Effects of Climate Change on Freshwater Ecosystems of the South-Eastern United States and the Gulf Coast of Mexico

Mulholland, Patrick J.; Best, G. Ronnie; Coutant, Charles; Hornberger, George M.; Meyer, Judy L.; Robinson, Peter; Stenberg, John; Turner, R. Eugene; Vera-Herrera, Francisco; Wetzel, Robert G.

doi:10.1002/(sici)1099-1085(19970630)11:8<949::aid-hyp513>3.0.co;2-g

Cited by 222 publications

(109 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…The availability of cold refugia will decrease as groundwater temperatures increase concurrently with mean global temperatures (Meisner et al 1988). Warming of 3.88C is expected to drastically reduce the range of brook trout (S. fontinalis) in the southeastern United States (Flebbe 1993;Mulholland et al 1997) and in southern Canada (Meisner 1990). Specifically, 89% of thermally suitable brook trout habitat in North Carolina and Virginia, U.S.A. could be lost (Flebbe 1993).…”

Section: Changes In Stream and Groundwater Temperaturesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential impacts of global climate change on freshwater fisheries

Ficke

Myrick

Hansen

2007

Rev Fish Biol Fisheries

950

642

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Despite uncertainty in all levels of analysis, recent and long-term changes in our climate point to the distinct possibility that greenhouse gas emissions have altered mean annual temperatures, precipitation and weather patterns. Modeling efforts that use doubled atmospheric CO 2 scenarios predict a 1-78C mean global temperature increase, regional changes in precipitation patterns and storm tracks, and the possibility of ''surprises'' or sudden irreversible regime shifts. The general effects of climate change on freshwater systems will likely be increased water temperatures, decreased dissolved oxygen levels, and the increased toxicity of pollutants. In lotic systems, altered hydrologic regimes and increased groundwater temperatures could affect the quality of fish habitat. In lentic systems, eutrophication may be exacerbated or offset, and stratification will likely become more pronounced and stronger. This could alter food webs and change habitat availability and quality. Fish physiology is inextricably linked to temperature, and fish have evolved to cope with specific hydrologic regimes and habitat niches. Therefore, their physiology and life histories will be affected by alterations induced by climate change. Fish communities may change as range shifts will likely occur on a species level, not a community level; this will add novel biotic pressures to aquatic communities. Genetic change is also possible and is the only biological option for fish that are unable to migrate or acclimate. Endemic species, species in fragmented habitats, or those in east-west oriented systems will be less able to follow changing thermal isolines over time. Artisanal, commercial, and recreational fisheries worldwide depend upon freshwater fishes. Impacted fisheries may make it difficult for developing countries to meet their food demand, and developed countries may experience economic losses. As it strengthens over time, global climate change will become a more powerful stressor for fish living in natural or artificial systems. Furthermore, human response to climate change (e.g., increased water diversion) will exacerbate its already-detrimental effects.Model predictions indicate that global climate change will continue even if greenhouse gas emissions decrease or cease. Therefore, proactive management strategies such as removing other stressors from natural systems will be necessary to sustain our freshwater fisheries.

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Section: Changes In Stream and Groundwater Temperaturesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential impacts of global climate change on freshwater fisheries

Ficke

Myrick

Hansen

2007

Rev Fish Biol Fisheries

950

642

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In other aquatic ecosystems, this phenomenon would be much more accentuated. Temperature increases may lead to prolonged and more intense anoxia phases (Portnoy 1991) that may stimulate microbial processes (Mulholland et al 1997), and increase nutrient availability (Pant 2007), with related stresses on aquatic plants (Weltzin et al 2003). Such processes may induce a shift from oligotraphent to eutraphent communities (MartinClosas et al 2006), and lead to a decrease in species richness (Mooij et al 2005), with a possible richness increase at higher elevations (Rosset et al 2010).…”

Section: Temperaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Response of aquatic plants to abiotic factors: a review

2010

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This review aims to determine how environmental characteristics of aquatic habitats rule species occurrence, life-history traits and community dynamics among aquatic plants, and if these particular adaptations and responses fit in with general predictions relating to abiotic factors and plant communities. The way key abiotic factors in aquatic habitats affect (1) plant life (recruitment, growth, and reproduction) and dispersal, and (2) the dynamics of plant communities is discussed. Many factors related to plant nutrition are rather similar in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats (e.g. light, temperature, substrate nutrient content, CO 2 availability) or differ markedly in intensity (e.g. light), variations (e.g. temperature) or in their effective importance for plant growth (e.g. nutrient content in substrate and water). Water movements (watertable fluctuations or flow velocity) have particularly drastic consequences on plants because of the density of water leading to strong mechanical strains on plant tissues, and because dewatering leads to catastrophic habitat modifications for aquatic plants devoid of cuticle and support tissues. Several abiotic factors that affect aquatic plants, such as substrate anoxia, inorganic carbon availability or temperature, may be modified by global change. This in turn may amplify competitive processes, and lead ultimately to the dominance of phytoplankton and floating species. Conserving the diversity of aquatic plants will rely on their ability to adapt to new ecological conditions or escape through migration.

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“…For each irrigation practice, there was no significant difference between the volumes of water applied in the wet and dry seasons of each year, during the 4 years of the study. This was attributed to a dry, cold season (November to April) and a wet, hot season (May-October) (Mulholland et al 1997). Water savings of 93 and 87% were achieved by using ET-and SW-based irrigation practices, respectively, compared to the set schedule irrigation.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Homestead has a humid subtropical climate. The rainy season in Florida spans from May to October, and 80% of the rainfall occurs during this period (Mulholland et al 1997). The soils at the site are gravelly, loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, hyperthermic lithic udorthents and are classified as Krome very gravelly loam (Noble et al 1996).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Water savings, nutrient leaching, and fruit yield in a young avocado orchard as affected by irrigation and nutrient management

et al. 2011

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This project was designed to determine the effect of fertilizer rate and irrigation scheduling on water use, nutrient leaching, and fruit yield of young avocado trees (Persea americana Mill. cv. Simmonds). Seven nutrient and irrigation management practices were evaluated: (1) irrigation based on crop evapotranspiration (ET) with 50% fertilizer at a standard rate (FSR); (2) ET irrigation with FSR (typical for avocado production in the area); (3) ET irrigation with 200% FSR; (4) irrigation based on exceedance of 15-kPa (SW) soil water suction with 50% FSR; (5) SW with FSR; (6) SW with 200% FSR; and (7) irrigation at a set schedule (based on timing and frequency typically used in local avocado production) with FSR. The SW with FSR treatment saved 87% of the water volume applied and reduced total phosphorus leached by 74% compared to the set schedule irrigation with FSR. The SW with FSR treatment had higher avocado fruit production, tree water-use efficiency, and fertilizer-use efficiency than the other six treatments. Thus, the use of soil water monitoring for irrigation management can substantially increase sustainability of young avocado orchards in southern Florida.

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Effects of Climate Change on Freshwater Ecosystems of the South-Eastern United States and the Gulf Coast of Mexico

Cited by 222 publications

References 47 publications

Potential impacts of global climate change on freshwater fisheries

Potential impacts of global climate change on freshwater fisheries

Response of aquatic plants to abiotic factors: a review

Water savings, nutrient leaching, and fruit yield in a young avocado orchard as affected by irrigation and nutrient management

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