Another Layer of Intrigue: The Importance of Stream Network Location in Explaining Density Patterns for Juvenile Coho Salmon

For aquatic dependent species, the stream network is the template for connectivity among habitats and individuals. Habitat quality has long been identified as an important factor in the survival and development of healthy populations. For aquatic species, the context of habitat within the mosaic of the riverscape has been challenging to quantify. This project was developed to compare the effectiveness of traditional in-stream habitat metrics with metrics that described the spatial location of habitat within the stream network when explaining density of juvenile coho salmon. We found that metrics that described the proximity between important in-stream habitats was more important than habitat quality in explaining density patterns of juvenile coho salmon over time.