Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) reduces juvenile Pacific salmon prey abundance in a large Pacific Northwest estuary

The Fraser River Estuary, British Columbia, provides important habitat for juvenile Pacific salmon as they migrate
downstream. The tidal marshes that support these juvenile salmon are under pressure from urban development,
pollution, sea-level rise, and invasive species. One invasive plant that thrives in these habitats is purple loosestrife.
It outcompetes native vegetation and can become the dominant plant in tidal wetlands. However, the impact that
purple loosestrife has on the prey resources that juvenile salmon need is poorly understood. Furthermore, efforts
to control purple loosestrife spread in the region lack the follow up monitoring necessary to determine their efficacy.
This research aims to address these knowledge gaps by (1) measuring the differences in juvenile Pacific salmon
prey abundance in invaded and reference marshes and (2) determining the cost-effectiveness of current control
methods for purple loosestrife in the region

Faculty Supervisor:

Tara Martin

Student:

Partner:

Raincoast Conservation Foundation

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Other services (except public administration); Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: