Event Title
Native clam population variability in the Salish Sea
Presentation Abstract
Long-term biological datasets can provide valuable insight to managers of commercially and recreationally-important species. While bivalve populations have been well-studied in select ecosystems, native veneroid clam population variability has not been extensively researched in the northeast Pacific Ocean despite the biological and social value of these species. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has been collecting intertidal clam length and weight data following similar methods since the 1970s in order to manage, and now co-manage with tribes, clam harvesting activities. We used these data in a dynamic factor analysis to quantify decadal trends in population variability among three clam species in four sub-basins within the southern Salish Sea. Over the last 38 years, Leukoma staminea populations have generally declined while Saxidomus gigantea and Clinocardium nuttallii populations have either increased or decreased depending on the sub-basin. Future analysis will expand our investigation to include more clam populations and sub-basins as well as to determine what explanatory variables may be driving population trends.
Session Title
Changes in Ecosystem Function and Climate Revealed by Long-term Monitoring in the Salish Sea
Conference Track
Climate Change and Ocean Acidification
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Clam populations--Washington (State)--Puget Sound--Study and teaching
Geographic Coverage
Puget Sound (Wash.); Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Native clam population variability in the Salish Sea
2016SSEC
Long-term biological datasets can provide valuable insight to managers of commercially and recreationally-important species. While bivalve populations have been well-studied in select ecosystems, native veneroid clam population variability has not been extensively researched in the northeast Pacific Ocean despite the biological and social value of these species. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has been collecting intertidal clam length and weight data following similar methods since the 1970s in order to manage, and now co-manage with tribes, clam harvesting activities. We used these data in a dynamic factor analysis to quantify decadal trends in population variability among three clam species in four sub-basins within the southern Salish Sea. Over the last 38 years, Leukoma staminea populations have generally declined while Saxidomus gigantea and Clinocardium nuttallii populations have either increased or decreased depending on the sub-basin. Future analysis will expand our investigation to include more clam populations and sub-basins as well as to determine what explanatory variables may be driving population trends.
Comments
This talk might fit best under the general species and food webs session, but because it is an analysis looking at almost 40 years of intertidal clam population variability, the moderators of the other two suggested sessions may be interested in these results. The ultimate goal is to combine this analysis with environmental variables, but I'm not sure that will be done by the time I give the talk. If not, the talk just focuses on how the clam populations have changed temporally. I'm happy to present in any of the sessions and I hope the moderators can determine if this research is a good fit for their session.