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• 1. [Article] A Case for Collaborative Resource Management: Comparative Analysis of Public Resources to Establish Fish Consumption Advisories in the Pacific Northwest

  Fish consumption advisories (FCAs) are intended to protect the public from toxicants, such as methylmercury, that bioaccumulate in fish tissues. Women of childbearing age, children and subsistence fishers ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A Case for Collaborative Resource Management: Comparative Analysis of Public Resources to Establish Fish Consumption Advisories in the Pacific Northwest Author: Clayton, Alyssa Year: 2017 Fish consumption advisories (FCAs) are intended to protect the public from toxicants, such as methylmercury, that bioaccumulate in fish tissues. Women of childbearing age, children and subsistence fishers are particularly vulnerable to methylmercury exposure, as it is a known neurotoxin that harms the central nervous system. Resources, collaboration and protocols to establish FCAs vary from state to state. This study examines resources available to states in the Pacific Northwest to develop and institute statewide largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) advisories. Similarities and differences are identified between public agencies that facilitate FCAs in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. My findings revealed funding and collaboration between federal and state agencies is inconsistent, as long-term, direct funding mechanisms do not exist for personnel, sampling and laboratory analyses, impacting the ability to establish and update advisories. I recommend increased funding and data sharing amongst agencies, standardized reporting of fish tissue data, and formalized collaborative governance amongst federal and state agencies to ensure consistent and long-term support of FCAs. Title: A Case for Collaborative Resource Management: Comparative Analysis of Public Resources to Establish Fish Consumption Advisories in the Pacific Northwest Author: Clayton, Alyssa Year: 2017 Fish consumption advisories (FCAs) are intended to protect the public from toxicants, such as methylmercury, that bioaccumulate in fish tissues. Women of childbearing age, children and subsistence fishers are particularly vulnerable to methylmercury exposure, as it is a known neurotoxin that harms the central nervous system. Resources, collaboration and protocols to establish FCAs vary from state to state. This study examines resources available to states in the Pacific Northwest to develop and institute statewide largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) advisories. Similarities and differences are identified between public agencies that facilitate FCAs in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. My findings revealed funding and collaboration between federal and state agencies is inconsistent, as long-term, direct funding mechanisms do not exist for personnel, sampling and laboratory analyses, impacting the ability to establish and update advisories. I recommend increased funding and data sharing amongst agencies, standardized reporting of fish tissue data, and formalized collaborative governance amongst federal and state agencies to ensure consistent and long-term support of FCAs. Close

• 2. [Article] Forecasted Range Shifts of Arid-Land Fishes in Response to Climate Change

  Climate change is poised to alter the distributional limits, center, and size of many species. Traits may influence different aspects of range shifts, with trophic generality facilitating shifts at the ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Forecasted Range Shifts of Arid-Land Fishes in Response to Climate Change Author: Whitney, James E., Whittier, Joanna B., Paukert, Craig Patrick, Olden, Julian D., Strecker, Angela L. Year: 2017 Climate change is poised to alter the distributional limits, center, and size of many species. Traits may influence different aspects of range shifts, with trophic generality facilitating shifts at the leading edge, and greater thermal tolerance limiting contractions at the trailing edge. The generality of relationships between traits and range shifts remains ambiguous however, especially for imperiled fishes residing in xeric riverscapes. Our objectives were to quantify contemporary fish distributions in the Lower Colorado River Basin, forecast climate change by 2085 using two general circulation models, and quantify shifts in the limits, center, and size of fish elevational ranges according to fish traits. We examined relationships among traits and range shift metrics either singly using univariate linear modeling or combined with multivariate redundancy analysis. We found that trophic and dispersal traits were associated with shifts at the leading and trailing edges, respectively, although projected range shifts were largely unexplained by traits. As expected, piscivores and omnivores with broader diets shifted upslope most at the leading edge while more specialized invertivores exhibited minimal changes. Fishes that were more mobile shifted upslope most at the trailing edge, defying predictions. No traits explained changes in range center or size. Finally, current preference explained multivariate range shifts, as fishes with faster current preferences exhibited smaller multivariate changes. Although range shifts were largely unexplained by traits, more specialized invertivorous fishes with lower dispersal propensity or greater current preference may require the greatest conservation efforts because of their limited capacity to shift ranges under climate change. Title: Forecasted Range Shifts of Arid-Land Fishes in Response to Climate Change Author: Whitney, James E., Whittier, Joanna B., Paukert, Craig Patrick, Olden, Julian D., Strecker, Angela L. Year: 2017 Climate change is poised to alter the distributional limits, center, and size of many species. Traits may influence different aspects of range shifts, with trophic generality facilitating shifts at the leading edge, and greater thermal tolerance limiting contractions at the trailing edge. The generality of relationships between traits and range shifts remains ambiguous however, especially for imperiled fishes residing in xeric riverscapes. Our objectives were to quantify contemporary fish distributions in the Lower Colorado River Basin, forecast climate change by 2085 using two general circulation models, and quantify shifts in the limits, center, and size of fish elevational ranges according to fish traits. We examined relationships among traits and range shift metrics either singly using univariate linear modeling or combined with multivariate redundancy analysis. We found that trophic and dispersal traits were associated with shifts at the leading and trailing edges, respectively, although projected range shifts were largely unexplained by traits. As expected, piscivores and omnivores with broader diets shifted upslope most at the leading edge while more specialized invertivores exhibited minimal changes. Fishes that were more mobile shifted upslope most at the trailing edge, defying predictions. No traits explained changes in range center or size. Finally, current preference explained multivariate range shifts, as fishes with faster current preferences exhibited smaller multivariate changes. Although range shifts were largely unexplained by traits, more specialized invertivorous fishes with lower dispersal propensity or greater current preference may require the greatest conservation efforts because of their limited capacity to shift ranges under climate change. Close

• 3. [Article] Study of Prestige and Resource Control Using Fish Remains from Cathlapotle, a Plankhouse Village on the Lower Columbia River

  Social inequality is a trademark of Northwest Coast native societies, and the relationship between social prestige and resource control, particularly resource ownership, is an important research issue ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Study of Prestige and Resource Control Using Fish Remains from Cathlapotle, a Plankhouse Village on the Lower Columbia River Author: Rosenberg, J. Shoshana Year: 2015 Social inequality is a trademark of Northwest Coast native societies, and the relationship between social prestige and resource control, particularly resource ownership, is an important research issue on the Northwest Coast. Faunal remains are one potential but as yet underutilized path for examining this relationship. My thesis work takes on this approach through the analysis of fish remains from the Cathlapotle archaeological site (45CL1). Cathlapotle is a large Chinookan village site located on the Lower Columbia River that was extensively excavated in the 1990s. Previous work has established prestige distinctions between houses and house compartments, making it possible to examine the relationship between prestige and the spatial distribution of fish remains. In this study, I examine whether having high prestige afforded its bearers greater access to preferred fish, utilizing comparisons of fish remains at two different levels of social organization, between and within households, to determine which social mechanisms could account for potential differences in access to fish resources. Differential access to these resources within the village could have occurred through household-level ownership of harvesting sites or control over the post-harvesting distribution of food by certain individuals. Previous work in this region on the relationship between faunal remains and prestige has relied heavily on ethnohistoric sources to determine the relative value of taxa. These sources do not provide adequate data to make detailed comparisons between all of the taxa encountered at archaeological sites, so in this study I utilize optimal foraging theory as an alternative means of determining which fish taxa were preferred. Optimal foraging theory provides a universal, quantitative analytical rule for ranking fish that I was able to apply to all of the taxa encountered at Cathlapotle. Given these rankings, which are based primarily on size, I examine the degree to which relative prestige designations of two households (Houses 1 and 4) and compartments within one of those households (House 1) are reflected in the spatial distribution of fish remains. I also offer a new method for quantifying sturgeon that utilizes specimen weight to account for differential fragmentation rates while still allowing for sturgeon abundance to be compared to the abundances of other taxa that have been quantified by number of identified specimens (NISP). Based on remains recovered from 1/4" mesh screens, comparisons between compartments within House 1 indicate that the chief and possibly other elite members of House 1 likely had some control over the distribution of fish resources within their household, taking more of the preferred sturgeon and salmon, particularly more chinook salmon, for themselves. Comparisons between households provide little evidence to support household-based ownership of fishing sites. A greater abundance of chinook salmon in the higher prestige House 1 may indicate ownership of fishing platforms at major chinook fisheries such as Willamette Falls or Cascades Rapids, but other explanations for this difference between households are possible. Analyses of a limited number of bulk samples, which were included in the study in order to examine utilization of very small fishes, provided insufficient data to allow for meaningful intrasite comparisons. These data indicate that the inhabitants of Cathlapotle were exploiting a broad fish subsistence base that included large numbers of eulachon and stickleback in addition to the larger fishes. This study provides a promising approach for examining prestige on the Northwest Coast and expanding our understanding of the dynamics between social inequality and resource access and control. Title: Study of Prestige and Resource Control Using Fish Remains from Cathlapotle, a Plankhouse Village on the Lower Columbia River Author: Rosenberg, J. Shoshana Year: 2015 Social inequality is a trademark of Northwest Coast native societies, and the relationship between social prestige and resource control, particularly resource ownership, is an important research issue on the Northwest Coast. Faunal remains are one potential but as yet underutilized path for examining this relationship. My thesis work takes on this approach through the analysis of fish remains from the Cathlapotle archaeological site (45CL1). Cathlapotle is a large Chinookan village site located on the Lower Columbia River that was extensively excavated in the 1990s. Previous work has established prestige distinctions between houses and house compartments, making it possible to examine the relationship between prestige and the spatial distribution of fish remains. In this study, I examine whether having high prestige afforded its bearers greater access to preferred fish, utilizing comparisons of fish remains at two different levels of social organization, between and within households, to determine which social mechanisms could account for potential differences in access to fish resources. Differential access to these resources within the village could have occurred through household-level ownership of harvesting sites or control over the post-harvesting distribution of food by certain individuals. Previous work in this region on the relationship between faunal remains and prestige has relied heavily on ethnohistoric sources to determine the relative value of taxa. These sources do not provide adequate data to make detailed comparisons between all of the taxa encountered at archaeological sites, so in this study I utilize optimal foraging theory as an alternative means of determining which fish taxa were preferred. Optimal foraging theory provides a universal, quantitative analytical rule for ranking fish that I was able to apply to all of the taxa encountered at Cathlapotle. Given these rankings, which are based primarily on size, I examine the degree to which relative prestige designations of two households (Houses 1 and 4) and compartments within one of those households (House 1) are reflected in the spatial distribution of fish remains. I also offer a new method for quantifying sturgeon that utilizes specimen weight to account for differential fragmentation rates while still allowing for sturgeon abundance to be compared to the abundances of other taxa that have been quantified by number of identified specimens (NISP). Based on remains recovered from 1/4" mesh screens, comparisons between compartments within House 1 indicate that the chief and possibly other elite members of House 1 likely had some control over the distribution of fish resources within their household, taking more of the preferred sturgeon and salmon, particularly more chinook salmon, for themselves. Comparisons between households provide little evidence to support household-based ownership of fishing sites. A greater abundance of chinook salmon in the higher prestige House 1 may indicate ownership of fishing platforms at major chinook fisheries such as Willamette Falls or Cascades Rapids, but other explanations for this difference between households are possible. Analyses of a limited number of bulk samples, which were included in the study in order to examine utilization of very small fishes, provided insufficient data to allow for meaningful intrasite comparisons. These data indicate that the inhabitants of Cathlapotle were exploiting a broad fish subsistence base that included large numbers of eulachon and stickleback in addition to the larger fishes. This study provides a promising approach for examining prestige on the Northwest Coast and expanding our understanding of the dynamics between social inequality and resource access and control. Close

• 4. [Article] A Landscape Approach to Determining and Predicting Juvenile Coho Salmon (<i>Oncorhynchus kisutch</i>) Movement Timing and Growth Patterns Prior to Ocean Entry

  Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) rely on unique habitats during the winter season, which may dictate how much individuals may grow and when migration from freshwater rearing habitat to the ocean occurs. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A Landscape Approach to Determining and Predicting Juvenile Coho Salmon (<i>Oncorhynchus kisutch</i>) Movement Timing and Growth Patterns Prior to Ocean Entry Author: Johnson, Amelia Lee Year: 2016 Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) rely on unique habitats during the winter season, which may dictate how much individuals may grow and when migration from freshwater rearing habitat to the ocean occurs. Here I analyze movement timing and growth patterns for coho salmon through a field-based study and a literature review. For the field portion, I examined hatchery-stocked juvenile coho salmon across four stream basins in the Russian River watershed, California to determine the relative importance of climate, landscape, and fish size metrics in predicting movement and growth patterns over a winter rearing and spring smolt outmigration time period (December 2014-June 2015). I observed three unique movement strategies: winter parr movement, spring smolt movement, and inter-tributary movement. Movement was predicted in relation to daily temperature and precipitation, followed by in-stream and upslope basin conditions in random forest modeling. Specifically, fish that moved later were associated with basins that contained higher productivity and low-gradient floodplain habitats, while fish that moved earlier came from streams that lacked invertebrate prey and had limited low-gradient rearing habitat. Fish size and timing of movement were the primary predictors of growth, with relatively larger fish in the spring growing faster than fish that were relatively smaller prior to winter. These relationships suggest that hatchery-release fish are still highly influenced by environmental conditions once released, especially in terms of initial seasonal movement, and that watershed conditions should be considered when utilizing hatchery-rearing programs to supplement wild fish populations. In North America, coho salmon populations are distributed from Alaska through California, and may exhibit unique movement and growth patterns in relationship to population-scale vulnerability (Endangered Species Act listing), basin area, and availability and types of rearing habitat. For the second part of my thesis, I conducted a literature review to assess what factors are commonly considered in predicting movement and growth patterns for these fish, as well as the types (season and life stage) and number of movement strategies reported. Eighteen studies were summarized, of which sixteen identified unique movement strategies, ranging from one to four. Despite a wide range of basin areas and latitudes, winter parr and spring smolt movements were commonly observed, with authors primarily relating these behaviors to in-stream habitat and fish size metrics. Additionally, growth was linked positively and primarily with off-channel winter rearing, which may outweigh the importance of fish size in predicting growth when high quality rearing habitats are available during the winter season. Recognizing movement timing diversity and its drivers can help recover threatened coho salmon populations. More widely distributed populations may have unique phenotypic expressions based on localized genetic and environmental interactions, increasing diversity and overall stability across the population, a concept known as the portfolio effect. Understanding fish-habitat relationships can aid recovery efforts by providing a framework of climatic and watershed conditions that support unique behaviors, even in already severely limited populations. Title: A Landscape Approach to Determining and Predicting Juvenile Coho Salmon (<i>Oncorhynchus kisutch</i>) Movement Timing and Growth Patterns Prior to Ocean Entry Author: Johnson, Amelia Lee Year: 2016 Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) rely on unique habitats during the winter season, which may dictate how much individuals may grow and when migration from freshwater rearing habitat to the ocean occurs. Here I analyze movement timing and growth patterns for coho salmon through a field-based study and a literature review. For the field portion, I examined hatchery-stocked juvenile coho salmon across four stream basins in the Russian River watershed, California to determine the relative importance of climate, landscape, and fish size metrics in predicting movement and growth patterns over a winter rearing and spring smolt outmigration time period (December 2014-June 2015). I observed three unique movement strategies: winter parr movement, spring smolt movement, and inter-tributary movement. Movement was predicted in relation to daily temperature and precipitation, followed by in-stream and upslope basin conditions in random forest modeling. Specifically, fish that moved later were associated with basins that contained higher productivity and low-gradient floodplain habitats, while fish that moved earlier came from streams that lacked invertebrate prey and had limited low-gradient rearing habitat. Fish size and timing of movement were the primary predictors of growth, with relatively larger fish in the spring growing faster than fish that were relatively smaller prior to winter. These relationships suggest that hatchery-release fish are still highly influenced by environmental conditions once released, especially in terms of initial seasonal movement, and that watershed conditions should be considered when utilizing hatchery-rearing programs to supplement wild fish populations. In North America, coho salmon populations are distributed from Alaska through California, and may exhibit unique movement and growth patterns in relationship to population-scale vulnerability (Endangered Species Act listing), basin area, and availability and types of rearing habitat. For the second part of my thesis, I conducted a literature review to assess what factors are commonly considered in predicting movement and growth patterns for these fish, as well as the types (season and life stage) and number of movement strategies reported. Eighteen studies were summarized, of which sixteen identified unique movement strategies, ranging from one to four. Despite a wide range of basin areas and latitudes, winter parr and spring smolt movements were commonly observed, with authors primarily relating these behaviors to in-stream habitat and fish size metrics. Additionally, growth was linked positively and primarily with off-channel winter rearing, which may outweigh the importance of fish size in predicting growth when high quality rearing habitats are available during the winter season. Recognizing movement timing diversity and its drivers can help recover threatened coho salmon populations. More widely distributed populations may have unique phenotypic expressions based on localized genetic and environmental interactions, increasing diversity and overall stability across the population, a concept known as the portfolio effect. Understanding fish-habitat relationships can aid recovery efforts by providing a framework of climatic and watershed conditions that support unique behaviors, even in already severely limited populations. Close

• 5. [Article] Tracking Fish and Human Response to Earthquakes on the Northwest Coast of Washington State, USA: A Preliminary Study at Tse-whit-zen

  Evidence of large earthquakes occurring along the Pacific Northwest Coast is reflected in coastal stratigraphy from Oregon to British Columbia, where there also exists an extensive archaeological record ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Tracking Fish and Human Response to Earthquakes on the Northwest Coast of Washington State, USA: A Preliminary Study at Tse-whit-zen Author: Mohlenhoff, Kathryn A., Butler, Virginia L. Year: 2017 Evidence of large earthquakes occurring along the Pacific Northwest Coast is reflected in coastal stratigraphy from Oregon to British Columbia, where there also exists an extensive archaeological record of Native American occupation. Tse-whit-zen, a large Native American village dating between ∼2800 yrs BP and the historic era, located on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, was excavated with exceptionally fine stratigraphic control allowing for precise comparison of these natural and cultural records. Here we report on the ∼10,000 fish remains from one 2 × 2 m excavation block; this assemblage spans the timing of one seismic event, allowing study of changes in relative taxonomic abundance through time that may coincide with earthquakes or other environmental changes. Results indicate a wide variety of fish taxa were used throughout the dated occupation. Comparisons of fish use before and after one earthquake event shows a decline in salmon (Oncorhynchus sp.) and an increase in herring (Clupea pallasii), shifts consistent with earthquake-related habitat loss. This serves as a pilot study for a large-scale collaborative project that is drawing on the range in animal types (invertebrates, mammals, birds, and fishes) to assess human response to gradual and abrupt environmental change at Tse-whit-zen. Title: Tracking Fish and Human Response to Earthquakes on the Northwest Coast of Washington State, USA: A Preliminary Study at Tse-whit-zen Author: Mohlenhoff, Kathryn A., Butler, Virginia L. Year: 2017 Evidence of large earthquakes occurring along the Pacific Northwest Coast is reflected in coastal stratigraphy from Oregon to British Columbia, where there also exists an extensive archaeological record of Native American occupation. Tse-whit-zen, a large Native American village dating between ∼2800 yrs BP and the historic era, located on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, was excavated with exceptionally fine stratigraphic control allowing for precise comparison of these natural and cultural records. Here we report on the ∼10,000 fish remains from one 2 × 2 m excavation block; this assemblage spans the timing of one seismic event, allowing study of changes in relative taxonomic abundance through time that may coincide with earthquakes or other environmental changes. Results indicate a wide variety of fish taxa were used throughout the dated occupation. Comparisons of fish use before and after one earthquake event shows a decline in salmon (Oncorhynchus sp.) and an increase in herring (Clupea pallasii), shifts consistent with earthquake-related habitat loss. This serves as a pilot study for a large-scale collaborative project that is drawing on the range in animal types (invertebrates, mammals, birds, and fishes) to assess human response to gradual and abrupt environmental change at Tse-whit-zen. Close

• 6. [Article] Alternate Developmental Pathways

  Chapter from the book, Annual Fishes: Life History Strategy, Diversity, and Evolution -- the first comprehensive reference on current knowledge of diverse species that exhibit unique survival strategies ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Alternate Developmental Pathways Author: Podrabsky, Jason E., Romney, Amie L., Culpepper, Kristin M. Year: 2015 Chapter from the book, Annual Fishes: Life History Strategy, Diversity, and Evolution -- the first comprehensive reference on current knowledge of diverse species that exhibit unique survival strategies and provide important models for basic and applied research. This work fills a void, covering the life cycle, reproductive biology, evolutionary ecology, reproductive behavior, sexual selection, genetics, speciation, and integrative and conservation strategies of annual fishes. Bringing together researchers in different areas of annual fishes to summarize previous work, overview the current research, and highlight promising areas of research, the book is organized into three sections focusing on: Diversity, life history, and reproductive biology Ecology and conservation Evolution The book provides a thorough understanding of the complexity of annual fishes and emphasizes their usefulness as a unique model organism for studies in vertebrate biology, particularly in areas such as speciation and senescence. It also notes the gaps in knowledge that challenge future research and encourages the continued expansion and development of research studies on annual fishes to address these gaps so that general vertebrate biology can be better understood. It serves as a valuable resource for scientists in a range of disciplines such as ichthyology, zoology, developmental and evolutionary biology, molecular biology and genetics, and ecology. Title: Alternate Developmental Pathways Author: Podrabsky, Jason E., Romney, Amie L., Culpepper, Kristin M. Year: 2015 Chapter from the book, Annual Fishes: Life History Strategy, Diversity, and Evolution -- the first comprehensive reference on current knowledge of diverse species that exhibit unique survival strategies and provide important models for basic and applied research. This work fills a void, covering the life cycle, reproductive biology, evolutionary ecology, reproductive behavior, sexual selection, genetics, speciation, and integrative and conservation strategies of annual fishes. Bringing together researchers in different areas of annual fishes to summarize previous work, overview the current research, and highlight promising areas of research, the book is organized into three sections focusing on: Diversity, life history, and reproductive biology Ecology and conservation Evolution The book provides a thorough understanding of the complexity of annual fishes and emphasizes their usefulness as a unique model organism for studies in vertebrate biology, particularly in areas such as speciation and senescence. It also notes the gaps in knowledge that challenge future research and encourages the continued expansion and development of research studies on annual fishes to address these gaps so that general vertebrate biology can be better understood. It serves as a valuable resource for scientists in a range of disciplines such as ichthyology, zoology, developmental and evolutionary biology, molecular biology and genetics, and ecology. Close

• 7. [Article] Tolerance of Environmental Stress

  Chapter from the book, Annual Fishes: Life History Strategy, Diversity, and Evolution -- the first comprehensive reference on current knowledge of diverse species that exhibit unique survival strategies ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Tolerance of Environmental Stress Author: Podrabsky, Jason E., Riggs, Claire L., Wagner, Josiah Tad Year: 2015 Chapter from the book, Annual Fishes: Life History Strategy, Diversity, and Evolution -- the first comprehensive reference on current knowledge of diverse species that exhibit unique survival strategies and provide important models for basic and applied research. This work fills a void, covering the life cycle, reproductive biology, evolutionary ecology, reproductive behavior, sexual selection, genetics, speciation, and integrative and conservation strategies of annual fishes. Bringing together researchers in different areas of annual fishes to summarize previous work, overview the current research, and highlight promising areas of research, the book is organized into three sections focusing on: Diversity, life history, and reproductive biology Ecology and conservation Evolution The book provides a thorough understanding of the complexity of annual fishes and emphasizes their usefulness as a unique model organism for studies in vertebrate biology, particularly in areas such as speciation and senescence. It also notes the gaps in knowledge that challenge future research and encourages the continued expansion and development of research studies on annual fishes to address these gaps so that general vertebrate biology can be better understood. It serves as a valuable resource for scientists in a range of disciplines such as ichthyology, zoology, developmental and evolutionary biology, molecular biology and genetics, and ecology. Title: Tolerance of Environmental Stress Author: Podrabsky, Jason E., Riggs, Claire L., Wagner, Josiah Tad Year: 2015 Chapter from the book, Annual Fishes: Life History Strategy, Diversity, and Evolution -- the first comprehensive reference on current knowledge of diverse species that exhibit unique survival strategies and provide important models for basic and applied research. This work fills a void, covering the life cycle, reproductive biology, evolutionary ecology, reproductive behavior, sexual selection, genetics, speciation, and integrative and conservation strategies of annual fishes. Bringing together researchers in different areas of annual fishes to summarize previous work, overview the current research, and highlight promising areas of research, the book is organized into three sections focusing on: Diversity, life history, and reproductive biology Ecology and conservation Evolution The book provides a thorough understanding of the complexity of annual fishes and emphasizes their usefulness as a unique model organism for studies in vertebrate biology, particularly in areas such as speciation and senescence. It also notes the gaps in knowledge that challenge future research and encourages the continued expansion and development of research studies on annual fishes to address these gaps so that general vertebrate biology can be better understood. It serves as a valuable resource for scientists in a range of disciplines such as ichthyology, zoology, developmental and evolutionary biology, molecular biology and genetics, and ecology. Close

• 8. [Article] Sampling Fish: A Case Study from the Čḯxwicən Site, Northwest Washington

  Researchers on the Northwest Coast (NWC) are often interested in complex questions regarding social organization, resource intensification, resource control, and impacts of environmental change on resources ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Sampling Fish: A Case Study from the Čḯxwicən Site, Northwest Washington Author: Syvertson, Laura Maye Year: 2017 Researchers on the Northwest Coast (NWC) are often interested in complex questions regarding social organization, resource intensification, resource control, and impacts of environmental change on resources and in turn human groups. However, the excavation strategies used on the NWC often do not provide the spatial and chronological control within a site that is necessary to document their variability and answer these research questions. The Čḯxwicən site has the potential to address some of the limitations of previous Northwest Coast village site excavations because of its unique and robust sampling strategy, the wide expanse of time that it was occupied, and the multiple house structures present. An on-going project is examining changing human ecodynamics over the breadth of site occupation, focusing on zooarchaeology and geoarchaeological records. This site, located on the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Port Angeles, WA was excavated in 2004 as part of a Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) undertaking to build parts for the Hood Canal Bridge Large scale excavation (261.4 m3 528 m2) generated enormous quantities of faunal remains. Radiocarbon dates and historic records show occupation extends from 2750 cal. BP to the early 20th century. Statistical sampling methods provide an empirical way to maximize the amount of information obtained with the least amount of effort. My thesis addressed the utility of Sampling to Redundancy (STR) as a statistical sampling method for sampling faunal remains from large village sites. My project has documented the variability of fish family representation across time and space in one part of the Čḯxwicən village, while minimizing the time and effort required to do so. This thesis applies STR to "S" (> 1/4 in.) 10 Liter bucket samples from eight excavation units and a total of 26 separate unique temporal and spatial contexts. I focused on 1/ 4 in. samples for my study for a particular reason. Previous fish faunal studies have focused on effects of mesh size on fish representation; and emphasized the need to use fine mesh (e.g., 1/ 8 in. or finer) to document small-bodied fishes. This focus on fine mesh typically means that only limited volumes of matrix are studied, which in turn may mean that remains of rarer, large- bodied fishes are under- represented. The on-going research project has focused on buckets screened to 1/ 8 in. mesh (called "C" buckets). I used STR to sample additional volumes of matrix screened to 1/ 4 in. to examine whether expanding the volume studied would affect fish representation, which was a second goal of my project. Overall, I studied remains from 269 "S" buckets out of a total of 419 buckets, or 47% of the buckets. STR was most helpful for six of the high bone abundance and density contexts, where I analyzed less than 50% of the total buckets, was moderately helpful for 14 contexts, and not at all helpful for the six contexts with low fishbone abundance, where I analyzed 100% of the buckets. This analysis took me a total of 154 hours, and based on the percentage of material analyzed, 174 hours were saved. As to the second project goal, to assess whether adding fish remains documented from additional matrix volume affected fish representation, I found the differences were minimal. Both for my study units as a whole, and for each time period, adding the fish records from the "S" buckets did not alter the main trends in fish representation as documented by the larger study, using a smaller volume. To further examine whether the added volume from >1/ 4 in "S" buckets affected results, I explored specific research questions that are relevant to the larger project regarding environment-animal interactions and fishbone deposition and bone condition inside and outside of a house structure. Adding the "S" bucket samples did not affect fish representation or fishbone distribution and condition, which affirms that the sampling strategy used in the larger research project was sufficient in most cases to characterize the fish record at the site. My approach to STR has focused on fish remains that were previously excavated from a Pacific coastal village site with dense archaeological deposits. STR could be employed in other types of archaeological settings in a range of environments (coast or interior) representing a range of cultural contexts (from hunting camps to urban centers) to establish sample redundancy after an excavation is complete. STR could be used during on-going excavation. Further research is required to explore the implications of STR in these settings, however it is likely that the success of STR in other contexts will be dependent on the density and overall abundance of remains, the diversity or material types being studied, as well of course in the range and specificity of questions in each case. Title: Sampling Fish: A Case Study from the Čḯxwicən Site, Northwest Washington Author: Syvertson, Laura Maye Year: 2017 Researchers on the Northwest Coast (NWC) are often interested in complex questions regarding social organization, resource intensification, resource control, and impacts of environmental change on resources and in turn human groups. However, the excavation strategies used on the NWC often do not provide the spatial and chronological control within a site that is necessary to document their variability and answer these research questions. The Čḯxwicən site has the potential to address some of the limitations of previous Northwest Coast village site excavations because of its unique and robust sampling strategy, the wide expanse of time that it was occupied, and the multiple house structures present. An on-going project is examining changing human ecodynamics over the breadth of site occupation, focusing on zooarchaeology and geoarchaeological records. This site, located on the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Port Angeles, WA was excavated in 2004 as part of a Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) undertaking to build parts for the Hood Canal Bridge Large scale excavation (261.4 m3 528 m2) generated enormous quantities of faunal remains. Radiocarbon dates and historic records show occupation extends from 2750 cal. BP to the early 20th century. Statistical sampling methods provide an empirical way to maximize the amount of information obtained with the least amount of effort. My thesis addressed the utility of Sampling to Redundancy (STR) as a statistical sampling method for sampling faunal remains from large village sites. My project has documented the variability of fish family representation across time and space in one part of the Čḯxwicən village, while minimizing the time and effort required to do so. This thesis applies STR to "S" (> 1/4 in.) 10 Liter bucket samples from eight excavation units and a total of 26 separate unique temporal and spatial contexts. I focused on 1/ 4 in. samples for my study for a particular reason. Previous fish faunal studies have focused on effects of mesh size on fish representation; and emphasized the need to use fine mesh (e.g., 1/ 8 in. or finer) to document small-bodied fishes. This focus on fine mesh typically means that only limited volumes of matrix are studied, which in turn may mean that remains of rarer, large- bodied fishes are under- represented. The on-going research project has focused on buckets screened to 1/ 8 in. mesh (called "C" buckets). I used STR to sample additional volumes of matrix screened to 1/ 4 in. to examine whether expanding the volume studied would affect fish representation, which was a second goal of my project. Overall, I studied remains from 269 "S" buckets out of a total of 419 buckets, or 47% of the buckets. STR was most helpful for six of the high bone abundance and density contexts, where I analyzed less than 50% of the total buckets, was moderately helpful for 14 contexts, and not at all helpful for the six contexts with low fishbone abundance, where I analyzed 100% of the buckets. This analysis took me a total of 154 hours, and based on the percentage of material analyzed, 174 hours were saved. As to the second project goal, to assess whether adding fish remains documented from additional matrix volume affected fish representation, I found the differences were minimal. Both for my study units as a whole, and for each time period, adding the fish records from the "S" buckets did not alter the main trends in fish representation as documented by the larger study, using a smaller volume. To further examine whether the added volume from >1/ 4 in "S" buckets affected results, I explored specific research questions that are relevant to the larger project regarding environment-animal interactions and fishbone deposition and bone condition inside and outside of a house structure. Adding the "S" bucket samples did not affect fish representation or fishbone distribution and condition, which affirms that the sampling strategy used in the larger research project was sufficient in most cases to characterize the fish record at the site. My approach to STR has focused on fish remains that were previously excavated from a Pacific coastal village site with dense archaeological deposits. STR could be employed in other types of archaeological settings in a range of environments (coast or interior) representing a range of cultural contexts (from hunting camps to urban centers) to establish sample redundancy after an excavation is complete. STR could be used during on-going excavation. Further research is required to explore the implications of STR in these settings, however it is likely that the success of STR in other contexts will be dependent on the density and overall abundance of remains, the diversity or material types being studied, as well of course in the range and specificity of questions in each case. Close

• 9. [Article] Comparison of Fish Assemblages in Restored and Natural Mangrove Habitats Along an Urban Shoreline

  The installation of living shorelines is one strategy used to ameliorate habitat degradation along developed coastlines. In this process, existing hard structures, such as sea walls and riprap revetments, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Comparison of Fish Assemblages in Restored and Natural Mangrove Habitats Along an Urban Shoreline Author: Peters, Joseph R., Yeager, Laura A., Layman, Craig A. Year: 2015 The installation of living shorelines is one strategy used to ameliorate habitat degradation along developed coastlines. In this process, existing hard structures, such as sea walls and riprap revetments, are supplemented with habitat forming species, e.g., oysters and mangrove trees, to improve habitat quality and function. Shoreline restorations in Biscayne Bay, Florida, USA, often utilize red mangroves, Rhizophora mangle (Linneaus, 1753), in addition to riprap revetments, to help stabilize the shoreline. This riprap-mangrove habitat provides structure for marine organisms to utilize and is believed to improve shoreline habitats in areas previously cleared of mangroves. We examined whether habitat provisioning was similar between restored mangrove habitat with the inclusion of riprap boulders and natural mangrove shorelines. We compared fish assemblages between natural mangrove and riprapmangrove habitats within two areas of northern Biscayne Bay. Fish community structure and certain benthic cover types varied between mangroves and riprap-mangrove habitats. Total fish abundance was greater in mangrove habitat, while taxonomic richness was highest in riprap-mangrove sites in the northern part of the bay. Our findings suggest that fish assemblages and community structure are different between these habitat types, although the geographic context may mediate the effect of habitat type. Therefore, it is likely that these restored mangroves provide different ecological services than unaltered mangrove shorelines. Title: Comparison of Fish Assemblages in Restored and Natural Mangrove Habitats Along an Urban Shoreline Author: Peters, Joseph R., Yeager, Laura A., Layman, Craig A. Year: 2015 The installation of living shorelines is one strategy used to ameliorate habitat degradation along developed coastlines. In this process, existing hard structures, such as sea walls and riprap revetments, are supplemented with habitat forming species, e.g., oysters and mangrove trees, to improve habitat quality and function. Shoreline restorations in Biscayne Bay, Florida, USA, often utilize red mangroves, Rhizophora mangle (Linneaus, 1753), in addition to riprap revetments, to help stabilize the shoreline. This riprap-mangrove habitat provides structure for marine organisms to utilize and is believed to improve shoreline habitats in areas previously cleared of mangroves. We examined whether habitat provisioning was similar between restored mangrove habitat with the inclusion of riprap boulders and natural mangrove shorelines. We compared fish assemblages between natural mangrove and riprapmangrove habitats within two areas of northern Biscayne Bay. Fish community structure and certain benthic cover types varied between mangroves and riprap-mangrove habitats. Total fish abundance was greater in mangrove habitat, while taxonomic richness was highest in riprap-mangrove sites in the northern part of the bay. Our findings suggest that fish assemblages and community structure are different between these habitat types, although the geographic context may mediate the effect of habitat type. Therefore, it is likely that these restored mangroves provide different ecological services than unaltered mangrove shorelines. Close

• 10. [Article] Temporary Environments

  This is a book chapter within Extremophile Fishes. This book summarizes the key adaptations enabling extremophile fishes to survive under harsh environmental conditions. It reviews the most recent research ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Temporary Environments Author: Polacik, Matej, Podrabsky, Jason E. Year: 2015 This is a book chapter within Extremophile Fishes. This book summarizes the key adaptations enabling extremophile fishes to survive under harsh environmental conditions. It reviews the most recent research on acidic, Antarctic, cave, desert, hypersaline, hypoxic, temporary, and fast-flowing habitats, as well as naturally and anthropogenically toxic waters, while pointing out generalities that are evident across different study systems. Knowledge of the different adaptations that allow fish to cope with stressful environmental conditions furthers our understanding of basic physiological, ecological, and evolutionary principles. In several cases, evidence is provided for how the adaptation to extreme environments promotes the emergence of new species. Furthermore, a link is made to conservation biology, and how human activities have exacerbated existing extreme environments and created new ones. The book concludes with a discussion of major open questions in our understanding of the ecology and evolution of life in extreme environments. Title: Temporary Environments Author: Polacik, Matej, Podrabsky, Jason E. Year: 2015 This is a book chapter within Extremophile Fishes. This book summarizes the key adaptations enabling extremophile fishes to survive under harsh environmental conditions. It reviews the most recent research on acidic, Antarctic, cave, desert, hypersaline, hypoxic, temporary, and fast-flowing habitats, as well as naturally and anthropogenically toxic waters, while pointing out generalities that are evident across different study systems. Knowledge of the different adaptations that allow fish to cope with stressful environmental conditions furthers our understanding of basic physiological, ecological, and evolutionary principles. In several cases, evidence is provided for how the adaptation to extreme environments promotes the emergence of new species. Furthermore, a link is made to conservation biology, and how human activities have exacerbated existing extreme environments and created new ones. The book concludes with a discussion of major open questions in our understanding of the ecology and evolution of life in extreme environments. Close