Biogeochemical processes create distinct isotopic fingerprints to track floodplain rearing of juvenile salmon

Floodplains represent critical nursery habitats for a variety of fish species due to their highly productive food webs, yet few tools exist to quantify the extent to which these habitats contribute to ecosystem-level production. Here we conducted a large-scale field experiment to characterize differences in food web composition and stable isotopes (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ³⁴S) for salmon rearing on a large floodplain and adjacent river in the Central Valley, California, USA. The study covered variable hydrologic conditions including flooding (1999, 2017), average (2016), and drought (2012-2015). In addition, we determined incorporation rates and tissue fractionation between prey and muscle from fish held in enclosed locations (experimental fields, cages) at weekly intervals. Finally, we measured δ³⁴S in otoliths to test if these archival biominerals could be used to reconstruct floodplain use. Floodplain-reared salmon had a different diet composition and lower δ13C and δ³⁴S (δ¹³C = -33.02±2.66‰, δ³⁴S = -3.47±2.28‰; mean±1SD) compared to fish in the adjacent river (δ¹³C = -28.37±1.84‰, δ³⁴S = +2.23±2.25‰). These isotopic differences between habitats persisted across years of extreme droughts and floods. Despite the different diet composition, δ¹⁵N values from prey items on the floodplain (δ¹⁵N = 7.19±1.22‰) and river (δ¹⁵N = 7.25±1.46‰) were similar, suggesting similar trophic levels. The food web differences in δ13C and δ³⁴S between habitats were also reflected in salmon muscle tissue, reaching equilibrium between 24-30 days (2014, δ¹³C = -30.74±0.73‰, δ³⁴S = -4.6±0.68‰; 2016, δ¹³C = -34.74 ±0.49‰, δ³⁴S = -5.18±0.46‰). δ³⁴S measured in sequential growth bands in otoliths recorded a weekly time-series of shifting diet inputs, with the outermost layers recording time spent on the floodplain (δ³⁴S = -5.60±0.16‰) and river (δ³⁴S = 3.73±0.98‰). Our results suggest that δ¹³C and δ³⁴S can be used to differentiate floodplain and river rearing habitats used by native fishes, such as Chinook Salmon, across different hydrologic conditions and tissues. Together these stable isotope analyses provide a toolset to quantify the role of floodplains as fish habitats.