Aquatic Ecology Final Flashcards
Westslope Cutthroat Current Situation
- Originally widespread in North America
- Native to Bow and Oldman Drainage
- Relocated to isolated mountain headwaters
- Low abundance in limited watersheds
Outlook of the Prussian Carp
- They have become a major problem
- Prevention efforts may help slow the spread in Canada
- Likely: overtime their fast reproduction will allow them to dominate waterbodies
What is a Potamodromous Life History Strategy?
- Migration, Spawning, Feeding (All life stages) in Freshwater
- All Alberta Fish
- Upstream: Reproduction and Egg Deposition
- Downstream: Fry, Juvenile, and Adult Stages (Once ripe migrate upstream)
General Feeding in Streams
- Drifting Invertebrate
- Benthic invertebrate
- Detritus
- Emerging insects
Collectors - Feeding Group
- Food: Fine particulate organic matter
- Method: Suspension (filterers) or deposit
Discharge
- Volume of water flowing through a cross section per time
- m3/s
Indicator Species as a Bio-monitoring Approach
- Species that require specific environmental conditions
- Pro: Simple to perform
- Con: Susceptible to changes
Predator - Feeding Group
- Food: Tissue of living animals
- Method: Engulfing, piercing
Stream Dimensions
- Longitudinal (Headwaters –> Oceans)
- Lateral (Stream –> Terrestrial Upland)
- Vertical (SW –> GW)
- Temporal (Vary over time)
Groundwater Drainage Lake
- Natural lake fed by: Groundwater, Precipitation and Runoff
- Has stream outflow
- Water lost to: Evapotranspiration, Groundwater, and Streams
Prussian Carp Current Situation
- Confirmed in most Albertan watersheds
- Alberta was first confirmed sighting in North America
- Likely due to illegal movement (Found in isolated stocked ponds)
Spring Turnover in a Dimictic Lake
- Ice melts and the surface reaches 4C
- Wind mixes water from top to bottom
- Nutrients go to surface and DO goes to the bottom
Swimmers - Mode of Existence
- Fish-Like swimming
- Cling to substrate between swimming bursts
Marsh Classification
- Mineral Wetland
- Minerogenous
Sprawlers - Mode of Existence
- Inhabit surface of floating leaves on vascular plants or fine sediments
Winter in a Dimictic Lake
- Under ice: Temperature increases with depth
- 0C under ice, 4C at lake bottom
Why are Freshwater Fish being Threatened and Declining?
- Overfishing
- Habitat Degradation and Fragmentation (Dams)
- Hybridization with Introduced species
- Outcompetes by Invasive Species
What is the Fate of every Aquatic Organism?
To be carried downstream
Allochthonous Food Source in Streams
Food organisms, organic matter, and nutrients transported from elsewhere
Clingers - Mode of Existence
- Behavioural (pads) or morphological (claws) methods for attaching to substrate surfaces
Scrapers - Feeding Group
- Food: Attached algae and biofilm
- Method: Grazing or scraping of mineral or organic surfaces
Aphotic (Profundal) Zone
- No light - Prevents photosynthesis
- Deep below photic zone
Fisheries Definition
An area with associated fish population that is harvested for commercial or recreational use
Skaters - Mode of Existence
- Live on water surface
- Eat organisms trapped in surface film
What does a FSI Index Score of 1 Mean?
- Least sustainable population
- 0% Sustainable
- Less opportunity
- Higher risk
Autochthonous Food Source in Streams
Food organisms, organic matter, and nutrients are generated within the aquatic system
Photic (Euphotic) Lake Zone
- Light region that enables photosynthesis
- Contains all of littoral and upper limnetic
Fall Overturn in a Dimictic Lake
- Colder temperatures cool surface water
- Continuous cooling and sinking of surface water
- Stratification is lost and ice layer forms
Piercers - Feeding Group
- Food: Cell and Tissue Fluids of Living Organisms
- Method: Pierce and suck fluid
Climbers - Mode of Existence
- Living or moving on vascular or overhanging plants
Mesotrophic Lake
- Moderate phosphorus, nutrients, and Chlorphyll-A
- More productivity (Optimum state for aquatic life)
- Moderate clarity
- 10-35 mg/l of phosphorus
- 2.5-8mg/l Chlorophyll-A
Prussian Carp Scientific Name
Carassius Gibelio
Quality Harvest Fishery
- Provides anglers opportunities to catch and maybe keep memorable fish
- FSI = 4+
What is Fitness?
- How well the organism is adapted to its environment and its reproductive success
- If there are no difference among species then their is no natural selection
Indication by Absence as a Bio-monitoring Approach
- Absence of sensitive species indicates abnormal conditions
Brood Fish Stocking
- Restoration Stocking
- Stock genetically pure fish raised in contain facilities
- Ex. Westslope Cutthroat
Approach to Investigating a Fish Kill
- Notify Government Agencies
- Define Area Involved
- Conduct Water Quality Sampling
- Document extent, witnesses, and clean up
What does a FSI Index Score of 5 Mean?
- Most sustainable population
- 100% sustainable
- More opportunity
- Lower Risk
Drainage Lake
- Natural Lake fed by: Streams, Precipitation, Groundwater, and Runoff
- Water lost to: Evapotranspiration, Groundwater, and Streams
Outlook for the Westslope Cutthroat
In order to protect Cutthroat Trout, we must address the root of their problems. If we can achieve this when we can preserve this crucial native species.
Community Structure as a Bio-monitoring Approach
- Using a wide range of species to measure abundance and diversity of a community
- Pro: Minimal biological expertise required
- Con: Susceptible to natural or seasonal changes
How to Determine the Relationship Between Stage and Discharge with Time
- Record/Monitor how stages vary with time
- Observe discharge at a variety of stages and times
- Develop model to predict discharge from stage (Rating curve)
Boreal Forest Lakes
- High precipitation and low evaporation
- Vast acidic peatlands
- Dark brown colour
Volcanic Lakes
- Caldera basin that form within an active cone
- Low Nutrients
- Crater Lake
Importance of Time in a Fish Kill Investigation
- Diagnosis requires freshly dead organisms
- Longer delay makes it hard to determine source, more deaths, and less accurate death count
What is Alberta Government’s Plan Against Invasive Species
- Monitoring
- Rapid Response Planning
- Education and Outreach
- Watercraft Inspections
- Policies
What does the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada do?
- Manages and protects fish habitat from alteration
- Partially responsible with issues in pollution prevention
- Collabs with Environment and Climate Change Canada under Fisheries Act
- Takes Alberta Management objectives into account
- Works with Species At Risk Act to identify and recover threatened populations in Alberta
What is Triploidization
- Fertilized eggs are put under immense pressure (Pressure Shock)
- Creates triple chromosomal condition
- Causes infertility
- After: Fish may only be stocked in completely isolated waterbodies (In case Triploiding process failed)
What is a Anadromous Life History Strategy?
- Migration from freshwater to saltwater
- Ex. Pacific Salmon
- Freshwater: Reproduction and Egg Deposition
- Estuary: Juvenile and Fry Migration
- Saltwater: Rearing and Adult Stages (Once ripe migrate back to Freshwater)
Seepage Lake
- Natural lake fed by: Precipitation, Runoff, and Groundwater
- No stream outlet
- Water lost to: Evapotranspiration and Groundwater
Do Erosional or Depositional Zones have more Invertebrate Diversity
Erosional
Why are Freshwater Fish Susceptible to Climate Change?
They have adapted to very specific conditions (Ex. Bull Trout and Hyporheic Upwellings) and have a hard time adapting to rapidly changing conditions.
Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches to Sampling Macroinvertebrate
- Qualitative: Number of taxon at each family level (Ratio of feeding groups)
- Quantitative: Estimate of absolute numbers - Statistically evaluated
Metamorphosis of Ephemeroptera - Baetidae
- Hemimetabolous
- Two Winged Stages: Subimago (First), Imago (Adult)
- Adult stage has little feeding and poor flying
How does the Alberta Conservation Association Contribute to Fisheries
- Uses licensing fees for fisheries programs
- Determines stock and population status
- Develops and implements management programs
- Fisheries program (Inventory and monitoring of fish and habitats)
Old Growth Fishery
- Provides anglers opportunities to catch (not keep) memorable sized or rare native fish
- FSI = 4+
Westslope Cutthroat Trout Scientific Name
Oncorhynchus Clarkii Lewisi