Mentor/s
Dr. Jennifer Mattei
Participation Type
Poster
Abstract
The life cycle of Anguilla rostrata (American Eels) involves a migratory route that originates at the Sargasso Sea, where adults spawn and hatchling glass eels traverse up rivers along the U.S. east coast. They spend their time feeding until they pass into the adult silver phase, when returning to the Sargasso Sea. This life cycle is threatened by anthropogenic barriers, such as hydropower plants and reservoirs. During downstream migration, eels are routinely injured/ killed when attempting to traverse these barriers. Here, the effects of lighting to deter migrating eels from intake pipes was examined. Fifty silver phase eels were tagged and released into the Aspetuck Reservoir. PIT telemetry was used to determine their preferred route; either down a dam spillway notch or the intake pipe of the Hemlock Reservoir. Of the tagged eels, 19 were observed to pass over the dam at night, during large rain events that provided increased flow. It is unknown if their preferred passage over the dam was through the spillway notch, or through spill events over the primary section of the dam. However, lighting used to keep eels out of the reservoir and heading over the spillway notch did improve the selection of the preferred migratory path.
College and Major available
Biology
Location
Digital Commons
Start Day/Time
4-24-2020 2:00 PM
End Day/Time
4-24-2020 4:00 PM
Prize Categories
Most Scholarly Impact or Potential, Best Multidisciplinary Research or Collaboration
Migration Challenges of the Anguilla rostrata (American Eel) from Anthropogenic Impacts.
Digital Commons
The life cycle of Anguilla rostrata (American Eels) involves a migratory route that originates at the Sargasso Sea, where adults spawn and hatchling glass eels traverse up rivers along the U.S. east coast. They spend their time feeding until they pass into the adult silver phase, when returning to the Sargasso Sea. This life cycle is threatened by anthropogenic barriers, such as hydropower plants and reservoirs. During downstream migration, eels are routinely injured/ killed when attempting to traverse these barriers. Here, the effects of lighting to deter migrating eels from intake pipes was examined. Fifty silver phase eels were tagged and released into the Aspetuck Reservoir. PIT telemetry was used to determine their preferred route; either down a dam spillway notch or the intake pipe of the Hemlock Reservoir. Of the tagged eels, 19 were observed to pass over the dam at night, during large rain events that provided increased flow. It is unknown if their preferred passage over the dam was through the spillway notch, or through spill events over the primary section of the dam. However, lighting used to keep eels out of the reservoir and heading over the spillway notch did improve the selection of the preferred migratory path.
Students' Information
Benjamin Miller, Biology, May 2020