The department has many years of experience in fish habitat modelling where we have been working together with biologists from Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Laboratory at the University of Oslo . We also collaborate with scientists and students at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology . Fish habitat modelling combines hydraulic measurements and modelling of a river reach with habitat selection by fish species. Habitat use by actual fish species must be investigated by snorkling and diving to define fish preference curves. The preference curves describes the fish response on different hydrophysical parameters like water velocity, water depth, substrate and cover.
All hydrophysical parameters relates to water flow.
Habitat modelling is then a useful tool for deciding environmental minimum flows and impacts of river regulations and other actions in the river. Together with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, we hosted the 1st IAHR International Symposium on Habitat Hydraulics in Trondheim 1994. The 2nd symposium has also been arranged, continously bringing scientists from all over the world together. A95079 Environmental Effects of Hydropeaking Models for fish habitat studies are included in the River System Simulator . Habitat is defined as the natural environment for an animal.