A research project to determine the natal origins and spawning sites of adult Snake River cutthroat trout in Jackson Lake is the topic for the final weekly summer lecture series Thursday, Aug. 9, at the University of Wyoming-National Park Service (UW-NPS) Research Center. The center is located at the AMK Ranch in Grand Teton National Park.
Scott Carlton will present “Prioritizing Snake River Cutthroat Trout Conservation in Jackson Lake Watershed” at 6:30 p.m. at the AMK Ranch, located north of Leeks Marina. A barbecue, at a cost of $5 per person, will take place at 5:30 p.m. Reservations are not required. For more information, call the UW-NPS Center at (307) 543-2463.
Carlton uses the abundance of natural strontium -- a soft silver-white or yellowish metallic element -- to characterize and differentiate the tributaries to Jackson Lake and the upper Snake River.
His research can reconstruct the life history movement patterns of cutthroat trout and establish a “fingerprint” of Snake River fish in each stream across the watershed. The information can then be used to develop a conservation/management plan to protect the streams that are responsible for contributing to the survival of juvenile cutthroat trout that will eventually become the next generation of adult fish in the Jackson Lake watershed.
The UW-NPS Research Center provides a base for university faculty members and government scientists from throughout North America to conduct research in the diverse aquatic and terrestrial environments of Grand Teton National Park and the greater Yellowstone area.
