Geology topics

Elsa M.C. Goerig

Publications and source records attributed to Elsa M.C. Goerig.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2026

Fish locomotor dynamics quantified using multiple inertial measurement units

Animals exhibit a diversity of locomotor behaviours that vary with body shape, ontogeny, motivation and environment. Documenting these behaviours often relies on recording videos of animals in controlled conditions displaying stereotyped behaviours. By contrast, animal-borne motion sensing data loggers can document diverse behaviours of animals in their natural environment. Traditionally, one data logger is used to infer body dynamics; however, a single location presents an incomplete picture of body movement. Here, we deploy multiple independent inertial measurement units on individual fish to study within-body dynamics and assess the accuracy of this approach compared to traditional video methods. Using a combination of robotic and animal experiments, we accurately measure the timing, direction and magnitude of movement of multiple locations along the body and can recreate accurate three-dimensional midline kinematics without video data. Furthermore, we show that with as few as two data loggers, parameters such as propulsive wavelength can be calculated, even during high-intensity behaviours. Using multiple data loggers has the potential to provide unbiased spatio-temporal estimates of fish kinematics, allowing kinematic studies to be extended to new species, new habitats and a diversity of natural fish locomotor behaviours beyond those traditionally studied in laboratory settings.

Royal Society Open Science↗

USGS2026

Effects of turbulence-inducing baffles on passage performance of brook trout, white sucker, and sea lamprey: Implications for conservation and control

Invasive sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ) control in the Great Lakes is ongoing. Installing passive selective passage structures could reduce costs, yet there is a need to evaluate such methods under realistic hydraulic conditions to inform designs. In this study, we evaluated the swimming performance of brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ), white sucker ( Catostomus commersonii ), and sea lamprey under manipulated flows and baffle configurations in a 35 m flume lined with substrate preventing attachment. Using accelerated failure time models, we examined ascent distance (Dmax) under two slopes (1% and 3%) and velocities from 0.25–3.0 m s⁻¹. Responses varied by species: white sucker had the greatest Dmax, especially at 1% slope, whereas sea lamprey, despite lacking paired fins/rays, occasionally exceeded white sucker at 3% with small spoiler baffles and bare substrate. Contrary to common perception, brook trout, the only salmonid in this study, performed less well than the other two species. Across species, higher velocities impaired performance, with declines linked to energy dissipation (EDF). Findings show how hydraulic structures shape species-specific passage.

Great Lakes↗

USGS2017

Swimming behaviour and ascent paths of brook trout in a corrugated culvert

Culverts may restrict fish movements under some hydraulic conditions such as shallow flow depths or high velocities. Although swimming capacity imposes limits to passage performance, behaviour also plays an important role in the ability of fish to overcome velocity barriers. Corrugated metal culverts are characterized by unsteady flow and existence of low‐velocity zones, which can improve passage success. Here, we describe swimming behaviour and ascent paths of 148 wild brook trout in a 1.5‐m section of a corrugated metal culvert located in Raquette Stream, Québec, Canada. Five passage trials were conducted in mid‐August, corresponding to specific mean cross‐sectional flow velocities ranging from 0.30 to 0.63 m/s. Fish were individually introduced to the culvert and their movements recorded with a camera located above the water. Lateral and longitudinal positions were recorded at a rate of 3 Hz in order to identify ascent paths. These positions were related to the distribution of flow depths and velocities in the culvert. Brook trout selected flow velocities from 0.2 to 0.5 m/s during their ascents, which corresponded to the available flow velocities in the culvert at the low‐flow conditions. This however resulted in the use of low‐velocity zones at higher flows, mainly located along the walls of the culvert. Some fish also used the corrugations for sheltering, although the behaviour was marginal and did not occur at the highest flow condition. This study improves knowledge on fish behaviour during culvert ascents, which is an important aspect for developing reliable and accurate estimates of fish passage ability.

River Research and Applications↗

USGS2017

Is motivation important to brook trout passage through culverts?

Culverts can restrict movement of stream-dwelling fish. Motivation to enter and ascend these structures is an essential precursor for successful passage. However, motivation is challenging to quantify. Here, we use attempt rate to assess motivation of 447 brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ) entering three culverts under a range of hydraulic, environmental, and biological conditions. A passive integrated transponder system allowed for the identification of passage attempts and success of individual fish. Attempt rate was quantified using time-to-event analysis allowing for time-varying covariates and recurrent events. Attempt rate was greatest during the spawning period, at elevated discharge, at dusk, and for longer fish. It decreased during the day and with increasing number of conspecifics downstream of the culvert. Results also show a positive correlation between elevated motivation and successful passage. This study enhances understanding of factors influencing brook trout motivation to ascend culverts and shows that attempt rate is a dynamic phenomenon, variable over time and among individuals. It also presents methods that could be used to investigate other species’ motivation to pass natural or anthropogenic barriers.

Quebec↗

USGS2016

Brook trout passage performance through culverts

Culverts can restrict access to habitat for stream-dwelling fishes. We used passive integrated transponder telemetry to quantify passage performance of >1000 wild brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ) attempting to pass 13 culverts in Quebec under a range of hydraulic and environmental conditions. Several variables influenced passage success, including complex interactions between physiology and behavior, hydraulics, and structural characteristics. The probability of successful passage was greater through corrugated metal culverts than through smooth ones, particularly among smaller fish. Trout were also more likely to pass at warmer temperatures, but this effect diminished above 15 °C. Passage was impeded at higher flows, through culverts with steep slopes, and those with deep downstream pools. This study provides insight on factors influencing brook trout capacity to pass culverts as well as a model to estimate passage success under various conditions, with an improved resolution and accuracy over existing approaches. It also presents methods that could be used to investigate passage success of other species, with implications for connectivity of the riverscape.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗

USGS2016

Analysis of brook trout spatial behavior during passage attempts in corrugated culverts using near-infrared illumination video imagery

We used video recording and near-infrared illumination to document the spatial behavior of brook trout of various sizes attempting to pass corrugated culverts under different hydraulic conditions. Semi-automated image analysis was used to digitize fish position at high temporal resolution inside the culvert, which allowed calculation of various spatial behavior metrics, including instantaneous ground and swimming speed, path complexity, distance from side walls, velocity preference ratio (mean velocity at fish lateral position/mean crosssectional velocity) as well as number and duration of stops in forward progression. The presentation summarizes the main results and discusses how they could be used to improve fish passage performance in culverts.

Conference Paper↗