Fisheries Habitat Flashcards
Definitions and lessons on fisheries habitat
Define tributary
a river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake
Define a Confluence
occurs where two or more watercourses join to form a single channel
Define ephemereal stream
An ephemeral stream has flowing water only during, and for a short duration after, precipitation events in a typical year. Ephemeral stream beds are located above the water table year-round. Groundwater is not a source of water for the stream.
What habitat is this?
Armoured A1: Largely stable and at repose; cobble/small boulder/gravel predominant; uniform shoreline configuration; bank velocities low-moderate; instream/overhead cover limited to substrate and turbidity.
What is ideal salmonid spawning habitat?
low velocity, shallow and cobbles.
When do Brook Trout Spawn? Describe the ideal habitat.
In the fall, usually from September to November in shallow, gravel-bottomed streams and occasionally in lakes. The female digs and cleans a shallow nest or redd in the gravel and covers her eggs after they have been shed and fertilized.
When do Rainbow Trout Spawn? Describe the ideal habitat.
In the spring. Shallow, gravel river bottoms often near or below tributaries or even in the tributaries. Females sculpt a nest called Redds. They clear the area of silt, sediments etc to give the eggs a safe and oxygenated resting area.
When do Brown Trout Spawn?
Fall
When do Northern Pike spawn and what is their ideal spawning habitat?
Early spring, when the ice is almost completely melted. They spawn in slow moving, protected, vegetated shallow areas. In rivers they will find backwater areas, tributaries and flooded vegetated areas that resemble lake-like conditions
What happens when a Northern Pike hatches from its egg?
Will spend around 1 week attached to the vegetation until it absorbs all of the yolk.
Where can you find Northern Pike roe?
Attached to sediment, woody debris or vegetation
What is ideal white sucker spawning habitat?
Shallow rivers with gravel/cobble bottoms. Their eggs are scattered onto the gravel where they adhere.
When do White Sucker spawn?
mid May to early July
What happens after white sucker eggs hatch?
After 8-11 days the eggs hatch with the fry remaining in the gravel for a period of 1-2 weeks while it absorbs the remaining yolk sac. After this 2 week period, young fry will consume primarily a surface diet until their mouth migrates from front facing to bottom facing in which they will transition to a primarily benthic diet.
Why are white suckers a good indicator species?
White suckers are robust and adaptable fish, surviving many adverse water conditions that other fish could not tolerate. This coupled with their high abundance and widespread occurrence has lead to the use of white suckers as environmental monitors for toxic chemicals and pulp mill effects, and various diseases including papillomas and liver tumours.
