Search

Search Results

• 11. [Article] Using Archaeological Fish Remains to Determine the Native Status of Anadromous Salmonids in the Upper Klamath Basin (Oregon, USA) Through mtDNA and Geochemical Analysis

  Within the Upper Klamath Basin, Oregon, the native status of anadromous salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) has been a long standing question. Ongoing efforts to establish if these fish were native to the region ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Using Archaeological Fish Remains to Determine the Native Status of Anadromous Salmonids in the Upper Klamath Basin (Oregon, USA) Through mtDNA and Geochemical Analysis Author: Stevenson, Alexander E. Year: 2011 Within the Upper Klamath Basin, Oregon, the native status of anadromous salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) has been a long standing question. Ongoing efforts to establish if these fish were native to the region prior to the construction of the Copco I Dam on the Klamath River (c.1917) have relied on sparse, contradictory and sometimes unreliable historic documentation and informant testimony. Current restoration projects with very high financial and social costs necessitate accurate and reliable data on salmonid species which once called the region home. Often, archaeolofaunal remains present a novel way to determine species present in an area prior to major habitat losses. This project analyzed fish remains from five previously excavated archaeological sites within the Upper Klamath Basin to determine which salmonid species were present prior to dam construction. A total of 5,859 fish remains were identified to at least taxonomic order using morphological distinctions. Site collections were dominated by those of catostomids (suckers) and cyprinids (minnows). Archaeological deposits at these sites dated as far back as approximately 7,500 BP but were primarily from the last 2,000 years. Only eighty-one salmonid remains were observed within the sites included in this project. The low frequency of salmonid remains in these sites may be the result of cultural and/or natural processes such as density mediated attrition and archaeological sampling. Of these 81 specimens, 38 were subjected to mtDNA analysis for species identification. Seven specimens did not yield DNA sufficient for species identification, six specimens were identified as O. tshawytscha (Chinook) and the remaining 25 specimens were identified as O. mykiss (steelhead or redband trout). Geochemical analysis was used to determine the life history of the fish represented by the remains within these collections. Strontium Calcium (Sr:Ca) ratios were measured on twenty-eight specimens. Three specimens were determined to be from freshwater resident fish and 25 were determined to be from anadromous fish. The specimens which were genetically identified as O. tshawytscha were all determined to be anadromous. Of the 18 specimens which were identified as O. mykiss and were subjected to geochemical analysis two were from freshwater resident fish and sixteen were from anadromous fish. Four samples were not characterized genetically but were subjected to geochemical analysis; three of these were determined to be from anadromous fish and one from a freshwater resident fish. Thus, the remains of anadromous O. mykiss and O. tshawytscha were identified in archaeological deposits predating construction of the Copco I dam in the Upper Klamath Basin While the genetic and geochemical analyses confirm the presence of skeletal remains from anadromous salmonids in the Upper Klamath Basin archaeological sites prior to dam construction these remains may, represent fish caught elsewhere and traded in. Two hypotheses address the introduction of these fish remains into pre-dam archaeological deposits, either they were traded/transported in from elsewhere (Trade/Transport Hypothesis) or they were caught locally (Local Catch Hypothesis). Expectations linked to each of these hypotheses were generated using ethnographic information from across the Pacific Northwest, including modern testimony from the Klamath Basin. Fish heads were often removed soon after capture in order to reduce spoilage of the rest of the fish. Thus, assemblages with many head parts are probably the result of local catch while those without head parts are probably the result of trade and/or transport. Two approaches were used to estimate the extent to which fish heads were deposited in sites. Basic proportions of cranial to post cranial remains from two sites provided a varied picture and did not readily support either the Local Catch or Trade/Transport hypotheses. Evaluation using scaled proportions based on frequency of skeletal elements within the body (Minimum Animal Units) show that four of the five assemblages were dominated by cranial remains and therefore suggest these fish were locally caught. Small samples sizes make it difficult to rigorously evaluate the hypotheses, though the dominance of cranial remains suggests salmonids were taken locally. Together these data indicate that anadromous O. tshawytscha and O. mykiss were taken from waters within the Upper Klamath Basin prior to the construction of Copco I. This study has provided accurate and reliable data, using a novel approach, on which restoration efforts in the region can rely for proper species reintroduction and habitat restoration efforts. Title: Using Archaeological Fish Remains to Determine the Native Status of Anadromous Salmonids in the Upper Klamath Basin (Oregon, USA) Through mtDNA and Geochemical Analysis Author: Stevenson, Alexander E. Year: 2011 Within the Upper Klamath Basin, Oregon, the native status of anadromous salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) has been a long standing question. Ongoing efforts to establish if these fish were native to the region prior to the construction of the Copco I Dam on the Klamath River (c.1917) have relied on sparse, contradictory and sometimes unreliable historic documentation and informant testimony. Current restoration projects with very high financial and social costs necessitate accurate and reliable data on salmonid species which once called the region home. Often, archaeolofaunal remains present a novel way to determine species present in an area prior to major habitat losses. This project analyzed fish remains from five previously excavated archaeological sites within the Upper Klamath Basin to determine which salmonid species were present prior to dam construction. A total of 5,859 fish remains were identified to at least taxonomic order using morphological distinctions. Site collections were dominated by those of catostomids (suckers) and cyprinids (minnows). Archaeological deposits at these sites dated as far back as approximately 7,500 BP but were primarily from the last 2,000 years. Only eighty-one salmonid remains were observed within the sites included in this project. The low frequency of salmonid remains in these sites may be the result of cultural and/or natural processes such as density mediated attrition and archaeological sampling. Of these 81 specimens, 38 were subjected to mtDNA analysis for species identification. Seven specimens did not yield DNA sufficient for species identification, six specimens were identified as O. tshawytscha (Chinook) and the remaining 25 specimens were identified as O. mykiss (steelhead or redband trout). Geochemical analysis was used to determine the life history of the fish represented by the remains within these collections. Strontium Calcium (Sr:Ca) ratios were measured on twenty-eight specimens. Three specimens were determined to be from freshwater resident fish and 25 were determined to be from anadromous fish. The specimens which were genetically identified as O. tshawytscha were all determined to be anadromous. Of the 18 specimens which were identified as O. mykiss and were subjected to geochemical analysis two were from freshwater resident fish and sixteen were from anadromous fish. Four samples were not characterized genetically but were subjected to geochemical analysis; three of these were determined to be from anadromous fish and one from a freshwater resident fish. Thus, the remains of anadromous O. mykiss and O. tshawytscha were identified in archaeological deposits predating construction of the Copco I dam in the Upper Klamath Basin While the genetic and geochemical analyses confirm the presence of skeletal remains from anadromous salmonids in the Upper Klamath Basin archaeological sites prior to dam construction these remains may, represent fish caught elsewhere and traded in. Two hypotheses address the introduction of these fish remains into pre-dam archaeological deposits, either they were traded/transported in from elsewhere (Trade/Transport Hypothesis) or they were caught locally (Local Catch Hypothesis). Expectations linked to each of these hypotheses were generated using ethnographic information from across the Pacific Northwest, including modern testimony from the Klamath Basin. Fish heads were often removed soon after capture in order to reduce spoilage of the rest of the fish. Thus, assemblages with many head parts are probably the result of local catch while those without head parts are probably the result of trade and/or transport. Two approaches were used to estimate the extent to which fish heads were deposited in sites. Basic proportions of cranial to post cranial remains from two sites provided a varied picture and did not readily support either the Local Catch or Trade/Transport hypotheses. Evaluation using scaled proportions based on frequency of skeletal elements within the body (Minimum Animal Units) show that four of the five assemblages were dominated by cranial remains and therefore suggest these fish were locally caught. Small samples sizes make it difficult to rigorously evaluate the hypotheses, though the dominance of cranial remains suggests salmonids were taken locally. Together these data indicate that anadromous O. tshawytscha and O. mykiss were taken from waters within the Upper Klamath Basin prior to the construction of Copco I. This study has provided accurate and reliable data, using a novel approach, on which restoration efforts in the region can rely for proper species reintroduction and habitat restoration efforts. Close

• 12. [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

• 13. [Article] Archaeological Evidence for Resilience of Pacific Northwest Salmon Populations and the Socioecological System Over the Last ~7,500 Years

  Archaeological data on the long history of interaction between indigenous people and salmon have rarely been applied to conservation management. When joined with ethnohistoric records, archaeology provides ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Archaeological Evidence for Resilience of Pacific Northwest Salmon Populations and the Socioecological System Over the Last ~7,500 Years Author: Campbell, Sarah K., Butler, Virginia L. Year: 2010 Archaeological data on the long history of interaction between indigenous people and salmon have rarely been applied to conservation management. When joined with ethnohistoric records, archaeology provides an alternative conceptual view of the potential for sustainable harvests and can suggest possible social mechanisms for managing human behavior. Review of the ~7,500-year-long fish bone record from two subregions of the Pacific Northwest shows remarkable stability in salmon use. As major changes in the ecological and social system occurred over this lengthy period, persistence in the fishery is not due simply to a lack of perturbation, but rather indicates resilience in the ecological--human system. Of several factors possibly contributing to resilience, low human population size and harvesting pressure, habitat enhancement, and suppression of competing predators do not appear to be of major importance. Flexible resource use, including human use of a range of local resources, many of which are linked in a food web with salmon, likely contributed to resilience. Most important were the beliefs and social institutions (including ownership, regulation, rituals, and monitoring) that placed restraints on salmon use as a common pool resource. In contrast, only a small fraction of our modern society relies economically on or has direct interaction with the fish, which limits our concern and willingness to fundamentally change behaviors that contribute to habitat degradation and loss, the main challenges facing salmon populations today. Salmon recovery efforts may benefit substantially from investing more resources into establishing links between community groups and actual fish populations, which would create a sense of proprietorship, one of the keys to resilience in the indigenous salmon fishery. Title: Archaeological Evidence for Resilience of Pacific Northwest Salmon Populations and the Socioecological System Over the Last ~7,500 Years Author: Campbell, Sarah K., Butler, Virginia L. Year: 2010 Archaeological data on the long history of interaction between indigenous people and salmon have rarely been applied to conservation management. When joined with ethnohistoric records, archaeology provides an alternative conceptual view of the potential for sustainable harvests and can suggest possible social mechanisms for managing human behavior. Review of the ~7,500-year-long fish bone record from two subregions of the Pacific Northwest shows remarkable stability in salmon use. As major changes in the ecological and social system occurred over this lengthy period, persistence in the fishery is not due simply to a lack of perturbation, but rather indicates resilience in the ecological--human system. Of several factors possibly contributing to resilience, low human population size and harvesting pressure, habitat enhancement, and suppression of competing predators do not appear to be of major importance. Flexible resource use, including human use of a range of local resources, many of which are linked in a food web with salmon, likely contributed to resilience. Most important were the beliefs and social institutions (including ownership, regulation, rituals, and monitoring) that placed restraints on salmon use as a common pool resource. In contrast, only a small fraction of our modern society relies economically on or has direct interaction with the fish, which limits our concern and willingness to fundamentally change behaviors that contribute to habitat degradation and loss, the main challenges facing salmon populations today. Salmon recovery efforts may benefit substantially from investing more resources into establishing links between community groups and actual fish populations, which would create a sense of proprietorship, one of the keys to resilience in the indigenous salmon fishery. Close

• 14. [Article] The Role of Habitat Restoration and Conservation in the Changing Socio-economic Conditions of Grant County, Oregon

  Habitat restoration has socio-economic as well as biophysical impacts. In Grant County, Oregon a recent influx of funding and technical resources for habitat restoration has led to focused monitoring efforts ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Role of Habitat Restoration and Conservation in the Changing Socio-economic Conditions of Grant County, Oregon Author: Senkyr, Kristen Lauren Year: 2012 Habitat restoration has socio-economic as well as biophysical impacts. In Grant County, Oregon a recent influx of funding and technical resources for habitat restoration has led to focused monitoring efforts there to better understand the impacts. This study explores how local land use and land management practices are changing in Grant County as a result of restoration and other drivers. In-depth interviews were conducted with 17 landowners, land managers, and long time residents to document the change they have observed and identify how they are adapting. The results suggest that many interconnected social, economic, and ecological changes have taken place in Grant County in the recent past, of which the increased focus on restoration and conservation is just one. Other significant changes include the decline of the timber industry, shifting land ownership patterns, intensified regulation of natural resources, and increased environmental awareness. Ways that the community is adapting and additional ways in which they might more successfully adapt to these changes were identified. Recommendations for how to contribute to a more resilient Grant County are presented for the regulatory, academic, and scientific communities. Title: The Role of Habitat Restoration and Conservation in the Changing Socio-economic Conditions of Grant County, Oregon Author: Senkyr, Kristen Lauren Year: 2012 Habitat restoration has socio-economic as well as biophysical impacts. In Grant County, Oregon a recent influx of funding and technical resources for habitat restoration has led to focused monitoring efforts there to better understand the impacts. This study explores how local land use and land management practices are changing in Grant County as a result of restoration and other drivers. In-depth interviews were conducted with 17 landowners, land managers, and long time residents to document the change they have observed and identify how they are adapting. The results suggest that many interconnected social, economic, and ecological changes have taken place in Grant County in the recent past, of which the increased focus on restoration and conservation is just one. Other significant changes include the decline of the timber industry, shifting land ownership patterns, intensified regulation of natural resources, and increased environmental awareness. Ways that the community is adapting and additional ways in which they might more successfully adapt to these changes were identified. Recommendations for how to contribute to a more resilient Grant County are presented for the regulatory, academic, and scientific communities. Close

• 15. [Article] The Sociology of Landowner Interest in Restoring Fire-adapted, Biodiverse Habitats in the Wildland-Urban Interface Of Oregon's Willamette Valley Ecoregion

  In many parts of the world, the combined effects of wildfire, climate change, and population growth in the wildland-urban interface pose increasing risks to both people and biodiversity. These risks are ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Sociology of Landowner Interest in Restoring Fire-adapted, Biodiverse Habitats in the Wildland-Urban Interface Of Oregon's Willamette Valley Ecoregion Author: Nielsen-Pincus, Max Year: 2011 In many parts of the world, the combined effects of wildfire, climate change, and population growth in the wildland-urban interface pose increasing risks to both people and biodiversity. These risks are exemplified in western Oregon’s Willamette Valley Ecoregion, where population is projected to double by 2050 and climate change is expected to increase wildfire risk. Restoring elements of the region’s historic fire-adapted prairie, savanna, and woodland habitats may help to reduce future wildfire risk and help conserve the region’s threatened biodiversity. We report on a mail survey (n = 939) examining the socio-demographic factors influencing private landowners’ likelihood of restoring fire-adapted habitats in the future. We found that newer landowners, landowners with a liberal political ideology, and landowners who have experienced wildfire are more likely to restore fire-adapted habitats in the future than their long-time owner, conservative, or inexperienced counterparts. However, experience with wildfire ceased to be a significant influence when we controlled for underlying landowner motivations for owning their property. Our findings can help planners and scientists better understand and account for the effects of a dynamic human population’s influence on landscape patterns, structures, and composition. Title: The Sociology of Landowner Interest in Restoring Fire-adapted, Biodiverse Habitats in the Wildland-Urban Interface Of Oregon's Willamette Valley Ecoregion Author: Nielsen-Pincus, Max Year: 2011 In many parts of the world, the combined effects of wildfire, climate change, and population growth in the wildland-urban interface pose increasing risks to both people and biodiversity. These risks are exemplified in western Oregon’s Willamette Valley Ecoregion, where population is projected to double by 2050 and climate change is expected to increase wildfire risk. Restoring elements of the region’s historic fire-adapted prairie, savanna, and woodland habitats may help to reduce future wildfire risk and help conserve the region’s threatened biodiversity. We report on a mail survey (n = 939) examining the socio-demographic factors influencing private landowners’ likelihood of restoring fire-adapted habitats in the future. We found that newer landowners, landowners with a liberal political ideology, and landowners who have experienced wildfire are more likely to restore fire-adapted habitats in the future than their long-time owner, conservative, or inexperienced counterparts. However, experience with wildfire ceased to be a significant influence when we controlled for underlying landowner motivations for owning their property. Our findings can help planners and scientists better understand and account for the effects of a dynamic human population’s influence on landscape patterns, structures, and composition. Close

• 16. [Article] Historical Vegetation of Three Salmon-Bearing Watersheds in the Interior Columbia River Basin

  Land use practices can be a contributing factor to environmental degradation and have been the focus of many ecological studies. One aspect that is less addressed is land use history and the effects that ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Historical Vegetation of Three Salmon-Bearing Watersheds in the Interior Columbia River Basin Author: Smith, Tyanna Year: 2014 Land use practices can be a contributing factor to environmental degradation and have been the focus of many ecological studies. One aspect that is less addressed is land use history and the effects that past practices, such as logging and grazing, can have on the current landscape. This paper describes research and the synthesis of material on the environmental history and watershed characteristics for three watersheds located within spawning and rearing areas for Chinook salmon in the Grande Ronde River Basin in Northeast Oregon: upper Grande Ronde River, Catherine Creek, and Minam River. The Grande Ronde Basin is critical spawning and rearing habitat for salmonids listed under the Endangered Species Act. The primary historical data sources for reconstructing 19th century stream and riparian conditions are the General Land Office township survey notes from 1863 - 1901. Data about the habitat conditions of the landscape were extracted from notes of each township survey source regarding vegetation, stream crossings, and other features found on the landscape in tabular and spatial forms. Data were organized to describe common stream and riparian conditions for the historical time period using a geographic information system. Watershed basin, Chinook salmon life history, ecoregion and surveyor were analyzed using multivariate techniques to determine which parameters were strongly connected to historical vegetation. Ecoregion had the strongest correlation with plant communities. For future research, these historical data could be compared to current habitat survey data, such as the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Aquatic Habitat Inventories, to evaluate the degree of change over time of stream and riparian conditions. Title: Historical Vegetation of Three Salmon-Bearing Watersheds in the Interior Columbia River Basin Author: Smith, Tyanna Year: 2014 Land use practices can be a contributing factor to environmental degradation and have been the focus of many ecological studies. One aspect that is less addressed is land use history and the effects that past practices, such as logging and grazing, can have on the current landscape. This paper describes research and the synthesis of material on the environmental history and watershed characteristics for three watersheds located within spawning and rearing areas for Chinook salmon in the Grande Ronde River Basin in Northeast Oregon: upper Grande Ronde River, Catherine Creek, and Minam River. The Grande Ronde Basin is critical spawning and rearing habitat for salmonids listed under the Endangered Species Act. The primary historical data sources for reconstructing 19th century stream and riparian conditions are the General Land Office township survey notes from 1863 - 1901. Data about the habitat conditions of the landscape were extracted from notes of each township survey source regarding vegetation, stream crossings, and other features found on the landscape in tabular and spatial forms. Data were organized to describe common stream and riparian conditions for the historical time period using a geographic information system. Watershed basin, Chinook salmon life history, ecoregion and surveyor were analyzed using multivariate techniques to determine which parameters were strongly connected to historical vegetation. Ecoregion had the strongest correlation with plant communities. For future research, these historical data could be compared to current habitat survey data, such as the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Aquatic Habitat Inventories, to evaluate the degree of change over time of stream and riparian conditions. Close

• 17. [Article] Ecosystem Recovery in Estuarine Wetlands of the Columbia River Estuary

  In the restoration of tidal wetland ecosystems, potential drivers of plant community development range from biotic controls (e.g. plant competition, seed dispersal) to abiotic controls (e.g. tidal flooding, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Ecosystem Recovery in Estuarine Wetlands of the Columbia River Estuary Author: Kidd, Sarah Ann Year: 2017 In the restoration of tidal wetland ecosystems, potential drivers of plant community development range from biotic controls (e.g. plant competition, seed dispersal) to abiotic controls (e.g. tidal flooding, salinity levels). How these controls influence the success of tidal wetland restoration are only partly understood, but have important implications for wetland habitat recovery. Specifically, the extent to which the existing native and non-native seed banks in tidally reconnected wetlands interact with these controls is not clear, yet the potential success of passive restoration methods depends upon this understanding. For a 54-year chronosequence of eleven tidal wetland restoration sites in the Lower Columbia River of western Oregon, USA, it was hypothesized that native plant species and soil properties would show trends approaching reference levels within 3 to 20 years post-restoration and that lower elevation wetland areas within restored sites would exhibit a greater native species abundance and similarity to reference sites, compared with restored high elevation wetland areas. Results indicated that plant species richness, soil organic matter, bulk density, pH, and salinity conditions among the restoration sites reached reference wetland ranges within 3-6 years post-tidal reconnection. The mid-low marsh elevation zones (2.5 m) remained dominated by non-native species Phalaris arundinacea and Juncus effusus subsp. effusus. To investigate the mechanisms driving these non-native plant invasions, it was hypothesized that native and non-native wetland plant community distributions would be reflective both of their abundance in the seed bank and of their germination tolerance to wetland tidal flooding and salinity conditions. Using a factorial study design of three tidal conditions by three salinity levels, these hypotheses were tested in the greenhouse. Overall, non-native seeds were found to significantly outnumber native seeds in both seed banks. In the greenhouse, P. arundinacea and J. effusus were found to germinate more readily out of the seed bank under freshwater high-marsh flooding (1 hour a day) treatments as compared to oligohaline (3 ppt) mid-low marsh flooding (3-6 hours twice a day) treatments and to brackish salinity (10 ppt) treatments. Dominant native wetland species, Carex lyngbyei and Schoenoplectus lacustris, germination were not found to vary significantly among the treatments (p > 0.10). These results indicate that the salinity and flooding gradients within these restored marshes suppress germination of the non-native species in the low-mid marsh but not in the high marsh, where they are likely able to outcompete the native species due to their dominance in the seed bank. The implications of these results for passive tidal wetland restoration efforts are that both seed bank composition and species-specific tolerances to restored tidal flooding and salinity gradients are key mechanisms driving native and non-native plant community development and resilience. Title: Ecosystem Recovery in Estuarine Wetlands of the Columbia River Estuary Author: Kidd, Sarah Ann Year: 2017 In the restoration of tidal wetland ecosystems, potential drivers of plant community development range from biotic controls (e.g. plant competition, seed dispersal) to abiotic controls (e.g. tidal flooding, salinity levels). How these controls influence the success of tidal wetland restoration are only partly understood, but have important implications for wetland habitat recovery. Specifically, the extent to which the existing native and non-native seed banks in tidally reconnected wetlands interact with these controls is not clear, yet the potential success of passive restoration methods depends upon this understanding. For a 54-year chronosequence of eleven tidal wetland restoration sites in the Lower Columbia River of western Oregon, USA, it was hypothesized that native plant species and soil properties would show trends approaching reference levels within 3 to 20 years post-restoration and that lower elevation wetland areas within restored sites would exhibit a greater native species abundance and similarity to reference sites, compared with restored high elevation wetland areas. Results indicated that plant species richness, soil organic matter, bulk density, pH, and salinity conditions among the restoration sites reached reference wetland ranges within 3-6 years post-tidal reconnection. The mid-low marsh elevation zones (2.5 m) remained dominated by non-native species Phalaris arundinacea and Juncus effusus subsp. effusus. To investigate the mechanisms driving these non-native plant invasions, it was hypothesized that native and non-native wetland plant community distributions would be reflective both of their abundance in the seed bank and of their germination tolerance to wetland tidal flooding and salinity conditions. Using a factorial study design of three tidal conditions by three salinity levels, these hypotheses were tested in the greenhouse. Overall, non-native seeds were found to significantly outnumber native seeds in both seed banks. In the greenhouse, P. arundinacea and J. effusus were found to germinate more readily out of the seed bank under freshwater high-marsh flooding (1 hour a day) treatments as compared to oligohaline (3 ppt) mid-low marsh flooding (3-6 hours twice a day) treatments and to brackish salinity (10 ppt) treatments. Dominant native wetland species, Carex lyngbyei and Schoenoplectus lacustris, germination were not found to vary significantly among the treatments (p > 0.10). These results indicate that the salinity and flooding gradients within these restored marshes suppress germination of the non-native species in the low-mid marsh but not in the high marsh, where they are likely able to outcompete the native species due to their dominance in the seed bank. The implications of these results for passive tidal wetland restoration efforts are that both seed bank composition and species-specific tolerances to restored tidal flooding and salinity gradients are key mechanisms driving native and non-native plant community development and resilience. Close

• 18. [Article] Pine Creek Conservation Area: 2013 Mapping and Monitoring Report

  Pine Creek Conservation Area (PCCA), just northeast of the John Day River in Wheeler County, Oregon, was acquired in 1999-2001 by the Confederate Tribes of Warm Springs with support from the Bonneville ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Pine Creek Conservation Area: 2013 Mapping and Monitoring Report Author: Nielsen, Eric M., Noone, Matthew D., Kagan, James S., Lee, Matthew T. Year: 2013 Pine Creek Conservation Area (PCCA), just northeast of the John Day River in Wheeler County, Oregon, was acquired in 1999-2001 by the Confederate Tribes of Warm Springs with support from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), to mitigate for wildlife losses created by the large, hydropower Columbia River Dams, particularly the Bonneville, Dalles and John Day Dams. Many thousands of acres of grassland, shrub steppe and riparian habitats were lost due to inundation, and the objectives of the acquisition included restoration of similar habitats. As part of an interagency agreement created in 2002, the Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center established a baseline monitoring program in 2002. This effort included the establishment of permanent monitoring plots to allow for a detailed assessment of vegetation change in the plant communities occurring at the site. It also included the development of an existing vegetation map, hopefully to allow for an analysis of overall vegetation change across the conservation area. The map showed the distribution of western juniper, native grasslands, big sagebrush, and weed-dominated areas at the site. In the eight years since the original map was made, a series of management actions, including juniper clearing, prescribed fires, and riparian restoration activities have significantly changed the vegetation at PCCA. In the spring and summer of 2010, the Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, now the Oregon Biodiversity Information Center at Portland State University, visited the area to assist the land manager in developing a strategy for meeting the information needs of the Tribes and BPA in evaluating the success of the first decade of restoration. This report details that effort, which incorporated a combination of field inspection, photo-interpretation, and remote sensing-based mapping to assess change since the establishment of the conservation area, to lay a new baseline against which to measure future change, and most importantly to provide detailed information useful for land management decision making in the continuing restoration efforts. Title: Pine Creek Conservation Area: 2013 Mapping and Monitoring Report Author: Nielsen, Eric M., Noone, Matthew D., Kagan, James S., Lee, Matthew T. Year: 2013 Pine Creek Conservation Area (PCCA), just northeast of the John Day River in Wheeler County, Oregon, was acquired in 1999-2001 by the Confederate Tribes of Warm Springs with support from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), to mitigate for wildlife losses created by the large, hydropower Columbia River Dams, particularly the Bonneville, Dalles and John Day Dams. Many thousands of acres of grassland, shrub steppe and riparian habitats were lost due to inundation, and the objectives of the acquisition included restoration of similar habitats. As part of an interagency agreement created in 2002, the Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center established a baseline monitoring program in 2002. This effort included the establishment of permanent monitoring plots to allow for a detailed assessment of vegetation change in the plant communities occurring at the site. It also included the development of an existing vegetation map, hopefully to allow for an analysis of overall vegetation change across the conservation area. The map showed the distribution of western juniper, native grasslands, big sagebrush, and weed-dominated areas at the site. In the eight years since the original map was made, a series of management actions, including juniper clearing, prescribed fires, and riparian restoration activities have significantly changed the vegetation at PCCA. In the spring and summer of 2010, the Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, now the Oregon Biodiversity Information Center at Portland State University, visited the area to assist the land manager in developing a strategy for meeting the information needs of the Tribes and BPA in evaluating the success of the first decade of restoration. This report details that effort, which incorporated a combination of field inspection, photo-interpretation, and remote sensing-based mapping to assess change since the establishment of the conservation area, to lay a new baseline against which to measure future change, and most importantly to provide detailed information useful for land management decision making in the continuing restoration efforts. Close

• 19. [Article] Using Landsat TM Imagery to Monitor Vegetation Change Following Flow Restoration to the Lower Owens River, California

  Rehabilitating river corridors to restore valuable riparian habitat consumes significant resources from both governments and private companies. Given these considerable expenditures, it is important to ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Using Landsat TM Imagery to Monitor Vegetation Change Following Flow Restoration to the Lower Owens River, California Author: Bross, Lesley Crandell Year: 2015 Rehabilitating river corridors to restore valuable riparian habitat consumes significant resources from both governments and private companies. Given these considerable expenditures, it is important to monitor the progress of such projects. This study evaluated the utility of using Landsat Thematic Mapper remotely-sensed data from 2002 and 2009 to monitor vegetation change induced by instream flow restoration to the Lower Owens River in central California. This study compared the results of an unsupervised classification with an NDVI threshold classification to appraise the resources required and effectiveness of each analysis method. The results were inspected by creating standard remote sensing accuracy error matrices and by correlating landscape pattern metrics with bird indicator species. Both sets of classified maps show a noticeable increase in riparian vegetation in the study area following flow restoration in 2006, indicating an improvement of the quality of bird habitat. The study concluded that analyzing vegetation change using the unsupervised classification technique required more effort, expert knowledge, and supplementary data than using the NDVI threshold method. If these prerequisites are met, the output from the unsupervised classification process produces a more precise map of land cover change than the NDVI threshold method. However, if an analyst is lacking either resources or ground verification data, the NDVI threshold technique is capable of providing a generalized, but still valid evaluation of vegetation change. This conclusion is supported by higher correlations between indicator bird species under the unsupervised classification method than were found with the NDVI threshold method. Title: Using Landsat TM Imagery to Monitor Vegetation Change Following Flow Restoration to the Lower Owens River, California Author: Bross, Lesley Crandell Year: 2015 Rehabilitating river corridors to restore valuable riparian habitat consumes significant resources from both governments and private companies. Given these considerable expenditures, it is important to monitor the progress of such projects. This study evaluated the utility of using Landsat Thematic Mapper remotely-sensed data from 2002 and 2009 to monitor vegetation change induced by instream flow restoration to the Lower Owens River in central California. This study compared the results of an unsupervised classification with an NDVI threshold classification to appraise the resources required and effectiveness of each analysis method. The results were inspected by creating standard remote sensing accuracy error matrices and by correlating landscape pattern metrics with bird indicator species. Both sets of classified maps show a noticeable increase in riparian vegetation in the study area following flow restoration in 2006, indicating an improvement of the quality of bird habitat. The study concluded that analyzing vegetation change using the unsupervised classification technique required more effort, expert knowledge, and supplementary data than using the NDVI threshold method. If these prerequisites are met, the output from the unsupervised classification process produces a more precise map of land cover change than the NDVI threshold method. However, if an analyst is lacking either resources or ground verification data, the NDVI threshold technique is capable of providing a generalized, but still valid evaluation of vegetation change. This conclusion is supported by higher correlations between indicator bird species under the unsupervised classification method than were found with the NDVI threshold method. Close

• 20. [Article] Efficacy of Plastic Mesh Tubes in Reducing Herbivory Damage by the Invasive Nutria (Myocastor coypus) in an Urban Restoration Site

  The restoration of stream corridors is becoming an increasingly important component of urban landscape planning, and the high cost of these projects necessitates the need to understand and address potential ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Efficacy of Plastic Mesh Tubes in Reducing Herbivory Damage by the Invasive Nutria (Myocastor coypus) in an Urban Restoration Site Author: Sheffels, Trevor R., Sytsma, Mark D., Carter, Jacoby, Taylor, Jimmy D. Year: 2014 The restoration of stream corridors is becoming an increasingly important component of urban landscape planning, and the high cost of these projects necessitates the need to understand and address potential ecological obstacles to project success. The nutria (Myocastor coypus) is an invasive, semi-aquatic rodent native to South America that causes detrimental ecological impacts in riparian and wetland habitats throughout its introduced range, and techniques are needed to reduce nutria herbivory damage to urban stream restoration projects. We assessed the efficacy of standard Vexar® plastic mesh tubes in reducing nutria herbivory damage to newly established woody plants. The study was conducted in winter-spring 2009 at Delta Ponds, a 60-ha urban waterway in Eugene, Oregon. Woody plants protected by Vexar® tubes demonstrated 100% survival over the 3-month initial establishment period, while only 17% of unprotected plantings survived. Nutria demonstrated a preference for black cottonwood(Populus balsamifera ssp trichocarpa) over red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) and willow (Salix spp). Camera surveillance showed that nutria were more active in unprotected rather than protected treatments. Our results suggest that Vexar® plastic mesh tubing can be an effective short-term herbivory mitigation tool when habitat use by nutria is low. Additionally, planting functionally equivalent woody plant species that are less preferred by nutria, and other herbivores, may be another method for reducing herbivory and improving revegetation success. This study highlights the need to address potential wildlife damage conflicts in the planning process for stream restoration in urban landscapes. Title: Efficacy of Plastic Mesh Tubes in Reducing Herbivory Damage by the Invasive Nutria (Myocastor coypus) in an Urban Restoration Site Author: Sheffels, Trevor R., Sytsma, Mark D., Carter, Jacoby, Taylor, Jimmy D. Year: 2014 The restoration of stream corridors is becoming an increasingly important component of urban landscape planning, and the high cost of these projects necessitates the need to understand and address potential ecological obstacles to project success. The nutria (Myocastor coypus) is an invasive, semi-aquatic rodent native to South America that causes detrimental ecological impacts in riparian and wetland habitats throughout its introduced range, and techniques are needed to reduce nutria herbivory damage to urban stream restoration projects. We assessed the efficacy of standard Vexar® plastic mesh tubes in reducing nutria herbivory damage to newly established woody plants. The study was conducted in winter-spring 2009 at Delta Ponds, a 60-ha urban waterway in Eugene, Oregon. Woody plants protected by Vexar® tubes demonstrated 100% survival over the 3-month initial establishment period, while only 17% of unprotected plantings survived. Nutria demonstrated a preference for black cottonwood(Populus balsamifera ssp trichocarpa) over red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) and willow (Salix spp). Camera surveillance showed that nutria were more active in unprotected rather than protected treatments. Our results suggest that Vexar® plastic mesh tubing can be an effective short-term herbivory mitigation tool when habitat use by nutria is low. Additionally, planting functionally equivalent woody plant species that are less preferred by nutria, and other herbivores, may be another method for reducing herbivory and improving revegetation success. This study highlights the need to address potential wildlife damage conflicts in the planning process for stream restoration in urban landscapes. Close