Assessment and Mapping of the Drivers of Temperatures at Thermal Refuges on the Restigouche River Watershed with Management Implications for Climate Change

Critical river habitats are being affected by climate change, and so are the species that need them for survival. These habitats are called thermal refuges, or cold-water patches, and they protect aquatic species from thermal stress and mortality. Some of these species include Atlantic salmon and Atlantic sturgeon, and are found on the Restigouche River watershed. With climate change threatening to increase water temperatures, the need to protect these habitats is becoming increasingly important. These species have cultural and ecological importance to the communities that reside within the watershed. Our goal is to explore how different landscape characteristics create thermal refuges, more specifically confluence plumes, and how we can plan for conservation and management to ensure that they are protected for the species that use them for their survival.

Faculty Supervisor:

Charles Sacobie

Student:

Partner:

Gespe’gewa’gi Institute of Natural Understanding

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Agriculture; Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of New Brunswick

Program: