JUNE 2ND, 2022, AT 6:30 PM VIA ZOOM
From small headwater streams to salty tidal channels, few species have such diverse behaviors as salmonids. The complexity of their genetic lineage allows them to survive in remarkably variable and dynamic stream conditions. One question scientists are asking is, “How well will salmonids survive under future climates that will affect their habitats?”
For species like Pacific salmonids who use the entire watershed, we would expect different effects in freshwater, the estuary, and the ocean. What we don’t know is whether our native species have enough adaptive resilience to survive the potentially confounding effects of a changing climate across these varied environments.
In this talk, Dr. Flitcroft will discuss the development and adaptation of Pacific salmon to Northwest stream environments, some of the changes we may expect to see in the future, and how scientists answer these questions.
Dr Rebecca Flitcroft is a Research Fish Biologist with the United States Forest Service at the Pacific Northwest Research Station, Oregon, USA, and co-chair of the Freshwater Specialist Group with the World Commission on Protected Areas. Dr. Flitcroft received her doctorate in Fisheries Science and Masters of Science in Natural Resource Geography from Oregon State University, and completed her undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and Economics at Willamette University. Her current research focuses on Pacific salmonids, multiscale aquatic ecosystem assessments over time, effects of disturbances on aquatic ecosystems and native biota, community-based conservation planning, and aquatic biodiversity. Dr. Flitcroft particularly enjoys opportunities to work in multi-disciplinary groups that allow the complexity of the natural world to be more fully represented in research questions and studies. In her work, she has collaborated with federal, state, private and non-profit organizations to develop scientifically rigorous approaches to catchment management.
