1. Modeling population responses of Chinook and coho salmon to suspended sediment using a life history approach.
- Author
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Araujo, H. Andres, Cooper, Andrew B., MacIsaac, Erland A., Knowler, Duncan, and Velez-Espino, Antonio
- Subjects
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CHINOOK salmon , *COHO salmon , *FRESHWATER fishes , *LIFE history theory , *SUSPENDED sediments , *POPULATION dynamics - Abstract
This study develops a quantitative framework for estimating the effects of extreme suspended-sediment events (SSC>25 mg L −1 ) on virtual populations of Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and coho (O. kisutch) salmon in a coastal watershed of British Columbia, Canada. We used a life history model coupled with a dose–response model to evaluate the populations’ responses to a set of simulated suspended sediments scenarios. Our results indicate that a linear increase in SSC produces non-linear declining trajectories in both Chinook and coho populations, but this decline was more evident for Chinook salmon despite their shorter fresh-water residence. The model presented here can provide insights into SSC impacts on population responses of salmonids and potentially assist resource managers when planning conservation or remediation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
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