Tropical habitats have high taxonomic and ecological diversity, but they are currently subject to high rates of extinction. Amphibian populations are declining globally and while we have some understanding of the causes of these declines, it is unclear how these losses will influence ecosystem structure and function. Secondary production and trophic basis of production analyses link consumers to energy flow and reflect the relative importance of various energy sources and energy flow pathways in food webs. These techniques can yield valuable information on the roles of individual consumers in ecosystem function, and thus the ecological consequences of extinction and extirpation events. I estimated the trophic basis of production in a Panamanian headwater stream to identify major sources of energy, measure energy flow through consumers, and characterize interactions among trophic levels and functional feeding groups. I examined gut contents of 19 dominant macroinvertebrate and two dominant tadpole taxa collected during dry and wet seasons before an amphibian decline. I used previously published estimates of secondary production, assimilation efficiencies, and net production efficiencies, along with gut content data, to quantify food web structure and energy flow pathways. Overall consumption of allochthonous materials was greater than autochthonous (p < 0.001), and the dominant food sources were non-algal biofilm and vascular plant detritus. Autochthonous materials were consumed at higher rates during the dry season (p = 0.012). Total consumption rates varied within and among shredders (0.85 - 12.10 g/m2/yr), scrapers (0.46 - 0.91 g/m2/yr), filterers (1.20 - 4.67 g/m2/yr), gatherers (0.43 - 2.44 g/m2/yr) and predators (0.05 - 0.95 g/m2/yr). Overall consumption rates in pool habitats were higher compared to riffles. The degree of omnivory in the food web was much higher than has been observed in similar temperate streams. Omnivory was prevalent across all functional feeding groups, but more pronounced in predators, especially Anacroneuria (55% animal and 45% plant materials in guts). There was also an ontogenetic shift among most dominant macroinvertebrates from smaller, energy rich food sources (e.g., non-algal biofilm) to larger, less nutritious materials (e.g., vascular plant material) with increase in size. My research is the first to provide quantitative estimates of energy flow through a neotropical headwater stream food web. Information from this study is central to understanding and conserving tropical headwater streams. Further, my results, along with post-amphibian decline analyses from the same stream, will allow for a comprehensive assessment of the ecological consequences of amphibian declines.

Intermittent headwater streams serve important functions in semi-arid rangelands, both for humans and wildlife. However, few studies have assessed species-environment relationships for fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in these systems. Additionally, no published studies could be found that addressed the influence of juniper coverage in watersheds on assemblage structure of these taxa. Increased juniper coverage in recent decades is believed to be associated with decreased water yields in central Texas streams. During summer 2003 and spring 2004, I examined potential effects of juniper cover on aquatic ecology. Fishes, benthic macroinvertebrates, and the physicochemical habitat were investigated in spring-fed headwater tributaries of the Pedernales River. My objectives were to: 1) describe the typical fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in headwater creeks of the Pedernales River basin; 2) compare seasonal variability of fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages; 3) identify species-environment relationships in this river basin; and 4) evaluate the influence of juniper coverage in the watershed, relative tolocal and landscape-level environmental factors, on the structure of fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages. A total of 4,181 individual fish were collected in summer 2003 samples, 551 fish were collected in spring 2004, 59,555 macroinvertebrates were captured in summer 2003 samples, and 51,500 macroinvertebrates were collected in spring 2004. Assemblages were typical for the area and habitat conditions. Faunal richness was lower in spring than in summer, possibly due to a combination of sampling after a relatively dry period in the spring, and lack of winter refugia in the form of deep pools. Fish assemblages may structure based principally on abiotic factors in spring, the harsher season (less available water), whereas predation pressure may influence structure in summer. Another important environmental gradient for both fish and invertebrate assemblages contrasts pool and run mesohabitats. In general, juniper cover was weakly associated with fish and invertebrate assemblages, although it tended to be associated with relatively high quality habitat for sensitive taxa (flowing runs with coarse substrate; deep, connected pools). In these intermittent streams, local-scale environmental factors probably are the dominant influences on fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages. Implications for future studies are discussed.

Forestry affects most of the forest-covered land in Sweden. In the landscape, the most common stream type is headwaters, which are important sites for many processes and organisms in both the terrestrial and the aquatic ecosystems. The aim of this study was to investigate how the abundance of benthic invertebrate functional feeding groups in headwater streams develops after clear-cutting and if it also is possible to detect a change in the composition of feeding groups. The study also attempts to determine what factors have an effect on temporal changes in abundance of these groups. For the study, 11 sites in northern Sweden were sampled for benthic invertebrates using a Surber-sampler, and for each site canopy-cover and pH was obtained. Further, the age of the surrounding forest at each was visually assessed and created a 100-year gradient along which temporal changes in abundance of the functional feeding groups were investigated. The results revealed that the total abundance of organisms was the highest short after clear-cutting and afterward decreased to the lowest level in streams with the highest age of surrounding forest. Significant results for the functional feeding groups were found for predators, shredders and scrapers, which also had the highest levels of abundance early after clear-cutting and thereafter decreased. The result shows that clear-cutting, not only changes the fundamental terrestrial conditions, but also has an impact on the abundance of different benthic functional feeding group.

Intermittent headwater streams serve important functions in semi-arid rangelands, both for humans and wildlife. However, few studies have assessed species-environment relationships for fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in these systems. Additionally, no published studies could be found that addressed the influence of juniper coverage in watersheds on assemblage structure of these taxa. Increased juniper coverage in recent decades is believed to be associated with decreased water yields in central Texas streams. During summer 2003 and spring 2004, I examined potential effects of juniper cover on aquatic ecology. Fishes, benthic macroinvertebrates, and the physicochemical habitat were investigated in spring-fed headwater tributaries of the Pedernales River. My objectives were to: 1) describe the typical fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in headwater creeks of the Pedernales River basin; 2) compare seasonal variability of fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages; 3) identify species-environment relationships in this river basin; and 4) evaluate the influence of juniper coverage in the watershed, relative tolocal and landscape-level environmental factors, on the structure of fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages. A total of 4,181 individual fish were collected in summer 2003 samples, 551 fish were collected in spring 2004, 59,555 macroinvertebrates were captured in summer 2003 samples, and 51,500 macroinvertebrates were collected in spring 2004. Assemblages were typical for the area and habitat conditions. Faunal richness was lower in spring than in summer, possibly due to a combination of sampling after a relatively dry period in the spring, and lack of winter refugia in the form of deep pools. Fish assemblages may structure based principally on abiotic factors in spring, the harsher season (less available water), whereas predation pressure may influence structure in summer. Another important environmental gradient for both fish and invertebrate assemblages contrasts pool and run mesohabitats. In general, juniper cover was weakly associated with fish and invertebrate assemblages, although it tended to be associated with relatively high quality habitat for sensitive taxa (flowing runs with coarse substrate; deep, connected pools). In these intermittent streams, local-scale environmental factors probably are the dominant influences on fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages. Implications for future studies are discussed.

No description available.

<p>Fish communities in agricultural headwater streams are known to be impacted by a variety of factors, including water chemistry, habitat modification, and hydrology. Little research has been conducted on how climate change influences these communities, yet the effects of climate on lake and river fish have been well documented. I hypothesized that fish community metrics would be reduced by the effects of climate change. I examined the effects of climate and hydrology metrics on fish communities at nine sites in the Saint Joseph River, Indiana and Michigan and at 18 sites in the Upper Big Walnut Creek, Ohio watersheds, from 2006 to 2019. Air temperature, water temperature, precipitation, water discharge, width, velocity, and depth metrics were calculated seasonally for each sampling year. Fish were examined seasonally with backpack electrofishing and seine netting and identified to species level. Principal component analyses were used to create axes which represented gradients of climate and hydrology metrics. Linear mixed effect and logistic regression modeling suggested that hydrology is a stronger predictor than climate, but that both influence fish communities. Percent Percidae, percent herbivore, and percent open substrate spawner were positively correlated with precipitation and water temperature. Presence herbivore was negatively correlated with precipitation and positively correlated with water temperature. My data only somewhat supported the hypothesis that climate would reduce fish community metrics. Gradients of hydrology were observed to be stronger predictors than gradients of climate. However, one must acknowledge relationships between climate and hydrology and the potential for climate to have indirect effects on fish communities through influences on hydrology. This study increases understanding of how fish communities in agriculturally dominated headwater streams are influenced, and emphasizes the need for further research on how these fishes will be impacted by a changing climate. </p>

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

The major study objectives include determining if a 50-foot streamside management zone (SMZ) as described in the Virginia BMP Manual (VDOF 2002) is generally sufficient to protect stream water quality, riparian soils, and stream bank integrity in headwater streams where forest harvesting has taken place, as well as comparing other SMZ widths with regard to the same environmental protection performance. In 2003, 16 forested watersheds were clear-cut harvested for commercial timber production. Four SMZ treatments were installed across four experimental blocks during harvest. Each of the 16 watersheds was subsequently site-prepared with prescribed burning and planted with loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Within the watersheds, the established treatments were a 100-foot width with no thinning, a 50-foot width without thinning, a 50-foot width with thinning, and a 25-foot "stringer." Each of the four treatments was conducted within three of four blocks (Incomplete Block Design). After a two-year post-harvest monitoring period, it was determined that the SMZ treatments had no significant effect on water quality, channel geometry, or soil erosion in and around the streams. There was no apparent water quality degradation as a result of harvesting timber, and larger SMZs did not have an impact on any of the parameters studied. It was also apparent that leaving narrower SMZs or thinning within SMZs did not cause any apparent environmental degradation. It was also determined that landowners who leave SMZs on their property have very limited opportunities to manage timber within them for financial gain in the long term. / Ph. D.