Riverscape scale analysis of fish/habitat relationships

该研究计划的总体目标是更好地了解鱼类在其生命周期中如何利用整个河流系统（也称为河景）中的物理栖息地马赛克。该计划涉及三个主要研究方向下的项目：1）创新的映射和空间分析方法的物理栖息地马赛克在河景尺度的发展2）由鱼类及其后果的适应性栖息地开发的可变策略的识别3）栖息地碎片化的影响分析鱼类运动的障碍对鱼类生产。以大西洋鲑鱼（萨尔莫salar）作为生态模型，该研究将在未来五年内针对两个具体目标：（1）评估幼年大西洋鲑鱼（JAS）空间行为的变化及其对生长和存活的影响，（2）调查JAS在涵洞中的游泳能力和行为，这将提供JAS上游通过涵洞中速度障碍物成功的预测模型。一般的科学方法将是使用固定和移动的PIT（被动综合应答器）系统的组合，以跟踪单独的PIT标记的青少年鲑鱼在河流和涵洞内的运动。这项工作将为河流生态学家和河流管理人员提供关于河流生态系统动态的非常新颖的工具和信息，这将有助于评估、预测和减轻人为干扰对加拿大河流生态系统的影响。

The general objectives of the research program is to better understand how fish exploits, over their life cycle, the mosaic of physical habitats comprised within an entire river system, also called the riverscape. This program involves projects grouped under three major research thrusts: 1) the development of innovative mapping and spatial analysis methods of physical habitat mosaics at riverscape scale 2) the identification of variable tactics of habitat exploitation by fish and their consequences on fitness 3) the analysis of the effect of habitat fragmentation by obstacles to fish movement on fish production. Taking Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) as an ecological model, the research will target two specific objectives over the next five years: (1) assess the variability in spatial behaviour of juvenile Atlantic salmon (JAS) and its consequence on growth and survival, (2) investigate JAS swimming capacity and behaviour in culverts, which will provide a predictive model of JAS upstream passage success through velocity barriers in culverts. The general scientific approach will be to use a combination of stationary and mobile PIT (Passive Integrated Transponder) systems to track the movement of individually PIT-tagged juvenile salmons in rivers and inside culverts. The work will provide stream ecologist and stream managers with highly novel tools and information concerning the dynamics of riverine ecosystems that will help assess, predict and mitigate the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on Canadian river ecosystems.