Project: An ecological assessment of large-scale spatial and temporal patterns of whirling disease risk and salmonid population response

Primary Investigator: Billie Kerans
Project Summary: This investigation aims to develop a technical synthesis of the "state of the science of whirling disease", examine large-scale spatial and temporal patterns in parasite establishment and proliferation, and to examine fish population dynamics before and after the invasion of Myxobolus cerebralis. The investigators will use long-term data sets from seven Montana watersheds to examine large-scale spatial and temporal patterns in parasite establishment and proliferation and to understand how different risk factors correlate with infection risk. Risk factors for whirling disease, such as water velocity and temperature, are becoming increasingly well understood over time. However, the specific links among these risk factors and the impacts of the parasite on fish populations are unclear. This investigation will yield valuable new information about these links that will be useful to managers coping with various levels of M. cerebralis infection and risk.
Funding Period: 2006-2008
Final Report: 2006-2008 final report not yet available
Dataset(s) associated with this project:

There are no datasets associated with this project.