Zooplankton and ichthyoplankton samples from Lake Melville, Labrador

By modifying the seasonal runoff pattern of the Churchill River, in Labrador, the operation of the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric dam could impact estuarine rainbow smelt, trout and salmon downstream. This research project seeks to understand how the operation of the Muskrat Falls dam will modify fish ecology in the 3,000 km2 Lake Melville subarctic estuary. Answering this question is critical to fully understand the impacts of this large-scale hydroelectric project on coastal communities in the region. This dataset provides baseline information for science-based management of fisheries in Lake Melville, where five coastal communities rely heavily on food, social and ceremonial fisheries. Zooplankton sampled with bongo nets provide information on the abundance and composition of prey for early life stages of fish. Ultimately, it will contribute to better predict the effects of future dam developments on fish populations in northern Canada.通过改变拉布拉多地区丘吉尔河（Churchill River）的季节性径流格局，麝鼠瀑布水电站大坝（Muskrat Falls hydroelectric dam）的运行可能会对下游河口的胡瓜鱼、鳟鱼及鲑鱼产生影响。本研究项目旨在探明该大坝的运行将如何改变面积达3000平方公里的梅尔维尔湖（Lake Melville）亚北极河口的鱼类生态。解答这一问题，对于全面认识该大型水电工程对当地沿海社区的影响至关重要。本数据集为梅尔维尔湖的渔业科学管理提供基线信息，该区域共有五个沿海社区高度依赖食用、社交及仪式性渔业。通过邦戈网（bongo nets）采集的浮游动物样本，可提供鱼类早期生活史阶段的饵料丰度与组成相关信息。最终，本数据集将助力更精准地预测未来大坝工程对加拿大北部鱼类种群的影响。