Interannual variability in the primary and secondary productivity of the Salish Sea and its implications for juvenile salmon

我们建议研究的物理驱动因素的空间和年际变化的浮游植物和浮游动物生产的格鲁吉亚海峡，以更好地了解和预测自下而上的强迫居民和迁移鲑鱼种群在萨利希海。幼鲑从淡水过渡到公海后的时期已被确定为脆弱性升高的时期。因此，当时的猎物供应可能是鲑鱼总体生存的决定因素。浮游植物的生长构成了食物链的基础，浮游植物产量的变化有可能沿着食物链向上影响鲑鱼。我们将使用一个耦合的物理-生物模型来研究物理驱动因素影响浮游植物生产力的机制，以及浮游植物生产力的变化在食物链中传播的程度。特别是，我们将寻求确定在鲑鱼猎物的时间和地点最关键的鲑鱼生存的变化的驱动程序。 该研究计划是与太平洋鲑鱼基金会共同制定的，旨在通过基于模型的实验，进一步了解加拿大西海岸鲑鱼种群动态自下而上的驱动因素，这些实验得到了太平洋鲑鱼基金会支持的相关观测研究的信息。与太平洋鲑鱼基金会的合作带来了附加值，我们的研究通过一个精致的重点问题，鲑鱼生存的影响，因此对加拿大的文化和经济的重要性，并通过我们的研究在一个更广泛的网络项目纳入相关主题，共享数据资源和快速沟通的发现。 BC鲑鱼是商业，娱乐和第一民族渔业的重要标志性物种。尽管在过去几十年中出现了大幅下降，但仅休闲鲑鱼渔业每年就在不列颠哥伦比亚省创造了超过10亿美元的收入，同时创造了10，000多个就业机会。因此，将人口恢复到最近的历史水平将产生重大的经济、社会和文化影响。

We propose to study the physical drivers of spatial and interannual variability in phytoplankton and zooplankton production in the Strait of Georgia in order to better understand and predict bottom-up forcing of resident and migrating salmon populations in the Salish Sea. The period after juvenile salmon transition from fresh water to the open ocean has been identified as a period of elevated vulnerability. Prey availability at that time could therefore be a determining factor in overall salmon survival. Phytoplankton growth forms the base of the food chain, and changes in phytoplankton production have the potential to cascade up the food chain to impact salmon. We will use a coupled physical-biological model to investigate mechanisms through which physical drivers affect phytoplankton productivity and the extent to which the resulting changes in phytoplankton productivity propagate up the food chain. In particular, we will seek to identify the drivers of variability in salmon prey at the times and locations most critical to salmon survival. The research plan has been developed in conjunction with the Pacific Salmon Foundation and aims to further understanding of drivers of bottom-up forcing of salmon population dynamics on the west coast of Canada through model-based experiments informed by related observational studies also supported by the Pacific Salmon Foundation. Collaboration with the Pacific Salmon Foundation brings added value to our research through a refined focus on questions bearing on salmon survival and therefore of cultural and economic importance to Canada and through the incorporation of our research in a broader network of projects on related themes, sharing data resources and rapidly communicating finds. BC salmon are iconic species of major importance for commercial, recreational, and First Nation fisheries. Despite major declines over the last decades, recreational salmon fisheries alone generate more than $1 billion annually in BC while generating more than 10,000 jobs. Rebuilding the populations to recent historic levels will thus have major economic, social, and cultural impacts.