On November 30, 2021, Kyle L Wilson, Applied Quantitative Biologist, from the Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance presented on the role of marine and freshwater regime changes in the declines of Pacific salmonids in B.C.
Marine and freshwater ecosystems are increasingly at risk of large and cascading changes from multiple human activities (termed “regime shifts”), which can impact population productivity, resilience, and ecosystem structure. Pacific salmon exhibit persistent and large fluctuations in their population dynamics driven by combinations of intrinsic (e.g., density dependence) and extrinsic factors (e.g., ecosystem changes, species interactions).
In recent years, many Pacific salmon have declined due to regime shifts but clear understanding of the processes driving these changes remains elusive. In this talk, we will unpack the role of density dependence, ecosystem trends, and stochasticity on productivity regimes for anadromous Pacific salmonids (Steelhead, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Dolly Varden, and Coastal Cutthroat Trout) in long-term time-series from rivers along the North and Central Coast of British Columbia.
These results reveal how changes in freshwater and marine environments can jointly shape population dynamics among Pacific salmon communities, with cascading consequences to their resilience and conservation.
Watch the full version of the webinar here: