Effects of Flow Regime on Fish Assemblages in a Regulated California Stream

Marchetti, Michael P.; Moyle, Peter B.

doi:10.1890/1051-0761(2001)011[0530:eofrof]2.0.co;2

Cited by 296 publications

(156 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Some of these annual differences in fish community composition appear to be driven by the interannual variability of freshwater inflow into the Delta, a pattern reflected in the second NMDS axis (Fig 3). This result is not surprising given that numerous studies have demonstrated a strong relationship between fish community and hydrologic variability in California [72,73,74,75]. Yet, the largest differentiation between years, as captured by the first NMDS axis, seems to follow a pattern of continuous change over time.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

Evidence of a Shift in the Littoral Fish Community of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

Mahardja¹,

Farruggia²,

Schreier³

et al. 2017

PLoS ONE

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Many estuarine and freshwater ecosystems worldwide have undergone substantial changes due to multiple anthropogenic stressors. Over the past two decades, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) in California, USA, saw a severe decline in pelagic fishes, a shift in zooplankton community composition, and a rapid expansion of invasive aquatic vegetation. To evaluate whether major changes have also occurred in the littoral fish community, we analyzed a beach seine survey dataset collected from 1995 to 2015 from 26 sites within the Delta. We examined changes in the Delta fish community at three different ecological scales (species, community, and biomass), using clustering analyses, trend tests, and change-point analyses. We found that the annual catch per effort for many introduced species and some native species have increased since 1995, while few experienced a decline. We also observed a steady pattern of change over time in annual fish community composition, driven primarily by a steady increase in non-native Centrarchid species. Lastly, we found that littoral fish biomass has essentially doubled over the 21-year study period, with Mississippi Silverside Menidia audens and fishes in the Centrarchidae family driving most of this increase. The changes in the catch per effort, fish community composition, and biomass per volume indicate that a shift has occurred in the Delta littoral fish community and that the same factors affecting the Delta’s pelagic food web may have been a key driver of change.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

Evidence of a Shift in the Littoral Fish Community of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

Mahardja¹,

Farruggia²,

Schreier³

et al. 2017

PLoS ONE

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“…Diversions and groundwater pumping have reduced total and base streamflows, thus increasing riparian water stress (McKay and King, 2006;Caskey et al, 2014), while dam operations have increased low flows, reduced flood magnitude and frequency, altered flood timing, and impeded sediment movement, thus reducing fluvial disturbance and hindering riparian ecosystem dynamics (Graf, 2006;Poff and Zimmerman, 2010;Grill et al, 2015). On rivers with reduced low flows, adequate low flows may be restored by purchasing water rights, setting flow targets during dam relicensing, or increasing water-use efficiency to reduce water demand (Marchetti and Moyle, 2001;Poff et al, 2007;Acreman et al, 2014). On rivers with reduced low flows, adequate low flows may be restored by purchasing water rights, setting flow targets during dam relicensing, or increasing water-use efficiency to reduce water demand (Marchetti and Moyle, 2001;Poff et al, 2007;Acreman et al, 2014).…”

Section: Water Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Incorporating climate change projections into riparian restoration planning and design

et al. 2015

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Climate change and associated changes in streamflow may alter riparian habitats substantially in coming decades. Riparian restoration provides opportunities to respond proactively to projected climate change effects, increase riparian ecosystem resilience to climate change, and simultaneously address effects of both climate change and other human disturbances. However, climate change may alter which restoration methods are most effective and which restoration goals can be achieved. Incorporating climate change into riparian restoration planning and design is critical to long-term restoration of desired community composition and ecosystem services.In this review, we discuss and provide examples of how climate change might be incorporated into restoration planning at the key stages of assessing the project context, establishing restoration goals and design criteria, evaluating design alternatives, and monitoring restoration outcomes. Restoration planners have access to numerous tools to predict future climate, streamflow, and riparian ecology at restoration sites. Planners can use those predictions to assess which species or ecosystem services will be most vulnerable under future conditions, and which sites will be most suitable for restoration. To accommodate future climate and streamflow change, planners may need to adjust methods for planting, invasive species control, channel and floodplain reconstruction, and water management. Given the considerable uncertainty in future climate and streamflow projections, riparian ecological responses, and effects on restoration outcomes, planners will need to consider multiple potential future scenarios, implement a variety of restoration methods, design projects with flexibility to adjust to future conditions, and plan to respond adaptively to unexpected change.

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“…Aspects of the flow regime are known to be linked to critical aspects of the life history of fishes (Welcomme, 1985;Junk et al, 1989;Humphries et al, 1999;Poff et al, 2003;Lytle and Poff, 2004), and therefore, providing more natural flow regimes in regulated rivers is seen as one potential restoration measures (Marchetti and Moyle, 2001;Arthington et al, 2006). However, examples of its use are limited and those that are available have had varying successes.…”

Section: The Role Of Flooding In Spawning and Recruitment Of Native Fishmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental flow enhances native fish spawning and recruitment in the Murray River, Australia

King¹,

Tonkin²,

Mahoney³

2008

River Research & Apps

175

152

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Environmental flows aim to mimic components of a river's natural flow variability, including the magnitude, frequency, timing, duration, rate of change and the predictability of flow events. Aspects of the natural flow regime are thought to be linked to critical components of the life history strategies of many riverine fishes, including spawning and recruitment. In the Murray River, Australia, environmental flows are increasingly being used as a restoration tool; however, there is little information about the response of fish to these managed flow events. This study reports on the results from a 3-year study on the effects of water management on the spawning and recruitment of four native fish species in the mid-Murray River system. Two of these years were hydrologically similar, while the third year encompassed an extensive period of floodplain inundation, including the use of the largest environmental flow allocation to date in Australia. Drift nets were used to collect the drifting eggs and larvae of four iconic native species throughout their spawning season each year. Young-of-year were collected in the following autumn. Although golden perch and silver perch eggs were collected in all 3 years, both species increased their spawning activity during the major flood period compared to the previous two seasons. Murray cod and trout cod appeared not to increase their spawning activity in the flood year, but their recruitment may be increased when floodplain inundation occurs at times when their larvae and juveniles are present, most likely through the generation of abundant food resources. Whilst further study is required to confirm the role and mechanism of flooding in the spawning and recruitment of these species; this study provides important evidence of a link between the provision of an environmental flood and fish spawning and recruitment, and has significant implications for managing flows in regulated rivers.

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Effects of Flow Regime on Fish Assemblages in a Regulated California Stream

Cited by 296 publications

References 26 publications

Evidence of a Shift in the Littoral Fish Community of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

Evidence of a Shift in the Littoral Fish Community of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

Incorporating climate change projections into riparian restoration planning and design

Environmental flow enhances native fish spawning and recruitment in the Murray River, Australia

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