Listening in on where brook trout live
Ultrasonic transmitters have been implanted in brook trout in Stringer and Scott Lakes in Algonquin Park in spring 2009. Transmitters have also been implanted in common suckers in Stringer Lake. The acoustic array in each lake is set up with new Vemco receivers that permit 3D mapping of fish position in each lake. Brook trout lakes are one of the iconic symbols of Algonquin Park and there are still many questions related to their ecology and monitoring that need to be addressed.
The purpose of the project is to:
- Determine the availability of brook trout to monitoring methods such as standardized netting and hydroacoustics;
- Determine the extent of spatial segregation between brook trout and suckers ~ and compare with a lake (Scott Lk) without suckers;
- Determine habitat selection by these species on a daily and seasonal basis;
- Test hypotheses regarding spatial movements of males and females within the mating system;
- Apply the known-fate model for survival estimates.
The project is just beginning in 2009 and the plan is to run the array for two years.
The Lake Opeongo projects focusing on depth selection in smallmouth bass and lake trout are in the write-up phase.
Back To Aquatic Projects.