Integrating spatial data for predicting the influence of altered hydrologic and thermal conditions on fish and macroinvertebrate assemblage traits and taxa across stream
Dates
Start Date
2021
End Date
2024
Summary
Stream hydrology and temperature are among the most influential regulators of life-history traits and community structure of aquatic organisms. Hydrologic and thermal gradients strongly affect individual fitness and ultimately species success by imposing fundamental constraints on behavior, metabolic rates, reproduction, growth and ecological interactions. Stream hydrology and water temperature are also among the most frequently altered components of lotic systems due to human activities and other environmental disturbance. Despite their critical role in sustaining native aquatic biodiversity, few studies have examined the cross-scale influence of hydrology and water temperature on freshwater biota using a multi-species and flow regime [...]
Summary
Stream hydrology and temperature are among the most influential regulators of life-history traits and community structure of aquatic organisms. Hydrologic and thermal gradients strongly affect individual fitness and ultimately species success by imposing fundamental constraints on behavior, metabolic rates, reproduction, growth and ecological interactions. Stream hydrology and water temperature are also among the most frequently altered components of lotic systems due to human activities and other environmental disturbance. Despite their critical role in sustaining native aquatic biodiversity, few studies have examined the cross-scale influence of hydrology and water temperature on freshwater biota using a multi-species and flow regime analytical framework.
This project will leverage high performance computing resources to develop empirical relationships for quantifying the cross-scale influence of hydrology, temperature and land use change on fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages and species of greatest conservation need (SGCN). The first phase of the proposed study will focus on rivers and streams in the Interior Highlands of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. The second phase of the project will expand the analysis to include river systems in southern Alabama, southern Georgia and northern Florida.
