Regions of High Fish Diversity for Conservation Concern within the U.S. Central Plains

Griffith, Jerry A.

doi:10.1080/02705060.2003.9663981

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Under historic conditions in Great Plains streams, this adaptation provided a competitive advantage compared to visual feeders (Bonner & Wilde, ). However, construction of barriers within the catchments is thought to have reduced turbidity, shifting the advantage to sight‐feeding fish (Clark, ; Dieterman & Galat, ; Everett et al., ; Griffith, ; Haslouer et al., ). Sicklefin chub (LPBS species) populations in altered systems with clearer water have changed morphologically towards fewer taste buds and shorter olfactory brain lobes, presumably in response to the increased advantage of visual feeding (Dieterman & Galat, ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For growth, changing flow patterns and a disconnection of the channel from floodplain habitat has the potential to reduce important allochthonous organic material and terrestrial invertebrate sources (Cowley et al., ; Davenport et al., ; Wilde et al., ). In addition, reservoir construction is thought to provide a competitive advantage to sight‐feeding species by reducing turbidity (Dieterman & Galat, ; Everett et al., ; Griffith, ; Haslouer et al., ). Survival of adults and juveniles may be compromised when low flows linked to habitat alteration result in fish being confined to isolated pools that may be accompanied by high salinity (Ostrand & Wilde, ) and extreme temperatures and anoxic conditions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The emblematic minnows of the North American Great Plains: A synthesis of threats and conservation opportunities

et al. 2017

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Anthropogenic changes to the Great Plains rivers of North America have had a large, negative effect on a reproductive guild of pelagic‐broadcast spawning (PBS) cyprinid fishes. The group is phylogenetically diverse, with multiple origins of the PBS mode. However, because of incomplete life‐history information, PBS designation often relies only on habitat and egg characteristics. We identified 17 known or candidate PBS fishes and systematically synthesized the literature on their biology and ecology in relation to major threats to persistence. Research output on an individual species was unrelated to conservation status, but positively correlated with breadth of distribution. The PBS species have opportunistic life‐history strategies and are typically short‐lived (generally 1–3 years) fishes. Many PBS species have truncated ranges showing declines in both distribution and abundance, especially those endemic to the Rio Grande catchment. Fundamental habitat associations are unknown for many species, particularly regarding seasonal shifts and early life stages. Critical thermal tolerances have been quantified for five PBS species and are generally >35°C. Turbidity and salinity changes are linked to responses at multiple life stages, but information is lacking on interactions between water quality and quantity. Hydrologic alteration appears to be a primary threat to PBS species, through complex interactions with landscape fragmentation, and habitat change. We highlight areas where scientific and management communities are lacking information and underline areas of potential conservation gain.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The emblematic minnows of the North American Great Plains: A synthesis of threats and conservation opportunities

et al. 2017

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“…Pelagic broadcast spawning cyprinids have physiological adaptations (e.g., cutaneous sense organs and brain morphology, Moore, ; Davis & Miller, ; Huber & Rylander, ) especially suited to the harsh and highly variable conditions naturally prevalent in Great Plains rivers (Matthews, ; Taylor et al ., ). Water demand by humans has led to construction of impoundments throughout the Great Plains (Limbird, ), leading to changes in the flow regime and a reduction in suspended sediment loads (and turbidity), potentially providing a competitive advantage to sight‐feeding fishes (Griffith, ; Quist et al ., ). Within our models, discharge ranked as one of the most important predictors of Arkansas River shiner presence, although the shape of the relationship was markedly different between time periods.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Backcasting the decline of a vulnerable Great Plains reproductive ecotype: identifying threats and conservation priorities

Worthington

Brewer

Grabowski

et al. 2013

Global Change Biology

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Conservation efforts for threatened or endangered species are challenging because the multi-scale factors that relate to their decline or inhibit their recovery are often unknown. To further exacerbate matters, the perceptions associated with the mechanisms of species decline are often viewed myopically rather than across the entire species range. We used over 80 years of fish presence data collected from the Great Plains and associated ecoregions of the United States, to investigate the relative influence of changing environmental factors on the historic and current truncated distributions of the Arkansas River shiner Notropis girardi. Arkansas River shiner represent a threatened reproductive ecotype considered especially well adapted to the harsh environmental extremes of the Great Plains. Historic (n = 163 records) and current (n = 47 records) species distribution models were constructed using a vector-based approach in MaxEnt by splitting the available data at a time when Arkansas River shiner dramatically declined. Discharge and stream order were significant predictors in both models; however, the shape of the relationship between the predictors and species presence varied between time periods. Drift distance (river fragment length available for ichthyoplankton downstream drift before meeting a barrier) was a more important predictor in the current model and indicated river segments 375-780 km had the highest probability of species presence. Performance for the historic and current models was high (area under the curve; AUC > 0.95); however, forecasting and backcasting to alternative time periods suggested less predictive power. Our results identify fragments that could be considered refuges for endemic plains fish species and we highlight significant environmental factors (e.g., discharge) that could be manipulated to aid recovery.

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“…Threats-Low air quality: refers to sites that are subject to (short-or long-term) threats resulting in poor air quality (evidenced by contamination of the ambient air and impacts from ozone) Threats-Invasion by exotics: refers to sites that are subject to the threat of invasion by exotic species in the short-or long-term indices for biotic integrity for aquatic conservation purposes (Moyle and Randall 1998;Griffith 2003).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comprehensive criteria for biodiversity evaluation in conservation planning

et al. 2006

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In this paper we present the results of a multi-criteria decision analysis used to identify a comprehensive set of criteria for assigning biodiversity value to sites for conservation planning. For effective conservation management, biodiversity value needs to be a composite of biotic and abiotic factors. However, in the reserve design literature, conservation value is assigned with a limited set of metrics usually based on comprehensiveness, representativeness and persistence which may be insufficient at fully capturing biodiversity value. A group of conservation specialists in California, USA, used a multi-criteria decision making framework to elucidate and weight criteria for scoring biodiversity value at sites. A formal model for consensus and negotiation was applied to aggregate individuals' criteria weights across all group members. The group identified ecological condition, followed by biotic composition as the most important contributors to site conservation value. Longand short-term threats causing fragmentation and degradation are also important criteria to consider. Key criteria are identified for which further data collection would serve the greatest purpose in prioritizing sites and the role of prioritization criteria in the larger context of systematic conservation planning is discussed. With the recognition that biodiversity value plays an important role in conservation 2006 decisions, the criteria presented here represents a comprehensive suite of factors to consider when assigning biodiversity value to sites for conservation planning. These can serve as an encompassing list which other groups can customize for the purpose of biodiversity evaluation for alternative conservation planning contexts.

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Regions of High Fish Diversity for Conservation Concern within the U.S. Central Plains

Cited by 3 publications

References 13 publications

The emblematic minnows of the North American Great Plains: A synthesis of threats and conservation opportunities

The emblematic minnows of the North American Great Plains: A synthesis of threats and conservation opportunities

Backcasting the decline of a vulnerable Great Plains reproductive ecotype: identifying threats and conservation priorities

Comprehensive criteria for biodiversity evaluation in conservation planning

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