Author(s): Parna Parsapour-Moghaddam, Colin D. Rennie, Chris K. Elvidge, Steven J. Cooke
Linked Author(s): Parna ParsapourMoghaddam
Keywords: Hydro-morphodynamics, fish habitat, composite habitat suitability index, yellow perch
Abstract: Hydro-morphodynamic changes can negatively impact riverine ecosystems, potentially leading to the decline and even extirpation of fish species. Hence, it is important to simulate the local fish habitat availability based on the river hydro-morphodynamic characteristics. Appropriate management strategies can then enhance the fish population and accordingly, condition of river ecosystems. Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) models are among the most widely used habitat models that define the quality of habitat for different fish species. The quality of habitat depends on hydraulic variables such as flow depth, velocity, and substrate. However, to obtain an overall estimate of the physical habitat, one should combine individual HSIs. Here we propose a novel method to estimate the composite habitat suitability index. To do so we use juvenile Yellow Perch, an important sportfish, in a meandering clay-bed creek in Ottawa, Canada as a model. Delft3D is employed to simulate 3D hydro-morphodynamic processes of the river. The results of this model are fed into the developed fish habitat model. A fish sampling survey via electrofishing was conducted in the study reach to provide the fish population density estimates. The developed fish habitat model was validated with the results of the fish sampling survey to evaluate the performance of the model. The proposed hydrodynamic-fish habitat model yields habitat availability predictions that matches the spatially distributed presence of juvenile Yellow Perch in the study reach. This suggests that, if appropriate fish habitat suitability indices are developed, a properly set-up and calibrated Delft3D composite numerical model can be employed to predict the availability of fish habitat in a reach
Year: 2017