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USGS2012

Biodiversity loss and its impact on humanity

The most unique feature of Earth is the existence of life, and the most extraordinary feature of life is its diversity. Approximately 9 million types of plants, animals, protists and fungi inhabit the Earth. So, too, do 7 billion people. Two decades ago, at the first Earth Summit, the vast majority of the world's nations declared that human actions were dismantling the Earth's ecosystems, eliminating genes, species and biological traits at an alarming rate. This observation led to the question of how such loss of biological diversity will alter the functioning of ecosystems and their ability to provide society with the goods and services needed to prosper.

Nature↗

USGS2012

Microbial colonization and controls in dryland systems

Drylands constitute the most extensive terrestrial biome, covering more than one-third of the Earth's continental surface. In these environments, stress limits animal and plant life, so life forms that can survive desiccation and then resume growth following subsequent wetting assume the foremost role in ecosystem processes. In this Review, we describe how these organisms assemble in unique soil- and rock-surface communities to form a thin veneer of mostly microbial biomass across hot and cold deserts. These communities mediate inputs and outputs of gases, nutrients and water from desert surfaces, as well as regulating weathering, soil stability, and hydrological and nutrient cycles. The magnitude of regional and global desert-related environmental impacts is affected by these surface communities; here, we also discuss the challenges for incorporating the consideration of these communities and their effects into the management of dryland resources.

Nature Reviews Microbiology↗

USGS2020

Longer-lived tropical songbirds reduce breeding activity as they buffer impacts of drought

Droughts are expected to increase in frequency and severity with climate change. Population impacts of such harsh environmental events are theorized to vary with life history strategies among species. However, existing demographic models generally do not consider behavioural plasticity that may modify the impact of harsh events. Here we show that tropical songbirds in the New and Old Worlds reduced reproduction during drought, with greater reductions in species with higher average long-term survival. Large reductions in reproduction by longer-lived species were associated with higher survival during drought than predrought years in Malaysia, whereas shorter-lived species maintained reproduction and survival decreased. Behavioural strategies of longer-lived, but not shorter-lived, species mitigated the effect of increasing drought frequency on long-term population growth. Behavioural plasticity can buffer the impact of climate change on populations of some species and differences in plasticity among species related to their life histories are critical for predicting population trajectories.

Nature Climate Change↗

USGS2023

Gut microbiome composition associates with corticosteroid treatment, morbidity, and senescence in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

Pacific salmon experience prolonged elevation in corticosteroid hormones during important life history events including migration, reproduction, and senescence. These periods of elevated corticosteroids correspond with changes to immunity and energy metabolism; therefore, fish may be particularly vulnerable to mortality at these times. Recent studies found that stress-induced cortisol release associated with microbial community shifts in salmonids, raising the question of how longer-term corticosteroid dynamics that accompany life history transitions affect salmonid microbiomes. In this work, we experimentally evaluated the relationships between gut microbiome composition, chronically elevated corticosteroids, and mortality in juvenile Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) . We found that treatment with slow-release implants of the corticosteroids cortisol or dexamethasone resulted in persistent changes to the gut microbiome. Morbidity was also associated with microbiome composition, suggesting that the gut microbiome reflects individual differences in susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens. Additionally, we analyzed a small number of samples from adult fish at various stages of senescence. Results from these samples suggest that microbiome composition associated with gut integrity, and that the microbial communities of corticosteroid treated juveniles shift in composition toward those of senescent adults. Overall, findings from this work suggest that the gut microbiome associates with mortality risk during periods of chronic corticosteroid elevation.

Scientific Reports↗

USGS2023

Open water dreissenid mussel control projects: Lessons learned from a retrospective analysis

Dreissenid mussels are one of the most problematic aquatic invasive species (AIS) in North America, causing substantial ecological and economic effects. To date, dreissenid mussel control efforts in open water have included physical, biological, and chemical methods. The feasibility of successful dreissenid mussel management or eradication in lakes is relatively undocumented in the freshwater management literature. This review presents information on 33 open water dreissenid mussel control projects in 23 North America lakes. We reviewed data from past dreissenid mussel control projects and identified patterns and knowledge gaps to help inform adaptive management strategies. The three key lessons learned include (1) pre- and post-treatment survey methods that are designed to meet management objectives are beneficial, e.g., by sampling for all life stages and taking into account that no survey method is completely comprehensive; (2) defining the treatment area—particularly ensuring it is sufficiently large to capture all life stages present—is critical to meeting management objectives; and (3) control projects provide an opportunity to collect water chemistry, effects on non-target organisms, and other efficacy-related data that can inform safe and effective adaptive management.

Scientific Reports↗

USGS2025

Salmonid sensory system development is affected by climate change driven temperature increases

Increases in water temperature due to global climate change are known to alter the course and timing of fish development. The mechanosensory lateral line (LL) system mediates flow-sensing behaviors vital for survival in fishes, but the effects of increased water temperatures resulting from climate change on its development have not been examined. Here LL development was documented in a cold-water salmonid (brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis ) reared at the thermograph of a long-term study stream (ambient) and two higher temperatures (+ 2 and + 4 °C) that reflect projected increases within their native range. At these two higher temperatures, fish reach crucial early life history transitions earlier (e.g., hatch, “swim-up” from gravel nests into the water column) and are larger in size through the parr (juvenile) stage. Early forming canal neuromast receptor organs are larger, and the process of canal morphogenesis is also accelerated suggesting potential consequences for neuromast function and presumably for LL-mediated behaviors. A potential mismatch between the timing of transitions in early life history stages, the ability to carry out LL-mediated behaviors (e.g., prey detection), and the timing of the seasonal emergence of their preferred prey, could have serious implications for cold-water salmonid ecology and survival.

Scientific Reports↗

USGS2015

Transgenerational effects from early developmental exposures to bisphenol A or 17α-ethinylestradiol in medaka, Oryzias latipes

The transgenerational consequences of environmental contaminant exposures of aquatic vertebrates have the potential for broad ecological impacts, yet are largely uninvestigated. Bisphenol A (BPA) and 17 α -ethinylestradiol (EE2) are two ubiquitous estrogenic chemicals present in aquatic environments throughout the United States and many other countries. Aquatic organisms, including fish, are exposed to varying concentrations of these chemicals at various stages of their life history. Here, we tested the ability of embryonic exposure to BPA or EE2 to cause adverse health outcomes at later life stages and transgenerational abnormalities in medaka fish. Exposures of F0 medaka to either BPA (100 μ g/L) or EE2 (0.05 μ g/L) during the first 7 days of embryonic development, when germ cells are differentiating, did not cause any apparent phenotypic abnormalities in F0 or F1 generations, but led to a significant reduction in the fertilization rate in offspring two generations later (F2) as well as a reduction of embryo survival in offspring three generations later (F3). Our present observations suggest that BPA or EE2 exposure during development induces transgenerational phenotypes of reproductive impairment and compromised embryonic survival in fish of subsequent generations. These adverse outcomes may have negative impacts on populations of fish inhabiting contaminated aquatic environments.

Scientific Reports↗

USGS2003

Species area relationships in mediterranean-climate plant communities

Aim To determine the best-fit model of species–area relationships for Mediterranean-type plant communities and evaluate how community structure affects these species–area models. Location Data were collected from California shrublands and woodlands and compared with literature reports for other Mediterranean-climate regions. Methods The number of species was recorded from 1, 100 and 1000 m 2 nested plots. Best fit to the power model or exponential model was determined by comparing adjusted r 2 values from the least squares regression, pattern of residuals, homoscedasticity across scales, and semi-log slopes at 1–100 m 2 and 100–1000 m 2 . Dominance–diversity curves were tested for fit to the lognormal model, MacArthur's broken stick model, and the geometric and harmonic series. Results Early successional Western Australia and California shrublands represented the extremes and provide an interesting contrast as the exponential model was the best fit for the former, and the power model for the latter, despite similar total species richness. We hypothesize that structural differences in these communities account for the different species–area curves and are tied to patterns of dominance, equitability and life form distribution. Dominance–diversity relationships for Western Australian heathlands exhibited a close fit to MacArthur's broken stick model, indicating more equitable distribution of species. In contrast, Californian shrublands, both postfire and mature stands, were best fit by the geometric model indicating strong dominance and many minor subordinate species. These regions differ in life form distribution, with annuals being a major component of diversity in early successional Californian shrublands although they are largely lacking in mature stands. Both young and old Australian heathlands are dominated by perennials, and annuals are largely absent. Inherent in all of these ecosystems is cyclical disequilibrium caused by periodic fires. The potential for community reassembly is greater in Californian shrublands where only a quarter of the flora resprout, whereas three quarters resprout in Australian heathlands. Other Californian vegetation types sampled include coniferous forests, oak savannas and desert scrub, and demonstrate that different community structures may lead to a similar species–area relationship. Dominance–diversity relationships for coniferous forests closely follow a geometric model whereas associated oak savannas show a close fit to the lognormal model. However, for both communities, species–area curves fit a power model. The primary driver appears to be the presence of annuals. Desert scrub communities illustrate dramatic changes in both species diversity and dominance–diversity relationships in high and low rainfall years, because of the disappearance of annuals in drought years. Main conclusions Species–area curves for immature shrublands in California and the majority of Mediterranean plant communities fit a power function model. Exceptions that fit the exponential model are not because of sampling error or scaling effects, rather structural differences in these communities provide plausible explanations. The exponential species–area model may arise in more than one way. In the highly diverse Australian heathlands it results from a rapid increase in species richness at small scales. In mature California shrublands it results from very depauperate richness at the community scale. In both instances the exponential model is tied to a preponderance of perennials and paucity of annuals. For communities fit by a power model, coefficients z and log c exhibit a number of significant correlations with other diversity parameters, suggesting that they have some predictive value in ecological communities.

Journal of Biogeography↗

USGS2008

Effect of temperature on the pharmacokinetics of benzocaine in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) after bath exposures

The pharmacokinetics of benzocaine during bath exposures at 1 mg/L were determined in rainbow trout acclimated at 6 °C, 12 °C or 18 °C for at least 1 month. Individual fish were exposed to benzocaine in a recirculating system for 4 h and pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated in a unique manner from the concentration of benzocaine in the bath water vs. time curve. Elimination from plasma was also determined after the 4 h exposure. The uptake clearance and metabolic clearance increased with increased acclimatization temperatures (uptake clearance 581 ± 179 mL/min/kg at 6 °C and 1154 ± 447 mL/ min/kg at 18 °C; metabolic clearance 15.2 ± 4.1 mL/min/kg at 6 °C and 22.3 ± 4.2 mL/min/kg at 18 °C). The apparent volume of distribution had a trend for increasing with temperature that was not significant at the 5% level (2369 ± 678 mL/kg at 6 °C to 3260 ± 1182 mL/kg at 18 °C). The elimination half-life of benzocaine in plasma was variable and did not differ significantly with temperature (60.8 ± 30.3 min at 6 °C to 35.9 ± 13.0 min at 12 °C). Elimination of benzocaine from rainbow trout is relatively rapid and even more rapid at higher acclimatization temperatures based on calculated metabolic clearances and measured plasma concentrations, but was not evident by measurement of terminal plasma half-lifes.

Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutic↗

USGS2016

Common carp disrupt ecosystem structure and function through middle-out effects

Middle-out effects or a combination of top-down and bottom-up processes create many theoretical and empirical challenges in the realm of trophic ecology. We propose using specific autecology or species trait (i.e. behavioural) information to help explain and understand trophic dynamics that may involve complicated and non-unidirectional trophic interactions. The common carp ( Cyprinus carpio ) served as our model species for whole-lake observational and experimental studies; four trophic levels were measured to assess common carp-mediated middle-out effects across multiple lakes. We hypothesised that common carp could influence aquatic ecosystems through multiple pathways (i.e. abiotic and biotic foraging, early life feeding, nutrient). Both studies revealed most trophic levels were affected by common carp, highlighting strong middle-out effects likely caused by common carp foraging activities and abiotic influence (i.e. sediment resuspension). The loss of water transparency, submersed vegetation and a shift in zooplankton dynamics were the strongest effects. Trophic levels furthest from direct pathway effects were also affected (fish life history traits). The present study demonstrates that common carp can exert substantial effects on ecosystem structure and function. Species capable of middle-out effects can greatly modify communities through a variety of available pathways and are not confined to traditional top-down or bottom-up processes.

Marine and Freshwater Research↗

USGS2012

Timing and synchrony of births in bighorn sheep: implications for reintroduction and conservation

Context: Timing (mean birthdate) and synchrony (variance around that date) of births can influence survival of young and growth in ungulate populations. Some restored populations of ungulates may not adjust these life-history characteristics to environments of release sites until several years after release, which may influence success of reintroductions. Aims: We quantified timing and synchrony of births from 2005 to 2007 in four populations of reintroduced bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis ) occupying two ecoregions (Central Basin and Range and Wasatch and Uinta Mountains) in Utah, USA, to investigate whether bighorns would adjust these life-history characteristics to environmental conditions of the two ecoregions. We also compared timing and synchrony of births for bighorns in their source herd (Antelope Island) with bighorns in an ecologically similar release site (Stansbury Mountains) during 2006 and 2007. Methods: We relocated female bighorns to record birthdates of young, and observed groups of collared bighorns to quantify use of elevation by those ungulates. We also calculated the initiation, rate and timing of peak green-up by ecoregion, using the normalised difference vegetation index. Key results: We quantified 274 birthdates, and although only separated by 57 km, bighorn populations occupying the Central Basin and Range Mountains gave birth an average of 29 days earlier than did those on the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains, which corresponded with the initiation of vegetation green-up. Additionally, bighorn sheep on the Stansbury Mountains (ecologically similar release site) gave birth at similar times as did bighorns on Antelope Island (source area). Conclusions: Populations of bighorn sheep that were reintroduced into adjacent ecoregions adjusted timing of births to environments and green-up of vegetation in restoration areas. Timing and synchrony of births for reintroduced bighorn sheep in an ecologically similar release site were the same as those of their source area. Implications: Consideration should be given to the adjustment of timing and synchrony of births when reintroducing bighorns, especially when animals are released into different ecoregions. Also, biologists should select release sites that are ecologically similar to source areas, thereby reducing potential negative effects of animals adjusting timing and synchrony of births to environmental conditions of restoration areas.

Wildlife Research↗

USGS2005

Increased salinization of fresh water in the Northeastern United States

Chloride concentrations are increasing at a rate that threatens the availability of fresh water in the northeastern United States. Increases in roadways and deicer use are now salinizing fresh waters, degrading habitat for aquatic organisms, and impacting large supplies of drinking water for humans throughout the region. We observed chloride concentrations of up to 25% of the concentration of seawater in streams of Maryland, New York, and New Hampshire during winters, and chloride concentrations remaining up to 100 times greater than unimpacted forest streams during summers. Mean annual chloride concentration increased as a function of impervious surface and exceeded tolerance for freshwater life in suburban and urban watersheds. Our analysis shows that if salinity were to continue to increase at its present rate due to changes in impervious surface coverage and current management practices, many surface waters in the northeastern United States would not be potable for human consumption and would become toxic to freshwater life within the next century. ?? 2005 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of↗

USGS2025

Eradication efforts catalyze rapid evolution in an invasive predatory fish

pecies invasions spur costly and labor-intensive control efforts, yet even local eradication is seldom achieved. When control measures are initially effective, they may drive evolutionary adaptation that prevents full eradication, as has been documented for some chemical and biocontrol approaches. Although the intensity, directionality, and persistence of selection required to increase the frequency of resistant genotypes in complex natural ecosystems remains an open question, theory predicts that high mortality can cause life-history evolution even in the absence of a strong selective agent. Here, we use annually collected ecological and genetic data to show that rapid evolution of introduced smallmouth bass has undermined a 20-y manual suppression effort in a mid-sized lake. Despite nearly doubling annual mortality, our intensive control program produced a larger bass population dominated by young and early-maturing fish. These shifts were accompanied by large allele frequency changes in three genomic regions associated with earlier maturation and increased somatic growth. Our findings bear out the theoretical prediction that high mortality can drive evolutionary adaptation in target species. Controlling species invasions are worldwide practices that typically remove a substantial proportion of a population during each of many successive generations, hence life history adaptation may be commonplace. Such evolutionary responses could be salient in explaining the widespread failure of invasion control efforts. Genetic and phenotypic monitoring to detect cryptic adaptation and preemptive design of invader eradication programs to deliberately disrupt directional selection for resistance could improve invasion control outcomes.

New York↗

USGS2013

Telemetry-based mortality estimates of juvenile spot in two North Carolina estuarine creeks

We estimated natural mortality rates ( M ) of age-1 Spot Leiostomus xanthurus by using a sonic telemetry approach. Sonic transmitters were surgically implanted into a total of 123 age-1 Spot in two North Carolina estuarine creeks during spring 2009 and 2010, and the fish were monitored by using a stationary acoustic receiver array and manual tracking. Fates of telemetered Spot were inferred based on telemetry information from estimated locations and swimming speeds. Potential competitors of age-1 Spot were assessed through simultaneous otter trawl sampling, while potential predators of Spot were collected using gill nets and trammel nets. The number of inferred natural mortalities was zero in 2009 (based on 29 telemetered Spot at risk) and four in 2010 (based on 52 fish at risk), with fish being at risk for up to about 70 d each year. Catches of potential competitors or predators did not differ between years, and age-1 Spot were not found in analyzed stomach contents of potential predators. Our estimated 30-d M of 0.03 (95% credible interval = 0.01–0.07) was lower than that predicted from weight-based ( M = 0.07) and life-history-based ( M = 0.06–0.36) estimates. Our field-based estimate of M for age-1 Spot in this estuarine system can assist in the assessment and management of Spot by allowing a direct comparison with M -values predicted from fish size or life history characteristics. The field telemetry and statistical analysis techniques developed here provide guidance for future telemetry studies of relatively small fish in open, dynamic habitat systems, as they highlight strengths and weaknesses of using a telemetry approach to estimate M .

North Carolina↗

USGS2012

Modeling prey consumption by native and non-native piscivorous fishes: implications for competition and impacts on shared prey in an ultraoligotrophic lake in Patagonia

We examined trophic interactions of the nonnative salmonids Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, Brown Trout Salmo trutta, and Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalisand the main native predator Creole Perch Percichthys trucha in Lake Nahuel Huapi (Patagonia, Argentina) to determine the relative impact of each predator on their forage base and to evaluate the potential vulnerability of each predator to competitive impacts by the others. Using bioenergetics simulations, we demonstrated the overall importance of galaxiids and decapods to the energy budgets of nonnative salmonids and Creole Perch. Introduced salmonids, especially Rainbow Trout, exerted considerably heavier predatory demands on shared resources than did the native Creole Perch on both a per capita basis and in terms of relative population impacts. Rainbow Trout consumed higher quantities and a wider size range of Small Puyen (also known as Inanga) Galaxias maculatus than the other predators, including early pelagic life stages of that prey; as such, this represents an additional source of mortality for the vulnerable early life stages of Small Puyen before and during their transition from pelagic to benthic habitats. All predators were generally feeding at high feeding rates (above 40% of their maximum physiological rates), suggesting that competition for prey does not currently limit either Creole Perch or the salmonids in this lake. This study highlights the importance of keystone prey for the coexistence of native species with nonnative top predators. It provides new quantitative and qualitative evidence of the high predation pressure exerted on Small Puyen, the keystone prey species, during the larval to juvenile transition from pelagic to littoral-benthic habitat in Patagonian lakes. This study also emphasizes the importance of monitoring salmonid and Creole Perch population dynamics in order to detect signs of potential impacts through competition and shows the need to carefully consider the rationale behind any additional trout stocking.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗

USGS2013

Survival of Apache Trout eggs and alevins under static and fluctuating temperature regimes

Increased stream temperatures due to global climate change, livestock grazing, removal of riparian cover, reduction of stream flow, and urbanization will have important implications for fishes worldwide. Information exists that describes the effects of elevated water temperatures on fish eggs, but less information is available on the effects of fluctuating water temperatures on egg survival, especially those of threatened and endangered species. We tested the posthatch survival of eyed eggs and alevins of Apache Trout Oncorhynchus gilae apache, a threatened salmonid, in static temperatures of 15, 18, 21, 24, and 27°C, and also in treatments with diel fluctuations of ±3°C around those temperatures. The LT50 for posthatch survival of Apache Trout eyed eggs and alevins was 17.1°C for static temperatures treatments and 17.9°C for the midpoints of ±3°C fluctuating temperature treatments. There was no significant difference in survival between static temperatures and fluctuating temperatures that shared the same mean temperature, yet there was a slight difference in LT50s. Upper thermal tolerance of Apache Trout eyed eggs and alevins is much lower than that of fry to adult life stages (22–23°C). Information on thermal tolerance of early life stages (eyed egg and alevin) will be valuable to those restoring streams or investigating thermal tolerances of imperiled fishes.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗

USGS2013

Comparing effects of transmitters within and among populations: application to swimming performance of juvenile Chinook salmon

The sensitivity of fish to a transmitter depends on factors such as environmental conditions, fish morphology, life stage, rearing history, and tag design. However, synthesizing general trends across studies is difficult because each study focuses on a particular performance measure, species, life stage, and transmitter model. These differences motivated us to develop simple metrics that allow effects of transmitters to be compared among different species, populations, or studies. First, we describe how multiple regression analysis can be used to quantify the effect of tag burden (transmitter mass relative to fish mass) on measures of physiological performance. Next, we illustrate how the slope and intercept parameters can be used to calculate two summary statistics: θ, which estimates the tag burden threshold above which the performance of tagged fish begins to decline relative to untagged fish; and k, which measures the percentage change in performance per percentage point increase in tag burden. When θ = 0, k provides a single measure of the tag's effect that can be compared among species, populations, or studies. We apply this analysis to two different experiments that measure the critical swimming speed (U crit) of tagged juvenile Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. In both experiments, U crit declined as tag burden increased, but we found no significant threshold in swimming performance. Estimates of θ ranged from −0.6% to 2.1% among six unique treatment groups, indicating that swimming performance began to decline at a relatively low tag burden. Estimates of k revealed that U crit of tagged fish declined by −2.68% to −4.86% for each 1% increase in tag burden. Both θ and k varied with the tag's antenna configuration, tag implantation method, and posttagging recovery time. Our analytical approach can be used to gain insights across populations to better understand factors affecting the ability of fish to carry a transmitter.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗

USGS2013

Introduction to a special section: Ecology, culture, and management of Burbot

The Burbot Lota lota is the only truly freshwater member of the cod family (Gadidae) and one of only two species of freshwater fish that have a circumpolar range (McPhail and Lindsey 1970; McPhail and Paragamian 2000). Two subspecies of Lota lota have been documented: Lota lota maculosa, which is found exclusively in North America from south of Great Slave Lake in Canada to the southern limit of its range; and Lota lota lota, which is found over the remainder of the species’ Nearctic range and its entire Eurasian range (Hubbs and Schultz 1941; Van Houdt et al. 2003). However, many recent authorities (e.g., Scott and Crossman 1973) do not designate subspecies. Burbot occupy the widest range of depths of all fishes found in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin (i.e., from small streams to at least 300 m in Lake Superior; Boyer et al. 1989). Worldwide, many Burbot populations are threatened or endangered or have been extirpated (reviewed by Stapanian et al. 2010). Due in part to its unpopularity as a sport and commercial fish in much of its range, the species is often ignored in fish management and conservation programs (McPhail and Paragamian 2000; Stapanian et al. 2008, 2010). Even basic information on Burbot ecology, particularly its early life history and spawning habitats and sites, is lacking. This lack of information is particularly troubling because Burbot are an indicator of the health of coldwater systems (Stapanian et al. 2010). Efforts to rehabilitate or restore imperiled populations include culturing early life stages. Burbot larvae are difficult to culture for a variety of reasons, including their delicate body structure, small size at hatch, and live-feed requirement for at least 5 weeks following alimentary tract development.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗