Increasing synchrony of high temperature and low flow in western North American streams: double trouble for coldwater biota?

Arisméndi, Iván; Safeeq, Mohammad; Johnson, Sherri L.; Dunham, Jason B.; Haggerty, R.

doi:10.1007/s10750-012-1327-2

Cited by 94 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Climate change is likely to influence both streamflow [19–20] and water temperature [3], thereby increasing the potential for physiological stress in fish populations [21]. Using the ichthyograph, managers can not only identify points in a species’ life cycle where hydrologic conditions may already be reaching physiological limits, but also determine whether future conditions are expected to lie outside the hydrologic conditions experienced in the past, and may represent critically-vulnerable time periods in a species’ life history.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In many systems, anthropogenic changes to hydrologic conditions already exceed predicted future effects from climate [3]. Water control and diversion devices, floodplain stabilization, and road construction have compromised natural processes that resulted in a diversity of connected and complex river habitats, across short (seasonal) and longer (annual, decadal, or longer) time steps.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, consistent seasonal patterns lead to the development of phenological life-history patterns in aquatic species that reflect the linkage between environmental conditions and specific life stages or life-history characteristics [2]. Changes in regional climate patterns and human activities are altering streams [3] in ways that alter the time frame during which conditions appropriate for key life stages of fish occur. Understanding the range of variability in fish response to hydrologic conditions at different points in their life history, and the conditions they require at key life-history stages (such as spawning or juvenile emergence) may be critically important in helping biologists and managers mitigate the effects of future climate change or management actions on aquatic systems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Linking Hydroclimate to Fish Phenology and Habitat Use with Ichthyographs

et al. 2016

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Streamflow and water temperature (hydroclimate) influence the life histories of aquatic biota. The relationship between streamflow and temperature varies with climate, hydrogeomorphic setting, and season. Life histories of native fishes reflect, in part, their adaptation to regional hydroclimate (flow and water temperature), local habitats, and natural disturbance regimes, all of which may be affected by water management. Alterations to natural hydroclimates, such as those caused by river regulation or climate change, can modify the suitability and variety of in-stream habitat for fishes throughout the year. Here, we present the ichthyograph, a new empirically-based graphical tool to help visualize relationships between hydroclimate and fish phenology. Generally, this graphical tool can be used to display a variety of phenotypic traits. We used long-term data sets of daily fish passage to examine linkages between hydroclimate and the expression of life-history phenology by native fishes. The ichthyograph may be used to characterize the environmental phenology for fishes across multiple spatio-temporal domains. We illustrate the ichthyograph in two applications to visualize: 1) river use for the community of fishes at a specific location; and 2) stream conditions at multiple locations within the river network for one species at different life-history stages. The novel, yet simple, ichthyograph offers a flexible framework to enable transformations in thinking regarding relationships between hydroclimate and aquatic species across space and time. The potential broad application of this innovative tool promotes synergism between assessments of physical characteristics and the biological needs of aquatic species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Linking Hydroclimate to Fish Phenology and Habitat Use with Ichthyographs

et al. 2016

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“…Coldwater habitat in the western USA and elsewhere is projected to decline significantly with decreasing summer base flows and increasing stream temperatures (Stewart et al 2005, Bryant 2009, Wenger et al 2011. These 2 climate-induced effects may have a negative synergistic effect on coldwater biota as the time between elevated summer water temperature and autumn base flow declines (Arismendi et al 2013). Springfed rivers may exhibit more stable temperatures throughout the year and lower temperatures during critical summer periods and, therefore, potentially provide important refuge habitat for stream invertebrates and other native coldwater biota.…”

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confidence: 99%

Environment shapes invertebrate assemblage structure differences between volcanic spring-fed and runoff rivers in northern California

et al. 2016

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Flow variability plays an important role in structuring lotic communities, yet comparatively little is known about processes governing assemblage dynamics in stream ecosystems with stable environmental conditions, such as spring-fed rivers. Volcanic spring-fed rivers (hereafter spring-fed rivers) occur in geologically active landscapes of the western USA and around the globe. We sampled invertebrate assemblages and quantified primary productivity and habitat characteristics of spring-fed and runoff rivers in northern California over 4 seasons. We predicted that abiotic factors would be more stable and nutrient availability greater and that invertebrate density would be greater and diversity lower in spring-fed than in runoff rivers. Runoff rivers exhibited high variability in discharge and temperature, whereas spring-fed rivers were relatively stable with high naturally occurring nutrient levels. On average, NO 3 − and PO 4 3− concentrations were 40× greater in spring-fed than in runoff rivers. Spring-fed rivers supported nearly 7 to 16× greater densities of invertebrates than runoff systems, depending on season. However, invertebrate species richness was greater in runoff rivers in all seasons. Spring-fed river invertebrate assemblages were strongly correlated with elevated nutrient concentrations and basal C sources, whereas runoff assemblages were associated with discharge variability and median substrate size. We suggest that strong differences in abiotic variability between spring-fed and runoff rivers play an important role in determining invertebrate assemblage structure. Because spring-fed rivers exhibit more stable temperatures throughout the year and lower temperatures during the summer than runoff rivers, they may provide essential refugia for coldwater taxa in a warming climate.

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“…This sort of tools are important to effectively integrate channel form in river management. Arismendi et al (2012) analyse changes in hydrology resulting from climate change. They report on a shift in the timing of low flow and summer high temperatures in North American streams, both important biological stressors.…”

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confidence: 99%