Climate change poised to threaten hydrologic connectivity and endemic fishes in dryland streams.

ABSTRACT: Protecting hydrologic connectivity of freshwater ecosystems is fundamental to ensuring species persistence, ecosystem integrity, and human well-being. More frequent and severe droughts associated with climate change are poised to significantly alter flow intermittence patterns and hydrologic connectivity in dryland streams of the American Southwest, with deleterious effects on highly endangered fishes. By integrating local-scale hydrologic modeling with emerging approaches in landscape ecology, we quantify fine-resolution, watershed-scale changes in habitat size, spacing, and connectance under forecasted climate change in the Verde River Basin, United States. Model simulations project annual zero-flow day frequency to increase by 27% by midcentury, with differential seasonal consequences o

SUBMITTER: Jaeger KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4183275 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature