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Brown RL, Charles D, Horwitz RJ, Pizzuto JE, Skalak K, Velinsky DJ, Hart DD. Size-dependent effects of dams on river ecosystems and implications for dam removal outcomes. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024:e3016. [PMID: 39138827 DOI: 10.1002/eap.3016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the relationship between a dam's size and its ecological effects is important for prioritization of river restoration efforts based on dam removal. Although much is known about the effects of large storage dams, this information may not be applicable to small dams, which represent the vast majority of dams being considered for removal. To better understand how dam effects vary with size, we conducted a multidisciplinary study of the downstream effect of dams on a range of ecological characteristics including geomorphology, water chemistry, periphyton, riparian vegetation, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish. We related dam size variables to the downstream-upstream fractional difference in measured ecological characteristics for 16 dams in the mid-Atlantic region ranging from 0.9 to 57 m high, with hydraulic residence times (HRTs) ranging from 30 min to 1.5 years. For a range of physical attributes, larger dams had larger effects. For example, the water surface width below dams was greater below large dams. By contrast, there was no effect of dam size on sediment grain size, though the fraction of fine-grained bed material was lower below dams independently of dam size. Larger dams tended to reduce water quality more, with decreased downstream dissolved oxygen and increased temperature. Larger dams decreased inorganic nutrients (N, P, Si), but increased particulate nutrients (N, P) in downstream reaches. Aquatic organisms tended to have greater dissimilarity in species composition below larger dams (for fish and periphyton), lower taxonomic diversity (for macroinvertebrates), and greater pollution tolerance (for periphyton and macroinvertebrates). Plants responded differently below large and small dams, with fewer invasive species below large dams, but more below small dams. Overall, these results demonstrate that larger dams have much greater impact on the ecosystem components we measured, and hence their removal has the greatest potential for restoring river ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Brown
- Department of Biology, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, Washington, USA
| | - Don Charles
- Patrick Center for Environmental Research, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Richard J Horwitz
- Patrick Center for Environmental Research, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - James E Pizzuto
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Katherine Skalak
- United States Geological Survey National Center, Reston, Virginia, USA
| | - David J Velinsky
- Patrick Center for Environmental Research, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - David D Hart
- Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions and School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
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Wang Z, Feng J, He T, Yang J, Wan H, Yuan Y, Li R. Study on the habitat evolution after dam removal in a habitat-alternative tributary of large hydropower station. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 360:121155. [PMID: 38761624 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
The establishment of large hydropower stations in the main stream poses a threat to fish habitats. Selecting suitable tributaries as alternative habitats is a practical measure for ecological environment protection during large hydropower station's construction. The small dams constructed on certain tributaries need to be removed in order to restore river connectivity. The removal of dams will activate hydro-sedimentary dynamics and change the original habitat in terms of topography and hydrodynamics. To explore the evolution of fish habitats following the removal of small dams, a dam-removed reach of a habitat-alternative tributary was selected as the research object, and the model of water-sediment transport and riverbed evolution in strongly disturbed dam-removed reaches and the model of fish habitat suitability evaluation were established. The key parameters calibration and model verification were completed by field monitoring results. The simulation results showed dramatic evolution in the reservoir riverbed in the initial stage after dam removal and during the high discharge period. One year after dam removal, there was a noticeable 4.0 m incision in front of the dam, along with a decrease in channel slope at the dam site from about 4.8% to approximately 1.5%. Downstream of the dam, alterations to the riverbed were mainly concentrated near the dam, and sedimentary bodies with a height of around 2.0 m have formed on the left bank following the high discharge period. The fish habitat in most areas of the dam-removed reach was suitable, except for the downstream high-velocity area. To compare the evolution process of fish habitat under two dam removal periods in wet and dry seasons, two dam removal schemes were implemented in March and June. The results showed that the riverbed evolved more gradually in the March scheme, creating a larger and continuous suitable habitat for fish. Therefore, the March scheme was recommended. By revealing the evolutionary pattern of fish habitat after dam removal, this research provides a reliable model for assessing and restoring habitats in dam-removed reaches, and enjoys significant implications for protecting river ecology in hydropower development reaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610065, China
| | - Jingjie Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610065, China.
| | - Tao He
- Power China Chengdu Engineering Corporation Limited, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Jiuxian Yang
- Power China Chengdu Engineering Corporation Limited, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Hang Wan
- Research Centre of Ecology & Environment for Coastal Area and Deep Sea, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China.
| | - Yuliang Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610065, China
| | - Ran Li
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610065, China
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Wagner RS, Neudeck MJ, Heath AE, Barker KB, Brown KM, Buchholz S, Ward CS, Bullerjahn GS. The recent disappearance of a persistent Planktothrix bloom: Characterization of a regime shift in the phytoplankton of Sandusky Bay (USA). HARMFUL ALGAE 2024; 136:102656. [PMID: 38876531 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2024.102656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Sandusky Bay is the drowned mouth of the Sandusky River in the southwestern portion of Lake Erie. The bay is a popular recreation location and a regional source for drinking water. Like the western basin of Lake Erie, Sandusky Bay is known for being host to summer cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) year after year, fueled by runoff from the predominantly agricultural watershed and internal loading of legacy nutrients (primarily phosphorus). Since at least 2003, Sandusky Bay has harbored a microcystin-producing bloom of Planktothrix agardhii, a species of filamentous cyanobacteria that thrives in low light conditions. Long-term sampling (2003-2018) of Sandusky Bay revealed regular Planktothrix-dominated blooms during the summer months, but in recent years (2019-2022), 16S rRNA gene community profiling revealed that Planktothrix has largely disappeared. From 2017-2022, microcystin decreased well below the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Spring TN:TP ratios increased in years following dam removal, yet there were no statistically significant shifts in other physicochemical variables, such as water temperature and water clarity. With the exception of the high bloom of Planktothrix in 2018, there was no statistical difference in chlorophyll during all other years. Concurrent with the disappearance of Planktothrix, Cyanobium spp. have become the dominant cyanobacterial group. The appearance of other potential toxigenic genera (i.e., Aphanizomenon, Dolichospermum, Cylindrospermopsis) may motivate monitoring of new toxins of concern in Sandusky Bay. Here, we document the regime shift in the cyanobacterial community and propose evidence supporting the hypothesis that the decline in the Planktothrix bloom was linked to the removal of an upstream dam on the Sandusky River.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan S Wagner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Life Sciences Building, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA; Great Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA; Center for Great Lakes and Watershed Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA
| | - Michelle J Neudeck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Life Sciences Building, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA; Great Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA; Center for Great Lakes and Watershed Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA
| | - Alexis E Heath
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Life Sciences Building, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA; Great Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA; Center for Great Lakes and Watershed Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA
| | - Katelyn B Barker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Life Sciences Building, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA; Great Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA; Center for Great Lakes and Watershed Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA
| | - Katelyn M Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Life Sciences Building, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA; Great Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA; Center for Great Lakes and Watershed Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA
| | - Seth Buchholz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Life Sciences Building, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA; Great Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA; Center for Great Lakes and Watershed Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA
| | - Christopher S Ward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Life Sciences Building, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA; Great Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA; Center for Great Lakes and Watershed Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA.
| | - George S Bullerjahn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Life Sciences Building, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA; Great Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA; Center for Great Lakes and Watershed Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green OH 43043, USA
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Sun Y, Wang M, Yang J, Song C, Chen X, Chen X, Strokal M. Increasing cascade dams in the upstream area reduce nutrient inputs to the Three Gorges Reservoir in China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171683. [PMID: 38492593 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The upstream cascade dams play an essential role in the nutrient cycle in the Yangtze. However, there is little quantitative information on the effects of upstream damming on nutrient retention in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in China. Here, we aim to assess the impact of increasing cascade dams in the upstream area of the Yangtze on Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen and Phosphorus (DIN and DIP) inputs to the TGR and their retention in the TGR and to draw lessons for other large reservoirs. We implemented the Model to Assess River Inputs of Nutrients to seAs (MARINA-Nutrients China-2.0 model). We ran the model with the baseline scenario in which river damming was at the level of 2009 (low) and alternative scenarios with increased damming. Our scenarios differed in nutrient management. Our results indicated that total water storage capacity increased by 98 % in the Yangtze upstream from 2009 to 2022, with 17 new large river dams (>0.5 km3) constructed upstream of the Yangtze. As a result of these new dams, the total DIN inputs to the TGR decreased by 15 % (from 768 Gg year-1 to 651 Gg year-1) and DIP inputs decreased by 25 % (from 70 Gg year-1 to 53 Gg year-1). Meanwhile, the molar DIN:DIP ratio in inputs to the TGR increased by 13 % between 2009 and 2022. In the future, DIN and DIP inputs to the TGR are projected to decrease further, while the molar DIN:DIP ratio will increase. The Upper Stem contributed 39 %-50 % of DIN inputs and 63 %-84 % of DIP inputs to the TGR in the past and future. Our results deepen our knowledge of nutrient loadings in mainstream dams caused by increasing cascade dams. More research is needed to understand better the impact of increased nutrient ratios due to dam construction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sun
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, Southwest University, College of Resources and Environment, Tiansheng Road 02, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Mengru Wang
- Earth Systems and Global Change, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 286 Huaizhong Road, Shijiazhuang 050021, China
| | - Chunqiao Song
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Xuanjing Chen
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, Southwest University, College of Resources and Environment, Tiansheng Road 02, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Xinping Chen
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, Southwest University, College of Resources and Environment, Tiansheng Road 02, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Maryna Strokal
- Earth Systems and Global Change, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Wagner MJ, Moore PA. Longitudinal study of stream ecology pre- and post- dam removal: Physical, chemical, and biological changes to a northern Michigan stream. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:168848. [PMID: 38030003 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, dam removal has become an increasingly important aspect of aquatic ecology. As a result of this work, ecological studies have arisen that monitor the changes to riverine ecosystems as a result of removal. Unfortunately, given the uncertain nature of funding and public concerns over dam removal, long term longitudinal studies that cover multiple trophic levels are difficult to find. Fortunately, the University of Michigan Biological Station has been involved in the ecological monitoring of a headwater river (the Maple River) in the northern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan. The physical, chemical, and some biological aspects of this river's ecology was measured for eight years prior to dam removal, during dam removal, and for two years post-dam removal. The results presented here show that the ecology of the river recovered within this two-year period, but had a different ecological set point. This new habitat is primarily driven by increases in flow, ammonia, silica, and increases in the populations of two macroinvertebrate feeding guilds. Discharge increased seven-fold in the year that the dam was removed in two sampling sites furthest from the dam but returned to pre-dam removal conditions a year after removal occurred. Turbidity followed this same temporal pattern as turbidity increased during dam removal but decreased to pre-removal levels once the dam was removed. pH decreased at all sites post-removal. In addition, ammonia showed a five-fold increase following dam removal at the two most upstream sites, while phosphate increased at all sites. Last, the number of filterers and shredders increased at all sampling sites, though the significance of increase varied spatially for each guild. The results and observations presented here may provide some guidance for other long term monitoring studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison J Wagner
- Laboratory for Sensory Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA; University of Michigan Biological Station, University of Michigan, Pellston, MI 49769, USA
| | - Paul A Moore
- Laboratory for Sensory Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA; University of Michigan Biological Station, University of Michigan, Pellston, MI 49769, USA.
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Suffridge CP, Shannon KC, Matthews H, Johnson RC, Jeffres C, Mantua N, Ward AE, Holmes E, Kindopp J, Aidoo M, Colwell FS. Connecting thiamine availability to the microbial community composition in Chinook salmon spawning habitats of the Sacramento River basin. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0176023. [PMID: 38084986 PMCID: PMC10807462 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01760-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Thiamine deficiency complex (TDC) is a major emerging threat to global populations of culturally and economically important populations of salmonids. Salmonid eggs and embryos can assimilate exogenous thiamine, and evidence suggests that microbial communities in benthic environments can produce substantial amounts of thiamine. We therefore hypothesize that natural dissolved pools of thiamine exist in the surface water and hyporheic zones of riverine habitats where salmonids with TDC migrate, spawn, and begin their lives. To examine the relationship between dissolved thiamine-related compounds (dTRCs) and their microbial source, we determined the concentrations of these metabolites and the compositions of microbial communities in surface and hyporheic waters of the Sacramento River, California and its tributaries. Here we determine that all dTRCs are present in femto-picomolar concentrations in a range of critically important salmon spawning habitats. We observed that thiamine concentrations in the Sacramento River system are orders of magnitude lower than those of marine waters, indicating substantial differences in thiamine cycling between these two environments. Our data suggest that the hyporheic zone is likely the source of thiamine to the overlying surface water. Temporal variations in dTRC concentrations were observed where the highest concentrations existed when Chinook salmon were actively spawning. Significant correlations were seen between the richness of microbial taxa and dTRC concentrations, particularly in the hyporheic zone, which would influence the conditions where embryonic salmon incubate. Together, these results indicate a connection between microbial communities in freshwater habitats and the availability of thiamine to spawning TDC-impacted California Central Valley Chinook salmon.IMPORTANCEPacific salmon are keystone species with considerable economic importance and immeasurable cultural significance to Pacific Northwest indigenous peoples. Thiamine deficiency complex has recently been diagnosed as an emerging threat to the health and stability of multiple populations of salmonids ranging from California to Alaska. Microbial biosynthesis is the major source of thiamine in marine and aquatic environments. Despite this importance, the concentrations of thiamine and the identities of the microbial communities that cycle it are largely unknown. Here we investigate microbial communities and their relationship to thiamine in Chinook salmon spawning habitats in California's Sacramento River system to gain an understanding of how thiamine availability impacts salmonids suffering from thiamine deficiency complex.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kelly C. Shannon
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - H. Matthews
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - R. C. Johnson
- Fisheries Ecology Division, NOAA Fisheries, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Santa Cruz, California, USA
- University of California, Center for Watershed Sciences, Davis, California, USA
| | - C. Jeffres
- University of California, Center for Watershed Sciences, Davis, California, USA
| | - N. Mantua
- Fisheries Ecology Division, NOAA Fisheries, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - A. E. Ward
- University of California, Center for Watershed Sciences, Davis, California, USA
| | - E. Holmes
- University of California, Center for Watershed Sciences, Davis, California, USA
- California Department of Water Resources, West Sacramento, California, USA
| | - J. Kindopp
- California Department of Water Resources, Division of Integrated Science and Engineering, Oroville, California, USA
| | - M. Aidoo
- Bronx Community College, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - F. S. Colwell
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
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Robinson CT, Consoli G, Ortlepp J. Importance of artificial high flows in maintaining the ecological integrity of a regulated river. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 882:163569. [PMID: 37080315 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Artificial high flows attempt to simulate natural flood pulses in flow-regulated rivers with the intent to improve their ecological integrity. The long-term use of such high flow events have shown beneficial ecological effects on various rivers globally. However, such responses are often non-linear and characterized by underlying feedback mechanisms among ecosystem components. The question arises as to what happens when such high flow releases are disrupted or even discontinued. Here, we used the long-term (22 years) monitoring dataset from the river Spöl to examine whether discontinuation (2016-2021) of the flood program (annual artificial high flows from 2000 to 2016) resulted in the ecological degradation of the river. We used monitoring data of physico-chemistry, periphyton, benthic organic matter, macroinvertebrates and fish (brown trout, Salmo trutta fario L.) in the analysis. The flood program had no long-term effect on water physico-chemistry with most parameters showing typical variations associated with season and inter-annual weather patterns. The floods were effective at mobilizing bed sediments that reduced periphyton biomass and benthic organic matter following each flood. Increases in periphyton biomass and benthic organic matter occurred between floods, but both parameters showed no significant increase with discontinuation of the flood program. Floods reduced macroinvertebrate densities, but with density increases occurring between floods. The pulsed disturbances, and the progressive change in the habitat template, resulted in shifts in community assembly by reducing densities of Gammarus fossarum, a dominant crustacean, which allowed other taxa to colonize the system. Macroinvertebrate densities remained low after discontinuation of the floods, although G. fossarum densities have increased substantially while other taxa, especially some stoneflies, remained low in abundance. Notably, community assembly returned to a pre-flood composition with discontinuation of the floods. The abundance of brown trout increased substantially during the flood program but returned to low pre-flood numbers with discontinuation of the floods. We conclude that the flood program was beneficial to the ecology of the river Spöl and discontinuation of the floods resulted in degradation of the system after a relatively short lag period. However, the system showed high resilience to an earlier perturbation, a sediment spill in 2013, suggesting a rapid positive response by biota with resumption of the flood program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher T Robinson
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zurich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Gabriele Consoli
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zurich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Johannes Ortlepp
- Hydra, Büro für Gewässerökologie Mürle & Ortlepp, Mühlweg 17, 75223 Niefern-Öschelbronn, Germany
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Kiffney PM, Lisi PJ, Liermann M, Naman SM, Anderson JH, Bond MH, Pess GR, Koehler ME, Buhle ER, Buehrens TW, Klett RS, Cram JM, Quinn TP. Colonization of a temperate river by mobile fish following habitat reconnection. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- P. M. Kiffney
- Fish Ecology, Northwest Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA Seattle Washington USA
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | - P. J. Lisi
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Olympia Washington USA
| | - M. Liermann
- Fish Ecology, Northwest Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA Seattle Washington USA
| | - S. M. Naman
- Department of Zoology University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada Freshwaer Ecosystems Section Cultus Lake British Columbia Canada
| | - J. H. Anderson
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Olympia Washington USA
| | - M. H. Bond
- Fish Ecology, Northwest Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA Seattle Washington USA
| | - G. R. Pess
- Fish Ecology, Northwest Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA Seattle Washington USA
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | | | - E. R. Buhle
- Affiliate, Northwest Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA Seattle Washington USA
- Mount Hood Environmental Sandy Oregon USA
| | - T. W. Buehrens
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Ridgefield Washington USA
| | - R. S. Klett
- Colville Indian Tribes Nespelem Washington USA
| | - J. M. Cram
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Wenatchee Washington USA
| | - T. P. Quinn
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
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RePP Africa - a georeferenced and curated database on existing and proposed wind, solar, and hydropower plants. Sci Data 2023; 10:16. [PMID: 36609615 PMCID: PMC9822994 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01922-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Promoting a transition to low-carbon energy systems to mitigate climate change requires an optimization of renewable energy (RE) planning. However, curated data for the most promising RE technologies, hydro-, wind and solar power, are missing, which limits data-based decision-making support. Here, a spatially explicit database for existing and proposed renewable power plants is provided: The Renewable Power Plant database for Africa (RePP Africa) encompasses 1074 hydro-, 1128 solar, and 276 wind power plant records. For each power plant, geographic coordinates, country, construction status, and capacity (in megawatt) are reported. The number of RePP Africa records exceeds the respective values in other existing open-access databases and matches available cumulative capacity data reported by international energy organizations best with deviations <13% for hydro-, <23% for wind, and <32% for solar power plants. This contemporary database is the most harmonized open-accessible reference source on RE power plants across Africa for stakeholders from science, (non-)governmental organizations, consulting, and industry; providing a fundamental data basis for the development of an integrated sustainable RE mix.
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Atristain M, von Schiller D, Larrañaga A, Elosegi A. Short‐term effects of a large dam decommissioning on biofilm structure and functioning. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Miren Atristain
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) Leioa
| | - Daniel von Schiller
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences University of Barcelona (UB) Barcelona
| | - Aitor Larrañaga
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) Leioa
| | - Arturo Elosegi
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) Leioa
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11
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Krztoń W, Walusiak E, Wilk-Woźniak E. Possible consequences of climate change on global water resources stored in dam reservoirs. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 830:154646. [PMID: 35314231 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Construction of dams and transformation of rivers, not only affects river-related and adjacent habitats, but also establishes new threats to surface freshwater resources globally. Predicted climate changes and increase of mean annual temperature will affect thermal regimes of dam reservoir ecosystems, severely altering their functioning. Analyzing three projections of representative concentration pathway (RCP 4.5, 6.0 and 8.5) for period of 2061-2080, we found that mean annual temperature at dam reservoir locations will increase by 3.06 °C to 4.74 °C from present. The highest projected increase of temperature was identified for dam reservoirs located in high latitudes of Northern Hemisphere, and therefore dam reservoirs located there will be most significantly affected. Numerous consequences of temperature increase are already recorded. Further increase will amplify unfavorable effects on numerous ecosystems, including dam reservoirs which are built on the purpose of the human population development. Our study indicates a threat for artificially stored water globally, with special attention to high latitudes in northern hemisphere and latitudes close to 200S meridian in southern hemisphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wojciech Krztoń
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. A. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Edward Walusiak
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. A. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Wilk-Woźniak
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. A. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
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12
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Bernthal FR, Armstrong JD, Nislow KH, Metcalfe NB. Nutrient limitation in Atlantic salmon rivers and streams: Causes, consequences, and management strategies. AQUATIC CONSERVATION : MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS 2022; 32:1073-1091. [PMID: 35915662 PMCID: PMC9314074 DOI: 10.1002/aqc.3811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater catchments can experience nutrient deficits that result in reduced primary and secondary productivity. The most commonly limiting nutrients are nitrogen and phosphorus, either separately or together. This review considers the impact of increasing nutrient limitation in temperate basin stream and river systems, focusing on upland areas that currently or previously supported wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) populations.Anthropogenic changes to land use and increases in river barriers have altered upland nutrient dynamics, with particular impacts on salmon and other migratory fish species which may be net importers of nutrients to upland streams. Declining salmon populations may further reduce nutrient sources, reducing ecosystem and fisheries productivity below desired levels.Experimental manipulations of nutrient levels have examined the impacts of this cultural oligotrophication. There is evidence that growth and biomass of juvenile salmon can be increased via appropriate additions of nutrients, offering potential as a conservation tool. However, further research is required to understand the long-term effects of these additions on salmon populations and stream ecosystems, and to assess the vulnerability of downstream habitats to eutrophication as a result.Although purposeful nutrient addition with the aim of enhancing and conserving salmonid populations may be justified in some cases, it should be undertaken in an adaptive management framework. In addition, nutrient addition should be linked to nutrient retention and processing, and integrated into large-scale habitat restoration and recovery efforts.Both the scientific and the management community should recognize that the ecological costs and benefits associated with adding nutrients to salmon streams may change in a non-stationary world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fionn R. Bernthal
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - John D. Armstrong
- Marine Scotland – ScienceFreshwater Fisheries LaboratoryFaskallyPitlochryUK
| | - Keith H. Nislow
- USDA Forest Service Northern Research StationAmherstMassachusettsUSA
| | - Neil B. Metcalfe
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
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13
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UAV and Structure-From-Motion Photogrammetry Enhance River Restoration Monitoring: A Dam Removal Study. DRONES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/drones6050100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Dam removal is a river restoration technique that has complex landscape-level ecological impacts. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are emerging as tools that enable relatively affordable, repeatable, and objective ecological assessment approaches that provide a holistic perspective of restoration impacts and can inform future restoration efforts. In this work, we use a consumer-grade UAV, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, and machine learning (ML) to evaluate geomorphic and vegetation changes pre-/post-dam removal, and discuss how the technology enhanced our monitoring of the restoration project. We compared UAV evaluation methods to conventional boots-on-ground methods throughout the Bellamy River Reservoir (Dover, NH, USA) pre-/post-dam removal. We used a UAV-based vegetation classification approach that used a support vector machine algorithm and a featureset composed of SfM-derived elevation and visible vegetation index values to map other, herbaceous, shrub, and tree cover throughout the reservoir (overall accuracies from 83% to 100%), mapping vegetation succession as well as colonization of exposed sediments that occurred post-dam removal. We used SfM-derived topography and the vegetation classifications to map erosion and deposition throughout the reservoir, despite its heavily vegetated condition, and estimate volume changes post-removal. Despite some limitations, such as influences of refraction and vegetation on the SfM topography models, UAV provided information on post-dam removal changes that would have gone unacknowledged by the conventional ecological assessment approaches, demonstrating how UAV technology can provide perspective in restoration evaluation even in less-than-ideal site conditions for SfM. For example, the UAV provided perspective of the magnitude and extent of channel shape changes throughout the reservoir while the boots-on-ground topographic transects were not as reliable for detecting change due to difficulties in navigating the terrain. In addition, UAV provided information on vegetation changes throughout the reservoir that would have been missed by conventional vegetation plots due to their limited spatial coverage. Lastly, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented us from meeting to collect post-dam removal vegetation plot data. UAV enabled data collection that we would have foregone if we relied solely on conventional methods, demonstrating the importance of flexible and adaptive methods for successful restoration monitoring such as those enabled via UAV.
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14
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Dopico E, Arboleya E, Fernandez S, Borrell Y, Consuegra S, de Leaniz CG, Lázaro G, Rodríguez C, Garcia-Vazquez E. Water security determines social attitudes about dams and reservoirs in South Europe. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6148. [PMID: 35414111 PMCID: PMC9005547 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10170-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
River barriers affect river dynamics and aquatic biota, altering the entire ecosystem. Nevertheless, dams and reservoirs provide goods like water supply and low-carbon energy that are becoming increasingly critical under current climate change. To know to what extent dams and reservoirs are important to the population, we explored social attitudes towards dams and reservoirs using a face-to-face questionnaire in two regions of contrasting climate and water security in Spain, a country with one of highest densities of dams in Europe. Results (N = 613) revealed a higher support for dams, mediated by the recognition of the services they provide, in the drier Mediterranean Malaga province (Andalusia), than in the wetter Atlantic Asturias province (Bay of Biscay), where water shortages are rare. Awareness of the impacts of the dams was more pronounced in Malaga, coupled with a higher willingness to pay for reconnecting rivers. Social awareness of both impacts and services provided by dams and reservoirs may depend on local climate and water security; different dam acceptance emphasizes the need to involve local citizens in the decision-making processes about water management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Dopico
- Department of Education Sciences, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.
| | - Elena Arboleya
- Department of Education Sciences, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Sara Fernandez
- Department of Functional Biology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Yaisel Borrell
- Department of Functional Biology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - Eva Garcia-Vazquez
- Department of Functional Biology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
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15
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Chenoweth J, Bakker JD, Acker SA. Planting, seeding, and sediment impact restoration success following dam removal. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Chenoweth
- Olympic National Park 600 E. Park Avenue Port Angeles WA 98362 U.S.A
- Fisheries Yurok Tribe 190 Klamath Blvd Klamath CA 95548‐1027 U.S.A
| | - Jonathan D. Bakker
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences University of Washington Seattle WA 98195 U.S.A
| | - Steven A. Acker
- United States Forest Service, Mt. Hood National Forest 16400 Champion Way Sandy OR 97055 U.S.A
- 156 SE 75th Avenue Portland OR 97215 U.S.A
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16
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Riparian Buffers as a Critical Landscape Feature: Insights for Riverscape Conservation and Policy Renovations. DIVERSITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/d14030172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Riparian zones are critical for functional integrity of riverscapes and conservation of riverscape biodiversity. The synergism of intermediate flood-induced disturbances, moist microclimates, constant nutrient influx, high productivity, and resource heterogeneity make riparian zones disproportionately rich in biodiversity. Riparian vegetation intercepts surface-runoff, filters pollutants, and supplies woody debris as well as coarse particulate organic matter (e.g., leaf litter) to the stream channel. Riparian zones provide critical habitat and climatic refugia for wildlife. Numerous conservation applications have been implemented for riparian-buffer conservation. Although fixed-width buffers have been widely applied as a conservation measure, the effectiveness of these fixed buffer widths is debatable. As an alternative to fixed-width buffers, we suggest adoption of variable buffer widths, which include multiple tiers that vary in habitat structure and ecological function, with each tier subjected to variable management interventions and land-use restrictions. The riparian-buffer design we proposed can be delineated throughout the watershed, harmonizes with the riverscape concept, thus, a prudent approach to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem functions at variable spatial extents. We posit remodeling existing conservation policies to include riparian buffers into a broader conservation framework as a keystone structure of the riverscape. Watershed-scale riparian conservation is compatible with landscape-scale conservation of fluvial systems, freshwater protected-area networks, and aligns with enhancing environmental resilience to global change. Sustainable multiple-use strategies can be retrofitted into watershed-scale buffer reservations and may harmonize socio-economic goals with those of biodiversity conservation.
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Cid N, Erős T, Heino J, Singer G, Jähnig SC, Cañedo‐Argüelles M, Bonada N, Sarremejane R, Mykrä H, Sandin L, Paloniemi R, Varumo L, Datry T. From meta-system theory to the sustainable management of rivers in the Anthropocene. FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT 2022; 20:49-57. [PMID: 35873359 PMCID: PMC9292669 DOI: 10.1002/fee.2417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Regional-scale ecological processes, such as the spatial flows of material, energy, and organisms, are fundamental for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in river networks. Yet these processes remain largely overlooked in most river management practices and underlying policies. Here, we propose adoption of a meta-system approach, where regional processes acting at different levels of ecological organization - populations, communities, and ecosystems - are integrated into conventional river conservation, restoration, and biomonitoring. We also describe a series of measurements and indicators that could be assimilated into the implementation of relevant biodiversity and environmental policies. Finally, we highlight the need for alternative management strategies that can guide practitioners toward applying recent advances in ecology to preserve and restore river ecosystems and the ecosystem services they provide, in the context of increasing alteration of river network connectivity worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Núria Cid
- INRAEUR RiverLyCentre de Lyon‐VilleurbanneVilleurbanne CedexFrance
| | - Tibor Erős
- Balaton Limnological Research InstituteTihanyHungary
| | - Jani Heino
- Finnish Environment InstituteFreshwater CentreOuluFinland
| | - Gabriel Singer
- Department of EcologyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | - Sonja C Jähnig
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland FisheriesDepartment of Ecosystem ResearchBerlinGermany
- Geography DepartmentFaculty of Mathematics and Natural SciencesHumboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Miguel Cañedo‐Argüelles
- Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management Research GroupDepartament de Biologia EvolutivaEcologia i Ciències AmbientalsFacultat de BiologiaUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institut de Recerca de l'AiguaUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Núria Bonada
- Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management Research GroupDepartament de Biologia EvolutivaEcologia i Ciències AmbientalsFacultat de BiologiaUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institut de Recerca de la BiodiversitatUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | | | - Heikki Mykrä
- Finnish Environment InstituteFreshwater CentreOuluFinland
| | | | - Riikka Paloniemi
- Finnish Environment InstituteEnvironmental Policy CentreHelsinkiFinland
| | - Liisa Varumo
- Finnish Environment InstituteEnvironmental Policy CentreHelsinkiFinland
| | - Thibault Datry
- INRAEUR RiverLyCentre de Lyon‐VilleurbanneVilleurbanne CedexFrance
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18
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Duda JJ, Torgersen CE, Brenkman SJ, Peters RJ, Sutton KT, Connor HA, Kennedy P, Corbett SC, Welty EZ, Geffre A, Geffre J, Crain P, Shreffler D, McMillan JR, McHenry M, Pess GR. Reconnecting the Elwha River: Spatial Patterns of Fish Response to Dam Removal. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.765488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The removal of two large dams on the Elwha River was completed in 2014 with a goal of restoring anadromous salmonid populations. Using observations from ongoing field studies, we compiled a timeline of migratory fish passage upstream of each dam. We also used spatially continuous snorkeling surveys in consecutive years before (2007, 2008) and after (2018, 2019) dam removal during summer baseflow to assess changes in fish distribution and density over 65 km of the mainstem Elwha River. Before dam removal, anadromous fishes were limited to the 7.9 km section of river downstream of Elwha Dam, potamodromous species could not migrate throughout the river system, and resident trout were the most abundant species. After dam removal, there was rapid passage into areas upstream of Elwha Dam, with 8 anadromous species (Chinook, Coho, Sockeye, Pink, Chum, Winter Steelhead, Summer Steelhead, Pacific Lamprey, and Bull Trout) observed within 2.5 years. All of these runs except Chum Salmon were also observed in upper Elwha upstream of Glines Canyon Dam within 5 years. The spatial extent of fish passage by adult Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead increased by 50 km and 60 km, respectively, after dam removal. Adult Chinook Salmon densities in some previously inaccessible reaches in the middle section of the river exceeded the highest densities observed in the lower section of the river prior to dam removal. The large number (>100) of adult Summer Steelhead in the upper river after dam removal was notable because it was among the rarest anadromous species in the Elwha River prior to dam removal. The spatial extent of trout and Bull Trout remained unchanged after dam removal, but their total abundance increased and their highest densities shifted from the lower 25 km of the river to the upper 40 km. Our results show that reconnecting the Elwha River through dam removal provided fish access to portions of the watershed that had been blocked for nearly a century.
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Guetz K, Joyal T, Dickson B, Perry D. Prioritizing dams for removal to advance restoration and conservation efforts in the western United States. Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Katie Guetz
- School of Earth and Sustainability Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ 86011 U.S.A
| | - Taylor Joyal
- School of Earth and Sustainability Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ 86011 U.S.A
| | - Brett Dickson
- School of Earth and Sustainability Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ 86011 U.S.A
| | - Denielle Perry
- School of Earth and Sustainability Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ 86011 U.S.A
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Shafii B, Minshall GW, Holderman CE, Anders PJ, Price WJ. Benthic Insect Assemblage and Species-Level Responses to Eleven Years of Nutrient Addition in the Kootenai River, Idaho. NORTHWEST SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3955/046.095.0105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bahman Shafii
- Emeritus Professor of Statistics, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, Idaho 83844
| | - G. Wayne Minshall
- Emeritus Professor of Stream Ecology, Idaho State University, 921 South 8th Avenue, Pocatello, Idaho 83209
| | - Charles E. Holderman
- Nutrient Mitigation Project Manager, Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, PO Box 1269, Bonners Ferry, Idaho 83805
| | - Paul J. Anders
- Senior Ecologist, Cramer Fish Sciences, 121 South Jackson Street, Moscow, Idaho 83843
| | - William J. Price
- Director of Statistical Programs, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, Idaho 83844
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21
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Gilet L, Gob F, Virmoux C, Gautier E, Thommeret N, Jacob-Rousseau N. Morpho-sedimentary dynamics associated to dam removal. The Pierre Glissotte dam (central France). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 784:147079. [PMID: 33901957 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The paper emphasizes the main lessons learned from hydromorphological monitoring following the removal of a medium-sized dam (7.29 m) located on a medium energy gravel bed river over a four year period (2015-2019). The Pierre Glissotte dam was previously located on the upper Yonne river (Morvan massif), where it was an obstacle to sediment continuity and was almost completely filled with sand and silts. The dam was removed in two steps, the first in July 2015 and the second in October 2017. Several methods were used (topographical surveys, SFM photogrammetry, RFID tracking, hydrological monitoring) to characterize river adjustments, i.e. the nature of the morpho-sedimentary dynamics, their rates, their temporal and spatial variations, and their control mechanisms. The results highlight the complex and nonlinear response of the Yonne river and the relevance of a regular prolonged monitoring. The changing patterns in space and over time, underline the vast range of uncertainties surrounding this type of restoration and the difficulty involved in predicting post-removal hydromorphology around the dam (return to pre-dam functioning, no changes, new equilibrium conditions). For instance, up to now, the study shows that intense morpho-sedimentary dynamics in the reservoir and effective restoration of bedload continuity do not necessarily lead to changes in the downstream conditions (bed mobility and morphological configuration) previously shaped under the influence of the dam, thus mitigating the success of the river restoration operation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Gilet
- Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Laboratoire de Géographie Physique, CNRS UMR8591, 1 Place Aristide Briand, FR 92195 Meudon Cedex, France.
| | - Frédéric Gob
- Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Laboratoire de Géographie Physique, CNRS UMR8591, 1 Place Aristide Briand, FR 92195 Meudon Cedex, France
| | - Clément Virmoux
- Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Laboratoire de Géographie Physique, CNRS UMR8591, 1 Place Aristide Briand, FR 92195 Meudon Cedex, France
| | - Emmanuèle Gautier
- Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Laboratoire de Géographie Physique, CNRS UMR8591, 1 Place Aristide Briand, FR 92195 Meudon Cedex, France
| | - Nathalie Thommeret
- Laboratoire Geomatique et Foncier, CNAM-ESGT, 1 Boulevard Pythagore, 72000 Le Mans, France
| | - Nicolas Jacob-Rousseau
- Laboratoire Archéorient, UMR 5133 CNRS - Université Lumière (Lyon 2), Maison de l'Orient et de la Méditerranée, 7 Rue Raulin, 69365 Lyon Cedex 07, France
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22
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Evidence of Taxonomic and Functional Recovery of Macroinvertebrate Communities Following River Restoration. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13162239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
River ecosystems have been heavily degraded globally due to channel hydromorphological modifications or alterations to catchment-wide processes. Restoration actions aimed at addressing these changes and restoring ecological integrity are increasing, but evidence of the effectiveness of these actions is variable. Using a rare 7-year before-after-control-impact (BACI) study of restoration of a lowland groundwater-fed river in England, UK, we explore changes in the macroinvertebrate community following the removal of impoundments and channel narrowing to aid restoration of physical processes. Restoration activity prompted significant taxonomic and functional responses of benthic invertebrate communities in the 4 years post-restoration. Specifically, significant gains in taxonomic and functional richness were evident following restoration, although corresponding evenness and diversity measures did not mirror these trends. Restoration activities prompted a shift to more rheophilic taxa and associated traits matching the physical changes to the channel and habitat composition. Temporal changes were clearer for taxonomic compositions compared to the functional properties of macroinvertebrate communities, indicating a functional redundancy effect of new colonists inhabiting restored reaches following restoration. The results highlight the value of long-term BACI studies in river restoration assessments, as well as project appraisals incorporating both taxonomic and functional observations. We highlight the urgent need of such studies to provide evidence to inform effective river restoration strategies to address future changes such as adaption to climate change and the biodiversity crisis.
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Wang J, Ding C, Tao J, Jiang X, Heino J, Ding L, Su W, Chen M, Zhang K, He D. Damming affects riverine macroinvertebrate metacommunity dynamics: Insights from taxonomic and functional beta diversity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 763:142945. [PMID: 33127148 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Understanding ecological processes that drive metacommunity dynamics is essential for elucidating the mechanisms of community assembly and for guiding biodiversity conservation. This is especially important in dammed rivers. Here, we examined the taxonomic and functional beta diversity of macroinvertebrates and their underlying drivers in a dammed tropical river and compared the patterns with those in an adjacent undammed river. We found that both taxonomic and functional beta diversities were higher in the dammed river than in the undammed river across wet and dry seasons. The replacement component contributed most to the overall beta diversity for both taxonomic and functional facets, and this component was higher in the dammed river than in the undammed river. In addition, the taxonomic richness difference component was significantly higher in the dammed river in the dry season, but the functional richness difference component showed no difference between the two rivers and between the two seasons. Environmental filtering was the primary driver of total beta diversity and its replacement component, whereas the richness difference component was mainly explained by spatial factors, but these drivers varied in the dammed river in different seasons. Overall, our results indicated that damming induced changes in physiochemical variables (e.g., temperature, conductivity, and nutrients), accompanied by alterations in flow regime and longitudinal connectivity, increased replacement and loss of taxa or traits. These changes have consequently led to alteration of macroinvertebrate taxonomic and functional community dissimilarity and affected the relative effects of environmental and spatial factors on beta diversity and its components. Our study helps understand the ecological processes associated with dam impacts on macroinvertebrate biodiversity and the conservation potential of undammed rivers. In addition, our results showed that taxonomic and functional beta diversities can provide complementary information about dam impacts on riverine biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Transboundary Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
| | - Chengzhi Ding
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Transboundary Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
| | - Juan Tao
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Transboundary Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
| | - Xiaoming Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China.
| | - Jani Heino
- Freshwater Centre, Finnish Environment Institute, Oulu, Finland.
| | - Liuyong Ding
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Transboundary Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
| | - Wan Su
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Transboundary Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
| | - Meiling Chen
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Transboundary Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
| | - Kai Zhang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Transboundary Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
| | - Daming He
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Transboundary Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
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Alric B, Dézerald O, Meyer A, Billoir E, Coulaud R, Larras F, Mondy CP, Usseglio-Polatera P. How diatom-, invertebrate- and fish-based diagnostic tools can support the ecological assessment of rivers in a multi-pressure context: Temporal trends over the past two decades in France. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 762:143915. [PMID: 33360450 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The degradation of aquatic ecosystems, induced by worldwide intensification in the use of both land and aquatic resources, has highlighted the critical need for innovative methods allowing an objective quantification and ranking of anthropogenic pressure effects on aquatic organisms. Such diagnostic tools have a great potential for defining robust management responses to anthropogenic pressures. Our objective was to explore how the outputs of three diagnostic tools (based on benthic diatoms, macroinvertebrates and fishes) could be combined to (i) disentangle the temporal effects of multiple pressures over two decades and (ii) provide policy-relevant information for stream managers and decision makers. The diagnostic tools estimated, using taxonomy- and trait-based metrics, the impairment probabilities of biotic assemblages over time by different pressure categories, describing the alteration of water quality, hydromorphology and land use related to anthropogenic activities, in French streams (number of sites = 312). The main result shows that a large proportion of the time series exhibited no significant temporal patterns over the two decades (61.5% to 87.8%, depending on the used tests). Among time series exhibiting significant change, positive trends in impairment probabilities (i.e., degradation) were less frequent than negative ones, indicating a modest improvement in water quality at national scale over the study period. However, trends can be substantially different according to hydroecoregion and pressure category. The three biological compartments displayed convergent temporal responses according to the pressure category and regional context (e.g., lowland plains vs. mountains, pristine vs. agricultural regions). Altogether, this study proposes a unifying approach to integrate a vast amount of information in a single ecological diagnosis using an unparalleled database on natural and anthropized environments. Strengthening the synthesis of biological information provided by various biological compartments should be a priority before implementing evidence-based sustainable conservation and restoration actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Alric
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LIEC, F-57000 Metz, France
| | - Olivier Dézerald
- ESE, Ecology and Ecosystems Health, INRAE, Agrocampus Ouest, F-35042 Rennes, France
| | - Albin Meyer
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LIEC, F-57000 Metz, France
| | - Elise Billoir
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LIEC, F-57000 Metz, France
| | - Romain Coulaud
- Université Le Havre Normandie, UMR-I 02, SEBIO, F-76063 Le Havre, France
| | - Floriane Larras
- Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cédric P Mondy
- Office Français de la Biodiversité, Direction Régionale Ile-de-France, F-94300 Vincennes, France
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Small mammals and ungulates respond to and interact with revegetation processes following dam removal. FOOD WEBS 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2020.e00159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Dam and reservoir removal projects: a mix of social-ecological trends and cost-cutting attitudes. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19210. [PMID: 33154482 PMCID: PMC7645739 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76158-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The removal of dams and reservoirs may seem to be an unforeseen and sometimes controversial step in water management. The removal of barriers may be different for each country or region, as each differs greatly in terms of politics, economy and social and cultural awareness. This paper addresses the complex problem of removing dams on rivers and their connected reservoirs. We demonstrate the scales of the changes, including their major ecological, economic, and social impacts. Arguments and approaches to this problem vary across states and regions, depending on the political system, economy and culture, as confirmed by the qualitative and quantitative intensities of the dam removal process and its global geographical variation. The results indicate that the removal of dams on rivers and their connected reservoirs applies predominantly to smaller structures (< 2.5 m). The existing examples provide an important conclusion that dams and reservoirs should be considered with regard to the interrelations between people and the environment. Decisions to deconstruct hydraulic engineering structures (or, likewise, to construct them) have to be applied with scrutiny. Furthermore, all decision-making processes have to be consistent and unified and thus developed to improve the lack of strategies currently implemented across world.
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Diefenderfer HL, Steyer GD, Harwell MC, LoSchiavo AJ, Neckles HA, Burdick DM, Johnson GE, Buenau KE, Trujillo E, Callaway JC, Thom RM, Ganju NK, Twilley RR. Applying cumulative effects to strategically advance large-scale ecosystem restoration. FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT 2020; 19:108-117. [PMID: 34795552 PMCID: PMC8597595 DOI: 10.1002/fee.2274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
International efforts to restore degraded ecosystems will continue to expand over the coming decades, yet the factors contributing to the effectiveness of long-term restoration across large areas remain largely unexplored. At large scales, outcomes are more complex and synergistic than the additive impacts of individual restoration projects. Here, we propose a cumulative-effects conceptual framework to inform restoration design and implementation and to comprehensively measure ecological outcomes. To evaluate and illustrate this approach, we reviewed long-term restoration in several large coastal and riverine areas across the US: the greater Florida Everglades; Gulf of Mexico coast; lower Columbia River and estuary; Puget Sound; San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta; Missouri River; and northeastern coastal states. Evidence supported eight modes of cumulative effects of interacting restoration projects, which improved outcomes for species and ecosystems at landscape and regional scales. We conclude that cumulative effects, usually measured for ecosystem degradation, are also measurable for ecosystem restoration. The consideration of evidence-based cumulative effects will help managers of large-scale restoration capitalize on positive feedback and reduce countervailing effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heida L Diefenderfer
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Sequim, WA
- College of the Environment, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | | | - Matthew C Harwell
- Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL
| | - Andrew J LoSchiavo
- Planning and Policy Division, Environmental Branch, US Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, Jacksonville, FL
| | | | - David M Burdick
- Jackson Estuarine Laboratory, School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, and Department of Natural Resources, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
| | | | | | - Elene Trujillo
- Science & Evaluation, Puget Sound Partnership, Tacoma, WA
| | - John C Callaway
- Delta Science Program, Delta Stewardship Council, Sacramento, CA
- Department of Environmental Science, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | | | - Neil K Ganju
- Coastal and Marine Geology, USGS, Woods Hole, MA
| | - Robert R Twilley
- Louisiana Sea Grant College Program, College of the Coast & Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
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Application of UAV Imagery to Detect and Quantify Submerged Filamentous Algae and Rooted Macrophytes in a Non-Wadeable River. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12203332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Imagery from unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs) is useful for mapping floating and emerged primary producers, as well as single taxa of submerged primary producers in shallow, clear lakes and streams. However, there is little research on the effectiveness of UAV imagery-based detection and quantification of submerged filamentous algae and rooted macrophytes in deeper rivers using a standard red-green-blue (RGB) camera. This study provides a novel application of UAV imagery analysis for monitoring a non-wadeable river, the Klamath River in northern California, USA. River depth and solar angle during flight were analyzed to understand their effects on benthic primary producer detection. A supervised, pixel-based Random Trees classifier was utilized as a detection mechanism to estimate the percent cover of submerged filamentous algae and rooted macrophytes from aerial photos within 32 sites along the river in June and July 2019. In-situ surveys conducted via wading and snorkeling were used to validate these data. Overall accuracy was 82% for all sites and the highest overall accuracy of classified UAV images was associated with solar angles between 47.5 and 58.72° (10:04 a.m. to 11:21 a.m.). Benthic algae were detected at depths of 1.9 m underwater and submerged macrophytes were detected down to 1.2 m (river depth) via the UAV imagery in this relatively clear river (Secchi depth > 2 m). Percent cover reached a maximum of 31% for rooted macrophytes and 39% for filamentous algae within all sites. Macrophytes dominated the upstream reaches, while filamentous algae dominated the downstream reaches closer to the Pacific Ocean. In upcoming years, four proposed dam removals are expected to alter the species composition and abundance of benthic filamentous algae and rooted macrophytes, and aerial imagery provides an effective method to monitor these changes.
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Morley SA, Foley MM, Duda JJ, Beirne MM, Paradis RL, Johnson RC, McHenry ML, Elofson M, Sampson EM, McCoy RE, Stapleton J, Pess GR. Shifting food web structure during dam removal-Disturbance and recovery during a major restoration action. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0239198. [PMID: 32991602 PMCID: PMC7523948 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We measured food availability and diet composition of juvenile salmonids over multiple years and seasons before and during the world's largest dam removal on the Elwha River, Washington State. We conducted these measurements over three sediment-impacted sections (the estuary and two sections of the river downstream of each dam) and compared these to data collected from mainstem tributaries not directly affected by the massive amount of sediment released from the reservoirs. We found that sediment impacts from dam removal significantly reduced invertebrate prey availability, but juvenile salmon adjusted their foraging so that the amount of energy in diets was similar before and during dam removal. This general pattern was seen in both river and estuary habitats, although the mechanisms driving the change and the response differed between habitats. In the estuary, the dietary shifts were related to changes in invertebrate assemblages following a hydrological transition from brackish to freshwater caused by sediment deposition at the river's mouth. The loss of brackish invertebrate species caused fish to increase piscivory and rely on new prey sources such as plankton. In the river, energy provided to fish by Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera taxa before dam removal was replaced first by terrestrial invertebrates, and then by sediment-tolerant taxa such as Chironomidae. The results of our study are consistent with many others that have shown sharp declines in invertebrate density during dam removal. Our study further shows how those changes can move through the food web and affect fish diet composition, selectivity, and energy availability. As we move further along the dam removal response trajectory, we hypothesize that food web complexity will continue to increase as annual sediment load now approaches natural background levels, anadromous fish have recolonized the majority of the watershed between and above the former dams, and revegetation and microhabitats continue to develop in the estuary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Morley
- Fish Ecology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Melissa M. Foley
- United States Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey J. Duda
- United States Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Mathew M. Beirne
- Natural Resources Department, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Port Angeles, Washington, United States of America
| | - Rebecca L. Paradis
- Natural Resources Department, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Port Angeles, Washington, United States of America
| | - Rachelle C. Johnson
- United States Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Michael L. McHenry
- Natural Resources Department, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Port Angeles, Washington, United States of America
| | - Mel Elofson
- Natural Resources Department, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Port Angeles, Washington, United States of America
| | - Earnest M. Sampson
- Natural Resources Department, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Port Angeles, Washington, United States of America
| | - Randall E. McCoy
- Natural Resources Department, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Port Angeles, Washington, United States of America
| | - Justin Stapleton
- Natural Resources Department, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Port Angeles, Washington, United States of America
| | - George R. Pess
- Fish Ecology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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Ogar E, Pecl G, Mustonen T. Science Must Embrace Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge to Solve Our Biodiversity Crisis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2020.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Dam Removal Effects on Benthic Macroinvertebrate Dynamics: A New England Stream Case Study (Connecticut, USA). SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11102875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Dam removal is an increasingly common stream restoration tool. Yet, removing dams from small streams also represents a major disturbance to rivers that can have varied impacts on environmental conditions and aquatic biota. We examined the effects of dam removal on the structure, function, and composition of benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) communities in a temperate New England stream. We examined the effects of dam removal over the dam removal time-series using linear mixed effects models, autoregressive models, non-metric multidimensional scaling, and indicator and similarity analyses. The results indicated that the dam removal stimulated major shifts in BMI community structure and composition above and below the dam, and that the BMI communities are becoming more similar over time. The mixed model analysis revealed that BMI functional groups and diversity were significantly influenced by sample site and several BMI groups also experienced significant interactions between site and dam stage (P < 0.05), while the multivariate analyses revealed that community structure continues to differ among sites, even three years after dam removal. Our findings indicate that stream restoration through dam removal can have site-specific influences on BMI communities, that interactions among BMI taxa are important determinants of the post-dam removal community, and that the post-dam-removal BMI community continues to be in a state of reorganization.
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