Abstract Frozen winters define life at high latitudes and altitudes. However, recent, rapid changes in winter conditions have highlighted our relatively poor understanding of ecosystem function relative to other seasons. Winter ecological processes can affect reproduction, growth, survival, fitness, whereas that occur during seasons, such as summer production, mediate how organisms fare winter. As interest grows ecology, there is a need clearly provide thought-provoking framework for...

Abstract Anthropogenic influences, including climate change, are increasing river temperatures in northern and temperate regions threatening the thermal habitats of native salmonids. When exceed tolerance levels brook trout Atlantic salmon, individuals exhibit behavioural thermoregulation by seeking out cold‐water refugia – often created tributaries groundwater discharge. Thermal infrared (TIR) imagery was used to map anomalies along a 53 km reach Cains River, New Brunswick. Trout salmon...

Abstract River temperature exerts a critical control on habitat for aquatic biota. As the climate warms in eastern Canada, threats to habitats of cold‐water species will increase, underpinning necessity develop an understanding landscape‐scale, thermal regimes flowing waters. We assessed performance spatial statistical network (SSN) models river using high‐resolution infrared imagery (0.6 m) and LiDAR (1 compared NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM—30 topographic data interrogate...

Abstract Many of the world's rivers are ice‐covered during winter months but increasing evidence indicates that extent river ice will shift substantially as winters warm. However, our knowledge lags far behind growing season, limiting understanding how loss affect rivers. Physical, chemical, and biological processes change from headwaters to large rivers; thus, we expect resulting effects on ecology could also vary with size, a result associated changes in geomorphology, temperature regimes,...

Abstract Molecular techniques offer sensitive, specific, noninvasive monitoring of target species from a variety environmental samples. We recently developed CRISPR‐Cas‐based eDNA assay for rapid single‐species detection as route to simple, cost‐effective biosensor device. diagnostic assays use isothermal conditions in combination with highly specific sequence recognition system. This CRISPR‐Cas was designed Salmo salar , and we previously demonstrated its utility samples sites Ireland. The...

When exposed to increased water temperatures, salmonids abandon territories and relocate areas of cool (thermal refuges). Using juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) as a model species, our study, conducted over two seasons (2009 2010) with 636 parr tagged by Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) across 9 km the Little Southwest Miramichi river, investigated effects high temperature stress on their movement. We aimed determine extent travel thermal refuges, primary direction, duration within...

Abstract In situ monitoring of periglacial dynamics is essential for the study morphology and design mitigation adaptation measures infrastructure in permafrost zones. Evaluation future effects climate change on from environment requires understanding surficial internal deformation processes. Monitoring still uncommon, primarily because high costs. By contrast, major advancements remote‐sensing technologies allow detailed assessment surface large areas. Technological are anticipated to...

The advent of remotely-sensed high-resolution imagery has led to the development methods map river bathymetry. In this study, we utilized depth and quantify hydraulic habitats at catchment scale (>1000 km2) during low flows. Using 0.3-m airborne multi-spectral (resampled 0.5 m), mapped contiguous (124 km) within a well-established Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) – Little Southwest Miramichi, New Brunswick. We built image-derived maps with without field data...

Winter conditions impose dramatic constraints on temperate, boreal, and polar ecosystems, shape the abiotic biotic interactions underpinning these systems. At high latitudes, winter can last longer than growing season may have a disproportionately large impact organisms ecosystems. Even so, our understanding of ecological implications is often lacking. Indeed, even what exactly defines currently unclear, boundaries that delineate this are blurred across marine, freshwater, terrestrial realms...

Abstract Behavioural thermoregulation is a survival strategy that occurs in response to an exceedance of thermal stress‐inducing thresholds. When salmonids experience these thresholds, they seek regions colder water, known as refuges. During extreme temperature event summer 2021 (main stem ~31.5°C) large aggregation Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar —all age classes) and brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis —>20 cm) was observed on the Little Southwest Miramichi River New Brunswick, Canada....

Climate change is driving higher coastal water levels, and models project accelerated future sea-level rise storm intensification. paired with anthropogenic alterations will drive drastic worldwide. Composite beaches mixed sediment sizes warrant detailed study as these exhibit complex dynamics in response to changing hydrodynamics due the distinct transport thresholds of different types. This uses a novel multi-method approach investigate composite sand-cobble beach Atlantic Canada...

In 1979, the Shortnose Sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) population of Saint John River, New Brunswick, was estimated at 18,000 ± 5400 individuals. More recently, an estimate 4836 69 individuals in 2005, and between 3852 5222 2009 2011, made based on a single winter aggregation Kennebecasis Bay location thought to contain large proportion population. These data, combination with River serving as sole spawning for Canada prompted species designation “Special Concern” 2015 under Canada’s...

Thermal refuges are becoming increasingly influential for dictating the population status and spatial distribution of cold-water stenotherm salmonids in mid- to southern extent their range. The global climate is predicted continue warm, therefore, overall thermal suitability freshwater habitats stream decline concert. However, river heterogeneity will offer considerable resiliency these populations. formed by many physical processes; common natural include cold tributary plumes, groundwater...

Regolith, or unconsolidated materials overlying bedrock, exists as an active zone for many geological, geomorphological, hydrological and ecological processes. This its processes are foundational to wide-ranging human needs activities such water supply, mineral exploration, forest harvesting, agriculture, engineered structures. Regolith thickness, depth-to-bedrock (DTB), is typically unavailable restricted finer scale assessments because of the technical cost limitations traditional...

Abstract Continuity and discontinuity are fundamental concepts of ecosystem science. In reality, both continuities discontinuities can exist; lentic lotic systems expand contract as soil/rock moisture groundwater systems. Surface water, soil moisture, rock groundwater, represent hydrological domains that interconnected. Under a state expansion each domain may be characterized by spatial continuity; for instance, river entirely flow connected. However, under contraction, appear, the become...

Fragmentation of stream networks from anthropogenic structures such as road culverts can affect the health a catchment by negatively affecting ecosystem's biota, their movements, abundance, and species richness. We present framework using publicly available LiDAR orthophotography to locate identify crossings, i.e. most prolific barriers in forested landscapes, evaluate fragmentation passability at landscape scale. Coupling network private 3,223 km2 study area, we identified 1,052 crossings...

Thermal mapping of surface waters and the land via UAVs offers exciting opportunities in many scientific disciplines; however, unresolved issues persist related to accuracy drift uncooled microbolometric thermal infrared (TIR) sensors. Curiously, most commercially available UAV-based TIR sensors are black, which will theoretically facilitate heating sensor absorbed solar radiation. Accordingly, we tested hypothesis that modifying absorptivity can reduce by limiting absorptance associated...

Abstract In recent decades, there has been an increase in conservation and restoration projects targeting Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar – AS), as populations eastern Canada decline. Missing however, is understanding of thermo‐hydraulic habitat use by adult AS during summer, thus the actual benefits altering in‐river physical structures. Here, we illustrated how optical thermal infrared (TIR) imagery acquired from a UAV can be used concert with in‐situ depth velocity data to map develop...

Abstract Groundwater can be important in regulating stream thermal regimes cold, temperate regions, and as such, it a significant factor for aquatic biota habits habitats. typically remains at constant temperature through time; that is, is warmer than surface water winter cooler summer. Further, small tributaries are often dominated by groundwater during low flows of We exploit these patterns to identify delineate tributary/groundwater inputs along frozen river (ice‐on) using publically...

Abstract Broadening our understanding of river thermal variability is paramount importance considering the role temperature plays in aquatic ecosystem health. At catchment scale, spatial statistical network models (SSN) are popular for analyses temperature, as these less “data hungry” than other modeling methods, and have offered invaluable insights into how habitats salmonids may change with climate warming. However, recent work has demonstrated that hydrogeological complexity can disrupt...

The role of temperature on biological activities and the correspondent exponential relationship with has been known for over a century. However, lacking to date is knowledge relating (a) recovery ectotherms subjected extreme temperatures in wild, (b) effects repeated have that induce behavioural thermoregulation (aggregations). We examined these questions by testing hypothesis thermal thresholds which initiate aggregations juvenile Atlantic salmon (AS) (Salmo salar) are not static, but...

Abstract Groundwater temperature is a critical control on groundwater quality, geothermal system efficiency and ecosystem dynamics in receiving surface waters. Despite the known importance of temperature, there lack dedicated aquifer thermal monitoring across spatial temporal scales. Pressure transducers other sensors installed well networks often record as secondary function, but these comprehensive data sets are seldom analysed. In this study, we analysed seasonal, interannual patterns...

Abstract The presence of dams on the Columbia River (CR) has reduced Sockeye Salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka|sćwin ) numbers to a fraction their historic numbers. Syilx Okanagan Nation Alliance (SONA) led voices concern regarding impacts diminishing ecosystem health sawsitkʷ|Okanagan (s|OR), tributary CR. In early 2000s efforts commenced rehabilitate s|OR population. These have seen population rise from running average 40,000 200,000. However, contemporary spawning capacity is unknown, and this...

Abstract Imaging sonars, such as the Adaptive Resolution Sonar (ARIS), provide high‐resolution sonar data that are used in fisheries research and management. While methods have enormous potential for making population estimates, species identification via remains an unresolved challenge. One method may overcome this challenge involves measuring tailbeat frequencies to guide differentiation. The of three commonly sympatric anadromous fish eastern North America, Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar ,...