Loss of functionally important and regionally endemic species from streams forced into intermittency by global warming

Carey, Nicole; Chester, Edwin T.; Robson, Belinda J.

doi:10.1111/gcb.16650

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 98 publications

(182 reference statements)

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“…Endemic aquatic species are threatened as perennial streams transition to intermittent streams (Carey et al, 2023). Stream fishes are threatened by severe drought and increasing water abstraction, requiring new approaches to conservation (Gido et al, 2023).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fishes move to transient local refuges, not persistent landscape refuges during river drying experiment

Archdeacon,

Gonzales,

Yackulic

2024

Freshwater Biology

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Anthropogenically driven flow intermittency is increasing in freshwater streams, with important implications for the management and conservation of aquatic ecosystems. Because most freshwater fishes are mobile, they are expected to emigrate from intermittent reaches, but this may not be true in streams transitioning from perennial to intermittent. Here, we attempt to determine if riverine fishes vacate drying reaches before intermittency or remain in local refuges. We implemented a controlled, in situ experimental flow reduction resulting in intermittency, reducing flows from ~1.0 to 0 m3/s over a 3‐week period. We monitored fish and fish‐habitat changes over a 5‐week period before, during and after flow reductions. During flow reductions, total wetted habitat was ultimately reduced by 91%. Habitat loss over time was not equal among habitat types: pool habitat increased slightly as run habit was lost, and backwater and isolated pool habitats were not strongly related to discharge. Likewise, water depth in run habitats decreased faster than other habitats. Only the river carpsucker Carpiodes carpio appeared to move upstream during flow recession; seven other species remained within drying sites. Habitat loss negatively affected fish populations, but at a lower rate than that at which habitat was lost, until sites dried completely. Overall, two species, red shiner Cyprinella lutrensis and western mosquitofish Gambusia affinis, had increased population growth during the study, whereas the remaining species had population declines. Fishes were able to find transient local refuges during flow reductions but did not vacate sites before intermittent conditions. Accounting for lack of emigration from anthropogenic flow‐intermittent reaches will be important for designing conservation actions for fishes threatened by increasing flow intermittency. Creation of refuge habitats may not be effective for widely dispersed species that do not actively seek refuge habitats, unless those habitats support enough individuals to maintain resilience following the intermittent conditions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fishes move to transient local refuges, not persistent landscape refuges during river drying experiment

Archdeacon,

Gonzales,

Yackulic

2024

Freshwater Biology

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“…Even though crayfish from a perennial stream showed some ability to survive drying, their responses did not seem to be as efficient as those of crayfish from a seasonal stream, which may translate into decreased persistence when streams transition from seasonal to perennial as has already occurred in this landscape (Carey et al, 2021(Carey et al, , 2023. Currently, C. quinquecarinatus appears to be a hardy, generalist species tolerant of the conditions that they are currently exposed to in the wild and capable of resisting continuing drying caused by climate change, at least in the short term.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In many regions, climate change is altering water regimes by reducing precipitation and increasing the frequency and duration of drought, which then reduces both streamflow duration and wetland hydroperiod (e.g., Sim et al, 2013), changing invertebrate community composition and reducing diversity (Atkinson et al, 2021; Carey et al, 2021, 2023; Mackie et al, 2013; Strachan et al, 2016). Although such changes are clearly evident, the mechanisms and processes underpinning species responses are poorly known.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal and perennial water populations of an endemic crayfish differ in behavioural responses to drying but not metabolism

2023

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Crayfish perform important roles within freshwater ecosystems, including in regions where global warming is causing prolonged drying of waterbodies. However, little is known about responses of crayfish to habitat drying from both a behavioural and physiological perspective. We compared burrowing ability, survival and metabolism of the crayfish Cherax quinquecarinatus from a seasonal stream and a perennial stream. Burrowing ability and crayfish survival were quantified in a mesocosm experiment contrasting sediment type (sand vs. clay/sand mixture) and water regime. Aerobic scope, standard metabolic rate (SMR) and maximum metabolic rate (MMR) were also compared using intermittent flow respirometry. Crayfish from the seasonal stream showed limited burrowing ability but higher survival in the drying treatment, while the perennial stream crayfish burrowed strongly in the clay/sand sediment. Higher survival suggests that crayfish from seasonal streams might be physiologically better adapted to drying. Larger crayfish burrowed more proficiently, reaching the saturated hyporheic zone refuge in the clay/sand sediment treatment. SMR/MMR/aerobic scope did not differ between populations or respirometry runs; however, SMR differed between individuals, perhaps due to personality traits. There was a significant negative relationship between MMR/aerobic scope and weight. Sediment type may limit C. quinquecarinatus burrowing and persistence through drying. Crayfish populations did not differ in terms of metabolism; however, crayfish from seasonal habitats may possess more efficient physiological adaptations to drying. This study highlights the need for greater research attention on the effects of climatic drying on both the behaviour and the physiology of species exposed to climate change.

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“…Sim et al., 2013). Given the fundamental importance of hydrological regime for the life history of freshwater species, these changes in climate and hydrology are influencing the phenology, persistence, and biodiversity of freshwater species in southwestern Australia (Atkinson et al., 2021; Carey et al., 2021, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Responses to desiccation vary among populations of an endemic freshwater isopod, Paramphisopus palustris

Emery‐Butcher,

Beatty,

Robson

2023

Freshwater Biology

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Isopods play many important roles within freshwater ecosystems (including as shredders, prey, and detritivores), yet we know little about their responses to disturbance or whether they vary among populations. In a region undergoing severe climatic drying that is changing hydrological regimes in wetlands, we compared responses to drying (including survival) among populations of an endemic isopod Paramphisopus palustris (Amphisopidae). The survival of individuals from four isopod populations (two each from seasonal and semi‐perennial wetlands) were tested in a drying experiment with three treatments: control (permanently inundated), saturated sediment (water level maintained equal with the sediment surface), and dry (microcosms gradually raised out of the water causing sediments to dry out). Microrefuge use (three levels: no response, sought shelter or sought shelter/burrowed) was also compared among populations. As expected, isopod mortality was highest in the dry treatment for all populations. Unexpectedly, isopods from the two semi‐perennial wetlands showed higher survival in response to drying than those from seasonal wetlands. All isopods showed dormancy in response to the dry treatment and curled their bodies to limit water loss from their ventral gills. Microrefuge use differed among populations but not between the two hydroregimes. However, there was some similarity in population responses according to genetic clade. Isopods displayed some resistance to drying through dormancy behaviour and seeking microrefuges, which will increase population persistence under a drying climate. However, the reduced survival of individuals from seasonal wetland populations suggests that surviving in these wetlands is more challenging than in semi‐perennial or perennial regimes. These challenges are likely to be exacerbated as climate change further decreases hydroperiods and limits the availability of damp microrefuges. Consequently, longer‐term population persistence may be challenged as more wetlands become seasonal. The responses of endemic species are not always correctly predicted from knowledge of more widespread and commonly studied species and our results suggest that there may be variation among populations. Although P. palustris showed some innate responses to drying, their long‐term persistence (and that of other endemic species) may be threatened as environmental conditions become more extreme.

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Loss of functionally important and regionally endemic species from streams forced into intermittency by global warming

Cited by 6 publications

References 98 publications

Fishes move to transient local refuges, not persistent landscape refuges during river drying experiment

Fishes move to transient local refuges, not persistent landscape refuges during river drying experiment

Seasonal and perennial water populations of an endemic crayfish differ in behavioural responses to drying but not metabolism

Responses to desiccation vary among populations of an endemic freshwater isopod, Paramphisopus palustris

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