Habitat preferences, fork lengths and isotopic ratios of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) in and around Lake Hazen, Ellesmere Island

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Main Authors: Sinnatamby, R Niloshini, Babaluk, John A, Power, Geoff, Reist, James D, Power, Michael
Format: Dataset Open Access
Language:en
Published: PANGAEA 2012
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author Sinnatamby, R Niloshini
Babaluk, John A
Power, Geoff
Reist, James D
Power, Michael
author_facet Sinnatamby, R Niloshini
Babaluk, John A
Power, Geoff
Reist, James D
Power, Michael
collection Datos científicos de ciencias marinas y ambientales
contents Owing to limited knowledge of the habitat use and diet of juvenile Arctic charr from the High Arctic, particularly young-of-the-year (YOY), we assembled data obtained from samples taken in and around Lake Hazen, Nunavut, Canada, to assess juvenile habitat use and feeding. Juvenile charr demonstrated a preference for stream environments, particularly those fed by warm upstream ponds. Charr occupying both stream and nearshore lake habitats were found to feed similarly, with chironomids occurring most frequently in diets. Some older stream-dwelling charr preyed on smaller, younger Arctic charr. Preferred stream occupancy is likely mediated by physical barriers created mainly by water velocity, and by distance from the lake, lake-ice dynamics, low water depth, and turbidity. Water velocities resulted in stream habitat segregation by size, with YOY mainly found in low-velocity pools and back eddies adjacent to stream banks, but not in water velocities >0.1 m/s. Greatest charr densities in streams were found in small, shallow, slow-flowing side channels, which are highly susceptible to drought. Under predicted climate change scenarios, streams fed by small ponds will be susceptible to intermittent flow conditions, which could result in increased competition among juvenile charr for the remaining stream habitats. In addition, glacier-fed streams are likely to experience increased flow conditions that will exacerbate physical barriers created by water velocity and further reduce the availability of preferred stream habitat.
format Dataset Open Access
id pangaea_https___doi_org_10_1594_PANGAEA_837055
institution PANGAEA
language en
publishDate 2012
publisher PANGAEA
record_format pangaea
spellingShingle Habitat preferences, fork lengths and isotopic ratios of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) in and around Lake Hazen, Ellesmere Island
Sinnatamby, R Niloshini
Babaluk, John A
Power, Geoff
Reist, James D
Power, Michael
International Polar Year (2007-2008); IPY
Owing to limited knowledge of the habitat use and diet of juvenile Arctic charr from the High Arctic, particularly young-of-the-year (YOY), we assembled data obtained from samples taken in and around Lake Hazen, Nunavut, Canada, to assess juvenile habitat use and feeding. Juvenile charr demonstrated a preference for stream environments, particularly those fed by warm upstream ponds. Charr occupying both stream and nearshore lake habitats were found to feed similarly, with chironomids occurring most frequently in diets. Some older stream-dwelling charr preyed on smaller, younger Arctic charr. Preferred stream occupancy is likely mediated by physical barriers created mainly by water velocity, and by distance from the lake, lake-ice dynamics, low water depth, and turbidity. Water velocities resulted in stream habitat segregation by size, with YOY mainly found in low-velocity pools and back eddies adjacent to stream banks, but not in water velocities >0.1 m/s. Greatest charr densities in streams were found in small, shallow, slow-flowing side channels, which are highly susceptible to drought. Under predicted climate change scenarios, streams fed by small ponds will be susceptible to intermittent flow conditions, which could result in increased competition among juvenile charr for the remaining stream habitats. In addition, glacier-fed streams are likely to experience increased flow conditions that will exacerbate physical barriers created by water velocity and further reduce the availability of preferred stream habitat.
title Habitat preferences, fork lengths and isotopic ratios of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) in and around Lake Hazen, Ellesmere Island
topic International Polar Year (2007-2008); IPY
url https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.837055