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Ruaro R, Gubiani ÉA, Hughes RM. Omernik's Ecoregion Framework: a Legacy for Understanding Regional Patterns in Attainable Resource Quality. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 73:354-364. [PMID: 37610662 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-023-01871-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
An initial and comprehensive map of ecological regions across the conterminous United States was provided by Omernik in 1987. Because that paper was the most-cited published by the Annals of the American Association of Geographers, we sought to assess and quantify its contribution to science. To do so, we conducted a scientometric analysis to address the following main questions: 1) What are the temporal and spatial citation trends? We expected that Omernik's paper would still be employed 36 years after its publication, and mostly in the United States of America. 2) For what types of environments and organisms has it been applied? Based on its generality, we expected that it had been applied to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. 3) What are the main applications of Omernik's article? We predicted that it would mostly be used for describing and delineating study sites and management areas, as well as for selecting regional reference sites. The number of citations presented a positive temporal increase, indicating its continued applicability. Most papers dealt with aquatic environments, mainly in streams carried out predominantly in the United States of America, as was one of its earliest applications. The usefulness of ecoregions for assessing and managing biotic and abiotic patterns and distributions were the main topics addressed by scientists. Ecoregions have offered a general framework for developing regional expectations and rational regional management policies across large areas, as was their original intent. In addition, ecoregion maps were used for communicating patterns-or the lack of them-to interested scientists, citizens, and decision-makers. That comprehensiveness of Omernik's ecoregion approach has led to its widespread applicability and continued usefulness to a diverse set of scientific and management disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Ruaro
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Graduate Program in Environmental Science and Technology, Federal Technological University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
| | - Éder André Gubiani
- Group of Research in Fisheries Resources and Limnology (Gerpel), Graduate Course in Fisheries Resources and Fishing Engineering, Graduate Course in Conservation and Management of Natural Resources, Western Paraná State University, Toledo, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Robert M Hughes
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
- Amnis Opes Institute, Corvallis, OR, USA
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Fergus CE, Brooks JR, Kaufmann PR, Herlihy AT, Hill RA, Mitchell RM, Ringold P. Disentangling natural and anthropogenic effects on benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in western US streams. Ecosphere 2023; 14:1-24. [PMID: 38993516 PMCID: PMC11235210 DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Stream macroinvertebrate assemblages are shaped by natural and human-related factors that operate through complex hierarchical pathways. Quantifying these relationships can provide additional insights into stream ecological assessment. We applied a structural equation modeling framework to evaluate hypothesized pathways by which watershed, riparian, and in-stream factors affect benthic macroinvertebrate condition in the Western Mountains (WMT) and Xeric (XER) ecoregions in the United States. We developed a conceptual model grounded in theory, empirical evidence, and expert opinion to evaluate the following hypotheses: (1) macroinvertebrate assemblages are primarily driven by proximal, in-stream factors (e.g., water quality and physical habitat); (2) anthropogenic land uses affect macroinvertebrates indirectly by altering in-stream characteristics; and (3) riparian vegetation cover attenuates land use effects. We tested our model separately on three measures of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage condition: ratio of observed-to-expected taxonomic richness (O/E); a multimetric index (MMI); and richness of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera taxa (EPT). In the WMT, site-level riparian cover, in-stream physical habitat (relative bed stability), and water chemistry (total nitrogen) were the top three predictors of macroinvertebrate assemblages, each having over two times the magnitude of effect on macroinvertebrates compared with watershed-level predictors. In the arid XER, annual precipitation and stream flow characteristics were top predictors of macroinvertebrate assemblages and had similar magnitudes of effect as in-stream water chemistry. Path analyses revealed that land use activities in the watershed and at the stream site degraded macroinvertebrate assemblages indirectly by altering relative bed stability, water quality, and riparian cover/complexity. Increased riparian cover was associated with greater macroinvertebrate condition by reducing land use impacts on stream flow, streambed substrate, and water quality, but the pathways differed among ecoregions. In the WMT, site-level riparian cover affected macroinvertebrate assemblages partly through indirect pathways associated with greater streambed stability and reduced total nitrogen concentrations. In contrast, in the XER, watershed-level riparian cover affected macroinvertebrate assemblages through greater specific stream power. Identifying the relative effects of and pathways by which natural and anthropogenic factors affect macroinvertebrates can serve as a framework for prioritizing management and conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Emi Fergus
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - J. Renée Brooks
- US EPA, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Philip R. Kaufmann
- US EPA, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
- Oregon State University, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Science, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Alan T. Herlihy
- Oregon State University, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Science, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Ryan A. Hill
- US EPA, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | | | - Paul Ringold
- US EPA, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
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Hughes RM, Herlihy AT, Comeleo R, Peck DV, Mitchell RM, Paulsen SG. Patterns in and predictors of stream and river macroinvertebrate genera and fish species richness across the conterminous USA. KNOWLEDGE AND MANAGEMENT OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS 2023; 424:1-16. [PMID: 37593206 PMCID: PMC10428169 DOI: 10.1051/kmae/2023014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Both native and non-native taxa richness patterns are useful for evaluating areas of greatest conservation concern. To determine those patterns, we analyzed fish and macroinvertebrate taxa richness data obtained at 3475 sites collected by the USEPA's National Rivers and Streams Assessment. We also determined which natural and anthropogenic variables best explained patterns in regional richness. Macroinvertebrate and fish richness increased with the number of sites sampled per region. Therefore, we determined residual taxa richness from the deviation of observed richness from predicted richness given the number of sites per region. Regional richness markedly exceeded average site richness for both macroinvertebrates and fish. Predictors of macroinvertebrate-genus and fish-species residual-regional richness differed. Air temperature was an important predictor in both cases but was positive for fish and negative for macroinvertebrates. Both natural and land use variables were significant predictors of regional richness. This study is the first to determine mean site and regional richness of both fish and aquatic macroinvertebrates across the conterminous USA, and the key anthropogenic drivers of regional richness. Thus, it offers important insights into regional USA biodiversity hotspots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M. Hughes
- Amnis Opes Institute, Corvallis, OR, USA
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Alan T. Herlihy
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Randy Comeleo
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - David V. Peck
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Richard M. Mitchell
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, Northwest, MC 4502T, Washington, DC 20460, USA
| | - Steven G. Paulsen
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR, USA
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Woods T, Freeman MC, Krause KP, Maloney KO. Observed and projected functional reorganization of riverine fish assemblages from global change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:3759-3780. [PMID: 37021672 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16707] [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: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Climate and land-use/land-cover change ("global change") are restructuring biodiversity, globally. Broadly, environmental conditions are expected to become warmer, potentially drier (particularly in arid regions), and more anthropogenically developed in the future, with spatiotemporally complex effects on ecological communities. We used functional traits to inform Chesapeake Bay Watershed fish responses to future climate and land-use scenarios (2030, 2060, and 2090). We modeled the future habitat suitability of focal species representative of key trait axes (substrate, flow, temperature, reproduction, and trophic) and used functional and phylogenetic metrics to assess variable assemblage responses across physiographic regions and habitat sizes (headwaters through large rivers). Our focal species analysis projected future habitat suitability gains for carnivorous species with preferences for warm water, pool habitats, and fine or vegetated substrates. At the assemblage level, models projected decreasing habitat suitability for cold-water, rheophilic, and lithophilic individuals but increasing suitability for carnivores in the future across all regions. Projected responses of functional and phylogenetic diversity and redundancy differed among regions. Lowland regions were projected to become less functionally and phylogenetically diverse and more redundant while upland regions (and smaller habitat sizes) were projected to become more diverse and less redundant. Next, we assessed how these model-projected assemblage changes 2005-2030 related to observed time-series trends (1999-2016). Halfway through the initial projecting period (2005-2030), we found observed trends broadly followed modeled patterns of increasing proportions of carnivorous and lithophilic individuals in lowland regions but showed opposing patterns for functional and phylogenetic metrics. Leveraging observed and predicted analyses simultaneously helps elucidate the instances and causes of discrepancies between model predictions and ongoing observed changes. Collectively, results highlight the complexity of global change impacts across broad landscapes that likely relate to differences in assemblages' intrinsic sensitivities and external exposure to stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Woods
- Eastern Ecological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, West Virginia, Kearneysville, USA
| | - Mary C Freeman
- Eastern Ecological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia, Athens, USA
| | - Kevin P Krause
- Eastern Ecological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, West Virginia, Kearneysville, USA
| | - Kelly O Maloney
- Eastern Ecological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, West Virginia, Kearneysville, USA
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Feio MJ, Hughes RM, Serra SRQ, Nichols SJ, Kefford BJ, Lintermans M, Robinson W, Odume ON, Callisto M, Macedo DR, Harding JS, Yates AG, Monk W, Nakamura K, Mori T, Sueyoshi M, Mercado‐Silva N, Chen K, Baek MJ, Bae YJ, Tachamo‐Shah RD, Shah DN, Campbell I, Moya N, Arimoro FO, Keke UN, Martins RT, Alves CBM, Pompeu PS, Sharma S. Fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages reveal extensive degradation of the world's rivers. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:355-374. [PMID: 36131677 PMCID: PMC10091732 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Rivers suffer from multiple stressors acting simultaneously on their biota, but the consequences are poorly quantified at the global scale. We evaluated the biological condition of rivers globally, including the largest proportion of countries from the Global South published to date. We gathered macroinvertebrate- and fish-based assessments from 72,275 and 37,676 sites, respectively, from 64 study regions across six continents and 45 nations. Because assessments were based on differing methods, different systems were consolidated into a 3-class system: Good, Impaired, or Severely Impaired, following common guidelines. The proportion of sites in each class by study area was calculated and each region was assigned a Köppen-Geiger climate type, Human Footprint score (addressing landscape alterations), Human Development Index (HDI) score (addressing social welfare), % rivers with good ambient water quality, % protected freshwater key biodiversity areas; and % of forest area net change rate. We found that 50% of macroinvertebrate sites and 42% of fish sites were in Good condition, whereas 21% and 29% were Severely Impaired, respectively. The poorest biological conditions occurred in Arid and Equatorial climates and the best conditions occurred in Snow climates. Severely Impaired conditions were associated (Pearson correlation coefficient) with higher HDI scores, poorer physico-chemical water quality, and lower proportions of protected freshwater areas. Good biological conditions were associated with good water quality and increased forested areas. It is essential to implement statutory bioassessment programs in Asian, African, and South American countries, and continue them in Oceania, Europe, and North America. There is a need to invest in assessments based on fish, as there is less information globally and fish were strong indicators of degradation. Our study highlights a need to increase the extent and number of protected river catchments, preserve and restore natural forested areas in the catchments, treat wastewater discharges, and improve river connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria João Feio
- Department of Life Sciences, Marine and Environmental Sciences CentreARNET, University of CoimbraCoimbraPortugal
| | - Robert M. Hughes
- Amnis Opes InstituteCorvallisOregonUSA
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation SciencesOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Sónia R. Q. Serra
- Department of Life Sciences, Marine and Environmental Sciences CentreARNET, University of CoimbraCoimbraPortugal
| | - Susan J. Nichols
- Centre for Applied Water ScienceInstitute for Applied Ecology, University of CanberraCanberraAustralia
| | - Ben J. Kefford
- Centre for Applied Water ScienceInstitute for Applied Ecology, University of CanberraCanberraAustralia
| | - Mark Lintermans
- Centre for Applied Water ScienceInstitute for Applied Ecology, University of CanberraCanberraAustralia
| | | | - Oghenekaro N. Odume
- Unilever Centre for Environmental Water QualityInstitute for Water Research, Rhodes UniversityMakhandaSouth Africa
| | - Marcos Callisto
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e EvoluçãoInstituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas GeraisBelo HorizonteBrazil
| | - Diego R. Macedo
- Departamento de GeografiaUniversidade Federal de Minas GeraisBelo HorizonteBrazil
| | - Jon S. Harding
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
| | - Adam G. Yates
- Department of BiologyUniversity of WaterlooWaterlooOntarioCanada
| | - Wendy Monk
- Environment and Climate Change Canada and Canadian Rivers Institute, Faculty of Forestry and Environmental ManagementUniversity of New BrunswickFrederictonCanada
| | | | - Terutaka Mori
- Aqua Restoration Research CenterPublic Works Research InstituteKakamigaharaGifuJapan
| | - Masanao Sueyoshi
- Aqua Restoration Research CenterPublic Works Research InstituteKakamigaharaGifuJapan
| | - Norman Mercado‐Silva
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y ConservaciónUniversidad Autónoma del Estado de MorelosCuernavacaMorelosMexico
| | - Kai Chen
- Department of EntomologyNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingPeople's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China SeaHainan UniversityHaikouPeople's Republic of China
| | - Min Jeong Baek
- National Institute of Biological Resources, Ministry of EnvironmentIncheonRepublic of Korea
| | - Yeon Jae Bae
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life SciencesKorea UniversitySeoulRepublic of Korea
| | - Ram Devi Tachamo‐Shah
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Science, Aquatic Ecology CentreKathmandu UniversityDhulikhelNepal
| | - Deep Narayan Shah
- Central Department of Environmental ScienceTribhuvan UniversityKathmanduNepal
| | | | - Nabor Moya
- Instituto Experimental de BiologiaUniversidad Mayor Real y Pontificia de San Francisco Xavier de ChuquisacaSucreBolivia
| | - Francis O. Arimoro
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal BiologyFederal University of TechnologyMinnaNigeria
| | - Unique N. Keke
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal BiologyFederal University of TechnologyMinnaNigeria
| | - Renato T. Martins
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Curso de pós‐graduação em EntomologiaInstituto Nacional de Pesquisas da AmazôniaManausBrazil
| | - Carlos B. M. Alves
- Laboratório Nuvelhas, Projeto ManuelzãoUniversidade Federal de Minas GeraisBelo HorizonteBrazil
| | - Paulo S. Pompeu
- Departamento de Ecologia e ConservaçãoUniversidade Federal de LavrasLavrasBrazil
| | - Subodh Sharma
- Aquatic Ecology Centre, School of ScienceKathmandu UniversityDhulikhelNepal
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Saraiva SO, Rutherfurd ID, Kaufmann PR, Leal CG, Macedo DR, Pompeu PS. Wood stock in neotropical streams: Quantifying and comparing instream wood among biomes and regions. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275464. [PMID: 36197927 PMCID: PMC9534444 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Instream wood plays important chemical, physical and ecological functions in aquatic systems, benefiting biota directly and indirectly. However, human activities along river corridors have disrupted wood recruitment and retention, usually leading to reductions in the amount of instream wood. In the tropics, where wood is believed to be more transient, the expansion of agriculture and infrastructure might be reducing instream wood stock even more than in the better studied temperate streams. However, research is needed to augment the small amount of information about wood in different biomes and ecosystems of neotropical streams. Here we present the first extensive assessment of instream wood loads and size distributions in streams of the wet-tropical Amazon and semi-humid-tropical Cerrado (the Brazilian savanna). We also compare neotropical wood stocks with those in temperate streams, first comparing against data from the literature, and then from a comparable dataset from temperate biomes in the USA. Contrary to our expectations, Amazon and Cerrado streams carried similar wood loads, which were lower than the world literature average, but similar to those found in comparable temperate forest and savanna streams in the USA. Our results indicate that the field survey methods and the wood metric adopted are highly important when comparing different datasets. But when properly compared, we found that most of the wood in temperate streams is made-up of a small number of large pieces, whereas wood in neotropical streams is made up of a larger number of small pieces that produce similar total volumes. The character of wood volumes among biomes is linked more to the delivery, transport and decomposition mechanisms than to the total number of pieces. Future studies should further investigate the potential instream wood drivers in neotropical catchments in order to better understand the differences and similarities here detected between biomes and climatic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah O. Saraiva
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia Aplicada, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Ian D. Rutherfurd
- School of Geography, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Philip R. Kaufmann
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, and Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Cecília G. Leal
- Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ), Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, Lancashire, United Kingdom
| | - Diego R. Macedo
- Departamento de Geografia, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Paulo S. Pompeu
- Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Kaufmann PR, Hughes RM, Paulsen SG, Peck DV, Seeliger CW, Kincaid T, Mitchell RM. Physical habitat in conterminous US streams and Rivers, part 2: A quantitative assessment of habitat condition. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS 2022; 141:109047. [PMID: 35991318 PMCID: PMC9389467 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Rigorous assessments of the ecological condition of water resources and the effect of human activities on those waters require quantitative physical, chemical, and biological data. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's river and stream surveys quantify river and stream bed particle size and stability, instream habitat complexity and cover, riparian vegetation cover and structure, and anthropogenic disturbance activities. Physical habitat is strongly controlled by natural geoclimatic factors that co-vary with human activities. We expressed the anthropogenic alteration of physical habitat as O/E ratios of observed habitat metric values divided by values expected under least-disturbed reference conditions, where site-specific expected values vary given their geoclimatic and geomorphic context. We set criteria for good, fair, and poor condition based on the distribution of O/E values in regional least-disturbed reference sites. Poor conditions existed in 22-24% of the 1.2 million km of streams and rivers in the conterminous U.S. for riparian human disturbance, streambed sediment and riparian vegetation cover, versus 14% for instream habitat complexity. Based on the same four indicators, the percentage of stream length in poor condition within 9 separate U.S. ecoregions ranged from 4% to 42%. Associations of our physical habitat indices with anthropogenic pressures demonstrate the scope of anthropogenic habitat alteration; habitat condition was negatively related to the level of anthropogenic disturbance nationally and in nearly all ecoregions. Relative risk estimates showed that streams and rivers with poor sediment, riparian cover complexity, or instream habitat cover conditions were 1.4 to 2.6 times as likely to also have fish or macroinvertebrate assemblages in poor condition. Our physical habitat condition indicators help explain deviations in biological conditions from those observed among least-disturbed sites and inform management actions for rehabilitating impaired waters and mitigating further ecological degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip R. Kaufmann
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research
and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific
Ecological Systems Division, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation
Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Robert M. Hughes
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation
Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
- Amnis Opes Institute, 2895 Southeast Glenn Street,
Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Steven G. Paulsen
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research
and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific
Ecological Systems Division, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - David V. Peck
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research
and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific
Ecological Systems Division, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | | | - Tom Kincaid
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research
and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific
Ecological Systems Division, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
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Riato L, Hill RA, Herlihy AT, Peck DV, Kaufmann PR, Stoddard JL, Paulsen SG. Genus-level, trait-based multimetric diatom indices for assessing the ecological condition of rivers and streams across the conterminous United States. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS 2022; 141:1-13. [PMID: 36003067 PMCID: PMC9393879 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Taxonomic inconsistency in species-level identifications has constrained use of diatoms as biological indicators in aquatic assessments. We addressed this problem by developing diatom multimetric indices (MMIs) of ecological condition using genus-level taxonomy and trait-based autecological information. The MMIs were designed to assess river and stream chemical, physical and biological condition across the conterminous United States. Trait-based approaches have the advantage of using both species-level and genus-level data, which require less effort and expense to acquire than traditional species-based approaches and eliminate the persistent taxonomic biases introduced over vast geographic extents. For large-extent assessment programs that require multiple taxonomic laboratories to process samples, such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA's) National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA), the trait approach can eliminate discrepancies in species-level identification or nomenclature that hinder diatom data interpretation. We developed trait-based MMIs using NRSA data for each of the three large ecoregions across the U.S. - the East, Plains, and West. All three MMIs performed well in discriminating least-disturbed from most-disturbed sites. The MMI for the East had the greatest discrimination ability, followed by MMIs for the Plains and West, respectively. The performance of the MMIs was comparable to that observed in existing NRSA fish and macroinvertebrate MMIs. Our research shows that trait-based diatom indices constructed on genus-level taxonomy can be effective for large-scale assessments, and may also allow programs such as NRSA to assess trends in freshwater condition retrospectively, by revisiting older diatom datasets. Moreover, our genus-based approach facilitates including of diatoms into other assessment programs that have limited monitoring resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Riato
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Post-Doctoral Fellow c/o U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, 200 SW 35 St., Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Ryan A. Hill
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, 200 SW 35 St., Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Alan T. Herlihy
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - David V. Peck
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, 200 SW 35 St., Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Philip R. Kaufmann
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, 200 SW 35 St., Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - John L. Stoddard
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, 200 SW 35 St., Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Steven G. Paulsen
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, 200 SW 35 St., Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
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