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Ecology of Suisun
Marsh fishes and invertebrates.
This project involves sampling of the fishes of Suisun Marsh on a monthly
basis, since 1979. The project monitors long-term trends of populations of
native and alien fishes of a distinct habitat area of the San Francisco Estuary
and is the basis for life history studies of native and alien fishes. It is
funded by the Department of Water Resources and CALFED .
R. E. Schroeter heads project to study the benthic and planktonic
invertebrates of the marsh to help construct food webs, document new
invasions (e.g., the Siberian prawn, Exopaleomon modestus),
and investigate the possibility that marsh sloughs are refuges for native
crustaceans and fish. John Durand
is looking at planktonic foodwebs
and how shifts have affected ecosystem functioning. Alpa
Wintzer , working with Mariah Meek of Animal Science, is
studying the impact of invasive jellyfish on marsh fish and invertebrates
(project funded by CALFED).
Ecology of fishes of Martis
Creek.
Martis Creek is a small Sierran
stream with a fairly diverse fish fauna, which has been sampled annually in
four locations since 1979. The focus of the study is changes in community
structure in relation to flow and climate change.
Ecology of Putah Creek fishes.
This study has been on going since about 1980, with greater intensity since
1995. It examines the interactions of native and alien fishes in a
regulated stream and the effects of flow on these interactions. It also
monitors fish (especially chinook salmon) and invertebrate
abundance. Funded mainly by the
Putah Creek Coordinating Committee.
Biology of Sacramento perch.
This study provides documentation of the life history of Sacramento perch and of
factors affecting its abundance, with the goal of restoring populations to
native habitats. A new Sacramento perch project seeks to develop
restoration strategies using farm ponds.
Patterns of aquatic invasions in California.
Fish invasions continue to be a major interest because they are so
pervasive. A series of papers with Michael Marchetti
(CSU Chico) as the lead author has been the
culmination of this work (PDFs for ones on which
I am co-author are available on this website).
Conservation and restoration of flood
plains in the Central Valley.
As a spin-off of the work on the Cosumnes floodplain and the Yolo By-pass,
Jeff Opperman, now with TNC, and I are reviewing
previous work done on floodplain ecology and management and are working to
develop strategies for floodplain conservation in the Central Valley.
Health of mountain
meadows in the Sierra NevadaThis project has finished its second year
and is a joint study with the Natural Heritage Institute, with the
California Department of Fish and Game and the US Forest Service as
cooperators. We are determining the
‘heath’ of mountain meadows by comparing various measures of
biotic integrity as determined by inventorying the communities of plants,
fish, aquatic invertebrates, and amphibians. Funded by USEPA and DWR.
Strategies for the
restoration of Lahontan cutthroat trout to native
streams. Virginia Boucher and I are leading a study of how to restore Lahontan cutthroat trout to Sagehen
Creek, using different strains of cutthroat trout and different techniques
for reducing or eliminating populations of non-native trout. Cutthroat trout living in the Sagehen Creek Field Station’s stream tank can be
viewed through a webcam by going to the station’s website. This is
Jon Stead’s MS thesis. Funded by USFWS.
Status of California salmonids. With Josh Israel, Sabra
Purdy, and Pat Crain I am reviewing the status of all 32 distinctive types
of salmonid fishes in California, which is being compiled
into a overall status report for salmonids in the state.
Funded by the Sage Fund through California Trout.
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