Keywords
fisheries, mid-atlantic, habitat suitability, restoration
Start Date
1-7-2006 12:00 AM
Abstract
The Watershed Health Assessment Tools-Investigating Fisheries (WHAT-IF) is a decision-analysis modeling toolkit for personal computers that supports watershed and fisheries management. The WHAT-IF toolkit includes a relational database, help-system functions and documentation, and multiple statistical and simulation modeling tools. The tools consist of a hydrologic and stream geometry calculator, a fish assemblage predictor, a fish habitat suitability calculator, and a process-based model to predict biomass dynamics of stream biota (the BASS model). The tools can be used to assess conditions and associated stressors in aquatic ecosystems, to examine causes of impairment, and to forecast ecological outcomes of habitat alterations and fisheries management actions. WHAT-IF also supports screening analysis, such as prioritization of areas for restoration and comparison of alternative watershed and habitat management scenarios. The toolkit was originally developed for the Mid-Atlantic Highlands region of the U.S.; investigations are underway to transfer the technology to other regions.
Watershed Health Assessment Tools-Investigating Fisheries (WHAT-IF): a modeling toolkit for watershed and fisheries management.
The Watershed Health Assessment Tools-Investigating Fisheries (WHAT-IF) is a decision-analysis modeling toolkit for personal computers that supports watershed and fisheries management. The WHAT-IF toolkit includes a relational database, help-system functions and documentation, and multiple statistical and simulation modeling tools. The tools consist of a hydrologic and stream geometry calculator, a fish assemblage predictor, a fish habitat suitability calculator, and a process-based model to predict biomass dynamics of stream biota (the BASS model). The tools can be used to assess conditions and associated stressors in aquatic ecosystems, to examine causes of impairment, and to forecast ecological outcomes of habitat alterations and fisheries management actions. WHAT-IF also supports screening analysis, such as prioritization of areas for restoration and comparison of alternative watershed and habitat management scenarios. The toolkit was originally developed for the Mid-Atlantic Highlands region of the U.S.; investigations are underway to transfer the technology to other regions.
