Watershed, reach, and riparian influences on stream fish assemblages in the Northern Lakes and Forest Ecoregion, U.S.A.

Lizhu Wang; John Lyons; Paul Rasmussen; Paul Seelbach; Thomas Simon; Michael Wiley; Paul Kanehl; Ed Baker; Scott Niemela; Paul M Stewart

doi:10.1139/f03-043

journal article May 01, 2003

Watershed, reach, and riparian influences on stream fish assemblages in the Northern Lakes and Forest Ecoregion, U.S.A.

Lizhu Wang

John Lyons Paul Rasmussen Paul Seelbach Thomas Simon Michael Wiley Paul Kanehl Ed Baker Scott Niemela Paul M Stewart

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Vol. 60 No. 5 pp. 491-505 · Canadian Science Publishing

View at Publisher Save 10.1139/f03-043

Abstract

We analyzed data from 79 watersheds in an undegraded U.S. ecoregion to identify key environmental factors that explained stream fish assemblage patterns and to evaluate the relative influence of environmental factors operating at different spatial scales. A few key factors from the watershed, reach, and riparian scale explained a significant amount of the variance in fish attributes. Three environmentfish associations were evident. Top carnivores and intolerant cold-water fishes were associated with relatively narrow, deep, high-gradient, cold streams with strong groundwater inputs. Tolerant cyprinids occurred in small streams with low groundwater input, low dissolved oxygen, and abundant macrophytes. A diverse assemblage (Cyprinidae, Catostomidae, Centrarchidae, Percidae) existed in warm, wide streams in watersheds dominated by lacustrine sand and gravel geology and abundant wetlands and lakes. Overall, reach-scale variables directly explained the most, watershed-scale variables less, and riparian-scale variables the least variation in fish attributes. Watershed and riparian variables had indirect connections with fishes through their direct influence on reach variables. In conjunction with findings from more degraded regions, we conclude that the relative influence of reach-scale variables on fishes are greatest in undegraded areas and that direct effects of watershed-scale variables are increasingly important as human modifications of the landscape increase.

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Details

Published: May 01, 2003
Vol/Issue: 60(5)
Pages: 491-505
License: View

Authors

L

Lizhu Wang

Department of Petroleum Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri 65409, United States

J

John Lyons

Lyons is a research scientist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Monona.

Sun Nuclear Corporation Melbourne FL 32940 USA

Cite This Article

Lizhu Wang, John Lyons, Paul Rasmussen, et al. (2003). Watershed, reach, and riparian influences on stream fish assemblages in the Northern Lakes and Forest Ecoregion, U.S.A.. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 60(5), 491-505. https://doi.org/10.1139/f03-043

Watershed, reach, and riparian influences on stream fish assemblages in the Northern Lakes and Forest Ecoregion, U.S.A.

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