Articles

Hydrologic variation is a primary driver of stream ecosystems. Changing hydrology can lead to assemblage shifts and alterations in suitable habitat for freshwater species. As climate change is predicted to alter flow patterns in addition to increasing water temperatures, insight into relationships between species occupancy, hydrology, and temperature is critical for understanding current...

Fifteen leaking orphan wells on the Kevin-Sunburst Dome in northern Montana had emission rates that were affected by surface winds and diurnal temperature swings based on continuous monitoring data. Some wells showed correlating spikes in emissions when temperatures changed or wind speed increased while others demonstrated independent flow behavior despite being drilled into the same...

Climate change is driving unprecedented declines in dominant, habitat-forming foundation species across marine and terrestrial ecosystems globally. As climatic novelty becomes the norm, ecosystem reassembly will become increasingly common. Predicting and understanding these transitions, and their implications for future ecosystem functioning, is essential for designing effective forward...

Managing ecosystems in an era of rapid change is inherently challenging not only because of uncertainty in future climate but also due to diverse responses of ecosystems to climate. Projections of ecological transformation alongside information about plausible vegetation trajectories can help land managers explore divergent scenarios and consider how modeled outcomes match their...

Introduction: Hydrologic variability is a key driver of ecological structure in lotic systems, shaping habitat conditions, taxonomic diversity, and the functional traits that mediate species’ persistence and performance (e.g., reproductive success). While many studies examine taxonomic responses to variation in flows, few evaluate how spatiotemporal hydrologic variation influences the...

Rapids are common in steep rivers, often forming where flow transitions from supercritical (Froude number, Fr > 1) to subcritical (Fr

Invasive species such as grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) pose substantial ecological threats to North American freshwater ecosystems. Understanding their early life stage behavior is critical for management efforts. From spawning to hatching, invasive carp eggs must remain suspended in the water column while drifting downstream for the best chance of survival. This highly vulnerable...

Ciénegas are rare wetlands in arid landscapes of the North American Southwest, historically providing critical ecological and hydrological functions but increasingly threatened by changing climate and land use pressures. This study quantifies changes in ciénega condition and floodplain dynamics using a state-and-transition model (STM) informed by expert knowledge and remote sensing. Key...

Objective We aimed to compare two machine learning approaches—boosted beta regression (BBR) and beta mixed model forest (BMF)—to a Bayesian mixed-effects beta regression (BME) for the prediction of rotary screw trap (RST) efficiency for out-migrating juvenile salmonids from environmental covariates.Methods We identified two machine learning approaches that shared the ability to model...

Restoration of impaired floodplains is an increasingly prevalent strategy for alleviating water quality concerns and reducing downstream flooding at watershed scales. Floodplains temporarily store water and slow flow velocity to promote sedimentation during overbank flooding and remove inorganic nitrogen from floodwater and groundwater via denitrification. Evaluating the impacts of...

Accurate avian mortality estimates are essential for understanding anthropogenic impacts to bird populations and informing conservation strategies. Carcass surveys are commonly conducted by human surveyors or by detection dogs, but the factors influencing surveyor detection abilities have not been fully explored. In this study, we conducted two years of detection trials in the semi-arid...

Intensive land use alters hydrology and water quality, threatening freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates. Over 200,000 management practices (MPs) have been implemented across the Chesapeake Bay watershed since the 1980s, yet biological responses remain inconsistent. We synthesized 29 studies from 4 physiographic provinces covering 8 MP categories and evaluated macroinvertebrate responses...