As the temperatures cool this weekend, you may start thinking about other temperature-related influences on streams, stream processes, and fish mortality and habitats. Carl Hubbs and Milton Trautman first wrote about the need to study fish conditions in winter in Transactions of the American Fisheries Society in 1935. The issue at the time was concern about over-winter survival of stocked fish. Today's issues with ice are different. Managers and scientists are interested in determination of instream flows to maintain fisheries during winter low-water conditions. Unfortunately, little research has been done on fish winter movements, feeding needs and habits, cover needs, microhabitat occupation, or other aspects of life-history under ice-cover. Early work described ice formations which are as dynamic or or dynamic than stream channel form, and fish behavior. When it gets cold trout slow down and seek the cover of darkness. There are few studies locally so the paper "Living in the Ice Lane" comes from investigations of winter ecology of stream salmonids. Tom Wesche and colleagues worked in Wyoming in the early 80s on developing techniques for locating trout under ice cover and measuring instream habitat conditions under conditions of complete ice cover. In Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, Robert Mueller and colleagues summarized video and acoustic techniques available today. These techniques are recent additions to fisheries investigators but open up new possibilities for exploring fish ecology under the ice.
Click on comment below and post your summaries of the papers that you read about ice.
16 comments:
I don't know what goooood girl was talking about, but I read about fish and ice:
Whalen, K. G., D. L. Parrish, and M. E. Mather. 1999. Effect of ice formation on selection of habitats and winter distribution of post-young-of-the-year Atlantic salmon parr. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 56: 87-96.
Whalen et al. (1999) documented how habitat available to and used by Atlantic salmon parr changed when ice formed in a small New England stream. Parr preferred slow and deep water even though the distribution and abundance of those habitats changed as ice formed and melted. Ice changed the stream by concentrating flow in the center of the channel and by reducing available habit near banks. Whalen et al. also observed that mature parr were also more likely to move longitudinally before, during, and after ice formation than were younger parr. Using some questionable statistical approaches, Whalen et al. (1999) demonstrated that parr actively adjusted to changing habitats in winter but, given the limitations of their data and analysis, they overreached with a discussion of potential strategies and implications for overwinter survival.
In their journal paper, ‘life in the ice lane: the winter ecology of stream salmonids’, Huusko et al (2007) argue that the fact that winter seems to function as a bottleneck for survival of young salmonids in some rivers but not in others, suggests that survival may be highly context-dependent, related to the habitat characteristics and ice regimes of individual rivers. They support this assertion by reviewing a large number of relevant literature, in which they consider the stages of winter ice formation (ice regimes); overwinter survival of salmonids; physiological acclimations of salmonids to endure low temperature and ice; habitat shifts of overwintering salmonids; behavior and habitat use of salmonids in the ice lane (changes in feeding and competive nature and aggression, and longitudinal and horizontal migration) in streams and rivers. The authors concede that the multitude of factors, both physical and biological, that affect the survival, behaviour, and habitat use of salmonids in winter makes interpretation of observed patterns complicated and difficult to generalize. The main objective of the writers is to summarize the latest information about the survival, habitat use, movement and biotic interactions of salmonids as it relates to the prevailing physical conditions in rivers and streams during winter, to add to the meagre information on the winter ecology of salmonids.
Huusko A., L. Greenberg, M. Stickler, T. Linnansaari, M. Nen, T. Vehanen, S. Koljonen, and K. Alfredsen (2007). Life in the ice lane: the winter ecology of stream salmonids, River Research and Applications, 23: 469–491
Wenger, S. J., J. T. Peterson, M. C. Freeman, B. J. Freeman, and D. D. Homans. 2008. Stream fish occurrence in response to impervious cover, historic land use, and hydrogeomorphologic factors. Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 65: 1250-1264.
Wenger et al. (2008) did their best to isolate physical factors known to affect freshwater fish distribution (such as hydrology, geomorphology, and historic land use) and also compensate for detection probability to specifically determine whether amount, location, and extent of impervious surface area was related to the presence or absence of five native fish of the Etowah drainage. This process started by estimating effective impervious area (EIA) from available land use data sets by extrapolating the relationship between total impervious area and effective impervious area determined from a subset of data using aerial photography. They used an existing fish dataset as the dependent variables in models for each species. They also used this dataset to estimate detection probability. They derived hydrological and geomorphic characteristics from existing GIS layers and historic land use variables from projected aerial photographs from 1938. With a plethora of available independent variables from these sources, they used an exhaustive two step process to develop models. In the first step, they used an information theory approach to determine which candidate variables best predicted presence. In the second step they used an iterative species occupancy model to estimate fit and variance given an detection probability. They found that for four of the five species examined, EIA was strongly and negatively associated with presence. Contrary to their a priori assumption, historic land did not have an overwhelming influence on presence; they found that current land use provided more accurate predictions that did historic. Despite their admitted modeling limitations, to date they provide the strongest argument that even small amounts of impervious water surface are associated with profound changes is fish assemblages.
Hello??!! We have class tonight and will be discussing Winter Issues in Stream Habitat Management.
Hope you have read "Life in the Ice Lane" and one other paper.
I, too, think our blog is very fine.
Gregory and Griffith, in their paper “Winter concealment by subyearling rainbow trout: space size selection and reduced concealment under surface ice and in turbid water conditions” suggest that subyearling rainbow trout use spaces that are shorter and wider than the alternative locations and were more often found using concealment spaces under low ice conditions than under turbid or ice cover conditions. The authors conducted a tank experiment with various sizes and shapes of concealment areas and recorded which spaces were most often used under various abiotic conditions (varying turbidity and ice cover levels). The authors clearly state that temperature variability may not represent natural winter conditions and behaviors are may have been influenced by previous experiences in the experimental set up as each individual was used multiple times. The writer’s main purpose was to explore the use of cover in streams under winter conditions as it relates to cover and water clarity to better understand the role of predator threat in habitat selection for subyearling trout.
Gregory, J.S. and J.S. Griffith. 1996. Winter concealment by subyearling rainbow trout: space size selection and reduced concealment under surface ice and in turbid water conditions. Canadian Journal of Zoology 74: 451-455.
In “Life in the ice lane: winter ecology of stream salmonids,” Huulusko et al. (2007) argue that gaining a better understanding of how winter conditions effect salmonid survival, habitat use, movement, and biotic interactions is a crucial component for the management of this group. Through a review of the current literature, the authors found that the lowest survival rates are not always in the winter (contrary to popular belief), salmonids preferred low velocity habitats in winter, become largely nocturnal (especially juveniles), and interact little with other biota. The authors admit that there is likely a huge number of unaccounted factors in the studies used for this review that make patterns difficult to find. The purpose of this article was to synthesize what is currently known about the winter ecology of stream salmonids to aid in the future management and direct future research of these important fish.
Huusko A., L. Greenberg, M. Stickler, T. Linnansaari, M. Nen, T. Vehanen, S. Koljonen, and K. Alfredsen 2007. Life in the ice lane: the winter ecology of stream salmonids. River Research and Applications 23: 469–491
In their article “Effect of Ice formation on selection of habitats and winter distribution of post-young –of-the-year Atlantic salmon parr,” Whalen et al. (1999) argue that ice formation limits parr habitat and changes parr habitat use. The researchers used night snorkeling surveys and measured microhabitat characteristics and found that ice alters microhabitat by changing flow patterns and this limited the abundance of habitats selected by parr as well as general spatial redistribution of parr in the winter as compared with other seasons. The authors admit that habitat availability below the surface of the ice was not quantified and as a result some uncertainty exists pertaining to the usage of under-ice habitat by the parr. The purpose of this paper was to determine how ice formation effects instream habitat of Atlantic salmon parr and ultimately how this relationship could alter the carrying capacity of the stream.
Whalen, K.G., D.L. Parrish, and M.E. Mather. 1999. Effect of Ice formation on selection of habitats and winter distribution of post-young –of-the-year Atlantic salmon parr. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science 57:86-97.
Huusko A., L. Greenberg, M. Stickler, T. Linnansaari, M. Nen, T. Vehanen, S. Koljonen, and K. Alfredsen 2007. Life in the ice lane: the winter ecology of stream salmonids. River Research and Applications 23: 469–491
In "Life in the Ice Lane", the authors state that the winter ecology of salmonids has been understudied, and that winter conditions have been mostly studied in smaller streams. They divide the winter into three major time periods: freeze-up (early), mid-winter (stable ice conditions), and break-up (late). They synthesized studies and conclude that most mortality is suffered by juveniles, but adult mortality is often related to predation and energy loss. They also determined that salmonids adapt to winter conditions by reducing activity (metabolic demand), and thus feeding rates. However, energy budgets must be satisfied to avoid mortality. Salmonids also tend to move downstream into areas of low velocity in order to rest. In winter, Juvenile salmonids become more active at night, an activity which is primarily controlled by temperature (contradictory to warm months when feeding activity is controlled by light-related parameters). They also hide behind large substrates and woody debris, and enter the water column at night. They suggest that further research should be geared to 1)predict winter dynamics at local and larger scales; 2) studying behavior beneath ice; 3)evaluate human impacts (i.e. dredging) during winter; and 4)identifying methods to asssess winter habitat conditions fo salmonids.
Also, this blog is very fine.... I'm sure goooood girl loves stream habitat management as much as the rest of us, particularly winter ecology
In their article “Stream fish occurrence in response to impervious cover, historic land use, and hydrogeomorphic factors,” Wenger et al. argue that current effective impervious area (EIA), current and historic land use significantly effected the presence of five individual sensitive species in the rapidly urbanizing Etowah Basin, GA. The authors used both large sets of GIS data and estimates of species detectability to model the effects of anthropogenic changes in the landscape on species presence. The authors admit that EIA is difficult to measure and may be underestimated in the data set, but that lower levels of impervious surface seem to have a negative effect on the presence of sensitive fishes than has been previously reported. The author’s purpose was to evaluate the effects of current and historic land use on current fish presence and to evaluate the actual impact of urbanization so as to justify the stringent controls on runoff and impervious surface levels for an HCP in the basin.
Wenger, S.J., J.T. Peterson, M.C. Freeman, B.J. Freeman, and D.D. Homans. 2008. Stream fish occurrence in response to impervious cover, historic land use, and hydrogeomorphic factors. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science 65: 1250-1264.
“Life in the ice lane: the winter ecology of stream salmonids”, by Huusko et al (2007) addresses context-dependant survival of salmonids based on habitat use and varying freezing patterns. Microhabitat selection, activity based on diel cycles, and species interactions were all important facets of winter ecology. Much remains unknown about the winter ecology of stream salmonids, and more research is needed to fill in these gaps. For ongoing research endeavors, the authors recommend four criteria, including 1) developing a predictor of ice regimes, especially locally, 2) understand salmonid microhabitat selection and other behaviors with varying degrees of stream ice cover, 3) anthropogenic effects of instream structures, their effects on hydrology, and the effects both have on winter salmonid populations, 4) management implications for wintering salmonids. The authors wrote this article to put together a current, comprehensive base of knowledge of the winter ecology of stream salmonids, and to suggest future research endeavors in salmonid stream ecology.
Huusko, A., Greenberg, L., Stickler, M., Linnansaari, T., Nykanen, M., Vehanen, T., Koljonen, S., Louhi, P., Alfredsen, K. 2007. Life in the ice lane: the winter ecology of stream salmonids. River Research and Applications 23: 469-491.
Hurst, T. P. 2007. Causes and consequences of winter mortality in fishes. Journal of Fish Biology. 71: 315-345.
Hurst begins with a brief history, citing reports of higher proportions of dead individuals in marine commercial catches and systems as far south as Florida. Hurst reports that acute thermal stress has been identified as a source of winter mortality. However reduced metabolism affects fishes' immune system and causes them to be more suceptible to diseases and parasites. Predation due to reduced ability for evasion is also emerging as a key mechanism of winter mortality. Starvation has also been identified as a cause of winterkill--fishes do not eat enough to satisfy energy demands. Other studies suggest these mechanisms operate together to cause mortality. Hurst also suggests large differences exist between marine and freshwater sytesms--citing the differences in freezing temperatures with salinity, as well as fishes' ability to escape unfavorable local conditions. Some fishes such as largemouth bass have shown local adaptations to thermal stress. Winter conditions also affect recruitment: harsh winters often affect juveniles more. However, recent research suggests negative correlations between body size and winter mortality. Hurst concludes that future research must account for the dynamics of winter recruitment and size-selective mortality. Future models must also incorporate different levels of predation that occur among seasons. Hurst also aknowlages that climate change will have major effects on the winter ecology of fishes.
In “The effects of cobble-boulder substrate configuration on winter residency of juvenile rainbow trout”, Meyer and Griffith (1997) tested density dependence of rainbow trout based on substrate arrangement. Four unique treatments and several different fish densities were used. Configurations included 1) no substrate, 2) substrate present, but dispersed, 3) substrate single layer, 4) substrate double layer. The authors found a positive correlation with amount of cover present and number of fish, showing that as cover increases density increases. Stock density did not affect fish retention. Larger fish showed a tendency to migrate outward from enclosures because of spatial limitations. The purpose of this article was to show that substrate constraints really do affect distribution of overwintering rainbow trout and presents possible management implications for imperiled populations.
Meyer, K.A., and J.S. Griffith. 1997. The effects of cobble-boulder substrate configuration on winter residency of juvenile rainbow trout. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 17:77-84.
In the article “Effect of ice formation on selection of habitats and winter distribution of post-young-of-the-year Atlantic salmon parr”, Whalen et al. describe how ice accumulation in a New England stream affects the quantity of Atlantic salmon parr’s preferred habitat and their subsequent movement and habitat utilization during winter months. The researchers measured differences in habitat quantity and parr distribution during a pre-ice, iced, and post-ice stage and determined that ice accumulation from the banks substantially limits the amount of preferred parr habitat and that the parr would redistribute themselves away from the central channel and move towards the preferred flows near the ice’s edge. The author’s admit that they were unable to link parr redistribution with specific icing events during the study, but they were able to link changes in habitat type changes to the changes in distribution of parr. The purpose of this study was to see the impacts of ice formation on habitat selection by Atlantic salmon parr in hopes that the information obtained can one day be used to study the impacts of ice on Atlantic salmon parr winter survival.
Whalen, K.G., D.L. Parrish, M.E. Mather. (1999)Effect of ice formation on selection of habitats and winter distribution of post-young-of-the-year Atlantic salmon parr. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science. 56:87-96
Meyer and Griffith (1997), in their journal paper, ‘Effects of cobble-boulder substrate configuration on winter residency of juvenile rainbow trout’, argue that the while configuration of rock substrate has a significant effect on trout density, amount of cover does not. They support this assertion by carrying out an experiment in which they assessed first winter habitat use by placing wild rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in wire-mesh enclosures with different cover treatments and four different configurations of cobble-boulder substrates, at varying fish densities. The writers accept the fact that the lack of any significant effect on the habitat use of rainbow trout suggests that the range in mean temperature (2-5°C) may not have been wide enough to cause a change in fish concealment behavior. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between the arrangement of rock substrate and the density of rainbow trout remaining in instream enclosures in winter, to add to the meager information on fish winter ecology.
Meyer K. A. and J. S. Griffith (1997). Effects of cobble-boulder substrate configuration on winter residency of juvenile rainbow trout, North American Journal of Fisheries Management 17:77-84.
Huusko, Ari. “Life in the Ice Lane: The Winter Ecology of Stream Salmonids” asserts that we must better comprehend how winter effects the salmonid group as far as habitat and biotic interaction is concerned before we can truly accurately manage for their benefit. The author uses a literature review to conclude that winter is not necessarily as critical of a period for the survival of young salmonids as it once may have seemed and that the death of many of the individuals is the result of other aspects such as predation. Huusko, et al is trying to show that the management of these salmonid species should be further explored and that the survival and population size of fish in the winter months should be studied further. This article is aimed toward managers that need to be aware of what is truly the best for these salmonid species.
Whalen, Kevin G. “Effect of ice formation on selection of habitats and winter distribution of post-young-of-the-year Atlantic salmon parr” states that the habitat availability and the amount of habitat used varied with the presence of ice in the winter months and presented the reasons why this is. The author used night snorkeling to observe the behavior of the Atlantic salmon parr and gave statistical support, to show that the fish were able to effectively adjust to the constantly changing habitats in winter time such as altered flow patterns which are vital in microhabitat selection. Whalen, et al shows how winter conditions could alter habitat selection and change the behavior of the Atlantic salmon parr in order to reveal how this connection could effect the population and carrying capacity of the stream. This article is intended for any scientists or managers that need to better understand the habitat characteristics of the Atlantic salmon in all seasons throughout the year.
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