These turbulent times: Interactions between fish and turbulence-generating simulated instream restoration structures and their influence on fish energy use and habitat selection

Due to extensive human modification, streams and rivers are among the most degraded ecosystem types on the planet. Habitat degradation and loss are among the factors leading to widespread declines in the abundance of freshwater fish, and thus riverine fish have borne the brunt of the damage. In recent decades, river restoration has emerged as a tool aimed at reversing the degradation of rivers. River restoration commonly utilizes instream restoration structures to create and improve fish habitat in an effort to reverse population declines. Such structures alter the natural flow of a river and generate additional turbulence. Turbulence has major impacts on fish energetics, swimming performance, and behavior. However, the effects of turbulence on fish have largely been ignored in the implementation and design of instream restoration structures. Therefore, the goal of my research was to investigate the interplay between fish energetics, habitat selection, and turbulence generated by structures. In my first study, I utilized a small-scale laboratory experiment to examine how close-range interactions between fish and turbulence-generating structures at the microhabitat scale impacted fish swimming stability and energetics. For my second and third studies, I utilized large-scale laboratory experiments. In my second study, I identified the specific aspects of turbulent flow that most influence fish energetic costs, and yielded bioenergetics models that can be employed to predict fish energy use in turbulence. Finally, in my third study, I quantified how energetics and turbulent flow jointly mediate fish habitat selection. Together, these three studies provide novel insight into fish usage of and responses to the turbulence generated by structures and, in turn, serves to increase the success of restoration activities by identifying a range of flow characteristics that are attractive to and can provide energetic benefits for fish.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Ecol, Evol, Conservation Biol

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Strailey, Katherine Kealoha

Contributors dc:contributor

• Suski, Cory D
• Cienciala, Piotr
• Tinoco, Rafael O
• Rhoads, Bruce L
• Ward, Michael P
• Enders, Eva C

• Fish Physiology
• Stream Restoration
• Energetics
• Conservation Physiology
• Turbulence
• Habitat

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2022 Katherine Strailey

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/117724

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F117724