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McCullough IM, Hanly PJ, King KBS, Wagner T. Freshwater corridors in the conterminous United States: A coarse‐filter approach based on lake‐stream networks. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ian M. McCullough
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USA
| | - Patrick J. Hanly
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USA
| | - Katelyn B. S. King
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USA
| | - Tyler Wagner
- U.S. Geological Survey, Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Pennsylvania State University University Park Pennsylvania USA
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2
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Cline TJ, Muhlfeld CC, Kovach R, Al-Chokhachy R, Schmetterling D, Whited D, Lynch AJ. Socioeconomic resilience to climatic extremes in a freshwater fishery. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn1396. [PMID: 36070376 PMCID: PMC9451147 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn1396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Heterogeneity is a central feature of ecosystem resilience, but how this translates to socioeconomic resilience depends on people's ability to track shifting resources in space and time. Here, we quantify how climatic extremes have influenced how people (fishers) track economically valuable ecosystem services (fishing opportunities) across a range of spatial scales in rivers of the northern Rocky Mountains, USA, over the past three decades. Fishers opportunistically shifted from drought-sensitive to drought-resistant rivers during periods of low streamflows and warm temperatures. This adaptive behavior stabilized fishing pressure and expenditures by a factor of 2.6 at the scale of the regional fishery (i.e., portfolio effect). However, future warming is predicted to homogenize habitat options that enable adaptive behavior by fishers, putting ~30% of current spending at risk across the region. Maintaining a diverse portfolio of fishing opportunities that enable people to exploit shifting resources provides an important resilience mechanism for mitigating the socioeconomic impacts of climate change on fisheries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J. Cline
- Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, West Glacier, MT, USA
| | - Clint C. Muhlfeld
- Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, West Glacier, MT, USA
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, MT, USA
| | - Ryan Kovach
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Robert Al-Chokhachy
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | | | - Diane Whited
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, MT, USA
| | - Abigail J. Lynch
- National Climate Adaptation Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, USA
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Warren DR, Roon DA, Swartz AG, Bladon KD. Loss of riparian forests from wildfire led to increased stream temperatures in summer, yet salmonid fish persisted. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dana R. Warren
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - David A. Roon
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
- Department of Forest Engineering, Resources, and Management Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Allison G. Swartz
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Kevin D. Bladon
- Department of Forest Engineering, Resources, and Management Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
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4
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Isaak DJ, Young MK, Horan DL, Nagel D, Schwartz MK, McKelvey KS. Do metapopulations and management matter for relict headwater bull trout populations in a warming climate? ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2594. [PMID: 35343015 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2594] [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: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Mountain headwater streams have emerged as important climate refuges for native cold-water species due to their slow climate velocities and extreme physical conditions that inhibit non-native invasions. Species persisting in refuges often do so as fragmented, relict populations from broader historical distributions that are subject to ongoing habitat reductions and increasing isolation as climate change progresses. Key for conservation planning is determining where remaining populations will persist and how habitat restoration strategies can improve biological resilience to enhance the long-term prospects for species of concern. Studying bull trout, a headwater species in the northwestern USA, we developed habitat occupancy models using a data set of population occurrence in 991 natal habitat patches with a suite of novel geospatial covariates derived from high-resolution hydroclimatic scenarios and other sources representing watershed and instream habitat conditions, patch geometry, disturbance, and biological interactions. The best model correctly predicted bull trout occupancy status in 82.6% of the patches and included effects for: patch size estimated as habitat volume, extent of within-patch reaches <9°C mean August temperature, distance to nearest occupied patch, road density, invasive brook trout prevalence, patch slope, and frequency of high winter flows. The model was used to assess 16 scenarios of bull trout occurrence within the study streams that represented a range of restoration strategies under three climatic conditions (baseline, moderate change, and extreme change). Results suggested that regional improvements in bull trout status were difficult to achieve in realistic restoration strategies due to the pervasive nature of climate change and the limited extent of restoration actions given their high costs. However, occurrence probabilities in a subset of patches were highly responsive to restoration actions, suggesting that targeted investments to improve the resilience of some populations may be contextually beneficial. A possible strategy, therefore, is focusing effort on responsive populations near more robust population strongholds, thereby contributing to local enclaves where dispersal among populations further enhances resilience. Equally important, strongholds constituted a small numerical percentage of patches (5%-21%), yet encompassed the large majority of occupied habitat by volume (72%-89%) and their protection could have significant conservation benefits for bull trout.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Isaak
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, US Forest Service, Boise, Idaho, USA
| | - Michael K Young
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, US Forest Service, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Dona L Horan
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, US Forest Service, Boise, Idaho, USA
| | - David Nagel
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, US Forest Service, Boise, Idaho, USA
| | - Michael K Schwartz
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, US Forest Service, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Kevin S McKelvey
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, US Forest Service, Missoula, Montana, USA
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Young MK, Smith R, Pilgrim KL, Isaak DJ, McKelvey KS, Parkes S, Egge J, Schwartz MK. A Molecular Taxonomy of Cottus in western North America. WEST N AM NATURALIST 2022. [DOI: 10.3398/064.082.0208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael K. Young
- USDA Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 800 E. Beckwith Avenue, Missoula, MT 59802
| | - Rebecca Smith
- USDA Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 800 E. Beckwith Avenue, Missoula, MT 59802
| | - Kristine L. Pilgrim
- USDA Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 800 E. Beckwith Avenue, Missoula, MT 59802
| | - Daniel J. Isaak
- USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 322 East Front Street Suite 401, Boise, ID 83702
| | - Kevin S. McKelvey
- USDA Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 800 E. Beckwith Avenue, Missoula, MT 59802
| | - Sharon Parkes
- USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 322 East Front Street Suite 401, Boise, ID 83702
| | - Jacob Egge
- Department of Biology, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA 98447
| | - Michael K. Schwartz
- USDA Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 800 E. Beckwith Avenue, Missoula, MT 59802
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Hydroclimatic Conditions, Wildfire, and Species Assemblages Influence Co-Occurrence of Bull Trout and Tailed Frogs in Northern Rocky Mountain Streams. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14071162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Although bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) and tailed frogs (Ascaphus montanus) have co-existed in forested Pacific Northwest streams for millennia, these iconic cold-water specialists are experiencing rapid environmental change caused by a warming climate and enhanced wildfire activity. Our goal was to inform future conservation by examining the habitat associations of each species and conditions that facilitate co-occupancy. We repurposed data from previous studies in the northern Rocky Mountains to assess the efficacy of bull trout electrofishing surveys for determining the occurrence of tailed frogs and the predictive capacity of habitat covariates derived from in-stream measurements and geospatial sources to model distributions of both species. Electrofishing reliably detected frog presence (89.2% rate). Both species were strongly associated with stream temperature and flow regime characteristics, and less responsive to riparian canopy cover, slope, and other salmonids. Tailed frogs were also sensitive to wildfire, with occupancy probability peaking around 80 years after a fire. Co-occupancy was most probable in locations with low-to-moderate frequencies of high winter flow events, few other salmonids, a low base-flow index, and intermediate years since fire. The distributions of these species appear to be sensitive to environmental conditions that are changing this century in forests of the northern Rocky Mountains. The amplification of climate-driven effects after wildfire may prove to be particularly problematic in the future. Habitat differences between these two species, considered to be headwater specialists, suggest that conservation measures designed for one may not fully protect the other. Additional studies involving future climate and wildfire scenarios are needed to assess broader conservation strategies and the potential to identify refuge streams where both species are likely to persist, or complementary streams where each could exist separately into the future.
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Bell DA, Kovach RP, Muhlfeld CC, Al-Chokhachy R, Cline TJ, Whited DC, Schmetterling DA, Lukacs PM, Whiteley AR. Climate change and expanding invasive species drive widespread declines of native trout in the northern Rocky Mountains, USA. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj5471. [PMID: 34936455 PMCID: PMC8694593 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj5471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and invasive species are major threats to native biodiversity, but few empirical studies have examined their combined effects at large spatial and temporal scales. Using 21,917 surveys collected over 30 years, we quantified the impacts of climate change on the past and future distributions of five interacting native and invasive trout species throughout the northern Rocky Mountains, USA. We found that the occupancy of native bull trout and cutthroat trout declined by 18 and 6%, respectively (1993–2018), and was predicted to decrease by an additional 39 and 16% by 2080. However, reasons for these occupancy reductions markedly differed among species: Climate-driven increases in water temperature and decreases in summer flow likely caused declines of bull trout, while climate-induced expansion of invasive species largely drove declines of cutthroat trout. Our results demonstrate that climate change can affect ecologically similar, co-occurring native species through distinct pathways, necessitating species-specific management actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donovan A. Bell
- Wildlife Biology Program, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | | | - Clint C. Muhlfeld
- Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, West Glacier, MT, USA
- Flathead Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, MT, USA
| | - Robert Al-Chokhachy
- Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Timothy J. Cline
- Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, West Glacier, MT, USA
| | - Diane C. Whited
- Flathead Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, MT, USA
| | | | - Paul M. Lukacs
- Wildlife Biology Program, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Andrew R. Whiteley
- Wildlife Biology Program, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
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Crabot J, Mondy CP, Usseglio-Polatera P, Fritz KM, Wood PJ, Greenwood MJ, Bogan MT, Meyer EI, Datry T. A global perspective on the functional responses of stream communities to flow intermittence. ECOGRAPHY 2021; 44:1511-1523. [PMID: 34720401 PMCID: PMC8554635 DOI: 10.1111/ecog.05697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The current erosion of biodiversity is a major concern that threatens the ecological integrity of ecosystems and the ecosystem services they provide. Due to global change, an increasing proportion of river networks are drying and changes from perennial to non-perennial flow regimes represent dramatic ecological shifts with potentially irreversible alterations of community and ecosystem dynamics. However, there is minimal understanding of how biological communities respond functionally to drying. Here, we highlight the taxonomic and functional responses of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities to flow intermittence across river networks from three continents, to test predictions from underlying trait-based conceptual theory. We found a significant breakpoint in the relationship between taxonomic and functional richness, indicating higher functional redundancy at sites with flow intermittence higher than 28%. Multiple strands of evidence, including patterns of alpha and beta diversity and functional group membership, indicated that functional redundancy did not compensate for biodiversity loss associated with increasing intermittence, contrary to received wisdom. A specific set of functional trait modalities, including small body size, short life span and high fecundity, were selected with increasing flow intermittence. These results demonstrate the functional responses of river communities to drying and suggest that on-going biodiversity reduction due to global change in drying river networks is threatening their functional integrity. These results indicate that such patterns might be common in these ecosystems, even where drying is considered a predictable disturbance. This highlights the need for the conservation of natural drying regimes of intermittent rivers to secure their ecological integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ken M Fritz
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Willis AD, Peek RA, Rypel AL. Classifying California's stream thermal regimes for cold-water conservation. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256286. [PMID: 34415917 PMCID: PMC8378740 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Stream temperature science and management is rapidly shifting from single-metric driven approaches to multi-metric, thermal regime characterizations of streamscapes. Given considerable investments in recovery of cold-water fisheries (e.g., Pacific salmon and other declining native species), understanding where cold water is likely to persist, and how cold-water thermal regimes vary, is critical for conservation. California’s unique position at the southern end of cold-water ecosystems in the northern hemisphere, variable geography and hydrology, and extensive flow regulation requires a systematic approach to thermal regime classification. We used publicly available, long-term (> 8 years) stream temperature data from 77 sites across California to model their thermal regimes, calculate three temperature metrics, and use the metrics to classify each regime with an agglomerative nesting algorithm. Then, we assessed the variation in each class and considered underlying physical or anthropogenic factors that could explain differences between classes. Finally, we considered how different classes might fit existing criteria for cool- or cold-water thermal regimes, and how those differences complicate efforts to manage stream temperature through regulation. Our results demonstrate that cool- and cold-water thermal regimes vary spatially across California. Several salient findings emerge from this study. Groundwater-dominated streams are a ubiquitous, but as yet, poorly explored class of thermal regimes. Further, flow regulation below dams imposes serial discontinuities, including artificial thermal regimes on downstream ecosystems. Finally, and contrary to what is often assumed, California reservoirs do not contain sufficient cold-water storage to replicate desirable, reach-scale thermal regimes. While barriers to cold-water conservation are considerable and the trajectory of cold-water species towards extinction is dire, protecting reaches that demonstrate resilience to climate warming remains worthwhile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann D. Willis
- Center for Watershed Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Ryan A. Peek
- Center for Watershed Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Andrew L. Rypel
- Center for Watershed Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
- Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
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Lin L, Deng W, Huang X, Kang B. Fish taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity and their vulnerabilities in the largest river in southeastern China. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:11533-11548. [PMID: 34429938 PMCID: PMC8366846 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Freshwater biodiversity is currently under multiple threats. Conservation of freshwater fish biodiversity needs to be prioritized because natural conservation resources are always limited.Samples were collected at 24 sites in the Min River, the largest basin in southeastern China. Taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity were analyzed. Biodiversity vulnerability was measured by removing one species each time out of the community with replacement.Results suggested that hotspots for taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity were located at two impounded sites, while for functional diversity were those sites with no upstream dams. Little congruence was observed between taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity. Fragmentation of river network connectivity caused by dams was a significant factor affecting the biodiversity patterns. Beta turnover was the driving component for beta diversity, indicating that biodiversity dissimilarity along the river was mostly explained by environmental sorting. Fifteen out of 16 species that contributed the most to different facets of biodiversity were mostly endemic, either they had distinctive functional traits or they were the most prevalent species. Sites with the highest diversity vulnerability were characterized by these distinctive species. Functional diversity was more vulnerable to species loss comparing with the other two biodiversity facets.Prioritizing those biodiversity hotspots, sites with extreme functional vulnerability, and those distinctive endemic species which contributed the most to biodiversity vulnerability is suggested in the Min River. The study found evidence that congruence among different facets of biodiversity is hard to achieve, and functional diversity is the most vulnerable in a freshwater system fragmented by intensive dam constructions. This work will help to develop systematic conservation planning from the perspective of different biodiversity facets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Lin
- College of FisheriesOcean University of ChinaQingdaoChina
| | - Weide Deng
- Department of OceanographyNational Sun Yat‐Sen UniversityKaohsiungTaiwan
- Henry Fok College of Biology and AgricultureShaoguan UniversityShaoguanChina
| | - Xiaoxia Huang
- Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment and Processes in the Boundary Layer over the Low‐Latitude Plateau RegionSchool of Earth ScienceYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Bin Kang
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China)Ministry of EducationQingdaoChina
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