Redband trout density was examined in three forested streams in central
Oregon at two scales, pool channel unit and microhabitat. Two streams were in
roadless areas and one was in a "highly managed" watershed. At the larger
spatial scale, trout displayed a seasonal shift in habitat use from early to...
Lingcod are an overexploited fish species in the Pacific Northwest and although there has been extensive study of the habitat requirements of adults, particularly during spawning, relatively little is known regarding the habitat requirements of post-settlement juveniles. Many juvenile fish use structural components of habitat to alleviate the risk of...
Aquatic ecosystems continue to be increasingly affected by climate warming. For salmonids in the Pacific Northwest of North America, increasing temperatures pose tighter thermal constraints on their habitat use as well as aspects of their individual performance, such as disease resistance. This thesis examines the effect of temperature on the...
Microplastics (<5mm diameter) are present in a considerable number of marine and aquatic species. Understanding which species, the global spatial distribution, and what quantities of microplastics are present is extremely important for understanding the potential impacts they could have on recreationally important organisms and for the assessment of risk. We...
Distribution and life history characteristics of lacustrine-adfluvial bull trout (Salvelinus
confluentus) were described in the North Fork Skokomish River Basin (including Lake
Cushman, a reservoir) from 1994 to 1996. Day snorkeling was conducted in the river to
determine initiation of the bull trout spawning migration, abundance of spawners, and
duration...
The quality and availability of forage fishes and invertebrates can affect the behavior and productivity of predators that rely on these resources. This study measures the proximate composition of forage fishes and invertebrates from the southeastern Bering Sea to estimate prey energy density (quality) using a method that is ecologically...
Our understanding of seasonally disconnected floodplains and how they function to support rearing salmonids in the Pacific Northwest is limited. Past studies have found that these dynamic habitats may provide high-risk, high-reward trade-offs for rearing fish. High prey densities and optimal temperatures allow for accelerated growth, but low water levels...
Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) rearing in lakes and reservoirs have been known to become heavily infected with an ectoparasitic copepod (Salmincola californiensis). Little is known about the factors that affect the parasite infection prevalence and intensity. However, previous research suggests that the parasite may negatively affect the fitness and survival...
The relationship of coastal cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki clarki) populations in the Muck Creek basin, a 238 km² southern Puget Sound stream basin in western Washington, was examined using starch gel electrophoresis and meristic analysis. Coastal cutthroat trout were collected from six sites throughout the basin including tributaries, portions of...
Electrofishing is a sampling tool commonly used by fisheries researchers. While much is known about the effects of electroshock on fish physiology, consequences to the immune system and disease progression have not received attention. To understand the effects of electroshock on immune function we undertook a comparison of electroshock and...