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Effects of Marine-Derived Nutrients on Productivity in Sockeye Systems
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Collaborative Project Funded by Watersheds Initiative of the Gulf Ecosystem Monitoring (GEM) Component of EVOS IMS/UAF Bruce Finney Terry Whitledge Dean Stockwell Melanie Rohr ADF&G/Kodiak Steve Honnold Switgard Duesterloh Steve Thomsen
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General Rationale for EVOS Initiative Marine-Derived Nutrients from Salmon may be Important in Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystem Processes Traced into Freshwater Plankton, Juvenile Anadromous and Resident Fish Traced into Riparian Vegetation and Terrestrial Animals MDN Fluxes are Linked to Ocean Processes Through Climate, Fishing, Oil Spills Ecosystem-Based Management Needs Data to Determine MDN Pathways, Ecosystem Importance and Monitoring Protocols Basic Research Needed!
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Study Design: Sampling Sockeye (Karluk) and Control (Spiridon) Lakes 3 Year Study 9 Samplings/year (April - October) 2 Lake and 2 River (mouth) Stations at Each Lake Full Water Column Sampling (5 m intervals to bottom)
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Karluk Spiridon Elevation (ft) 368 446 Watershed area (10 6 m 2 ) 275 54 Lake area (10 6 m 2 ) 39.4 9.2 Volume (10 6 m 3 ) 1920 319 Mean depth (m) 48 35 Residence time (yr) 4.6 8.0 Anadromous YES NO Stocked Long-term limnological and salmon data available Site Characteristics
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Study Design: Analyses Temperature, DO, pH, light TP, dissolved P, NO 3 -, Si Chlorophyll, POM, phytoplankton, zooplankton, juvenile and adult salmon Primary Productivity Stable Isotopes ( 15 N, 13 C) on: POM, periphyton, zooplankton, juvenile and adult sockeye Exploratory Studies: 15 N, 13 C on terrestrial plants, bears, birds
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Unique Study Relatively well-matched pair of lakes, except for salmon Previous Limnological and Paleoecological data show strong impact of MDN in Karluk Lake Detailed spatial and temporal sampling Measuring primary productivity Complete/integrated stable isotope analyses 15 N: enriched in salmon carcasses - tracer of MDN
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Comparison of Limnological Profiles Between Lakes
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Same for Early October
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Summary Part 1 (Limnology): Similar physical regime Very different ratios of major nutrients Spiridon: P-limited Karluk: P, Si and N limited Consistent with MDN source MDN: high P, zero Si Higher algal standing stock in Karluk by ~ 4X
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Comparison of seasonal cycles between lakes and rivers
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River spawners Beach spawners
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Surface
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Summary Part 2 (Temporal perspective): Karluk Lake higher Chl a and primary productivity by ~ 5X 15 N higher in Karluk Lake and river phytoplankton (POM), zooplankton and juvenile sockeye relative to Spiridon Lake Differing seasonality: Late summer/early fall peaks in Chl a, primary productivity, biota 15 N and some nutrients in Karluk Temporal relationships suggests influence from the early, river spawning run of sockeye: reasonable lag between escapement at downstream weir, rivers and open lake stations Transfer into higher trophic levels indicated Data support hypothesis that MDN is main control
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Thanks to: EVOS/GEM for funding Phil Mundy The dedicated field and lab personnel
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3020100 3 7 11 15 Escapement/Lake area (1000s/km 2 ) 15 N Zooplankton Sockeye smolts
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Controversy? Two Views Salmon-derived nutrients are essential to freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems, and are key to the restoration and sustainability of salmon Salmon-derived nutrients are not that important, and the top- down effects of escapement on lake ecosystems is substantial
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Salmon-Derived Nutrients - Productivity Feedback Freshwater Productivity Nutrients Spawner Abundance (escapement) Juveniles
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