Wasatch Front Streams
In fall 2009 and summer 2010 we surveyed fish populations and stream habitat conditions in streams along the Wasatch Front in Davis, Weber, and southern Box Elder counties, northern Utah. Goals were to document fish populations, make habitat measurements that would allow us to compare stream size, and compare fish population metrics among streams in relation to stream size. We also provided information to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Northern Regional Office to facilitate their fish management objectives. Streams lacking trout were targeted for reintroduction of native Bonneville cutthroat trout. Jared Eames, Bryce Galbraith, Tim Healy, Tyler Anderson, Zak Knight, Lessie Swenson, and Wesley Swenson participated.
In spring 2009, Jared, Tim, and Bryce completed a poster entitled "History of Lahontan cutthroat in Spring Creek, Utah", presented in the WSU Undergraduate Research Symposium.
In spring 2010, Tyler Anderson and Zak Knight helped with additional creek sampling. Each presented posters at the 2011 WSU Undergraduate Research Symposium and Celebration entitled, respectively, "Fish in Your Backyard? Finding Trout in Wasatch Front Creeks" and "Rainbow Trout Abundance and Population Structure in Creeks Along the Wasatch Front, Utah".
In fall 2010, the WSU Aquatic Ecology class continued this research. Students studied relations of stoneflies within Burch Creek in Ogden to the abundance of rainbow trout at four longitudinal locations. Results were presented at the 2011 WSU Undergraduate Research Symposium and Celebration in a poster entitled "Assessment of Stonefly Abundance and Body-Length Based on Rainbow Trout Population in Burch Creek, Ogden Utah".
In fall 2011, the WSU Ichthyology class continued this research. Students completed detailed reports on age, growth, and population structure for the rainbow trout of Strong's Creek in Ogden. Results were presented at the 2012 National Conference of Undergraduate Research (NCUR) held at Weber State University. Posters were entitled "Assessment of age and growth in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Strong's Creek, Ogden, Utah" and "Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) population structure in Strong's Creek, Ogden, Utah".
In fall 2015, the WSU Field Zoology class made population comparisons of re-introduced Bonneville cutthroat trout with wild rainbow trout. Results were presented at the 2016 WSU Undergraduate Research Symposium and Celebration in a poster entitled "Reintroduction of Bonneville Cutthroat Trout in Northern Wasatch Front Streams, Utah".
In fall 2017, the WSU Aquatic Ecology class made ecological comparisons between Burch Creek and Strong's Creek. These efforts were continued by the fall 2018 Field Zoology class, which produced two posters, both of which were eventually presented at the 2019 Annual Symposium of the Desert Fishes Council.
Rainbow versus Cutthroat Trout effects on Predatory Invertebrate Assemblages
Predatory Interrelations in Weber & Davis County Streams
In summer 2018, Blake Hansen, Amber Bell, Jackeline Bedoya-Wilkinson, and Colton Jensen conducted a research project looking at stonefly assemblages in relation to trout populations. This research was presented at the 2019 WSU Undergraduate Research Symposium and Celebration and to the 2019 Utah Chapter of the American Fisheries Society and Annual Symposium of the Desert Fishes Council.
Stonefly Assemblages versus Trout in Low Order Creeks Along the Northern Wasatch Front
In Summer 2021, Stella Urry and Andrew Gorges conducted research looking at creek visitation by insectivorous songbirds in relation to populations of riparian spiders and water striders.
Foraging patterns in terrestrial insectivores among terrestrial and aquatic food webs