Hydraulic geometry as a physical template for the River Continuum: application to optimal flows and longitudinal trends in salmonid habitat

2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 755-767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan S Rosenfeld ◽  
John Post ◽  
Geneva Robins ◽  
Todd Hatfield

The River Continuum Concept lacks a quantitative physical model to represent downstream trends in habitat. We evaluate whether hydraulic geometry relationships can be used as a physical template to predict longitudinal trends in habitat availability and optimal flows for different life-history stages of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Optimal flows based on hydraulic geometry indicate that (i) optimal flows are higher for larger fish, (ii) optimal flows proportionally increase as streams became smaller and decrease downstream, and (iii) maximum predicted habitat suitabilities for fry and juveniles are in small streams, and maximum suitabilities are displaced progressively downstream for later life-history stages. These patterns are an emergent property of downstream increases in channel depth and velocity and changes in habitat suitability curves associated with increased swimming performance of larger fish. Nonlinear downstream trends in habitat imply that fixed flow percentages recommended by the Tenant method may substantially underestimate optimal flows in small streams. Despite oversimplifying complex channel structure, hydraulic geometry relationships should serve as a useful physical model for testing downstream trends in habitat-related processes along the river continuum.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niclas U Lundsgaard ◽  
Rebecca L. Cramp ◽  
Craig E Franklin

Determining the contribution of elevated ultraviolet–B radiation (UVBR; 280 — 315 nm) to amphibian population declines is being hindered by a lack of knowledge about how different acute UVBR exposure regimes during early life history stages might affect post–metamorphic stages via long–term carryover effects. We acutely exposed tadpoles of the Australian green tree frog (Litoria caerulea) to a combination of different UVBR irradiances and doses in a multi–factorial experiment, and then reared them to metamorphosis in the absence of UVBR to assess carryover effects in subsequent juvenile frogs. Dose and irradiance of acute UVBR exposure influenced carryover effects into metamorphosis in somewhat opposing manners. Higher doses of UVBR exposure in larvae yielded improved rates of metamorphosis. However, exposure at a high irradiance resulted in frogs metamorphosing smaller in size and in poorer condition than frogs exposed to low and medium irradiance UVBR as larvae. We also demonstrate some of the first empirical evidence of UVBR-induced telomere shortening in vivo, which is one possible mechanism for life–history trade–offs impacting condition post-metamorphosis. These findings contribute to our understanding of how acute UVBR exposure regimes in early life affect later life–history stages, which has implications for how this stressor may shape population dynamics.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Essie M Rodgers ◽  
Jamilynn B Poletto ◽  
Daniel F Gomez Isaza ◽  
Joel P Van Eenennaam ◽  
Richard E Connon ◽  
...  

Abstract Reversing global declines in the abundance and diversity of fishes is dependent on science-based conservation solutions. A wealth of data exist on the ecophysiological constraints of many fishes, but much of this information is underutilized in recovery plans due to a lack of synthesis. Here, we used the imperiled green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) as an example of how a quantitative synthesis of physiological data can inform conservation plans, identify knowledge gaps and direct future research actions. We reviewed and extracted metadata from peer-reviewed papers on green sturgeon. A total of 105 publications were identified, spanning multiple disciplines, with the primary focus being conservation physiology (23.8%). A meta-analytical approach was chosen to summarize the mean effects of prominent stressors (elevated temperatures, salinity, low food availability and contaminants) on several physiological traits (growth, thermal tolerance, swimming performance and heat shock protein expression). All examined stressors significantly impaired green sturgeon growth, and additional stressor-specific costs were documented. These findings were then used to suggest several management actions, such as mitigating salt intrusion in nursery habitats and maintaining water temperatures within optimal ranges during peak spawning periods. Key data gaps were also identified; research efforts have been biased towards juvenile (38.1%) and adult (35.2%) life-history stages, and less data are available for early life-history stages (embryonic, 11.4%; yolk-sac larvae, 12.4%; and post yolk-sac larvae, 16.2%). Similarly, most data were collected from single-stressor studies (91.4%) and there is an urgent need to understand interactions among stressors as anthropogenic change is multi-variate and dynamic. Collectively, these findings provide an example of how meta-analytic reviews are a powerful tool to inform management actions, with the end goal of maximizing conservation gains from research efforts.


2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1795) ◽  
pp. 20140878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn McMahon ◽  
Kor-jent van Dijk ◽  
Leonardo Ruiz-Montoya ◽  
Gary A. Kendrick ◽  
Siegfried L. Krauss ◽  
...  

A movement ecology framework is applied to enhance our understanding of the causes, mechanisms and consequences of movement in seagrasses: marine, clonal, flowering plants. Four life-history stages of seagrasses can move: pollen, sexual propagules, vegetative fragments and the spread of individuals through clonal growth. Movement occurs on the water surface, in the water column, on or in the sediment, via animal vectors and through spreading clones. A capacity for long-distance dispersal and demographic connectivity over multiple timeframes is the novel feature of the movement ecology of seagrasses with significant evolutionary and ecological consequences. The space–time movement footprint of different life-history stages varies. For example, the distance moved by reproductive propagules and vegetative expansion via clonal growth is similar, but the timescales range exponentially, from hours to months or centuries to millennia, respectively. Consequently, environmental factors and key traits that interact to influence movement also operate on vastly different spatial and temporal scales. Six key future research areas have been identified.


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