2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
5/26/2021 | 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM | Assessing the biological integrity of arid region streams: pounding square pegs into round holes? | Virtual Platform
Assessing the biological integrity of arid region streams: pounding square pegs into round holes?
Managers need tools to assess the ecological condition of streams in arid regions. Indices developed for streams in mesic regions often do not perform well in arid-region streams. The reasons for this poor performance may include failure to recognize and account for the factors that most strongly influence natural spatial and temporal variation in aquatic life, including variability in flow regimes. Here, we used data from 318 reference-quality streams in the arid, western USA to assess if assemblage composition was associated with different aspects of the flow regime and other physicoclimatic factors. These streams spanned a gradient of flow permanence and included nonperennial and perennial streams. Ordinations and a RIVPACS-type predictive model showed assemblage composition was weakly associated with flow and moderately associated with temperature. However, an O/E index derived from the RIVPACS model was too imprecise for regulatory use. We suspect invertebrate assemblages in these streams are likely in disequilibrium, and hence not predictable. We may need to rethink both how to best conceptualize the reference condition in such dynamic streams and what biological attributes are the most appropriate indicators of their ecological integrity. Round holes need round pegs.
- IRES
- Biological effects
- Monitoring
Presentation:
This presentation has not yet been uploaded.
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Jennifer Courtwright
(), BLM/Utah State University National Aquatic Monitoring Center, jennifer.courtwright@usu.edu;
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Charles Hawkins
(), Utah State University, chuck.hawkins@usu.edu;
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -