Lake Clark--Lake Trout Biochronology
Lake trout biochronologies as long-term climate and productivity indicators in south-central Alaska lake ecosystemsAbstract
Sockeye salmon are a keystone species within Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (LACL), which was established “..to protect the watershed necessary for the perpetuation of the red [sockeye] salmon fishery in Bristol Bay.” Numerous lakes in LACL are important nurseries that are sensitive to climate change, and increasing temperatures may lead to profound changes in productivity by altering the timing of ice break-up, the timing and duration of thermal stratification, and the timing and intensity of nutrient upwelling. Given that these high-latitude landscapes are among the most likely to experience rapid climate change in the coming decades, the relationships between lake biology and climate variability must be better quantified to understand impacts on the productivity of sockeye salmon and resident fishes. To address the implications of climate variability in lakes, we borrow from the tree-ring sciences to develop multidecadal chronologies from lake trout otoliths. Just as tree-ring data capture histories of climate and productivity in terrestrial systems, we propose that lake trout otolith data will provide analogous information for lake ecosystems. A particular strength of this study is that final trout chronologies will be exactly dated, allowing us to make high quality comparisons with direct observations of climate (instrumental records) and biology (salmon escapement). Thus, we propose to develop lake trout otolith chronologies in LACL lake ecosystems to i) quantify long-term interactions between growth and climate, ii) evaluate the influence of marine-derived nutrient input from sockeye salmon returns, and iii) compare long-term rates of change in freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems using lake trout and tree-ring chronologies.
Products
| Title | Type |
|---|---|
| Lake Trout Otolith Growth Increment Measurements, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska, 1979-2012 | Data |
Contacts
Zimmerman, Christian , 907-786-7071Status: onGoing
Start Year: 2011
End Year: 2018
Project Sites
USGS Mission Area and Program
Ecosystems → Fisheries ProgramMajor Initiatives
NPS - Natural Resource Preservation ProgramUSGS - Marine and Freshwater Ecology