Presentation Abstract
The past 30 years have seen huge changes in the populations of Pacific salmon in the Salish Sea. These changes include very large reductions in the abundances of Chinook and Coho, and high variability of Fraser River Sockeye salmon populations. The Salish Sea Marine Survival Program is a Canada – U.S. collaborative multi-year research initiative established to investigate two main questions: what has driven the very strong declines in abundances of Coho and Chinook populations in the Salish Sea since the 1980s, and what determines the interannual variability of present populations. In this study we examine these two questions from the perspective of zooplankton (including ichthyoplankton) populations in the Salish Sea since 1990. We identify interannual trends of total zooplankton biomass, and of its major constituents including those taxa identified as comprising important dietary items for Coho, Chinook, and Sockeye. We identify years with significant changes in zooplankton taxonomic composition, and compare these with environmental variables to identify potential “drivers of change” in these ecosystem. We conclude with analyses of how these relationships relate to variability in the key salmon species of this region.
Session Title
The Salish Sea Marine Survival Project: Phytoplankton and Zooplankton
Keywords
Zooplankton, Salish Sea, Coho salmon, SSMSP
Conference Track
SSE11: Species and Food Webs
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE11-121
Start Date
5-4-2018 4:15 PM
End Date
5-4-2018 4:30 PM
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)
Zooplankton--Behavior--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Coho salmon--Food--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Chinook salmon--Food--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Sockeye salmon--Food--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
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
Included in
Fresh Water Studies Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
Zooplankton variability in the Northern Salish Sea over the past 3 decades, and relationships with Coho salmon
The past 30 years have seen huge changes in the populations of Pacific salmon in the Salish Sea. These changes include very large reductions in the abundances of Chinook and Coho, and high variability of Fraser River Sockeye salmon populations. The Salish Sea Marine Survival Program is a Canada – U.S. collaborative multi-year research initiative established to investigate two main questions: what has driven the very strong declines in abundances of Coho and Chinook populations in the Salish Sea since the 1980s, and what determines the interannual variability of present populations. In this study we examine these two questions from the perspective of zooplankton (including ichthyoplankton) populations in the Salish Sea since 1990. We identify interannual trends of total zooplankton biomass, and of its major constituents including those taxa identified as comprising important dietary items for Coho, Chinook, and Sockeye. We identify years with significant changes in zooplankton taxonomic composition, and compare these with environmental variables to identify potential “drivers of change” in these ecosystem. We conclude with analyses of how these relationships relate to variability in the key salmon species of this region.
