The effect of avian predation on juvenile salmonids

 

In collaboration with the National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center (NMFS SWFSC) and Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Ann-Marie quantified the impact of seabird predation on listed salmonid species native to central California coast streams. This research used a combination of field experiments to estimate the proportion of outmigrating smolts that were eaten by Western gulls at local creek mouths. Differences in stable isotope signatures between historical and current gull feathers can determine changes in diet over that past 100 years, and her research suggests human trash subsidizes gull diet and may contribute to an increasing avian predator population. Additionally, experimental releases of PIT tagged steelhead smolts have demonstrated size-specific movement and migration patterns with potential vulnerability to predation.

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Current Position: Postdoctoral Scholar with National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Sciences Center, Santa Cruz, CA, USA

 

Ann-Marie's Website