Using Hydroacoustics to Spatially Quantify Productive Capacity in

Freshwater Ecosystems An MSc. Thesis Proposal Submitted by Riley

Pollom Centre for Fisheries Ecosystems Research

Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University

Supervisor: Dr. George Rose

Proposal OutlineIntroduction

- NSERC’s HydroNet- the productive capacity of fish habitat- hydroacoustics- body size and ecosystem function

Methods

- study sites - plankton - hydroacoustic surveys - fish tagging - target strength experiments - data analysis

Potential Results

HydroNet NSERC Strategic Research Network

How do hydropower operations impact aquatic ecosystems?

Mesoscale modelling of PCFH in lakes and reservoirs

The Productive Capacity of Fish Habitat

•ability of an ecosystem to produce healthy fish, safe for human consumption, or to support or produce aquatic organisms upon which fish depend

•DFO’s no net loss policy

Hydroacoustics•Sonar-like technology

•Non-invasive

•Integrated GPS

•High resolution

•Species ID difficult

Body Size and Ecosystem Function•Body size closely related to metabolic requirements – and thus energy flux through ecosystems

Body Size and Ecosystem Function

Log (Body Size)

b=~-3/4

Log (Abundance or Biomass)

Goals and ObjectivesSpatially quantify fish

productivity and distribution

Investigate spatial relationships between fish and zoo/phytoplankton

Determine how resources are partitioned across different body size classes

Study SitesManigotagan Lake

Lac du Bonnet

Hydroacoustic Surveys•Transects across long axis of lake•500m or 1nm apart•Replicates offset

Target Strength Experiments

From Gauthier and Rose 2001.

Plankton SamplingPlankton samples to be

collected with 80μm mesh using vertical tows

Collected with replication at all sites with unique acoustic signals.

Fish Tagging

Data Analysis• Data to be edited and analyzed

using Echoview

• Biomass estimates and distribution of fish and plankton will be mapped

• Geostatistical analyses to identify spatial relationships between fish and plankton

• Regression analysis to determine size-abundance relationship

Potential Results

ConclusionsProtocols determined

here will allow for the quantitative assessment of PCFH for future hydropower projects

Spatial configuration of important functional components of the ecosystems will be characterized

AcknowledgementsLaura

WheelandEd SternGeorge RoseNSERCManitoba

Hydro Manitoba

ConservationCaribou

Lodge