A conceptual framework for the identification and characterization of lacustrine spawning habitats for native lake charr Salvelinus namaycush

Environmental Biology of Fishes
By: , and 

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Abstract

Lake charr Salvelinus namaycush are endemic to the formerly glaciated regions of North America and spawn primarily in lakes, unlike most other Salmoninae. Spawning habitats for lake charr are thought to be characterized by relatively large substrate particle sizes which provide sufficient interstitial spaces for egg incubation, but little is known about the physical processes that create or maintain suitable habitats. We review the literature on lake charr spawning habitat and present a conceptual framework that examines the roles of physical variables in creating the appropriate conditions for egg incubation. A critical underlying assumption of this framework is that lake charr will select spawning habitats that provide suitable hypolentic flows for egg incubation. We suggest that the characterization of lakebed surface roughness, current patterns, substrate particle size, and groundwater flows at multiple spatial scales may yield significant insight into the physical mechanisms supporting lacustrine spawning habitats for lake charr and will be useful in creating predictive models of these habitats. This framework may also apply to other lake-spawning lithophilic fish species.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title A conceptual framework for the identification and characterization of lacustrine spawning habitats for native lake charr Salvelinus namaycush
Series title Environmental Biology of Fishes
DOI 10.1007/s10641-019-00928-w
Volume 102
Issue 12
Year Published 2019
Language English
Publisher Springer
Contributing office(s) Great Lakes Science Center, Washington Water Science Center
Description 25 p.
First page 1533
Last page 1557
Country Canada, United States
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