2022 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Virtual Conference

March 13 - 15, 2022

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5/21/2019  |   11:45 AM - 12:00 PM   |  SURFACE DISTURBANCE INTENSIFIES THE EFFECT OF LOW FLOWS ON STREAM FISHES   |  251 AB

SURFACE DISTURBANCE INTENSIFIES THE EFFECT OF LOW FLOWS ON STREAM FISHES

Oil and natural gas development (ONGD) is an emerging threat that modifies the landscape, resulting in increased surface disturbance (SD). Hydrology strongly regulates fish populations, with stressful low-flow events potentially interacting with anthropogenic stressors. Yet few studies have evaluated the interactions between hydrology and anthropogenic SD on stream fishes. We evaluated the individual and interactive effects of hydrology and SD associated with ONGD on populations of two fishes at 64-sites in the Wyoming Range, over 7 years. Overall, fish abundance, colonization, and persistence declined with low flows. The effect of SD differed between species, where abundance of one species declined and the other increased. Both synergistic and antagonistic interactions occurred between hydrology and SD, but the effect of hydrology was always greatest at sites with more SD, suggesting SD can intensify low flow effects. Species’ responses likely differed because of physiological tolerances and behavioral adaptations, where sensitive, sedentary species had lower persistence and colonization rates at disturbed sites compared to tolerant, mobile species. Development of flow-ecology relationships in a multiple-stressor framework can highlight management needs for stream fishes, and provides a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying flow-ecology relationships.

  • Hydrology
  • Disturbance
  • Population

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Presenters/Authors

Richard Walker (), University of Wyoming, rwalker2442@gmail.com;


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Carlin Girard (), Teton Conservation District, carlingirard@gmail.com ;


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Saman Alford (), University of Wyoming, salford1@uwyo.edu;


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Annika Walters (), USGS Wyoming Coop Fish and Wildlife Unit, annika.walters@uwyo.edu;


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