Juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) growth in off-channel and main-channel habitats on the Sacramento River, CA using otolith increment widths

SMC Author

Michael Marchetti

SMC Affiliated Work

1

Status

Faculty

School

School of Science

Department

Environmental and Earth Science

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2009

Publication / Conference / Sponsorship

Environmental Biology of Fish

Description/Abstract

Few studies have quantified juvenile salmon growth among different habitats or evaluated the mechanisms controlling salmon growth and survival. We used otolith microstructure to compare daily relative growth rates among main-channel riverine areas, off-channel ponds, and non-natal seasonal tributaries of the Sacramento River, CA. We compared prey availability, prey preference, and stomach fullness between these sites. We observed larger average otolith growth increments, higher prey densities, and warmer water temperatures in both off-channel ponds and non-natal seasonal tributaries compared to the main-channel areas in both 2001 and 2002. Our findings suggest that warmer temperatures and abundant prey in off-channel habitats during Central Valley Chinook salmon rearing periods may lead to higher growth rates, which in turn may improve juvenile survival. Our results suggest that off-channel habitats may be critical habitats to include in conservation and management plans for juvenile salmon.

Keywords

Salmon, Chinook, Growth, Juvenile, Rearing, Habitat, Otolith

Scholarly

yes

DOI

10.1007/s10641-009-9473-8

Volume

85

Issue

2

First Page

141

Last Page

151

Disciplines

Earth Sciences | Environmental Sciences

Rights

Open Access article

Original Citation

Limm M, Marchetti MP. 2009. Juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) growth in off-channel and main-channel habitats on the Sacramento River, CA using otolith increment widths. Environmental Biology of Fish, 85(2): 141-151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-009-9473-8

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