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Show Brine Shrimp Population and Harvest Census ( DWR) Brine Shrimp Ecology of Great Salt Lake Beaches ( DWR) A significant local effort is the National Audubon Society's Feasibility Study for the South Shore Wetlands Ecological Reserve of the Great Salt Lake ( 1995). This was an investigation of the potential of restoring the natural inflow of freshwater to the prehistoric river channel and delta of the Jordan River. The results of this study indicated that a state of the art ecosystem wetland habitat restoration effort would have a high likelihood of success. This is one example of an effort focusing on improving habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds and other water birds. Research As mentioned previously, in July 1996, DWR formed GSLEP. The purpose of this project is to exclusively dedicate personnel to research and management of the GSL ecosystems, focusing on the relationships of aquatic species of the lake to resident and migratory birds. As implementation of the project began, it became apparent that no one had previously attempted to manage a naturally occurring brine shrimp population or the bird populations that rely upon it. Therefore, the methodologies and techniques had to be developed for the first time to gain the necessary data. GSLEP is staffed by the project leader, an aquatic biologist, a wildlife biologist, a wildlife technician and various biological aides hired seasonally. Law enforcement officers conduct field operations during the harvesting season and at other times as necessary to regulate the brine shrimp harvesters. To address the broad ecological questions necessary for management of the ecosystem, DWR has contracted with a number of researchers. Dr. Gary Belovsky of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and Ecology Center at USU was contracted to research factors influencing the dynamics of the brine shrimp population and develop a population model. A preliminary model was developed using available data from the lake and pertinent literature. Model components included primary and secondary production in the lake as it influences the brine shrimp population dynamics and standing crop of shrimp, rate of shrimp consumption by harvesters and birds and the cycling of nutrients back to the system. Values from the literature were used in place of available GSL data when appropriate, however in many instances, no literature values were available for the required parameters. Many of the research endeavors of the GSLEP are targeted at these deficiencies. From the model, annual shrimp production in the lake, amount of forage required by the birds, quantity of cysts harvested and the amount of cysts that are needed to restart the population the following spring can be predicted. Other research projects currently underway at USU include determining the overwinter mortality of cysts within the lake, construction of a literature database on salt lake ecosystems and a study of corixid predation on brine shrimp. A research project on Eared grebe- brine shrimp interactions is underway. Dr. Michael Conover of USU is the contracted researcher. 82 |
