Holocene fish remains from Saanich Inlet, British Columbia, Canada : a paleoecological study
Date
1998
Authors
O'Connell, Jacqueline Martine
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Abstract
Fish remains in Saanich Inlet sediments are investigated for environmental and fish population signals. Recent trends (1867-1992) are explored using high-resolution box cores. Herring (Clupea harengus pallasi) and hake (Merluccius productus) comprise over 90% of remains. Spectral analyses indicate Aleutian Low Pressure explains much of the variance in fish scale deposition; it is postulated to affect juvenile herring and hake recruitment at a seven-year periodicity. Predator-prey dynamics, sea surface temperature, a diatom proxy of primary production, and fishing further explain variance in scale deposition. Ocean Drilling Program Leg l 69S retrieved a low-resolution Holocene sedimentary sequence from Saanich Inlet. Fish remains appear in the record just before 12000 BP and diversity increases around 6000 BP. Correlations of fish bones with diatom abundances are significant. A paleoscientific approach to investigating fish population dynamics shows promise as a means to chronicle past environmental and fish stock variability.