Aquatic Invasive Species
Invasive species are plants or animals that are present in an
ecosystem beyond their native range. They may have few natural
controls in their new environment and proliferate. They can threaten
native species and interfere with human activities. The Western
Fisheries Research Center (WFRC) has been conducting research
to understand how non-native species invade and affect ecosystems,
thus aiding management efforts.
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Arid Lands of the Southwest
When thinking about plants and animals that inhabit hot arid
lands of the southwestern U.S., fish are easily overlooked by
most people. However, these desert lands often contain isolated
springs or cienegas (a Spanish term referring to permanently saturated
"seep wetlands") and streams supporting native fishes that occur
no where else in the world. These aquatic remnants from the last
Ice Age have survived for thousands of years due to an amazing
ability to tolerate harsh environmental conditions, especially
extremely high water temperatures, high salinities, and unpredictable
water flows. PDF Format
Ballast Water Research at the WFRC
Invasive aquatic species are considered to be one of the greatest
threats to marine biodiversity, coastal economies, and even human
health. Ballast water is a primary vector for these bioinvasions.
One method of reducing risk of ballast water introductions is
mid-ocean exchange of marine ballast water. However, it is widely
recognized that this practice has many limitations, including
serious ship safety concerns and variable biological effectiveness.
International agencies and federal, state and local governments
are attempting to tackle the problem by recommending or mandating
the installation of ballast water treatment systems. The WFRC
is working with others to develop new technologies to detect,
prevent, and control aquatic invasive species impacts in Puget
Sound and the Pacific Northwest. PDF
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Biological Science in Oregon
Fishing is an important part of Oregon’s culture. The Western
Fisheries Research Center (WFRC) has been conducting research
in Oregon for many years to provide information that can be used
by managers to help keep fish and other parts of the ecosystem
healthy. Below are examples of some of WFRC’s studies. PDF
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Detection of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is considered to be
one of the most important viral pathogens of finfish and is listed
as reportable by many nations and international organizations
(Office International des Epizooties 2006). Prior to 1988, VHSV
was thought to be limited to Europe (Wolf 1988; Smail 1999). Subsequently,
it was shown that the virus is endemic among many marine and anadromous
fish species in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans (Meyers and
Winton 1995; Skall et al. 2005). Genetic analysis reveals that
isolates of VHSV can be divided into four genotypes that generally
correlate with geographic location with the North American isolates
generally falling into VHSV Genotype IV (Snow et al. 2004). In
2005-2006, reports from the Great Lakes region indicated that
wild fish had experienced disease or, in some cases, very large
die-offs from VHSV (Elsayed et al. 2006, Lumsden et al. 2007).
The new strain from the Great Lakes, now identified as VHSV Genotype
IVb, appears most closely related to isolates of VHSV from mortalities
that occurred during 2000-2004 in rivers and near-shore areas
of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Canada (Gagne et al. 2007).
The type IVb isolate found in the Great Lakes region is the only
strain outside of Europe that has been associated with significant
mortality in freshwater species.PDF
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Fish Can Get Diseases Too
Infectious diseases are increasingly recognized as an important
component of the ecology of fish in the wild. Many of the viral,
bacterial, protozoan and fungal pathogens of fish that were initially
discovered in captive fish have their origin among wild populations;
however, the impact of disease among these free-ranging stocks
has been difficult to study. At the WFRC, combinations of field
and laboratory investigations, aided by the tools of molecular
biology, have begun to provide information on the ecology of infectious
diseases among natural populations of fish in both freshwater
and marine ecosystems. PDF
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Klamath Basin: A Watershed Approach to Support Habitat Restoration, Species Recovery, and Water Resource Planning
Water allocation among human and natural resource uses in the
American West is challenging. Western rivers have been largely
managed for hydropower, irrigation, drinking water, and navigation.
Today land and water use practices have gained importance, particularly
as aging dams are faced with re-licensing requirements and provisions
of the Endangered Species and Clean Water Acts. Rising demand
for scarce water heightens the need for scientific research to
predict consequences of management actions on habitats, human
resource use, and fish and wildlife. Climate change, introduction
of invasive species, or restoration of fish passage can have large,
landscape-scaled consequences— research must expand to encompass
the appropriate scale and by applying multiple scientific disciplines
to complex ecosystem challenges improve the adaptive management
framework for decision-making. PDF
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Managing Water in the West:
Developing New Tools for a Critical Resource
Rapid population growth in the Western United States over the
last century has placed increasing strains on our water supplies
and aquatic ecosystems. Historically, water rights have been used
to determine the allocation of water in the West, but rules and
regulations related to endangered species now often drive how
water is released from reservoirs in large rivers such as the
lower Colorado and the Columbia. In numerous smaller watersheds,
communities are trying to balance the water necessary for human
use, irrigation, and the conservation of ecosystems.
To assist managers in the face of increasing complexity and uncertainty
in water management decision-making, the Western Fisheries Research
Center (WFRC) is involved in developing a new generation of integrative
tools. Below are some examples of the types of tools that already
exist within the WFRC. PDF
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Molecular Epidemiology of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus in the Great Lakes Region
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is considered by many nations and international organizations to be one of the most important viral pathogens of finfish (Office International des Epizooties 2007). For several decades following its initial characterization in the 1950s, VHSV was thought to be limited to Europe where it was regarded as an endemic pathogen of freshwater fish that was especially problematic for farmed rainbow trout, an introduced species (Wolf 1988; Smail 1999). Subsequently, it was shown that VHSV was present among many species of marine and anadromous fishes in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans where it has been associated with substantial mortality among both wild and cultured fish (Meyers and Winton 1995; Skall et al. 2005). PDF
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Otolith Research for Puget Sound
Background
Otoliths are hard structures located in the brain cavity of fish.
These structures are formed by a buildup of calcium carbonate
within a gelatinous matrix that produces light and dark bands
similar to the growth rings in trees. The width of the bands corresponds
to environmental factors such as temperature and food availability.
As juvenile salmon encounter different environments in their migration
to sea, they produce growth increments of varying widths and visible
“checks” corresponding to times of stress or change.
The resulting pattern of band variations and check marks leave
a record of fish growth and residence time in each habitat type.
This information helps Puget Sound restoration by determining
the importance of different habitats for the optimal health and
management of different salmon populations. The USGS Western Fisheries
Research Center (WFRC) provides otolith research findings directly
to resource managers who put this information to work. PDF
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The Columbia River Research
Laboratory
The Columbia River Research Laboratory, as part of the Western
Fisheries Research Center, conducts research on fishery issues
in the Columbia River Basin. Our mission is to:
Serve the public by providing scientific information
to support the stewardship of our Nation’s fish and aquatic
resources … by conducting objective, relevant research.
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The Western Fisheries Research Center
Studies: Threatened and Endangered Fishes
Within historical time, western native fish communities have faced increasing threats from habitat loss, invasive species, and pollution. It should come as no surprise that human development has greatly altered fish habitat in the west because of the importance of water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial uses, power generation, waste disposal, flood protection, and transportation. Fish that were adapted to natural cycles of river flow, lake levels, and water temperatures have been unable to adapt to the changes to these cycles caused by development, leading to the listing as threatened or endangered of 68 species of western native fishes. Rapid expansion of non-native fishes, aquatic plants, and invertebrates has increased competition for food and space while pollutants from past and present degrade our lakes, streams, and rivers. PDF
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WFRC Partners: Our Extended Family
For more than five decades the Western Fisheries Research Center (WFRC) has worked with partners to provide research findings to managers of aquatic resources. Those partners form an extended family, a network of clients, colleagues, co-investigators, and customers. Our partners include numerous clients in other Department of Interior bureaus such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the National Park Service. But there is much more--we have partners in other federal agencies, state agencies, and universities. The extended family includes tribal governments, and non-government organizations such as the Nature Conservancy and the Lower Columbia River Estuary Program. PDF
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