Salmonid Research Observatory Network (SaRON)

Overview

The Flathead Lake Biological Station (FLBS) of The University of Montana, in collaboration with the Wild Salmon Center (WSC), Moscow State University (MGU), and other partners, assembled a multidisciplinary team of scientists to document salmonid biodiversity and productivity. These were studied as influenced by natural and cultural processes across a suite of pristine Pacific salmon river ecosystems referred to as observatories.

The research focused on salmonid habitat requirements, which appeared to vary by life history stage and population structure. Productivity of habitat was understood to be controlled by nonlinear biophysical processes that created and maintained a dynamic Shifting Habitat Mosaic (SHM) throughout river corridors from headwaters to the ocean.

The research also addressed how salmon rivers and their populations responded to climate change. Runoff and temperature patterns were identified as primary determinants of river habitat and strongly influenced salmon productivity. Because both variables were expected to change significantly due to climate warming, improved understanding of climate effects was needed to support conservation strategies. Human activities were recognized as reducing the natural variability of rivers, often in predictable ways that could be corrected with improved modeling and understanding of salmon productivity within the SHM framework.

Program History

The program was funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation as part of its Wild Salmon Ecosystems Initiative. FLBS initiated the program in Kamchatka, Russia, in 2001 through partnerships with WSC and MGU, focusing on the Kol and Utkholok Rivers. This work was conducted under the Kamchatka Salmon Biodiversity Program (KSBP).

In 2004, research expanded to North America through collaborations with the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and the Haisla First Nation in British Columbia. Additional observatories were added in subsequent years, including the Lower Skeena River (2005), the Taku River (2006), and the Stikine River (2008). Research also expanded into the contiguous United States with projects in Idaho and Oregon.

Partnerships included federal, state, provincial, tribal, NGO, and local organizations. Collaborators expanded to include agencies such as Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the US Forest Service, and several universities.

In 2007, the project expanded to include modeling efforts. Data collected from observatories were used to model nutrient flow and predict habitat productivity. These models aimed to identify rivers with the highest potential for salmon production and assess climate change impacts.

Field crews also collected data from non-observatory rivers, referred to as Synoptic rivers, to support modeling. These rivers were selected to represent a wide range of characteristics. Expeditions were conducted in Alaska and British Columbia during 2007 and 2008.

The Salmonid Rivers Observatory Network was planned as a 10-year effort (2002–2012). Early phases focused on site identification and protocol development, while later phases emphasized continued data collection, modeling, and integration with related projects.

During the final phase, the program entered a period of analysis, including data evaluation, publication preparation, and development of conservation outreach initiatives.

Methods

• Remote sensing, multispectral imagery, and field mapping were used to classify and quantify aquatic and riparian habitats.
• Acoustic Doppler profiling was used to measure depth, velocity, and hydro-geomorphic characteristics.
• Water temperature and physical features such as wood debris, substrate size, and groundwater input were used to characterize habitats.
• River chemistry and nutrient availability were analyzed in relation to food web productivity.
• Biological communities, including plants, invertebrates, fish, and vegetation, were studied within food web contexts using isotope and lipid analyses.
• Non-lethal tissue sampling was used to study population genetics.
• Fish growth and life history were assessed through measurements and structural analyses.
• Population characteristics such as density, movement, and growth were measured using electrofishing and snorkeling surveys.
• Modeling approaches were used to predict nutrient cycling and habitat productivity.
• Climate change models were used to assess potential impacts on river systems.

Data Management

Despite advances in technology, ecological data management had remained slow to evolve due to constraints such as limited budgets, resistance to change, and reliance on simple tools. These challenges created barriers to effective data integration and sharing.

To address these issues, scalable systems were implemented to manage data collection, processing, storage, and reporting. FLBS developed standardized protocols to ensure consistent data collection across multiple sites and ecosystems.

An Ecodata Portal was also developed to centralize and manage distributed data. This system allowed researchers to enter, update, and access data through a collaborative web interface.

Outreach

The program produced publications, reports, presentations, and affiliated research outputs. White papers were developed to communicate key findings related to salmon decline, habitat dynamics, and ecosystem processes.

Science Team

• Jack Stanford – Program Leader, ecosystem processes
• John Kimball – Co-program leader, ecosystem modeling
• Dmitry S. Pavlov – Co-program leader, fish ecology
• Richard Hauer – Habitat assessment
• Mark Lorang – Geomorphology and modeling
• Bonnie K. Ellis – Food web ecology
• Megan V. McPhee – Population genetics
• Ksenia Savvaitova – Fish taxonomy and ecology
• Kirill Kuzishchin – Fish ecology and coordination
• Marina Gruzdeva – Life history analysis
• Pavel Kirillov – Juvenile fish behavior
• Jason Mouw – Riparian ecology
• Peter Rand – Fish population dynamics
• Samantha Chilcote – Research coordination
• Brian Kennedy – Fish and wildlife research
• Emily Bernhardt – Nutrient modeling
• Geoff Poole – Nutrient modeling
• Meredith Wright – Nutrient modeling
• James Gannon – Nutrient modeling
• Tom Bansak – Research coordination
• Diane Whited – GIS and remote sensing
• Phil Matson – GIS processing
• Don Schenck – Data management
• Joann Wallenburn – Database management
• Jeremy Nigon – Systems operations
• Kristin Olson – Laboratory operations
• Bob Newell – Invertebrate taxonomy
• Tyler Tappenbeck – Field leadership
• Deana Dewire – GIS processing

Graduate Students

• Michelle Anderson – Juvenile salmonid ecology
• Zach Crete – Pond ecology
• Kelly Crispen – Salmonid ecology
• Lorri Eberle – Feeding ecology
• Aaron Hill – Paleo-ecology
• Rachel Malison – Fish movement
• Michael Morris – Nutrient cycling
• Sarah O'Neal – Population ecology
• Tyler Tappenbeck – River ecology
• Audrey Thompson – Amphipod ecology

Field Crews

Multiple field crews operated across different regions including Alaska, British Columbia, and the Pacific Northwest. These teams included scientists, graduate students, and local collaborators who conducted field data collection and research activities at observatory and synoptic river sites.

 

SaRON Field Crews

Kwethluk Field Crew (2009)

• Rachel Malison – FLBS Graduate Student
• John Malison – FLBS Assistant Scientist
• Dan Stone – FLBS Volunteer Research Assistant
• Nathan Hoeme – Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge Researcher
• Zach Crete – Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge Researcher
• Olin Twitchell – Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge Researcher

Umpqua Field Crew (2009)

• Kelly Crispen – FLBS Graduate Student
• Lorri Eberle – FLBS Assistant Scientist
• Jason Coates  – FLBS Assistant Scientist
• Josh Epstein – FLBS Assistant Scientist
• Mark Schaffer – FLBS Assistant Scientist

Kitlope Field Crew (2008)

• Tom Bansak – North American Science Coordinator and FLBS Research Scientist
• Tyler Tappenbeck – FLBS Scientist and Field Crew Leader
• Anne Goulet – FLBS Assistant Scientist
• Mark Schaffer – FLBS Assistant Scientist and Field Crew Leader
• Lindsey Magdanz – FLBS Assistant Scientist
• Jim Craft – FLBS Scientist
• Patricia Bolton – Na Na Kila Watchman
• Mike Wilson – Na Na Kila Watchman

Kol Field Crew (2008)

• Dr. Kirill Kuzishchin – Kol Camp Science Leader
• Dr. Marina Gruzdeva – MGU Scientist
• Dr. Pavel Kirillov  – MGU Scientist
• Andrei Elnikov – MGU Assistant Scientist

Skeena Field Crew (2008)

• Tom Bansak – North American Science Coordinator and FLBS Research Scientist
• Tyler Tappenbeck – FLBS Scientist and Field Crew Leader
• Anne Goulet  – FLBS Assistant Scientist
• Mark Schaffer – FLBS Assistant Scientist and Field Crew Leader
• Lindsey Magdanz – FLBS Assistant Scientist
• Jim Craft – FLBS Scientist
• Russell Bolton – Kitsumkalum Fisheries
• Rob Manion – Kitsumkalum Fisheries

Taku Field Crew (2008)

• Tyler Tappenbeck – FLBS Scientist and Field Crew Leader  
• Lindsey Magdanz – FLBS Assistant Scientist
• Mark Connor – Taku River Tlingit Fisheries
• Jerry Jack – Taku River Tlingit Fisheries

Big Creek, Salmon River Field Crew (2008)

• Dr. Brian Kennedy – Affiliated Senior Scientist - University of Idaho Assistant Professor
• Ellen Hamann – University of Idaho Graduate Student
• Kara Cromwell – University of Idaho Graduate Student

Alaska Synoptic Field Crew (2008)

• Dr. Samantha Chilcote – Alaska Synoptic Coordinator and FLBS Senior Post Doctoral Scholar
• Dr. Jack Stanford – SaRON Program Leader and FLBS Director
• Dr. Bonnie Elllis – FLBS Research Assistant Professor
• Diane Whited – FLBS Scientist
• Deana Dewire – FLBS Scientist
• Sarah O'Neal – FLBS Assistant Scientist
• David Colbeck – FLBS Volunteer Research Assistant
• Philip Kedrowski – FLBS Volunteer Research Assistant

British Columbia Synoptic Field Crew (2008)

• Tom Bansak – North American Science Coordinator and FLBS Research Scientist
• Tyler Tappenbeck – FLBS Scientist
• Anne Goulet  – FLBS Assistant Scientist
• Mark Schaffer – FLBS Assistant Scientist
• Lindsey Magdanz – FLBS Assistant Scientist
• Russell Bolton – Kitsumkalum Fisheries
• Alex Joseph – Tahltan Fisheries
• Mark Connor – Tahltan Fisheries

Kwethluk Field Crew (2008)

• Nathan Hoeme – Research Coordinator
• Thomas Chandler – Field Crew Leader
• Zach Crete – FLBS Assistant Scientist
• Olin Twitchell – Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge

Taku Field Crew (2008)

• Tom Bansak – North American Science Coordinator and FLBS Research Scientist
• Dr. Mark Lorang – FLBS Research Assistant Professor
• Mark Connor – Taku River Tlingit Fisheries
• Jerry Jack – Taku River Tlingit Fisheries

Kol Field Crew (2008)

• Dr. Kirill Kuzishchin – Kol Camp Science Leader
• Dr. Samantha Chilcote – FLBS Russian Science Coordinator
• Marina Gruzdeva – MGU Scientist
• Anna Malutina – MGU Assistant Scientist
• Denis Shavernitsckyy - MGU Assistant Scientist

Utkholok Field Crew (2008)

• Pavel Kirillov – Utkholok Camp Science Lead and MGU Scientist
• Elizabeta Kirillov  – MGU Assistant Scientist
• Sergey Sokolov – MGU Assistant Scientist

News

National Geographic, "Where the Salmon Rule"

New York Times, "To Study Russia's Rainbow Trout, Catch Them First"

New York Times, "Salmon Find an Ally in the Far East of Russia"

 

Cooperators

• Flathead Lake Biological Station
• Wild Salmon Center
• Moscow State University
• Alaska Department of Fish and Game
• University of Idaho
• Nana Kila Haisla First Nation
• Kitsum Kalum First Nation
• Taku River Tlingit First Nation
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada