What are food webs?

Food webs describe the trophic (feeding) relationships and flows of energy and nutrients among species in an ecosystem. Upper trophic levels, the focus of this review, include fish, particularly those (e.g., salmon) being actively managed in the ecosystem. Predicting the impacts of habitat restoration, fisheries, changes in environmental drivers (e.g., climate change) and the bioaccumulation of contaminants on species or the ecosystem requires an understanding of food web processes.

Presentations on how understanding these dynamics could help inform management occurred at the Delta ISB’s two-day workshop in November 2023. Recordings for both days can be found on Cal-Span (day 1 recording and day 2 recording).

Dive deeper into food web science

The UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute and the Delta Science Program are hosting a one-day symposium on May 31, 2024, exploring the current state of research on food webs in the San Francisco Estuary and the Pacific Ocean. This symposium aims to convene food web experts to discuss ongoing research, find synergies in approaches and findings, and identify information gaps, with the goal of improving ecosystem-based fisheries management. Dr. Robert Naiman of the Delta ISB will present draft findings and recommendations from the Delta ISB's food webs review.

The symposium is free to attend, both in person and virtually, but attendees must reserve tickets.