Using Hydroacoustics to Spatially Quantify Productive Capacity in
Freshwater Ecosystems An MSc. Thesis Proposal Submitted by Riley
Pollom Centre for Fisheries Ecosystems Research
Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University
Supervisor: Dr. George Rose
Proposal OutlineIntroduction
- NSERC’s HydroNet- the productive capacity of fish habitat- hydroacoustics- body size and ecosystem function
Methods
- study sites - plankton - hydroacoustic surveys - fish tagging - target strength experiments - data analysis
Potential Results
HydroNet NSERC Strategic Research Network
How do hydropower operations impact aquatic ecosystems?
Mesoscale modelling of PCFH in lakes and reservoirs
The Productive Capacity of Fish Habitat
•ability of an ecosystem to produce healthy fish, safe for human consumption, or to support or produce aquatic organisms upon which fish depend
•DFO’s no net loss policy
Hydroacoustics•Sonar-like technology
•Non-invasive
•Integrated GPS
•High resolution
•Species ID difficult
Body Size and Ecosystem Function•Body size closely related to metabolic requirements – and thus energy flux through ecosystems
Body Size and Ecosystem Function
Log (Body Size)
b=~-3/4
Log (Abundance or Biomass)
Goals and ObjectivesSpatially quantify fish
productivity and distribution
Investigate spatial relationships between fish and zoo/phytoplankton
Determine how resources are partitioned across different body size classes
Study SitesManigotagan Lake
Lac du Bonnet
Hydroacoustic Surveys•Transects across long axis of lake•500m or 1nm apart•Replicates offset
Target Strength Experiments
From Gauthier and Rose 2001.
Plankton SamplingPlankton samples to be
collected with 80μm mesh using vertical tows
Collected with replication at all sites with unique acoustic signals.
Fish Tagging
Data Analysis• Data to be edited and analyzed
using Echoview
• Biomass estimates and distribution of fish and plankton will be mapped
• Geostatistical analyses to identify spatial relationships between fish and plankton
• Regression analysis to determine size-abundance relationship
Potential Results
ConclusionsProtocols determined
here will allow for the quantitative assessment of PCFH for future hydropower projects
Spatial configuration of important functional components of the ecosystems will be characterized
AcknowledgementsLaura
WheelandEd SternGeorge RoseNSERCManitoba
Hydro Manitoba
ConservationCaribou
Lodge
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