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Relationship of winter concealment habitat quality on pool use by juvenile spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Grande Ronde River Basin, Oregon USA

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Abstract

Winter concealment habitat quality was assessed and its use by juvenile spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) quantified in three hatching areas of the Grande Ronde River Basin, Oregon USA. Fish densities were significantly higher in pools with a higher winter concealment habitat index than pools with a lower index. The mean fork length and mean growth rate of fish did not differ between pools with a higher or lower winter concealment habitat index, even though residual fish were significantly larger than fish that emigrated. Biomass–density was significantly higher in pools with a higher winter concealment habitat index than pools with a lower index in all three hatching areas. Biomass–density was positively associated with the amount of cobble substrate (10–24.9 cm/m2) in all three hatching areas, and inversely associated with embeddedness in two of the hatching areas. Results of this study indicate that enhancing winter concealment habitat could improve habitat quality resulting in increased carrying capacity and winter usage by juvenile spring Chinook salmon.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to express our sincerest appreciation to the staff of the Salmonid Early Life History Project for braving late nights in cold inclement conditions to acquire the information necessary to complete this manuscript. This research was supported by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife through funding from Bonneville Power Administration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Ocean Salmon and Columbia River Program, Clackamas, OR, USA

    Erick S. Van Dyke

  2. Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA

    Dennis L. Scarnecchia

  3. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, NE Region Fish Research and Development, La Grande, OR, USA

    Brian C. Jonasson & Richard W. Carmichael

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  1. Erick S. Van Dyke
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  2. Dennis L. Scarnecchia
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  3. Brian C. Jonasson
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  4. Richard W. Carmichael
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Correspondence to Erick S. Van Dyke.

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Handling editor: J. A. Cambray

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Van Dyke, E.S., Scarnecchia, D.L., Jonasson, B.C. et al. Relationship of winter concealment habitat quality on pool use by juvenile spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Grande Ronde River Basin, Oregon USA. Hydrobiologia 625, 27–42 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-008-9684-6

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