Togiak Salmon 1: Variation in Salmon Abundance at Togiak National Wildlife Refuge over the Past Three Centuries

Project ID: 101000J001

Federal Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Partner Institution: University of Washington

Fiscal Year: 2006

Initial Funding: $30,000

Total Funding: $30,000

Project Type: Research

Project Disciplines: Biological

Abstract: We will develop a paleoecological research program to reconstruct the historical population dynamics of anadromous sockeye salmon within the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge of southwestern Alaska. Further, we will determine the degree to which aquatic productivity has responded to changes in salmon population densities (as inferred from sedimentary nitrogen stable isotope characteristics) by tracking changes in the concentrations of sedimentary algal pigments. Our analyses will also develop an understanding of the degree of temporal coherence in the salmon population dynamics and associated lake production rates in lakes throughout the Togiak Refuge. We will test the hypothesis that lakes within individual drainages are more coherent with each other than are lakes in separate drainages. Further, we expect that landscape characteristics (e.g., location within the hydrologic flow network, and watershed features such as relative area and landcover type) will determine the degree to which lake productivity is entrained in the temporal dynamics of salmon populations versus abiotic controls and nutrient loading from watersheds. We will address the potential causes to the variability in salmon abundance, including human uses of salmon and environmental changes.