility, coherence, experiment, analogy, complete exposure pathway, and predictive performance. Our final evaluation included cumulative effects assessment because restoration is occurring at multiple sites and the collective effect is important to salmon recovery. We concluded that all five lines of evidence from the LCRE indicated positive habitat-based and fish-based responses to the restoration performed under the CEERP, although tide gate replacements on small sloughs were an exception. Our analyses suggested that hydrologic reconnections restore access for fish to move into a site to find prey produced there. Reconnections also restore the potential for the flux of prey from the site to the main stem river, where our data show that they are consumed by salmon. We infer that LCRE ecosystem restoration supports increased juvenile salmon growth and enhanced fitness (condition), thereby potentially improving survival rates during the early ocean stage.
