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Pitlochry fish ladder

Pitlochry fish ladder is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Pitlochry fish ladder rather than just read about it. In short: The Pitlochry fish ladder is a fish ladder next to the Pitlochry Power Station, near Pitlochry, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, which allows salmon to travel upstream during the breeding season. Although viewing the ladder is still allowed, the observation tank as of July 2019 has been closed due to "access and safety concerns".

Pitlochry fish ladder — main illustration
Pitlochry fish ladder — illustration

Key takeaways

  • Pitlochry fish ladder belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Pitlochry fish ladder to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Pitlochry fish ladder from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Pitlochry fish ladder is a fish ladder next to the Pitlochry Power Station, near Pitlochry, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, which allows salmon to travel upstream during the breeding season. Although viewing the ladder is still allowed, the observation tank as of July 2019 has been closed due to "access and safety concerns". Live web feeds are still available via the visitor's centre.

Construction details The ladder was constructed as a result of a 1943 Act of Parliament which laid a duty of care on the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board to preserve fish stocks in the waterways encompassing its power schemes. The form and design were created by the fish biologist John Berry. It was completed in 1951 alongside the dam for the hydro-electric power station as part of the Tummel hydro-electric power scheme and was installed in 1952. It was the first of its type in Scotland. The fish ladder consists of 34 separate pools, each 50 centimetres (1.6 ft) higher than the last and covering a distance of 310 metres (340 yd). Each pool has a 1-metre (3 ft 3 in) opening below the water level to allow the fish to pass to the next pool; a continuous flow of water maintains the water level in the pools. There are three larger pools which allow the fish to rest during their ascent, and one of these has an underwater viewing area with a glass wall and CCTV cameras to allow the public to observe the fish making their climb during the breeding season. The ladder is equipped with a fish counter which allows the number of fish making the journey each year to be recorded. In 2006, 7,238 fish were recorded travelling up the ladder. The 2016 total, as of 13 September, was 6,098 fish. The 2006 and 2016 figures were relatively high when taken in context with the counts since 1980. An average figure has been nearer to 4,000 fish, looking at the Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board report of 2015. The dam across the River Tummel at Pitlochry (that led to the formation of Loch Faskally) was constructed between 1947 and 1950 as part of the Board's Tummel Hydro-Electric Power Scheme. Without the fish ladder, it would have been an impassable obstacle for the migrating salmon.

References

External links

Fishcounts Pitlochry Dam Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board website

Illustrations

Pitlochry fish ladder: The fish ladder in Pitlochry, showing several of the intermediate pools which the salmon use for travelling upstream. The River Tummel can be seen flowing next to it.
The fish ladder in Pitlochry, showing several of the intermediate pools which the salmon use for travelling upstream. The River Tummel can be seen flowing next to it.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Pitlochry fish ladder

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Pitlochry fish ladder claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Pitlochry fish ladder before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Pitlochry fish ladder ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Pitlochry fish ladder

In research
Pitlochry fish ladder appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Pitlochry fish ladder in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Pitlochry fish ladder is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Aquatic ecology, Buildings and structures in Pitlochry, Category A listed buildings in Perth and Kinross, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Pitlochry fish ladder outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study Pitlochry fish ladder in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Pitlochry fish ladder means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Pitlochry fish ladder out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pitlochry fish ladder in simple terms?

The Pitlochry fish ladder is a fish ladder next to the Pitlochry Power Station, near Pitlochry, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, which allows salmon to travel upstream during the breeding season. Although viewing the ladder is still allowed, the observation tank as of July 2019 has been closed due to "…

Why does Pitlochry fish ladder matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Pitlochry fish ladder?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Pitlochry fish ladder.

Tags

  • Aquatic ecology
  • Buildings and structures in Pitlochry
  • Category A listed buildings in Perth and Kinross
  • Commercial buildings completed in 1951
  • Fish migrations
  • Tourist attractions in Perth and Kinross

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