Two Presentations: 1) Sedges Demystified: Common Species of Wisconsin's Lake and River Habitats 2) How to Identify Critical, Sensitive Walleye Spawning Habitats, and Understand Factors That May Be Contributing to Walleye Population Declines
Stream: Wildlife/Fish/Natural History
10:45 AM - 11:45 AMFri
Expo 2
Stream: Wildlife/Fish/Natural History
Registration Required
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Presentation #1: Sedges Demystified: Common Species of Wisconsin's Lake and River Habitats
Despite there being 239 sedge species in Wisconsin, these diverse, beautiful, and ecologically important species are grossly under appreciated. This presentation will reveal how grasses and sedges differ. A dozen sedges will be highlighted to provide an overview of how to identify these species and their place within wetland plant communities, ecological restoration, and landscaping.
Presenter: Paul Rothrock
Presentation #2: How to Identify Critical, Sensitive Walleye (and other fishes) Spawning Habitats, and Understand Factors That May Be Contributing to Walleye Population Declines
Nearshore spawning habitats are critical for the reproductive success for most all of Wisconsin’s fishes. Despite the importance of these habitats, methods to assess and quantify them are limited and laborious. We developed a Nearshore Substrate Inventory (NSSI) protocol that incorporates DNR shoreland habitat assessment methods along with substrate classification metrics to quantify nearshore spawning substrates within Katherine Lake, Oneida County. We then applied these data to literature findings on walleye spawning substrates to identify preferred walleye spawning habitats available throughout the lake. Further developments and application of these methods and associated results could be used to identify critical, sensitive walleye (and other fishes) spawning habitats, in addition to further understanding factors that may be contributing to walleye population declines.
Presenter: Lawrence Eslinger