Habitat Assessment Modeling: Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment

Environment and Habitat Environment: broad description of conditions at a location Not species specific Sets the metrics Defines appropriate scale, hierarchy, extent and grain Habitat: species specific description of conditions at a location Species specific subset of environment Relates to biological performance of focal species

Habitat Rehabilitation Process --Hydrology --Sediment mechanics --Channel dynamics --Riparian function --Appropriate scale and hierarchy --Metrics --Extent --Grain Appraisal for a species Habitat Assessment Habitat Description Environmental Processes Environmental Pattern Geology and Climate Environment Actions Recovery

Assessment: Species-focused rating of habitat How much habitat is there? Quantity: Biological capacity How good is it? Quality: Productivity Connectivity: Life history trajectories Breadth: Trajectory diversity

Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment (EDT) EDT rates the quality and quantity of habitat with respect to one or more focal species. EDT identifies restoration and protection priorities and limiting conditions Where do we start? What needs to be fixed? EDT is NOT a dynamic population dynamics model. It rates a static depiction of habitat conditions. EDT does NOT PROVE ANYTHING. It creates a testable working hypothesis as a basis for action.

Habitat and population models: essential tools for recovery planning

Assessment provides restoration and protection priorities Current Restoration Template Environmental Conditions Space (stream mile) Degradation Template Protection Restoration

EDT prioritizes habitat based on biological performance

Habitat Assessment Process I. Prepare EDT Input Table Monthly shaping of flow, temperature and width EDT Environmental Description = Snap-shot of conditions Hydrography: HUC-6/Reaches Environmental Attributes (45)

Habitat Assessment Process II. Rate the Habitat Habitat Descriptors Life stage-survival rules Environmental Description Biological Capacity & Productivity Descriptors Reaches Life Stage

Habitat Assessment Process III. Rate the Watershed Life history/Population structure Population Capacity and Productivity

Validation of a habitat assessment model Does the biological rating metric comport with reality? Does it accurately predict distribution of the rating species? It it useful?

Validation of EDT for Spring Chinook in the Yakima River Validation of EDT for Spring Chinook in the Yakima River. 1981-94 broods. Validation of EDT for Spring Chinook in the Yakima River. 1981-94 broods. Source: Bruce Watson, YIN

Case Study: Johnson Creek, Portland, OR

Johnson Study Area Map

EDT Population Estimates

Combined priorities for rehabilitation of Johnson Creek habitat for coho salmon

Reach 15 Attributes

Prioritize and restore Example of how EDT can relate to watershed actions EDT habitat assessment Restoration Priorities Protection Priorities Impervious surfaces impairing processes Impervious areas not impairing processes Prioritize and restore Impervious areas Modified from Roni et al. (2002): A review of stream restoration techniques and a hierarchical strategy for prioritizing restoration in Pacific Northwest Watersheds. N.Am.J.Fish. Mgmt.22:1-20