masteratranMarius Heiß, a master student who has been working by River Ätran has finished his thesis titled “Evaluation of innovative rehabilitation measures targeting downstream migrating Atlantic salmon smolt (Salmo salar) at a hydroelectric power plant in southern Sweden” . In the abstract he writes:

“The ecological state of streams and rivers has aggravated on a global scale due to a wide range of anthropogenic influences. The disruption of migratory routes for diadromous fishes by hydroelectric power plants have led to major stock declines over the last century. As a result fishways have been built at many hydroelectric power plants in Europe to improve migration conditions at such obstacles. This measure may improve upstream migration, but typically does not solve corresponding passage problems for downstream migrating fish. Consequently large numbers of downstream migrants, e.g. Atlantic salmon smolt (Salmo salar), are forced to pass turbines on their way to the ocean. There are few rehabilitation measures specifically targeting downstream passage conditions and most of them lack scientific evaluation.

This thesis reports on a radio-telemetric-study to evaluate innovative rehabilitation measures targeting downstream migrating Atlantic salmon smolt, at a hydropower plant in southern Sweden. There had been extensive renovation works at the study site to improve passage conditions for migrating fishes. The conventional turbine rack and a modified conventional trash gate were replaced by a low sloping β-rack adjacent to a full depth bypass channel. Moreover, a nature-like fishway was built at the site.
The results show that the evaluated rehabilitation measures were able to significantly improve downstream passage conditions for Atlantic salmon smolts. Total passage success was high (94%) and bypass efficiency has increased by 68%, whereas the number of smolts passing through the turbines was reduced by 63%. Although there were some issues associated with the monitoring station in the new bypass, the results are promising and so prospective constructions of low-sloping β-racks with full-depth bypasses should lead to improved downstream passage conditions at additional hydroelectric power plants.”

Read the master thesis here.

streamecologyKarlstad University has a master program in Stream Ecology: The educational program focuses on the ecology of streams and rivers, but also includes how man affects different freshwater environments and sustainable solutions for problems in these environments. We are located on the banks of Scandinavia’s longest river, on the shores of the EU’s largest lake. We have field studies located throughout Sweden, with international cooperation throughout Europe and North America. We also house the largest indoor stream aquarium facility in Sweden, where research on stream ecology is conducted year round. Close cooperation with faculty, researchers, and graduate students with a strong commitment to stream ecology prepares you for further research or for employment in Sweden and abroad.

The programme is offered as both campus and distance studies with obligatory examinations at Karlstad University about 2-3 occasions each semester. The training focuses on the study of freshwater environments with special focus on running water connected to the strong research environment at Karlstad University. Particular emphasis is placed on studies of fish and other organisms in the anthropogenically-influenced habitats and on the methods to solve applied problems. The programme includes courses that certify certain specific areas in studies of freshwater environments and thus enables consulting on advanced level. You are also offered the opportunity to do thesis research connected to ongoing research projects or in cooperation with one of our external partners. Studies are conducted on the full-time schedule for two years. You plan, together with a counselor, how your studies will be (an individual study plan submitted). Because the programme focuses on applied research projects, you gain experience working with government, private, and non-profit agencies. You can also choose yourself the extent to which your studies are linked to the labor market through the elective courses you choose.

Admission to the programme requires Upper Secondary English course 5 or equivalent, and a Bachelor degree of 180 ECTS credits including at least 90 ECTS credits in Biology, with a profile in Ecology.

Contact director John Piccolo , director of studies or Stina Eriksson, student councellor.

Admission by 15 april!

Det går fortfarande att anmäla sig till masterkursen “Vetenskapliga metoder i sötvattensbiologi” som ges på Karlstads Universitet senare under våren:

“Under kursen möter du alla ingående moment i ett forskningsprojekt, så som frågeställning, studiedesign, genomförande, analys och presentation. Stor vikt läggs vid de senaste och viktigaste och metoderna som används inom forskning och miljöövervakning inom sötvattensekologi. Du får teoretiska och praktiska färdigheter för att fånga, märka och spåra fisk (telemetri); elfiske, biotopkartering, hydraulisk kartläggning, bottenfaunaprovtagning, provtagning på stormusslor m.m. Dessutom får du en unik kompetens i hur man återskapar upp- och nedströmspassage för fisk i reglerade vattendrag. Intyg på genomgånga moment ger dig möjlighet att åberopa färdigheterna när du söker jobb. I kursen medverkar forskare och doktorander i rinnande vattens ekologi  och undervisningen sker i direkt kontakt med de högaktuella forskningsprojekt som pågår vid biologiavdelningen.” Ansök här.

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Filmtips: Mellan bleke och storm

Posted by Daniel Nyqvist | Nyheter

‘Mellan bleke och storm’ är en dokumentärfilm om tre yrkesfiskare i Vänern. Fiskarna berättar en del om livet som fiskare och om fisken de fångar. Filmen följer dem över årstiderna.  Den kan just nu ses online på SVT-Play.

fiskare

När vi ändå pratar om fiske i Vänern så organiseras en konferens i ämnet i Lidköping under slutet av Januari: Nationell fiskekonferens: Livskraftigt fiske i Vänern – även i framtiden. NRRV planerar att vara på plats.

“Downstream” är en kort film om nedströmsmigration, passage-åtgärder och forskning kring fiskbeteende. Filmen finns tillgänglig på Youtube:

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Filmen är tyskspråkig (från Schweiz) med engelsk text. Fiskar som förekommer i filmen är harr (äsche) , öring (forelle), barb (barbe) och strömlöja (Schneider).

NoWPaS 2015

Posted by Daniel Nyqvist | Events

nowpaslogoNoWPaS är en workshop för doktorander och post-docs som jobbar med Atlantlax och vandrande öring. Förra året organiserades workshopen på Långberget i Värmland. I år kommer NoWPaS att gå av stapeln i Galway, Irland  den 7-10 April.

Organiseringskommittéen meddelar:

“Registration for the 2015 NoWPaS workshop is now open. For the first time since its creation, we are excited to bring the 11th NoWPaS workshop to Ireland.

To register for NoWPaS 2015, please email nowpas2015@nowpas.eu with your name, institution and presentation title before 13th February 2015. The number of attendees at the NoWPaS 2015 workshop is limited, and registrations will be accepted on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

Please disseminate this information to people/labs/research groups who may be interested.

Please find more information about NoWPaS in the attached flyer

Vinterekologi och predation

Posted by Daniel Nyqvist | Vinterekologi

Istäckta vattendrag påverkar fisken och dess ekologi. Utan is är fisken i det kalla vattnet relativt långsam och särskilt utsatt för predation från endoterma djur – fåglar och däggdjur – vars rörelser inte på samma sätt påverkas av kylan. Men när vattenytan fryser, bildar istäcket ett skydd från terrester predation. På filmen nedan ser man tydligt hur fiskarna under isen kan ägna sig åt andra aktiviteter än att vara vaksamma för endoterma predatorer, t ex födosök och interaktioner med andra fiskindivider?

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Johan Watz har specialiserat sig på laxfiskars vinterkologi. Läs hans forskning i till exempel: Effects of ice cover on the diel behaviour and ventilation rate of juvenile brown trout“.

John Piccolo och Martin Österling är medförfattare på artikeln Genomics and the challenging translation into conservation practice”, publicerad i Trends in Ecology and Evolution. I artikelns inledning skriver författarna:

“The global loss of biodiversity continues at an alarming rate. Genomic approaches have been suggested as a promising tool for conservation practice as scaling up to genome-wide data can improve traditional conservation genetic inferences and provide qualitatively novel insights. However, the generation of genomic data and subsequent analyses and interpretations remain challenging and largely confined to academic research in ecology and evolution. This generates a gap between basic research and applicable solutions for conservation managers faced with multifaceted problems. Before the real-world conservation potential of genomic research can be realized, we suggest that current infrastructures need to be modified, methods must mature, analytical pipelines need to be eveloped, and successful case studies must be disseminated to practitioners.”

Läs artikeln här.

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