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951. [Article] The physiology ecology and run diversity of adult Pacific lamprey, Entosphenus tridentatus, during the freshwater spawning migration
Pacific lamprey, Entosphenus tridentatus, have shown recent and rapid declines in abundance. These anadromous fish return to streams where they mature, spawn and die. It has been inferred that Pacific ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- The physiology ecology and run diversity of adult Pacific lamprey, Entosphenus tridentatus, during the freshwater spawning migration
- Author:
- Clemens, Benjamin Jacob, 1976-
Pacific lamprey, Entosphenus tridentatus, have shown recent and rapid declines in abundance. These anadromous fish return to streams where they mature, spawn and die. It has been inferred that Pacific lamprey enter freshwater and reside for ~ 1 year before spawning. This long exposure to the freshwater environment may affect the plasticity of the maturation process and the migration timing of Pacific lamprey. Diversity in run times and body size has been observed for Pacific lamprey, yet it is unknown if this diversity is induced by the freshwater environment or if it is genetic. My first goal was to describe the maturation and migration characteristics of adult Pacific lamprey during their freshwater migration. My second goal was to use these data to make an estimation of the run diversity in Pacific lamprey. I conducted three complementary studies, in the laboratory and the field, to achieve these goals. I held immature adult lamprey (non-ripe fish that had ceased parasitic feeding in the ocean and had returned to freshwater) in the laboratory at temperatures that mimicked what these fish would experience in the wild, during the summer (mean: 21.8 °C), and another group of lamprey at cooler temperature (mean: 13.6 °C) to compare maturation timing and characteristics. The warm water group of lamprey showed significantly greater proportional decreases in body mass following temperature exposure than fish in the cooler water. All fish exposed to the warm water matured the following spring (8-10 months later) whereas only about half of the fish from the cool water exposure matured. To understand the migration distances and timing of adult Pacific lamprey, I tracked radio-tagged fish throughout the Willamette Basin above Willamette Falls, Oregon, by airplane and recorded their location. Fish migrated primarily during the spring to early summer period before stopping during the remainder of summer, when peak river temperatures (≥ 20°C) occurred. These fish tended to remain stationary through the fall and winter. However, at least a few fish continued to migrate upstream after September. I monitored maturation characteristics of adult Pacific lamprey, over time at Willamette Falls, Oregon and compared these fish with recent migrants collected from the Pacific Ocean as they entered freshwater. The results suggest a unimodal spawn timing between April and June, at water temperatures < 20 °C. Between July and mid-September, as water temperatures peaked at ~ 25 °C, relatively immature fish for both sexes prevailed. Warm summer temperatures coincided with an increase and prevalence of testicular atrophy in males, and I also observed a large die-off of lamprey during this time. The immature fish had maturation stages and phenotypic characteristics similar to recent migrants collected at the mouth of the Klamath River, suggesting that the immature fish at Willamette Falls would spawn the following year, and spawners in any given year may have been recent migrants during the previous year. However there is a temporal overlap in the spring of immature and mature fish, and I found evidence from gonad histology of maturing fish as they entered the river from the ocean, suggesting that a cohort is comprised of recent migrants that spawn within several weeks of entering freshwater, and another cohort is comprised of recent migrants that mature and spawn at least 1 year later. I hypothesize that the recent migrants that would likely spawn shortly after entering freshwater are akin to a winter or "ocean maturing" steelhead, Oncorhynchus mykiss, that optimizes feeding and growth in the open ocean for a few years before entering freshwater to spawn low in the river system shortly afterwards. Alternatively, these lamprey may be similar to coastal cutthroat trout, O. clarki clarki, that feed and grow in the coastal areas of the ocean for a few months before entering freshwater to spawn. There could be other less apparent explanations as well. I also hypothesize that the lamprey that would likely spawn within ~ 1 year of entering freshwater are akin to a "stream maturing" steelhead that foregoes feeding and growth opportunities, enters freshwater during the summer – fall, and accesses spawning grounds to spawn at temperatures that promote evolutionary fitness via successful spawning the following spring. Based on the results of my research, I hypothesize that warm summer temperatures (> 20 °C) can act as a strong selection factor against stream maturing Pacific lamprey in two ways. First, these temperatures may expedite their maturation, while at the same time slowing their migration. If these hypotheses are true, then I predict an uncoupling of spawn timing with optimal habitat characteristics, that would promote fitness, in the upper watershed. Second, summer temperatures may cause gonad atrophy and death prior to spawning. This scenario may select for ocean maturing Pacific lamprey.
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952. [Article] Surface Water and Groundwater Interactions in the Walla Walla River, Northeast Oregon, USA : A Multi-Method Field-Based Approach
Surface water and groundwater interactions are a key component in the functioning of stream ecosystems. Exchange of water between the stream and the hyporheic zone creates habitat for aquatic organisms ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- Surface Water and Groundwater Interactions in the Walla Walla River, Northeast Oregon, USA : A Multi-Method Field-Based Approach
- Author:
- Gryczkowski, Landon
Surface water and groundwater interactions are a key component in the functioning of stream ecosystems. Exchange of water between the stream and the hyporheic zone creates habitat for aquatic organisms and serves as a control for stream biogeochemical, thermal, and flow processes. This study takes a multi-method field-based approach to gain a better understanding of exchange processes in the Walla Walla River, Northeast Oregon, USA, with focus on advancing methodologies, spatial and temporal exchange dynamics, fish ecology and habitat, and geomorphic controls on hyporheic exchange. Fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (DTS) was used to identify, quantify, and map cold-water inflows at the meter scale. Analysis of the maximum and minimum daily temperature traces separated each cold-water inflow into either hyporheic or groundwater-derived. DTS identified a very active hyporheic zone in this system, with a near-equal importance of hyporheic and groundwater inflows. Approximately one-third of the 2-km study reach was influence by cold-water inflows, providing significant cooling in certain areas. Using piezometers in conjunction with DTS provided validation and supplementation of DTS results, increased the reliability of conclusions, and helped to identify and understand specific exchange processes. Piezometer data showed downwelling conditions (negative head differential) except immediately downstream of riffles, with head differentials becoming increasingly negative farther downstream from a riffle. Furthermore, head differentials increased in the negative direction from left bank to right bank, indicating lateral movement of groundwater and more loss of river water from the right bank. Nearest to riffles and river bends, head differentials remained more stable over time, which may indicate that geomorphic structures influence head variations locally, while aquifer levels and dynamics have an increasing influence farther from these structures. Seasonally, head differentials became increasingly negative through the summer into fall as aquifer levels decreased, and areas of the river that lost the most water to the subsurface tended to lose more water at a faster rate as the summer progressed. However, the seasonal trend of head differentials may be counteracted by decreasing bed permeability, yielding little or no temporal change in vertical flux of water through the streambed. During high-flow events, river losses to the subsurface decreased overall; in particular, areas with the greatest water loss at low flows showed reduced losses during high flows. High variability and lack of patterns in the response to high flow events suggests complexity in this process. Temperature-related variables from DTS data were combined with habitat-related variables to determine which variables best explain pool-scale salmonid abundance. Two snorkel surveys of 23 pools within the study reach were performed. The change in temperature across the pool showed the strongest overall relationship to salmonid abundance, particularly Chinook salmon. Chinook salmon showed a stronger preference for specific pools compared to steelhead/rainbow trout. The magnitude of cold-water inflows appears more important than the presence or proportion of the pool receiving cold-water inflows, and salmonid abundance was more strongly explained by hyporheic inflows compared to groundwater. Temperature variables increased in importance relative to habitat variables in the second snorkel sample compared to sample one. The highest river temperatures of the summer occurred between the two sample dates, and this may suggest that salmonids’ affinity for cold-water refuge was enhanced through behavioral adaptation following periods of high temperature approaching the lethal threshold. The combined use of DTS, continuous electrical resistivity/induced polarization profiling, LiDAR, aerial imagery analysis, and field surveys allowed for the quantification of many geomorphic and hydraulic variables known or hypothesized to contribute to surface water and groundwater exchange processes. Regression analysis was used to determine which of these variables best explain the presence and magnitude of both groundwater and hyporheic inflows. For the first time, the cross-sectional area of the hyporheic zone was estimated at high resolution at the reach scale, and decreasing hyporheic cross-sectional area best explained both the presence and magnitude of cold-water inflows of either type. Higher water surface slope and sinuosity/curvature were next in order of importance. The presence of hyporheic inflows was also explained by higher water surface slope, sinuosity, and Reynolds number, while the magnitude of hyporheic inflows was best explained by higher sinuosity. Groundwater inflows were also explained by higher width-to-depth ratio, higher water surface slope, decreasing distance from a stream bank to the bankfull or floodplain extent, and decreasing flow velocity. Lateral processes (e.g. sinuosity) and vertical processes (e.g. water surface slope) were found to be of comparable importance, but lateral processes better explained larger decreases in stream temperature, possibly because lateral subsurface flow paths are longer in distance and duration. Hydraulic conductivity variables did not show up among the most important variables likely because of the difficulty in estimating hydraulic conductivity at the meter scale using electrical geophysical tools.
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953. [Article] Umatilla Basin Natural Production Monitoring and Evaluation; Annual Progress Report 1994 - 1995
Abstract -- This report summarizes the activities of the Umatilla Basin Natural Production Monitoring and Evaluation Project (UBNPME) from September 30, 1994 to September 29, 1995. This program was funded ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- Umatilla Basin Natural Production Monitoring and Evaluation; Annual Progress Report 1994 - 1995
Abstract -- This report summarizes the activities of the Umatilla Basin Natural Production Monitoring and Evaluation Project (UBNPME) from September 30, 1994 to September 29, 1995. This program was funded by Bonneville Power Administration and was managed under the Fisheries Program, Department of Natural Resources, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. An estimated 36.7 km (22.6 miles) of stream habitat were inventoried on the Umatilla River, Moonshine, Mission, Cottonwood and Coonskin Creeks. A total of 384 of 3,652 (10.5%) habitat units were electrofished. The number of juvenile fish captured follows: 2,953 natural summer steelhead (including resident rainbow tout; Oncorhynchus mykiss), one hatchery steelhead, 341 natural chinook salmon (0. tshawytscha), 163 natural coho salmon (0. kisutch), five bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), 185 mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni), and six northern squawfish (Ptychocheilus oregonensis). The expanded population estimate for the areas surveyed was 73,716 salmonids with a mean density of 0.38 fish/m2. The following number of non-salmonids were visually estimated: 7,572 speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus), 5,196 sculpin (Cottus spp.), 532 suckers (Catostomus spp.) and 191 redside shiners (Richardsonius balteatus). The gross estimated density of all non-salmonids combined was 0.84 fish/m2. The estimated ratio of non-salmonids to salmonids was 2.4: 1. Relative salmonid abundance, seasonal distribution and habitat utilization were monitored at index sites throughout the basin. During index site monitoring, the following species were collected in addition to those listed above: american shad (Alosa sapidissima), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), carp (Cyprinus Carpio) and chiselmouth (Acrocheilus alutaceus). Thirty nine sites were electrofished during the spring and summer seasons, while 36 sites were sampled in the fall season. Index sites with the. highest mean salmonid catch/minute (fish/min.) during the three sample periods were located at the following sites: East Birch Creek (3.4 fish/min.), Boston Canyon Creek (3.2 fish/min.), Spring Creek (3.1 fish/min.) and upper Squaw Creek (3.0 fish/min.). The highest electrofishing catch rates were observed in the Umatilla River tributaries above river mile (RM) 70 in the August and September sample period (Table J-2 catalogs river miles with associated landmarks). During the November sample period, catch rates were highest in Birch Creek tributaries. Most salmonids were captured in slow water near the bank during the November and March sampling periods. A study of the migration movements and homing requirements of adult salmonids in the Umatilla River was conducted during the 1994-95 return years. Radio telemetry was used to evaluate the movements of adult salmonids past diversion dams in the lower Umatilla River and to determine migrational movements of salmonids following upstream transport. Radio transmitters were placed in 30 summer steelhead, 15 spring chinook, nine fall chinook, and eight coho salmon. Salmon were released at Three Mile Falls Dam (TMD). An additional 11 summer steelhead and ten spring chinook salmon were tagged, hauled upstream, and released at either Barnhart, Nolin, Thornhollow, or Imeques C-mem-ini-kem. On average, summer steelhead required 36 days to successfully migrate from TMD to Stanfield Dam. Spring chinook required 18 days. Average passage times for summer steelhead (hours and minutes) at Westland, Feed Canal, and Stanfield Dams were 13:06, 83:24, and 2:58, respectively. Spring chinook salmon required 04:30 at Westland, 89:42 at Feed Canal, and 04:01 at Stanfield Dams. Migrational delays were observed at Feed Canal Dam at flows ranging from 563 to 1,601 cubic feet/second (cfs). Thirty-eight percent of the fish ladder at Westland Dam, 75% at Feed canal, and 31% at Stanfield Dam. Average passage times at Feed Canal Dam (1995) were more than 15 times those at Stanfield Dam in 1994 and more than 20 times those at Stanfield Dam in 1995. Data related to homing and passage needs of Umatilla River salmonids was investigated in an attempt to maximize homing to the Umatilla River. Straying rates of adult summer steelhead and spring chinook salmon were found to be low while coho and fall chinook salmon stray rates were high in some groups, particularly adult returns from subyearling smolt releases of fall chinook salmon. Attraction flows of from the mouth of the Umatilla River of at least 150 cfs were required to encourage migration and reduce straying of fall chinook and coho salmon. Significant numbers of summer steelhead entered when flows exceeded 500 cfs. Spring chinook salmon entry was variable with fish entering at flows ranging from 150 to more than 2,000 cfs. Adult anadromous salmonids potentially available to spawn above TMD from August 26, 1994 to June 27, 1995 included: 593 adult and 530 jack fall chinook salmon (1994 brood), 879 adult and 54 jack coho salmon (1994 brood), 784 natural and 509 hatchery summer steelhead (1995 brood), and 378 adult and 62 jack spring chinook salmon (1995 brood). During escapement surveys (fall of 1994), a total of 82 fall chinook salmon redds, 24 coho salmon redds and seven unidentified salmon redds (112 redds total, 2.6/mile) were enumerated along 42.3 miles of the mainstem above TMD. In 1995, we enumerated and flagged 126 summer steelhead redds (3.6 redds/mile) along 35.3 miles of lateral tributaries of the Umatilla River. Also enumerated were 90 spring chinook salmon redds (1.6 redds/mile) along 55.8 miles of the mainstem. Ninety-six percent of the adult fall chinook salmon carcasses examined had spawned while 94% of the coho had spawned; 66.8 % of the spring chinook salmon carcasses examined bad spawned. A total of 49.3% of spring chinook salmon released above TMD were sampled during spawning ground surveys and 60 coded wire tags (CWTs) were recovered from 78 adipose clipped fish. The rotary screw trap in the Umatilla River (RM 76) operated 63 of 113 days from September 21, 1994 to January 13, 1995. The trap captured 596 juvenile steelhead with a mean trap efficiency rate of 9.9%. A total of 1,368 juvenile chinook salmon were captured with a mean trap efficiency rate of 28. 8 % . The rotary screw trap at the Imeques C-mem-ini-kem site (RM 79.5) operated 43 out of 43 days from May 5 through June 16, 1995. The trap captured 304 natural juvenile steelhead with a mean trap efficiency rate of 6.6%. A total of 102 natural juvenile chinook salmon were captured with a mean trap efficiency rate of 10.5%. The rotary screw trap at the Barnhart site (RM 42,2) operated 87 out of 125 days from March 3 to June I, 1995. The trap captured 105 natural juvenile steelhead, 247 natural juvenile chinook salmon, five natural coho salmon, 6,265 hatchery juvenile chinook salmon, 467 hatchery steelhead and 16,844 hatchery coho salmon. Mean trap efficiency rates ranged from 2.3 to 5.7% . Harvest monitors estimated that tribal anglers harvested 25 hatchery and five natural summer steelhead during the spring of 1995. There was no spring chinook salmon fishery in the Umatilla River during 1995 because of the low number of returning adults. Scale analysis determined that over 85 .0% of naturally produced juvenile summer steelhead sampled during biological and index surveys were age O+ or l +. Naturally produced summer steelhead adults, returning to the Umatilla River in 1994-95, were mostly from the 1990 (46.4%) and 1991 (33.9%) brood years.