Seasonal and interannual variation in juvenile salmonids and associated fish assemblage in open waters of the lower Columbia River estuary

The transition between freshwater and marine environments is associated with high mortality for juvenile anadromous salmonids, yet little is known about this critical period in many large rivers. To address this deficiency, we investigated the estuarine ecology of juvenile salmonids and their associated fish assemblage in open-water habitats of the lower Columbia River estuary during spring of 2007–10. For coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), sockeye (O. nerka), chum (O. keta), and yearling (age 1.0) Chinook (O. tshawytscha) salmon, and steelhead (O. mykiss), we observed a consistent seasonal pattern characterized by extremely low abundances in mid-April, maximum abundances in May, and near absence by late June. Subyearling (age 0.0) Chinook salmon were most abundant in late June. Although we observed interannual variation in the presence, abundance, and size of juvenile salmonids, no single year was exceptional across all species-and-age classes. We estimated that >90% of juvenile Chinook and coho salmon and steelhead were of hatchery origin, a rate higher than previously reported. In contrast to juvenile salmonids, the abundance and composition of the greater estuarine fish assemblage, of which juvenile salmon were minor members, were extremely variable and likely responding to dynamic physical conditions in the estuary. Comparisons with studies conducted 3 decades earlier suggest striking changes in the estuarine fish assemblage—changes that have unknown but potentially important consequences for juvenile salmon in the Columbia River estuary.

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Main Authors: Weitkamp, Laurie A., Bentley, Paul J., Litz, Marisa N.C.
Format: article biblioteca
Language:English
Published: 2012
Subjects:Biology, Ecology, Fisheries,
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1834/30349
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spelling dig-aquadocs-1834-303492021-06-26T05:21:42Z Seasonal and interannual variation in juvenile salmonids and associated fish assemblage in open waters of the lower Columbia River estuary Weitkamp, Laurie A. Bentley, Paul J. Litz, Marisa N.C. Biology Ecology Fisheries The transition between freshwater and marine environments is associated with high mortality for juvenile anadromous salmonids, yet little is known about this critical period in many large rivers. To address this deficiency, we investigated the estuarine ecology of juvenile salmonids and their associated fish assemblage in open-water habitats of the lower Columbia River estuary during spring of 2007–10. For coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), sockeye (O. nerka), chum (O. keta), and yearling (age 1.0) Chinook (O. tshawytscha) salmon, and steelhead (O. mykiss), we observed a consistent seasonal pattern characterized by extremely low abundances in mid-April, maximum abundances in May, and near absence by late June. Subyearling (age 0.0) Chinook salmon were most abundant in late June. Although we observed interannual variation in the presence, abundance, and size of juvenile salmonids, no single year was exceptional across all species-and-age classes. We estimated that >90% of juvenile Chinook and coho salmon and steelhead were of hatchery origin, a rate higher than previously reported. In contrast to juvenile salmonids, the abundance and composition of the greater estuarine fish assemblage, of which juvenile salmon were minor members, were extremely variable and likely responding to dynamic physical conditions in the estuary. Comparisons with studies conducted 3 decades earlier suggest striking changes in the estuarine fish assemblage—changes that have unknown but potentially important consequences for juvenile salmon in the Columbia River estuary. 2021-06-24T16:50:25Z 2021-06-24T16:50:25Z 2012 article TRUE 0090-0656 http://hdl.handle.net/1834/30349 en http://fishbull.noaa.gov/1104/weitkamp.pdf application/pdf application/pdf 426-450 laurie.weitkamp@noaa.gov http://aquaticcommons.org/id/eprint/14485 403 2014-02-13 04:31:50 14485 United States National Marine Fisheries Service
institution UNESCO
collection DSpace
country Francia
countrycode FR
component Bibliográfico
access En linea
databasecode dig-aquadocs
tag biblioteca
region Europa del Oeste
libraryname Repositorio AQUADOCS
language English
topic Biology
Ecology
Fisheries
Biology
Ecology
Fisheries
spellingShingle Biology
Ecology
Fisheries
Biology
Ecology
Fisheries
Weitkamp, Laurie A.
Bentley, Paul J.
Litz, Marisa N.C.
Seasonal and interannual variation in juvenile salmonids and associated fish assemblage in open waters of the lower Columbia River estuary
description The transition between freshwater and marine environments is associated with high mortality for juvenile anadromous salmonids, yet little is known about this critical period in many large rivers. To address this deficiency, we investigated the estuarine ecology of juvenile salmonids and their associated fish assemblage in open-water habitats of the lower Columbia River estuary during spring of 2007–10. For coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), sockeye (O. nerka), chum (O. keta), and yearling (age 1.0) Chinook (O. tshawytscha) salmon, and steelhead (O. mykiss), we observed a consistent seasonal pattern characterized by extremely low abundances in mid-April, maximum abundances in May, and near absence by late June. Subyearling (age 0.0) Chinook salmon were most abundant in late June. Although we observed interannual variation in the presence, abundance, and size of juvenile salmonids, no single year was exceptional across all species-and-age classes. We estimated that >90% of juvenile Chinook and coho salmon and steelhead were of hatchery origin, a rate higher than previously reported. In contrast to juvenile salmonids, the abundance and composition of the greater estuarine fish assemblage, of which juvenile salmon were minor members, were extremely variable and likely responding to dynamic physical conditions in the estuary. Comparisons with studies conducted 3 decades earlier suggest striking changes in the estuarine fish assemblage—changes that have unknown but potentially important consequences for juvenile salmon in the Columbia River estuary.
format article
topic_facet Biology
Ecology
Fisheries
author Weitkamp, Laurie A.
Bentley, Paul J.
Litz, Marisa N.C.
author_facet Weitkamp, Laurie A.
Bentley, Paul J.
Litz, Marisa N.C.
author_sort Weitkamp, Laurie A.
title Seasonal and interannual variation in juvenile salmonids and associated fish assemblage in open waters of the lower Columbia River estuary
title_short Seasonal and interannual variation in juvenile salmonids and associated fish assemblage in open waters of the lower Columbia River estuary
title_full Seasonal and interannual variation in juvenile salmonids and associated fish assemblage in open waters of the lower Columbia River estuary
title_fullStr Seasonal and interannual variation in juvenile salmonids and associated fish assemblage in open waters of the lower Columbia River estuary
title_full_unstemmed Seasonal and interannual variation in juvenile salmonids and associated fish assemblage in open waters of the lower Columbia River estuary
title_sort seasonal and interannual variation in juvenile salmonids and associated fish assemblage in open waters of the lower columbia river estuary
publishDate 2012
url http://hdl.handle.net/1834/30349
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