1
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Di Lorenzo T, Tabilio Di Camillo A, Mori E, Viviano A, Mazza G, Pontalti A, Rogora M, Fiasca B, Di Cicco M, Galassi DMP. Effects of a beaver dam on the benthic copepod assemblage of a Mediterranean river. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8956. [PMID: 38637569 PMCID: PMC11026539 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59456-y] [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: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
As known "ecosystem engineers", beavers influence river hydrology, geomorphology, biochemistry, and biological assemblages. However, there is a lack of research regarding the effects of beaver activities on freshwater meiofauna. In this study, we investigated the taxonomic and functional composition of the benthic copepod assemblage of a segment of the Tiber River (Italy) where a beaver dam, created about 7 weeks before our survey, had formed a semi-lentic habitat upstream and a lotic habitat downstream of the dam. We also analyzed the copepod assemblage before and after a flood event that destroyed the beaver dam, providing a unique opportunity to observe changes in a naturally reversing scenario. Our analyses revealed that, while the taxonomic composition and functional traits of the copepod assemblage remained largely unchanged across the recently formed semi-lentic and lotic habitats, substantial differences were evident between the dammed and undammed states. The dammed state showed lower copepod abundances, biomass, and functionality than the undammed one. These results highlight the role of beaver dams in changing the composition and functionality of meiofaunal assemblages offering insights into the dynamic interactions within aquatic ecosystems.
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Grants
- Project code CN_00000033, Concession Decree No. 1034 of 17 June 2022 adopted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, CUP B83C22002930006, Project title "National Biodiversity Future Center-NBFC National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.4-Call for tender No. 3138 of 16 December 2021, rectified by Decree n.3175 of 18 December 2021 of the Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union-NextGenerationEU
- Project code CN_00000033, Concession Decree No. 1034 of 17 June 2022 adopted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, CUP B83C22002930006, Project title "National Biodiversity Future Center-NBFC National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.4-Call for tender No. 3138 of 16 December 2021, rectified by Decree n.3175 of 18 December 2021 of the Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union-NextGenerationEU
- Project code CN_00000033, Concession Decree No. 1034 of 17 June 2022 adopted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, CUP B83C22002930006, Project title "National Biodiversity Future Center-NBFC National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.4-Call for tender No. 3138 of 16 December 2021, rectified by Decree n.3175 of 18 December 2021 of the Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union-NextGenerationEU
- National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.4-Call for tender No. 3138 of 16 December 2021, rectified by Decree n.3175 of 18 December 2021 of the Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union–NextGenerationEU
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Affiliation(s)
- T Di Lorenzo
- National Research Council of Italy, Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (CN-IRET), Florence, Italy.
- NBFC (National Biodiversity Future Center), 90133, Palermo, Italy.
| | - A Tabilio Di Camillo
- National Research Council of Italy, Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (CN-IRET), Florence, Italy
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - E Mori
- National Research Council of Italy, Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (CN-IRET), Florence, Italy
- NBFC (National Biodiversity Future Center), 90133, Palermo, Italy
| | - A Viviano
- National Research Council of Italy, Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (CN-IRET), Florence, Italy
| | - G Mazza
- National Research Council of Italy, Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (CN-IRET), Florence, Italy
- NBFC (National Biodiversity Future Center), 90133, Palermo, Italy
- CREA Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification (CREA‑DC), Florence, Italy
| | - A Pontalti
- National Research Council of Italy, Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (CN-IRET), Florence, Italy
| | - M Rogora
- National Research Council of Italy, Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA), Verbania Pallanza, Italy
| | - B Fiasca
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - M Di Cicco
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - D M P Galassi
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
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2
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Pander J, Kuhn J, Casas-Mulet R, Habersetzer L, Geist J. Diurnal patterns of spatial stream temperature variations reveal the need for integrating thermal heterogeneity in riverscape habitat restoration. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 918:170786. [PMID: 38331273 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Longer durations of warmer weather, altered precipitation, and modified streamflow patterns driven by climate change are expected to impair ecosystem resilience, exposing freshwater ecosystems and their biota to a severe threat worldwide. Understanding the spatio-temporal temperature variations and the processes governing thermal heterogeneity within the riverscape are essential to inform water management and climate adaptation strategies. We combined UAS-based imagery data of aquatic habitats with meteorological, hydraulic, river morphology and water quality data to investigate how key factors influence spatio-temporal stream heterogeneity on a diurnal basis within different thermal regions of a large recently restored Danube floodplain. Diurnal temperature ranges of aquatic habitats were larger than expected and ranged between 14.2 and 28.0 °C (mean = 20.7 °C), with peak median temperatures (26.1 °C) around 16:00 h. The observed temperature differences in timing and amplitude among thermal regions were unexpectedly high and created a mosaic pattern of temperature heterogeneity. For example, cooler groundwater-influenced thermal regions provided several cold water patches (CWP, below 19.0 °C) and potential cold water refuges (CWRs) around 12:00 h, at the time when other habitats were warmer than 21.0 °C, exceeding the ecological threshold (20.0 °C) for key aquatic species. Within the morphological complexity of the restored floodplain, we identified groundwater influence, shading and river morphology as the key processes driving thermal riverscape heterogeneity. Promoting stream thermal refuges will become increasingly relevant under climate change scenarios, and river restoration should consider both measures to physically prevent habitat from excessive warming and measures to improve connectivity that meet the temperature requirements of target species for conservation. This requires restoring mosaics of complex and dynamic temperature riverscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Pander
- Aquatic Systems Biology Unit, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Johannes Kuhn
- Aquatic Systems Biology Unit, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Roser Casas-Mulet
- Aquatic Systems Biology Unit, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany; Chair of Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany
| | - Luis Habersetzer
- Aquatic Systems Biology Unit, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Juergen Geist
- Aquatic Systems Biology Unit, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany.
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3
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Oyinlola MA, Khorsandi M, Penman R, Earhart ML, Arsenault R, Brauner CJ, St-Hilaire A. Hydrothermal impacts of water release on early life stages of white sturgeon in the Nechako river, B.C. Canada. J Therm Biol 2023; 117:103682. [PMID: 37634393 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Water temperature plays a crucial role in the physiology of aquatic species, particularly in their survival and development. Thus, resource programs are commonly used to manage water quality conditions for endemic species. In a river system like the Nechako River system, central British Columbia, a water management program was established in the 1980s to alter water release in the summer months to prevent water temperatures from exceeding a 20 °C threshold downstream during the spawning season of Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). Such a management regime could have consequences for other resident species like the white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus). Here, we use a hydrothermal model and white sturgeon life stage-specific experimental thermal tolerance data to evaluate water releases and potential hydrothermal impacts based on the Nechako water management plan (1980-2019). Our analysis focused mainly on the warmest five-month period of the year (May to September), which includes the water release management period (July-August). Our results show that the thermal exposure risk, an index that measures temperature impact on species physiology of Nechako white sturgeon across all early life stages (embryo, yolk-sac larvae, larvae, and juvenile) has increased substantially, especially in the 2010s relative to the management program implementations' first decade (the 1980s). The embryonic life stage was the most impacted, with a continuous increase in potential adverse thermal exposure in all months examined in the study. We also recorded major impacts of increased thermal exposure on the critical habitats necessary for Nechako white sturgeon recovery. Our study highlights the importance of a holistic management program with consideration for all species of the Nechako River system and the merit of possibly reviewing the current management plan, particularly with the current concerns about climate change impacts on the Nechako River.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammed A Oyinlola
- Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, 490, rue de la Couronne, Québec G1K 9A9, Canada; Canadian Rivers Institute, UNB Fredericton, 28 Dineen Dr Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3B 5A3, Canada; Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 4200-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Mostafa Khorsandi
- Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, 490, rue de la Couronne, Québec G1K 9A9, Canada; Canadian Rivers Institute, UNB Fredericton, 28 Dineen Dr Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Rachael Penman
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 4200-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Madison L Earhart
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 4200-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Richard Arsenault
- Hydrology, Climate and Climate Change Laboratory, École de technologie supérieure, 1100 Notre-Dame West St., Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada
| | - Colin J Brauner
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 4200-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Andre St-Hilaire
- Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, 490, rue de la Couronne, Québec G1K 9A9, Canada; Canadian Rivers Institute, UNB Fredericton, 28 Dineen Dr Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3B 5A3, Canada
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4
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Beechie TJ, Fogel C, Nicol C, Jorgensen J, Timpane‐Padgham B, Kiffney P. How does habitat restoration influence resilience of salmon populations to climate change? Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J. Beechie
- Fish Ecology Division National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center Seattle Washington USA
| | - Caleb Fogel
- Ocean Associates, Inc. Seattle Washington USA
| | - Colin Nicol
- Ocean Associates, Inc. Seattle Washington USA
| | - Jeff Jorgensen
- Fish Ecology Division National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center Seattle Washington USA
| | | | - Peter Kiffney
- Fish Ecology Division National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center Seattle Washington USA
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5
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Wang Y, Qiu R, Tao Y, Wu J. Influence of the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir on hydrothermal conditions for fish habitat in the Yangtze River. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:10995-11011. [PMID: 36087184 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22930-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The thermal regimes of rivers play an important role in the overall health of aquatic ecosystems. Modifications to water temperature regimes resulting from dams and reservoirs have important consequences for river ecosystems. This study investigates the impacts of the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) on the water temperature regime of fish spawning habitats in the middle reach of the Yangtze River, China. Mike 11 model is used to analyze the temporal and spatial variation of water temperatures of the expanse of 400 km along the river, from Yichang to Chenglingji. The water temperature alterations caused by the operation of the TGR are assessed with river temperature metrics. The impact on spawning habitats due to water temperature variation was also discussed in different impoundments of the TGR. The results show that the TGR has significantly altered the downstream water temperature regime, affecting the baseline deviation and phase shift of the water temperature. Such impacts on the thermal regime of the river varied with the impoundment level. The effects of the TGR on the water temperature regime decreased as the distance from the structure to the sample site increased. The water temperature regime alterations have led to the delay of the spawning times of the four famous major carp (FFMC) species. The results could be used to identify the magnitudes of water temperature alterations induced by reservoirs in the Yangtze River and provide useful information to design ecological operations for the protection of river ecosystem integrity in regulated rivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuankun Wang
- School of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Rujian Qiu
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuwei Tao
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jichun Wu
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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6
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Roper BB. Effects of Beaver Dams on Stream and Riparian Conditions on Public Lands in the United States' Inland Northwest. WEST N AM NATURALIST 2022. [DOI: 10.3398/064.082.0402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Brett B. Roper
- National Stream and Aquatic Ecology Center, USDA Forest Service, 860 North 1200 East, Logan, UT
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7
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Norman LM, Lal R, Wohl E, Fairfax E, Gellis AC, Pollock MM. Natural infrastructure in dryland streams (NIDS) can establish regenerative wetland sinks that reverse desertification and strengthen climate resilience. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 849:157738. [PMID: 35932871 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In this article we describe the natural hydrogeomorphological and biogeochemical cycles of dryland fluvial ecosystems that make them unique, yet vulnerable to land use activities and climate change. We introduce Natural Infrastructure in Dryland Streams (NIDS), which are structures naturally or anthropogenically created from earth, wood, debris, or rock that can restore implicit function of these systems. This manuscript further discusses the capability of and functional similarities between beaver dams and anthropogenic NIDS, documented by decades of scientific study. In addition, we present the novel, evidence-based finding that NIDS can create wetlands in water-scarce riparian zones, with soil organic carbon stock as much as 200 to 1400 Mg C/ha in the top meter of soil. We identify the key restorative action of NIDS, which is to slow the drainage of water from the landscape such that more of it can infiltrate and be used to facilitate natural physical, chemical, and biological processes in fluvial environments. Specifically, we assert that the rapid drainage of water from such environments can be reversed through the restoration of natural infrastructure that once existed. We then explore how NIDS can be used to restore the natural biogeochemical feedback loops in these systems. We provide examples of how NIDS have been used to restore such feedback loops, the lessons learned from installation of NIDS in the dryland streams of the southwestern United States, how such efforts might be scaled up, and what the implications are for mitigating climate change effects. Our synthesis portrays how restoration using NIDS can support adaptation to and protection from climate-related disturbances and stressors such as drought, water shortages, flooding, heatwaves, dust storms, wildfire, biodiversity losses, and food insecurity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Norman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Geographic Science Center, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA.
| | - Rattan Lal
- Ohio State University, CFAES Rattan Lal Center for Carbon Management and Sequestration, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Ellen Wohl
- Colorado State University, Department of Geosciences, Warner College of Natural Resources, Ft Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Emily Fairfax
- California State University Channel Islands, Department of Environmental Science and Research Management, Camarillo, CA 93012, USA
| | - Allen C Gellis
- U.S. Geological Survey, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
| | - Michael M Pollock
- NOAA Fisheries-Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Watershed Program, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
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8
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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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9
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Dittbrenner BJ, Schilling JW, Torgersen CE, Lawler JJ. Relocated beaver can increase water storage and decrease stream temperature in headwater streams. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Christian E. Torgersen
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Cascadia Field Station, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | - Joshua J. Lawler
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
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10
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How riparian and floodplain restoration modify the effects of increasing temperature on adult salmon spawner abundance in the Chehalis River, WA. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268813. [PMID: 35687542 PMCID: PMC9187100 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268813] [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: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Stream temperatures in the Pacific Northwest are projected to increase with climate change, placing additional stress on cold-water salmonids. We modeled the potential impact of increased stream temperatures on four anadromous salmonid populations in the Chehalis River Basin (spring-run and fall-run Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, coho salmon O. kisutch, and steelhead O. mykiss), as well as the potential for floodplain reconnection and stream shade restoration to offset the effects of future temperature increases. In the Chehalis River Basin, peak summer stream temperatures are predicted to increase by as much as 3°C by late-century, but restoration actions can locally decrease temperatures by as much as 6°C. On average, however, basin-wide average stream temperatures are expected to increase because most reaches have low temperature reduction potential for either restoration action relative to climate change. Results from the life cycle models indicated that, without restoration actions, increased summer temperatures are likely to produce significant declines in spawner abundance by late-century for coho (-29%), steelhead (-34%), and spring-run Chinook salmon (-95%), and smaller decreases for fall-run Chinook salmon (-17%). Restoration actions reduced these declines in all cases, although model results suggest that temperature restoration alone may not fully mitigate effects of future temperature increases. Notably, floodplain reconnection provided a greater benefit than riparian restoration for steelhead and both Chinook salmon populations, but riparian restoration provided a greater benefit for coho. This pattern emerged because coho salmon tend to spawn and rear in smaller streams where shade restoration has a larger effect on stream temperature, whereas Chinook and steelhead tend to occupy larger rivers where temperatures are more influenced by floodplain connectivity. Spring-run Chinook salmon are the only population for which peak temperatures affect adult prespawn survival in addition to rearing survival, making them the most sensitive species to increasing stream temperatures.
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11
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Pollock MM, Witmore S, Yokel E. Field experiments to assess passage of juvenile salmonids across beaver dams during low flow conditions in a tributary to the Klamath River, California, USA. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268088. [PMID: 35609083 PMCID: PMC9129030 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Across Eurasia and North America, beaver (Castor spp), their dams and their human-built analogues are becoming increasingly common restoration tools to facilitate recovery of streams and wetlands, providing a natural and cost-effective means of restoring dynamic fluvial ecosystems. Although the use of beaver ponds by numerous fish and wildlife species is well documented, debate continues as to the benefits of beaver dams, primarily because dams are perceived as barriers to fish movement, particularly migratory species such as salmonids. In this study, through a series of field experiments, we tested the ability of juvenile salmonids to cross constructed beaver dams (aka beaver dam analogues). Two species, coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and steelhead trout (O. mykiss), were tracked using passive integrated transponder tags (PIT tags) as they crossed constructed beaver dam analogues. We found that when we tagged and moved these fishes from immediately upstream of the dams to immediately downstream of them, most were detected upstream within 36 hours of displacement. By the end of a 21-day field experiment, 91% of the displaced juvenile coho and 54% of the juvenile steelhead trout were detected on antennas upstream of the dams. In contrast, during the final week of the 21-day experiment, just 1 of 158 coho salmon and 6 of 40 (15%) of the steelhead trout were still detected on antennas in the release pool below the dams. A similar but shorter 4-day pilot experiment with only steelhead trout produced similar results. In contrast, in a non-displacement experiment, juveniles of both species that were captured, tagged and released in a pool 50 m below the dams showed little inclination to move upstream. Further, by measuring hydraulic conditions at the major flowpaths over and around the dams, we provide insight into low-flow conditions under which juvenile salmonids are able to cross these constructed beaver dams, and that multiple types of flowpaths may be beneficial towards assisting fish movement past instream restoration structures. Finally, we compared estimates of the number of juvenile salmonids using the pond habitat upstream of the dam relative to the number that the dam may have prevented from moving upstream. Upstream of the dams we found an abundance of juvenile salmonids and a several orders of magnitude difference in favor of the number of juveniles using the pond habitat upstream of the dam. In sum, our study suggests beaver dams, BDAs, and other channel spanning habitat features should be preserved and restored rather than removed as perceived obstructions to fish passage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael M. Pollock
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Watershed Program, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Shari Witmore
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, West Coast Region, Klamath Branch, Arcata, California, United States of America
| | - Erich Yokel
- Scott River Watershed Council, Etna, California, United States of America
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12
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Tape KD, Clark JA, Jones BM, Kantner S, Gaglioti BV, Grosse G, Nitze I. Expanding beaver pond distribution in Arctic Alaska, 1949 to 2019. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7123. [PMID: 35504957 PMCID: PMC9065087 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09330-6] [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: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Beavers were not previously recognized as an Arctic species, and their engineering in the tundra is considered negligible. Recent findings suggest that beavers have moved into Arctic tundra regions and are controlling surface water dynamics, which strongly influence permafrost and landscape stability. Here we use 70 years of satellite images and aerial photography to show the scale and magnitude of northwestward beaver expansion in Alaska, indicated by the construction of over 10,000 beaver ponds in the Arctic tundra. The number of beaver ponds doubled in most areas between ~ 2003 and ~ 2017. Earlier stages of beaver engineering are evident in ~ 1980 imagery, and there is no evidence of beaver engineering in ~ 1952 imagery, consistent with observations from Indigenous communities describing the influx of beavers over the period. Rapidly expanding beaver engineering has created a tundra disturbance regime that appears to be thawing permafrost and exacerbating the effects of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken D Tape
- Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, USA.
| | - Jason A Clark
- Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, USA
| | - Benjamin M Jones
- Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, USA
| | | | - Benjamin V Gaglioti
- Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, USA
| | - Guido Grosse
- Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Alfred Wegener Institute, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Ingmar Nitze
- Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Alfred Wegener Institute, Potsdam, Germany
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13
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Corline NJ, Vasquez‐Housley P, Yokel E, Gilmore C, Stapleton B, Lusardi R. When Humans Work Like Beavers: Riparian Restoration Enhances Invertebrate Gamma Diversity and Habitat Heterogeneity. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J. Corline
- Center for Watershed Sciences University of California, Davis One Shields Ave Davis CA 95616 USA
| | | | - Erich Yokel
- Scott River Watershed Council 541 N. Hwy. 3 Etna CA 96027 USA
| | - Charnna Gilmore
- Scott River Watershed Council 541 N. Hwy. 3 Etna CA 96027 USA
| | - Betsy Stapleton
- Scott River Watershed Council 541 N. Hwy. 3 Etna CA 96027 USA
| | - Robert Lusardi
- Center for Watershed Sciences University of California, Davis One Shields Ave Davis CA 95616 USA
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology University of California, Davis One Shields Ave Davis 95616 USA
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14
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Reinert JH, Albertson LK, Junker JR. Influence of biomimicry structures on ecosystem function in a Rocky Mountain incised stream. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - James R. Junker
- Department of Ecology Montana State University Bozeman Montana USA
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15
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Holthuijzen AMA. Passive Restoration of a Small Mountain Stream in Eastern Oregon. NORTHWEST SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3955/046.095.0104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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16
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Epps CW, Petro VM, Creech TG, Crowhurst RS, Weldy MJ, Taylor JD. Landscape Genetics of American Beaver in Coastal Oregon. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Clinton W. Epps
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Corvallis OR 97331 USA
| | - Vanessa M. Petro
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Oregon State University 321 Richardson Hall Corvallis OR 97331 USA
| | - Tyler G. Creech
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Corvallis OR 97331 USA
| | - Rachel S. Crowhurst
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Corvallis OR 97331 USA
| | - Matthew J. Weldy
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Corvallis OR 97331 USA
| | - Jimmy D. Taylor
- USDA, APHIS, National Wildlife Research Center Oregon Field Station 321 Richardson Hall Corvallis OR 97331 USA
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17
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Nash CS, Grant GE, Charnley S, Dunham JB, Gosnell H, Hausner MB, Pilliod DS, Taylor JD. Great Expectations: Deconstructing the Process Pathways Underlying Beaver-Related Restoration. Bioscience 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaa165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Beaver-related restoration is a process-based strategy that seeks to address wide-ranging ecological objectives by reestablishing dam building in degraded stream systems. Although the beaver-related restoration has broad appeal, especially in water-limited systems, its effectiveness is not yet well documented. In this article, we present a process-expectation framework that links beaver-related restoration tactics to commonly expected outcomes by identifying the set of process pathways that must occur to achieve those expected outcomes. We explore the contingency implicit within this framework using social and biophysical data from project and research sites. This analysis reveals that outcomes are often predicated on complex process pathways over which humans have limited control. Consequently, expectations often shift through the course of projects, suggesting that a more useful paradigm for evaluating process-based restoration would be to identify relevant processes and to rigorously document how projects do or do not proceed along expected process pathways using both quantitative and qualitative data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gordon E Grant
- USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, Oregon, United States
| | - Susan Charnley
- USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - jason B Dunham
- US Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon, United States
| | - Hannah Gosnell
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States
| | - Mark B Hausner
- Desert Research Institute's Division of Hydrologic Sciences, Reno, Nevada, United States
| | - David S Pilliod
- US Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, Idaho, United States
| | - Jimmy D Taylor
- US Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, Idaho, United States
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18
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Brazier RE, Puttock A, Graham HA, Auster RE, Davies KH, Brown CML. Beaver: Nature's ecosystem engineers. WIRES. WATER 2021; 8:e1494. [PMID: 33614026 PMCID: PMC7883483 DOI: 10.1002/wat2.1494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Beavers have the ability to modify ecosystems profoundly to meet their ecological needs, with significant associated hydrological, geomorphological, ecological, and societal impacts. To bring together understanding of the role that beavers may play in the management of water resources, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems, this article reviews the state-of-the-art scientific understanding of the beaver as the quintessential ecosystem engineer. This review has a European focus but examines key research considering both Castor fiber-the Eurasian beaver and Castor canadensis-its North American counterpart. In recent decades species reintroductions across Europe, concurrent with natural expansion of refugia populations has led to the return of C. fiber to much of its European range with recent reviews estimating that the C. fiber population in Europe numbers over 1.5 million individuals. As such, there is an increasing need for understanding of the impacts of beaver in intensively populated and managed, contemporary European landscapes. This review summarizes how beaver impact: (a) ecosystem structure and geomorphology, (b) hydrology and water resources, (c) water quality, (d) freshwater ecology, and (e) humans and society. It concludes by examining future considerations that may need to be resolved as beavers further expand in the northern hemisphere with an emphasis upon the ecosystem services that they can provide and the associated management that will be necessary to maximize the benefits and minimize conflicts. This article is categorized under:Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alan Puttock
- Department of GeographyUniversity of ExeterDevonUK
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19
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Majerova M, Neilson BT, Roper BB. Beaver dam influences on streamflow hydraulic properties and thermal regimes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 718:134853. [PMID: 31839304 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Beaver dams alter channel hydraulics which in turn change the geomorphic templates of streams. Variability in geomorphic units, the building blocks of stream systems, and water temperature, critical to stream ecological function, define habitat heterogeneity and availability. While prior research has shown the impact of beaver dams on stream hydraulics, geomorphic template, or temperature, the connections or feedbacks between these habitat measures are not well understood. This has left questions regarding relationships between temperature variability at different spatial scales to hydraulic properties such as flow depth and velocity that are dependent on the geomorphology. We combine detailed predicted hydraulic properties, field-based maps with an additional classification scheme of geomorphic units, and detailed water temperature observations throughout a study reach to demonstrate the relationship between these factors at different spatial scales (reach, beaver dam complexes, and geomorphic units). Over a three-week, low flow period we found temperature to vary 2 °C between the upstream and downstream extents of the reach with a net warming of 1 °C during the day and a net cooling of 0.5 °C at night. At the beaver dam complex scale, net warming of 1.15 °C occurred during the day with variable cooling at night. Regardless of limited temperature changes at these larger scales, the temperature variability within a beaver dam complex reached up to 10.5 °C due to the diversity of geomorphic units. At the geomorphic unit scale, the highly altered flow velocity and depth distributions within primary geomorphic units provide an explanation of the temperature variability within the dam complex and insight regarding increases in habitat heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milada Majerova
- Utah Water Research Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Utah State University, 8200 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-8200, United States.
| | - Bethany T Neilson
- Utah Water Research Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Utah State University, 8200 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-8200, United States.
| | - Brett B Roper
- Department of Watershed Sciences, Utah State University, 8200 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-8200, United States; Fish and Aquatic Ecology Unit, U.S. Forest Service, 860 North 1200 East, Logan, UT 84321, United States
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20
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Pitman KJ, Moore JW, Sloat MR, Beaudreau AH, Bidlack AL, Brenner RE, Hood EW, Pess GR, Mantua NJ, Milner AM, Radić V, Reeves GH, Schindler DE, Whited DC. Glacier Retreat and Pacific Salmon. Bioscience 2020; 70:220-236. [PMID: 32174645 PMCID: PMC7064434 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaa015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Glaciers have shaped past and present habitats for Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) in North America. During the last glacial maximum, approximately 45% of the current North American range of Pacific salmon was covered in ice. Currently, most salmon habitat occurs in watersheds in which glacier ice is present and retreating. This synthesis examines the multiple ways that glacier retreat can influence aquatic ecosystems through the lens of Pacific salmon life cycles. We predict that the coming decades will result in areas in which salmon populations will be challenged by diminished water flows and elevated water temperatures, areas in which salmon productivity will be enhanced as downstream habitat suitability increases, and areas in which new river and lake habitat will be formed that can be colonized by anadromous salmon. Effective conservation and management of salmon habitat and populations should consider the impacts of glacier retreat and other sources of ecosystem change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara J Pitman
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jonathan W Moore
- Earth2Oceans Research Group, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | | | - Anne H Beaudreau
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Juneau, Alaska
| | - Allison L Bidlack
- Alaska Coastal Rainforest Center, University of Alaska Southeast, Juneau, Alaska
| | | | - Eran W Hood
- Environmental Science Program, University of Alaska Southeast, Juneau, Alaska
| | - George R Pess
- National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington
| | - Nathan J Mantua
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Santa Cruz, California
| | - Alexander M Milner
- School of Geography, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.,Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska
| | - Valentina Radić
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Gordon H Reeves
- US Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - Daniel E Schindler
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Diane C Whited
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana
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21
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Orr MR, Weber NP, Noone WN, Mooney MG, Oakes TM, Broughton HM. Short-Term Stream and Riparian Responses to Beaver Dam Analogs on a Low-Gradient Channel Lacking Woody Riparian Vegetation. NORTHWEST SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.3955/046.093.0302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Orr
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University—Cascades, 1500 SW Chandler Avenue, Bend, Oregon 97702
| | | | - Wesley N. Noone
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University—Cascades, 1500 SW Chandler Avenue, Bend, Oregon 97702
| | - Megan G. Mooney
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University—Cascades, 1500 SW Chandler Avenue, Bend, Oregon 97702
| | - Taiontorake M. Oakes
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University—Cascades, 1500 SW Chandler Avenue, Bend, Oregon 97702
| | - Heather M. Broughton
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University—Cascades, 1500 SW Chandler Avenue, Bend, Oregon 97702
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22
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Briggs MA, Wang C, Day-Lewis FD, Williams KH, Dong W, Lane JW. Return flows from beaver ponds enhance floodplain-to-river metals exchange in alluvial mountain catchments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 685:357-369. [PMID: 31176222 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
River to floodplain hydrologic connectivity is strongly enhanced by beaver- (Castor canadensis) engineered channel water diversions. The hydroecological impacts are wide ranging and generally positive, however, the hydrogeochemical characteristics of beaver-induced flowpaths have not been thoroughly examined. Using a suite of complementary ground- and drone-based heat tracing and remote sensing methodology we characterized the physical template of beaver-induced floodplain exchange for two alluvial mountain streams near Crested Butte, Colorado, USA. A flowpath-oriented perspective to water quality sampling allowed characterization of the chemical evolution of channel water diverted through floodplain beaver ponds and ultimately back to the channel in 'beaver pond return flows'. Subsurface return flow seepages were universally suboxic, while ponds and surface return flows showed a range of oxygen concentration due to in-situ photosynthesis and atmospheric mixing. Median concentrations of reduced metals: manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), and arsenic (As) were substantially higher along beaver-induced flowpaths than in geologically controlled seepages and upstream main channel locations. The areal footprint of reduced return seepage flowpaths were imaged with surface electromagnetic methods, indicating extensive zones of high-conductivity shallow groundwater flowing back toward the main channels and emerging at relatively warm bank seepage zones observed with infrared. Multiple-depth redox dynamics within one focused seepage zone showed coupled variation over time, likely driven by observed changes in seepage rate that may be controlled by pond stage. High-resolution times series of dissolved Mn and Fe collected downstream of the beaver-impacted reaches demonstrated seasonal dynamics in mixed river metal concentrations. Al time series concentrations showed proportional change to Fe at the smaller stream location, indicating chemically reduced flowpaths were sourcing Al to the channel. Overall our results indicated beaver-induced floodplain exchanges create important, and perhaps dominant, transport pathways for floodplain metals by expanding chemically-reduced zones paired with strong advective exchange.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin A Briggs
- U.S. Geological Survey, Earth System Processes Division, Hydrogeophysics Branch, 11 Sherman Place, Unit 5015, Storrs, CT, USA.
| | - Chen Wang
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Frederick D Day-Lewis
- U.S. Geological Survey, Earth System Processes Division, Hydrogeophysics Branch, 11 Sherman Place, Unit 5015, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Ken H Williams
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Earth & Environmental Sciences Area, 1 Cyclotron, Road, MS74R316C, Berkeley, CA, USA; Rocky Mountain Biological Lab, Gothic, CO, USA
| | - Wenming Dong
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Earth & Environmental Sciences Area, 1 Cyclotron, Road, MS74R316C, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - John W Lane
- U.S. Geological Survey, Earth System Processes Division, Hydrogeophysics Branch, 11 Sherman Place, Unit 5015, Storrs, CT, USA
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23
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Merriam ER, Petty JT. Stream channel restoration increases climate resiliency in a thermally vulnerable Appalachian river. Restor Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric R. Merriam
- School of Natural Resources West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506‐6125 U.S.A
| | - J. T. Petty
- School of Natural Resources West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506‐6125 U.S.A
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24
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Yu S, He R, Song A, Huang Y, Jin Z, Liang Y, Li Q, Wang X, Müller WEG, Cao J. Spatial and temporal dynamics of bacterioplankton community composition in a subtropical dammed karst river of southwestern China. Microbiologyopen 2019; 8:e00849. [PMID: 31058472 PMCID: PMC6741127 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
River damming influences the hydro‐physicochemical variations in karst water; however, such disruption in bacterioplankton communities has seldom been studied. Here, three sampling sites (city‐river section, reservoir area, and outflow area) of the Ca2+–Mg2+–HCO3−–SO42− water type in the dammed Liu River were selected to investigate the bacterioplankton community composition as identified by high‐throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In the dammed Liu River, thermal regimes have been altered, which has resulted in considerable spatial‐temporal differences in total dissolved solids (TDSs), oxidation‐reduction potential (Eh), dissolved oxygen (DO), and pH and in a different microenvironment for bacterioplankton. Among the dominant bacterioplankton phyla, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Cyanobacteria account for 38.99%–87.24%, 3.75%–36.55%, 4.77%–38.90%, and 0%–14.44% of the total reads (mean relative frequency), respectively. Bacterioplankton communities are dominated by Brevundimonas, Novosphingobium, Zymomonas, the Actinobacteria hgcIclade, the CL500‐29 marine group, Sediminibacterium, Flavobacterium, Pseudarcicella, Cloacibacterium, and Prochlorococcus. Their abundances covary with spatial‐temporal variations in hydro‐physicochemical factors, as also demonstrated by beta diversity analyses. In addition, temperature plays a pivotal role in maintaining bacterioplankton biodiversity and hydro‐physicochemical variations. This result also highlights the concept that ecological niches for aquatic bacteria in dammed karst rivers do not accidentally occur but are the result of a suite of environmental forces. In addition, bacterioplankton can alter the aquatic carbon/nitrogen cycle and contribute to karst river metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Yu
- Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MLR & GZAR, Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin, China.,International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO, Guilin, China
| | - Ruoxue He
- Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MLR & GZAR, Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin, China.,International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO, Guilin, China.,Chengdu Technological University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ang Song
- Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MLR & GZAR, Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin, China.,International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO, Guilin, China
| | - Yadan Huang
- Graduate School of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, China
| | - Zhenjiang Jin
- Environmental Science and Engineering College, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, China
| | - Yueming Liang
- Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MLR & GZAR, Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin, China.,International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO, Guilin, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MLR & GZAR, Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin, China.,International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO, Guilin, China
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- ERC Advanced Investigator Grant Research Group at Institute for Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Werner E G Müller
- ERC Advanced Investigator Grant Research Group at Institute for Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jianhua Cao
- Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MLR & GZAR, Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin, China.,International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO, Guilin, China
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25
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Fesenmyer KA, Dauwalter DC, Evans C, Allai T. Livestock management, beaver, and climate influences on riparian vegetation in a semi-arid landscape. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0208928. [PMID: 30533026 PMCID: PMC6289506 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Riparian and aquatic habitats support biodiversity and key environmental processes in semi-arid and arid landscapes, but stressors such as conventional livestock grazing, wildfire, and drought can degrade their condition. To enhance habitat for fish and wildlife and increase resiliency in these critical areas, land managers in the interior western United States increasingly use alternative grazing strategies, beaver management, or beaver dam surrogates as low-effort, low-expense restoration approaches. In this study we used historical archives of satellite and aerial imagery spanning three decades to characterize riparian vegetation productivity and document beaver dam occurrences, then evaluated vegetation productivity relative to land management associated with livestock grazing and beaver dam densities while accounting for climate and wildfire. After controlling for stream characteristics such as stream size, elevation, and stream slope, we demonstrate a positive response of riparian area vegetation to conservation-oriented grazing approaches and livestock exclosures, extensive beaver dam development, increased precipitation, and lack of wildfire. We show that livestock management which emphasizes riparian recovery objectives can be an important precursor to beaver activity and describe 11-39% increases in floodplain vegetation productivity where conservation-oriented grazing approaches or livestock exclosures and high beaver activity occur together on low-gradient sites. Land management decisions can therefore potentially confer resiliency to riparian areas under changing and variable climate conditions-the increased vegetation productivity resulting from conservation-oriented grazing or exclosures and high amounts of beaver activity at our sites is the equivalent to moving conventionally-grazed, low-gradient sites without beaver up at least 250 m in elevation or increasing water year precipitation by at least 250 mm.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Carol Evans
- US Bureau of Land Management, Elko, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Todd Allai
- US Bureau of Land Management, Vale, Oregon, United States of America
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26
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Cutting KA, Ferguson JM, Anderson ML, Cook K, Davis SC, Levine R. Linking beaver dam affected flow dynamics to upstream passage of Arctic grayling. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:12905-12917. [PMID: 30619592 PMCID: PMC6308880 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Beaver reintroductions and beaver dam structures are an increasingly utilized ecological tool for rehabilitating degraded streams, yet beaver dams can potentially impact upstream fish migrations. We collected two years of data on Arctic grayling movement through a series of beaver dams in a low gradient mountain stream, utilizing radio-telemetry techniques, to determine how hydrology, dam characteristics, and fish attributes impeded passage and movement rates of spawning grayling. We compared fish movement between a "normal" flow year and a "low" flow year, determined grayling passage probabilities over dams in relation to a suite of factors, and predicted daily movement rates in relation to the number of dams each fish passed and distance between dams during upstream migration to spawning areas. We found that the average passage probability over unbreached beaver dams was 88%, though we found that it fell below 50% at specific dams. Upstream passage of grayling was affected by three main characteristics: (a) temperature, (b) breach status, and (c) hydrologic linkages that connect sections of stream above and below the dam. Other variables influence passage, but to a lesser degree. Cumulative passage varied with distance upstream and total number of dams passed in low versus normal flow years, while movement rates upstream slowed as fish swam closer to dams. Our findings demonstrate that upstream passage of fish over beaver dams is strongly correlated with hydrologic conditions with moderate controls by dam- and fish-level characteristics. Our results provide a framework that can be applied to reduce barrier effects when and where beaver dams pose a significant threat to the upstream migration of fish populations while maintaining the diverse ecological benefits of beaver activity when dams are not a threat to fish passage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle A. Cutting
- Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife RefugeU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceLimaMontana
| | - Jake M. Ferguson
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation BiologyUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesota
| | | | - Kristen Cook
- Ennis National Fish HatcheryU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceEnnisMontana
| | - Stacy C. Davis
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental SciencesMontana State UniversityBozemanMontana
| | - Rebekah Levine
- Department of Environmental SciencesThe University of Montana WesternDillonMontana
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27
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Silverman NL, Allred BW, Donnelly JP, Chapman TB, Maestas JD, Wheaton JM, White J, Naugle DE. Low-tech riparian and wet meadow restoration increases vegetation productivity and resilience across semiarid rangelands. Restor Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas L. Silverman
- College of Forestry and Conservation; University of Montana; 32 Campus Way, Missoula MT 59812 U.S.A
| | - Brady W. Allred
- College of Forestry and Conservation; University of Montana; 32 Campus Way, Missoula MT 59812 U.S.A
| | - John Patrick Donnelly
- Intermountain West Joint Venture; 1001 S. Higgins Avenue, Suite A1, Missoula MT 59801 U.S.A
| | - Teresa B. Chapman
- Colorado Field Office; The Nature Conservancy; 2424 Spruce Street, Boulder CO 80302 U.S.A
| | - Jeremy D. Maestas
- Natural Resources Conservation Service; 625 SE Salmon Avenue, Redmond OR 97756 U.S.A
| | - Joseph M. Wheaton
- Watershed Science Department; Utah State University; 5210 Old Main Hill, NR 360, Logan UT 84322 U.S.A
| | - Jeff White
- Newmont Mining Corporation; 1655 Mountain City Highway, Elko NV 89801 U.S.A
| | - David E. Naugle
- College of Forestry and Conservation; University of Montana; 32 Campus Way, Missoula MT 59812 U.S.A
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28
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Pilliod DS, Rohde AT, Charnley S, Davee RR, Dunham JB, Gosnell H, Grant GE, Hausner MB, Huntington JL, Nash C. Survey of Beaver-related Restoration Practices in Rangeland Streams of the Western USA. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 61:58-68. [PMID: 29167949 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-017-0957-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Poor condition of many streams and concerns about future droughts in the arid and semi-arid western USA have motivated novel restoration strategies aimed at accelerating recovery and increasing water resources. Translocation of beavers into formerly occupied habitats, restoration activities encouraging beaver recolonization, and instream structures mimicking the effects of beaver dams are restoration alternatives that have recently gained popularity because of their potential socioeconomic and ecological benefits. However, beaver dams and dam-like structures also harbor a history of social conflict. Hence, we identified a need to assess the use of beaver-related restoration projects in western rangelands to increase awareness and accountability, and identify gaps in scientific knowledge. We inventoried 97 projects implemented by 32 organizations, most in the last 10 years. We found that beaver-related stream restoration projects undertaken mostly involved the relocation of nuisance beavers. The most common goal was to store water, either with beaver dams or artificial structures. Beavers were often moved without regard to genetics, disease, or potential conflicts with nearby landowners. Few projects included post-implementation monitoring or planned for longer term issues, such as what happens when beavers abandon a site or when beaver dams or structures breach. Human dimensions were rarely considered and water rights and other issues were mostly unresolved or addressed through ad-hoc agreements. We conclude that the practice and implementation of beaver-related restoration has outpaced research on its efficacy and best practices. Further scientific research is necessary, especially research that informs the establishment of clear guidelines for best practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Pilliod
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, ID, 83706, USA.
| | - Ashley T Rohde
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, ID, 83706, USA
| | - Susan Charnley
- U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR, 97205, USA
| | - Rachael R Davee
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Jason B Dunham
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Hannah Gosnell
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Gordon E Grant
- U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Mark B Hausner
- Desert Research Institute, Division of Hydrologic Sciences, Las Vegas, NV, 89119, USA
| | - Justin L Huntington
- Desert Research Institute, Division of Hydrologic Sciences, Reno, NV, 89512, USA
| | - Caroline Nash
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
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