May 23rd, 2012
to see video of the conference click here http://webcast.ucdavis.edu/llnd/f9eeb1d
River and ocean waters mix in estuaries, yielding complex and productive aquatic environments. Estuaries are known to provide valuable habitat for many different taxa, including fish and specifically for juvenile salmonids. While there are many examples from other estuaries along the west coast, the focus of studies relating to Central Valley stocks has been on the uppermost estuary – primarily in the Delta and Suisun Bay. Far less attention has been given to habitats seaward of Carquinez Strait, where the majority of the San Francisco Bay estuary is found.
The aim of this seminar is to question whether we are missing something critical for understanding and managing Central Valley stocks. Presentations will take a comparative approach, looking at juvenile salmonid ecology in other west coast estuaries with a view to identifying key issues in assessing the value and use of estuarine habitats in the San Francisco Bay estuary. This will be followed by a panel discussion focused on San Francisco Bay and management needs for information related to juvenile salmonid use of transitional waters between freshwater and saltwater habitats (i.e. , the middle and outer estuary, including the plume region immediately west of the Golden Gate). We aim to capture key issues, unknowns and opportunities for science to support management decisions.
John Largier
Introduction and overview of west -coast estuary environments, including San Francisco Bay.
Sean Hayes
Comparing salmon use of San Francisco Bay with other rivers/estuaries along the west coast.
Charles "Si" Simenstad
Estuarine food web linkages to salmon resilience.
Jessica Miller
Juvenile Chinook salmon in estuaries and surf zones; observation, inference and more questions.
Bruce McFarlane
Energy dynamics and growth of Central Valley juvenile Chinook salmon in estuarine phase and first year.
Stephanie Carlson
Portfolio effects and salmon habitat: the importance of estuaries and the near shore environment.
Convened by Professor John Largier, Bodega Marine Laboratory, U.C. Davis.
Presented by the U.C. Davis Center for Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture (CABA)
Sponsored by the Delta Science Program