how marine-derived nutrients benefit both natural and model …0104.nccdn.net › 1_5 › 16d ›...
TRANSCRIPT
How Marine-Derived Nutrients Benefit Both
Natural and Model Stream Systems
Kurt M. Samways1 and Margaret Q. Guyette2
1University of New Brunswick, Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, Fredericton NB. 2Department of Wildlife Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME.
Marine-derived Nutrients: Ecosystem Needs
Many stream ecosystems throughout northeastern North America are nutrient limited
Marine-derived Nutrients: Ecosystem Needs
Migrating fish move essential materials across ecosystem boundaries.
Many stream ecosystems throughout northeastern North America are nutrient limited
https://sites.google.com/site/kenaipeninsulawetlandwiki/wetlands-and-series/and-marine-derived-nutrients-mdn
Marine-derived Nutrients: Ecosystem Needs
Allochthonous nutrient and carbon inputs can be the primary driver of stream productivity
Many stream ecosystems throughout northeastern North America are nutrient limited
https://sites.google.com/site/kenaipeninsulawetlandwiki/wetlands-and-series/and-marine-derived-nutrients-mdn
The Majority of MDN studies have focused on Pacific
northwest ecosystems
Photo: Brittany Graham
Chinook Chinook
Coho
Chinook Chinook Chinook
Coho
Chinook
Coho
Chinook
Steelhead Coho
Chinook
Coho
Chinook
Coho
Chinook
Coho
Chinook
Coho
Chinook
Pink
Chum
Coho
Chinook Chinook Chinook Chinook
Sockeye
Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) in western
North America
Semelparous
(except steelhead)
Carcasses
Excretory Products
Eggs
Spring, late summer
and fall runs
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, NOAA, Georgia Strait Alliance
Tomcod
Brook Trout
Anadromous fish in the Atlantic Alewife
Blueback
herring
American
shad
Shortnose sturgeon
Rainbow smelt
Striped bass
Atlantic salmon
Sea lamprey
Iteroparous
(except sea lamprey)
Diverse life histories
and spawning event
timing
Diverse freshwater
habitats
Atlantic sturgeon
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, NOAA
Excretory Products
Eggs
Marine-derived Nutrients Impact Freshwater
Productivity
1967 2012
1SW
MSW
Change in Marine Nutrient Loading
Total
Adult salmon returns in the St. John River at the Mactaquac Dam
1967 2012
1SW
MSW
1181
1271
Change in Marine Nutrient Loading
Total 2452
Adult salmon returns in the St. John River at the Mactaquac Dam
1967 2012
1SW
MSW
1181
1271 128
81
Change in Marine Nutrient Loading
Total 2452 201
Adult salmon returns in the St. John River at the Mactaquac Dam
1967 2012
1SW
MSW
1181
1271
57 Kg * Total N 610 Kg
128
81
* Total P 8 Kg 0.5 Kg
Change in Marine Nutrient Loading
* Calculations are based on excretory products and gametes only, no mortality
Total 2452 201
Adult salmon returns in the St. John River at the Mactaquac Dam
1967 2012
Cows 915 85
Change in Marine Nutrient Loading
Number of cows/amount of manure to produce the equivalent amount of nutrients
Manure 62.25 tonnes 5.75 tonnes
Objective
Compare effects of marine-derived nutrient inputs from natural and supplemental sources on stream productivity
Doctor’s
Brook
Knoydart
Brook
Indiantown
Brook
Oromocto
River
Cross Creek
Rocky Brook
100 km
N
New Brunswick
Study Areas – Natural Anadromous Populations
Anadromous Species
• Smelt
• Alewife
• Lamprey
• Salmon
Kingsbury Plantation Piscataquis County Maine
Study Area – Nutrient Addition Study
• 4 Streams
• Carcass Analog
– BioOregon Product
– Fall Chinook salmon (hatchery)
– ~10%N, 2.2%P
– Free of pathogens
• Density
– 0.10 kg/m2
• Timing
– “Lamprey”: July
δ1
5N
δ13C
Freshwater
Marine
Stable Isotopes as Ecological Tracers
High
Low
High Low
δ1
5N
δ13C
Freshwater
Marine
Stable Isotopes as Ecological Tracers
High
Low
High Low
d1
5N
( ‰
)
d13C ( ‰ )
Carcass Analog
Control
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
-30 -25 -20 -15
May 6
May 14
May 24
June 16
Smelt eggs
d13C ( ‰ )
d1
5N
( ‰
)
Control Sites
Incorporation of MDN into the Freshwater Food Web
by Macroinvertebrates
Natural System Model System
July 13
August 24
July 27 June 23
Productivity Responses to Marine-Derived Nutrients
Invertebrates
Primary Productivity (Biofilm)
Fish Growth/Health
Area With MDN Area Without MDN
Sm
elt R
ive
r A
lew
ife
Riv
er
Differences in Invertebrate Abundance – Natural System
Differences in Invertebrate Abundance – Model System
Co
nd
itio
n F
acto
r (g
·cm
–3 ×
10
0)
1.15
1.2
1.25
1.3
1.35
1.4
MDN Inputs
Control
June July Aug Sept Oct
Lamprey Spawning
Changes in Body Condition of Atlantic Salmon Parr in
the Presence of MDN
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
Fis
h M
ass
(g)
0.0
0.4
0.8
1.2
1.6
2.0
2.4
Treatment
Control
(0+ Parr)
Natural System Model System
5.00
6.00
7.00
8.00
9.00
10.00
MDN Inputs
Control
Oct 6 Nov 22 Dec 9 Dec 29 Jan 25
% L
ipid
Total Lipid Composition in Salmon Parr
Spawning Period
Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
% T
ota
l L
ipid
by W
et
Mass
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
Control
Treatment
% L
ipid
Carcass Analog Addition
Natural System Model System
(0+ Parr)
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
4.00
Omega 6 Fatty Acids – Natural System
5.00
8.00
11.00
14.00
MDN Inputs
Control
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
MDN Inputs
Control
Oct 6 Nov 22 Dec 9 Dec 29 Jan 25
Oct 6 Nov 22 Dec 9 Dec 29 Jan 25 Oct 6 Nov 22 Dec 9 Dec 29 Jan 25
% L
ipid
Brain Gonad
Muscle
% L
ipid
Spawning Period
To
tal C
hlo
rop
hyll
Ab
un
dance
(μ
gcm
-2)
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
Sept Oct Nov Dec
Changes in Productivity - Biofilm Abundance
with Anadromous Fish Spawning
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
May July Sept Nov
Spawning Period
Atlantic Salmon Spawning Rainbow Smelt Spawning
MDN Inputs
Control
Natural System
Changes in Productivity - Biofilm Abundance
with Anadromous Fish Spawning
Model System
1800
1350 900 450 0
No
. In
div
idu
als/
Bas
ket
Ch
loro
ph
yll a
(μ
g
cm
-2)
4
3
2
1
0
% C
han
ge in
Co
nd
itio
n
5
0
-5
-10
-15
C LC HC LF HF CF
C LC HC LF HF CF
C LC HC LF HF CF
Wipfli et. al 2010 (Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 139)
C = Control LC = Low Carcass HC = High Carcass LF = Low Fertilizer HC = High Fertilizer CF = Low Carcass & Low Fertilizer
Fertilizer Additions Do Not have the Same Ecological
Effects as Carcasses
Biofilm Invertebrates Salmon Parr
Point Source vs. Pulsed Nutrient Inputs
Point Source Nutrient Addition Pulsed Nutrient Addition
What is the Research Question ?
• To restore rivers to their
natural state
• Recovery of a single
species (i.e. salmon)
Current Nutrient State
What is the Research Question ?
• To restore rivers to their
natural state
• Recovery of a single
species (i.e. salmon)
Current Nutrient State
d15
N
7.0
7.5
8.0
8.5
9.0
9.5
10.0
10.5
11.0
April June Aug Oct Dec
Smelt
Alewife
Lamprey
Atlantic Salmon
MD
N In
th
e Sy
stem
Timing of Nutrient Additions
What is the Research Question ?
• To restore rivers to their
natural state
• Recovery of a single
species (i.e. salmon)
Current Nutrient State
d15
N
7.0
7.5
8.0
8.5
9.0
9.5
10.0
10.5
11.0
April June Aug Oct Dec
Smelt
Alewife
Lamprey
Atlantic Salmon
MD
N In
th
e Sy
stem
Timing of Nutrient Additions
Location
What is the Research Question ?
• To restore rivers to their
natural state
• Recovery of a single
species (i.e. salmon)
500m Affected Range
water
flow
Nutrient Subsidies Have a Relatively Small Effect Range
11 km Section
11 km Section of the Little Southwest Miramichi
Otter Brook (~4.2 km Long)
What is the Research Question ?
• To restore rivers to their
natural state
• Recovery of a single
species (i.e. salmon)
Current Nutrient State
d15
N
7.0
7.5
8.0
8.5
9.0
9.5
10.0
10.5
11.0
April June Aug Oct Dec
Smelt
Alewife
Lamprey
Atlantic Salmon
MD
N In
th
e Sy
stem
Timing of Nutrient Additions
Type of Nutrient Subsidy
Location
Summary
• Anadromous fish bring nutrients and other constituents to freshwater ecosystems • MDN/nutrient subsidies inputs result in increased productivity at various trophic levels • Increased productivity is better “quality” with the incorporation of essential fatty acids • Nutrient additions need to be strategic based on specific restoration goals • Nutrient additions are designed to be used in concert with other restoration techniques
Acknowledgements
Photo credit R. Cunjak
Cynthia Loftin and Joseph Zydlewski, USGS Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit USFWS Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery Maine Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Searun Fisheries and Habitat Rick Cunjak SINLAB, Mactaquac Biodiversity Facility, St. Andrews Biological Station Cunjak Lab