Water Stewardship Information Sources
| Citation | Araujo, HA. 2011. Population responses of coho and chinook salmon to sedimentation associated with forest roads in a coastal watershed of the lower Fraser River. MRM Thesis. Simon Fraser University. |
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| Organization | SFU |
| URL | http://rem-main.rem.sfu.ca/theses/AraujoAndres_2011_MRM506.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | In British Columbia, one of the main negative impacts on salmonid habitat is the production of fine sediments generated by forest roads or other human activities. Given this concern, this study’s main objective was to develop a quantitative framework for estimating effects of extreme suspended-sediment events caused by forest road construction and use on populations of chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in a medium-sized coastal watershed of the lower Fraser River. The framework incorporates existing knowledge of sediment production by forest roads to make a quantitative link between traffic levels and physiological responses of salmonids. The results suggest that extreme sedimentation events generated by heavy traffic levels negatively affect populations of chinook and coho salmon. Population numbers declined proportionally to the elevated levels of suspended sediments concentrations (SSC) following a non-linear trend in which Chinook salmon are more vulnerable to the deleterious effects of SSC than coho salmon. Key Words: Population dynamics of salmonids, mixed-effects model, effects of suspended sediments on fish, stochastic life history model, Lower Fraser River salmonid mortality |
| Information Type | thesis |
| Regional Watershed | Lower Fraser |
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| Project status | complete |
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