This study is a unique examination of how local, regional and broad-scale environmental conditions influence fish recruitment, rearing, and reproduction in diverse habitats, including restored wetlands. By combining water quality, nutrient availability, and local input/export data with zooplankton, epibenthic invertebrates, and fish sampling data, a model of ecosystem function is being developed. This model help inform how effectively tidal marsh restoration projects work to support native fish populations in the CLC.

This research explores:

-How changes in overland flow influence conditions for pelagic and native species

-Hydrodynamic variability and its influence on biomass accumulation and food availability for pelagic organisms

-Pulses of primary productivity and subsequent effects on food webs

-Drivers of differences in fish community composition among sloughs

-Restoration outcomes

For data, contact jrdurand@ucdavis.edu