A Conceptual Model of the Aquatic Food Web of the Upper San Francisco Estuary

Management of Invasive Water Hyacinth as Both a Nuisance Weed and Invertebrate Habitat

“…More generally, the decaying water hyacinth plants may provide a resource pulse or temporary subsidy for fish, because as the plants begin to sink, and root structures degrade, the epiphytic invertebrates disperse and are much easier to prey upon when they lack the protective cover of submerged roots (Padial et al 2009). Concentration of prey can result in increased strike success and reduced search time for fish (Ware 1972 (Durand 2015). However, since the CDBW's herbicide applications are spaced temporally and geographically throughout the growing season, weed mats senesce and sink in a mosaic fashion, which may allow invertebrates to move between habitat patches.…”

Synthesis of data from high-frequency nutrient and associated biogeochemical monitoring for the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, northern California

“…Liberty Island lies within the northern Delta range of the delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) distribution, which includes the Cache Slough Complex and the Sacramento Deepwater Shipping Channel. As part of the "North Delta Arc" (Durand, 2015), it also is an important region for salmon and other native species. Features of the northern Delta habitats include strong tidal exchanges with the Sacramento River, occasional winter flood flows from the Yolo Bypass to its north, subsidies of phytoplankton productivity from numerous tributaries and dead-end sloughs, and low salinity (about 0.5 practical salinity units [psu]) from the lower Sacramento River.…”

Evaluating the Aquatic Habitat Potential of Flooded Polders in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta

“…The dominance of tidal energy may promote mixed residence times across the landscape (Durand 2015), promoting pelagic food webs. Low background nutrient levels may limit invasions of C. fluminea and E. densa to some degree; however, this is currently a key uncertainty.…”

“…Tidal energy creates mixed residence times along longitudinal gradients, which promote diversity and exchange of pelagic food web constituents and fish. In contrast, regions with low hydrodynamic energy create lake-like environments that tend to be dominated by alien fishes and aquatic plants, lack directional flows to support anadromous fishes, and have limited capacity to support and export pelagic food resources (Lucas et al 1999a(Lucas et al , 2002Jones et al 2008;Lehman et al 2008Lehman et al , 2009Fleenor et al 2010;Durand 2015).…”