Surface water connectivity affects lake and stream fish species richness and composition
Publication: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
22 November 2020
Abstract
Stream and lake fishes are important economic and recreational resources that respond to alterations in their surrounding watersheds and serve as indicators of ecological stressors on aquatic ecosystems. Research suggests that fish species diversity is largely influenced by surface water connectivity, or the lack thereof; however, few studies consider freshwater connections and their effect on both lake and stream fish communities across broad spatial extents. We used fish data from 559 lakes and 854 streams from the midwestern–northeastern United States to examine the role of surface water connectivity on fish species richness and community composition. We found that although lakes and streams share many species, connectivity had a positive effect on species richness across lakes and streams and helped explain species composition. Taking an integrated approach that includes both lake and stream fish communities and connectivity among freshwaters helps inform scientific understanding of what drives variation in fish species diversity at broad spatial scales and can help managers who are faced with planning for state-, regional-, or national-scale monitoring and restoration.
Résumé
Les poissons de cours d’eau et de lac constituent d’importantes ressources économiques et récréatives qui réagissent aux changements dans les bassins versants qui les entourent et servent d’indicateurs des facteurs de stress écologiques pour les écosystèmes aquatiques. Si des travaux de recherche indiqueraient que la diversité spécifique des poissons est largement influencée par la connectivité des eaux de surface ou l’absence de cette dernière, peu d’études se sont penchées sur les connexions de plans d’eau douce et leur effet sur les communautés de poissons de lacs et de cours d’eau à grande échelle. Nous avons utilisé des données sur les poissons de 559 lacs et 854 cours d’eau dans les États du centre-ouest et du nord-est des États-Unis pour examiner le rôle de la connectivité des eaux de surface en ce qui concerne la richesse spécifique et la composition des communautés de poissons. Nous avons constaté que, bien que les lacs et cours d’eau comptent de nombreuses espèces en commun, la connectivité a un effet positif sur la richesse spécifique des lacs et des cours d’eau en général et aide à en expliquer la composition spécifique. Une approche intégrée qui inclut les communautés tant des lacs que des cours d’eau et la connectivité des plans d’eau douce favorise une meilleure compréhension scientifique des facteurs de variation de la diversité spécifique à de grandes échelles spatiales et peut aider les gestionnaires dans la planification de la surveillance et de la restauration à l’échelle étatique, régionale ou nationale. [Traduit par la Rédaction]
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Published In
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Volume 78 • Number 4 • April 2021
Pages: 433 - 443
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Received: 19 March 2020
Accepted: 8 November 2020
Accepted manuscript online: 22 November 2020
Version of record online: 22 November 2020
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Katelyn B.S. King, Mary Tate Bremigan, Dana Infante, and Kendra Spence Cheruvelil. 2021. Surface water connectivity affects lake and stream fish species richness and composition. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.
78(4): 433-443. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2020-0090
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