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eco.montJournal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management
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Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften Austrian Academy of Sciences Press
A-1011 Wien, Dr. Ignaz Seipel-Platz 2
Tel. +43-1-515 81/DW 3420, Fax +43-1-515 81/DW 3400 https://verlag.oeaw.ac.at, e-mail: verlag@oeaw.ac.at |
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DATUM, UNTERSCHRIFT / DATE, SIGNATURE
BANK AUSTRIA CREDITANSTALT, WIEN (IBAN AT04 1100 0006 2280 0100, BIC BKAUATWW), DEUTSCHE BANK MÜNCHEN (IBAN DE16 7007 0024 0238 8270 00, BIC DEUTDEDBMUC)
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Eco.mont Vol. 7 Nr. 1, pp. 41-49, 2015/06/23
Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management
The availability of suitable spawning habitats for gravel-spawning fish is an important indicator for Alpine river reaches regarding hydro- and morphodynamic components of fluvial ecosystems. This paper presents advances in habitat modelling techniques of suitable spawning habitat conditions for brown trout (Salmo trutta) by applying multivariate fuzzy-logical habitat modelling in combination with a three-dimensional numerical sediment-transport model. The fuzzy-logical approach considers multiple particle size classes to evaluate the suitability of sediment characteristics (sediment spawning index, SSI). It is then combined with hydraulic characteristics to compute spawning habitat suitability (HSIspawn). The study site is part of the River Spoel in the Swiss National Park in the Central Alps of Switzerland. The modelling approach was applied to two spawning seasons (2009 and 2010) and provides information about the spatial distribution of suitable spawning habitats. The simulated results indicate a good model performance when comparing the simulation results with observed spawning redds. The predictability of the modelling approach allows further investigations into new management scenarios to improve the hydro- and morphodynamic situation in the River Spoel and to increase the availability of suitable spawning habitats for brown trout.