USGS Aquatic Entomologist Joe Giersch stands at the outlet of Grinnell Glacier in Glacier National park, the main locality the western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier).
Joe Giersch (Former Employee)
Science and Products
Climate change links fate of glaciers and rare alpine stream invertebrates in Glacier National Park
Integrated bioassessment of imperiled alpine aquatic ecosystems using NPS vital signs and USGS research data: Implications for conservation under a warming climate
Glacier National Park alpine aquatic invertebrates, 2011-2013
USGS Aquatic Entomologist Joe Giersch stands at the outlet of Grinnell Glacier in Glacier National park, the main locality the western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier).
A spring fed stream in the Two-Medicine drainage of Glacier National Park is one of 2 new locations for the western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier).
A spring fed stream in the Two-Medicine drainage of Glacier National Park is one of 2 new locations for the western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier).
The rare western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier) is native to Glacier National Park and is seeking habitat at higher elevations due to warming stream temperature and glacier loss due to climate warming.
The rare western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier) is native to Glacier National Park and is seeking habitat at higher elevations due to warming stream temperature and glacier loss due to climate warming.
The rare western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier) is native to Glacier National Park and is seeking habitat at higher elevations due to warming stream temperature and glacier loss due to climate warming.
The rare western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier) is native to Glacier National Park and is seeking habitat at higher elevations due to warming stream temperature and glacier loss due to climate warming.
A Meltwater stonefly rests on a rock in Reynolds Creek spring on Logan Pass in Glacier National Park.
A Meltwater stonefly rests on a rock in Reynolds Creek spring on Logan Pass in Glacier National Park.
Validation of a species-specific probe-based qPCR assay for the threatened meltwater stonefly, Lednia tumana, in environmental samples
Insects in high-elevation streams: Life in extreme environments imperiled by climate change
Stoneflies in the genus Lednia (Plecoptera: Nemouridae): Sentinels of climate change impacts on mountain stream biodiversity
Cold tolerance of mountain stoneflies (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) from the high Rocky Mountains
Headwaters fed by subterranean ice: Potential climate refugia for alpine stream communities?
Mountain stoneflies may tolerate warming streams: Evidence from organismal physiology and gene expression
Specialized meltwater biodiversity persists despite widespread deglaciation
Climate-induced expansions of invasive species in the Pacific Northwest, North America: A synthesis of observations and projections
Global status of trout and char: Conservation challenges in the twenty-first century
Microbial assemblages reflect environmental heterogeneity in alpine streams
An integrated framework for ecological drought across riverscapes of North America
Congruent population genetic structure but differing depths of divergence for three alpine stoneflies with similar ecology and geographic distributions
Science and Products
- Science
Climate change links fate of glaciers and rare alpine stream invertebrates in Glacier National Park
The extensive loss of glaciers in Glacier National Park (GNP) is iconic of the global impacts of climate warming in mountain ecosystems. However, little is known about how climate change may threaten alpine stream species, especially invertebrates, persisting below disappearing snow and ice masses in GNP. Two alpine stream invertebrates – the meltwater stonefly and the glacier stonefly – are...Integrated bioassessment of imperiled alpine aquatic ecosystems using NPS vital signs and USGS research data: Implications for conservation under a warming climate
Climate warming in the mid- to high-latitudes and high-elevation mountainous regions is occurring more rapidly than anywhere else on Earth, causing extensive loss of glaciers and snowpack. The loss of glaciers in Glacier National Park (GNP) is iconic of the combined impacts of global warming and reduced snowpack−all remaining 25 glaciers are predicted to disappear by 2030. These changes will... - Data
Glacier National Park alpine aquatic invertebrates, 2011-2013
This data release incorporates high-resolution geospatial and biological data and accompanies a peer-reviewed manuscript "Specialized meltwater biodiversity persists despite widespread deglaciation". In this study, we tested the prediction that glacier retreat reduces biodiversity in mountain ecosystems through the loss of uniquely adapted meltwater stream species in Glacier National Park, USA. Th - Multimedia
At the Glacier's Mouth
USGS Aquatic Entomologist Joe Giersch stands at the outlet of Grinnell Glacier in Glacier National park, the main locality the western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier).
USGS Aquatic Entomologist Joe Giersch stands at the outlet of Grinnell Glacier in Glacier National park, the main locality the western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier).
High Alpine RetreatA spring fed stream in the Two-Medicine drainage of Glacier National Park is one of 2 new locations for the western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier).
A spring fed stream in the Two-Medicine drainage of Glacier National Park is one of 2 new locations for the western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier).
Western Glacier StoneflyThe rare western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier) is native to Glacier National Park and is seeking habitat at higher elevations due to warming stream temperature and glacier loss due to climate warming.
The rare western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier) is native to Glacier National Park and is seeking habitat at higher elevations due to warming stream temperature and glacier loss due to climate warming.
Western Glacier StoneflyThe rare western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier) is native to Glacier National Park and is seeking habitat at higher elevations due to warming stream temperature and glacier loss due to climate warming.
The rare western glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier) is native to Glacier National Park and is seeking habitat at higher elevations due to warming stream temperature and glacier loss due to climate warming.
The Meltwater StoneflyA Meltwater stonefly rests on a rock in Reynolds Creek spring on Logan Pass in Glacier National Park.
A Meltwater stonefly rests on a rock in Reynolds Creek spring on Logan Pass in Glacier National Park.
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 21
Validation of a species-specific probe-based qPCR assay for the threatened meltwater stonefly, Lednia tumana, in environmental samples
A probe-based quantitative real-time PCR assay was developed to detect meltwater stonefly (Lednia tumana) environmental (e)DNA in water samples. The limits of detection and quantification, respectively, were 12.1 and 58.4 gene copies for calibration standards and these values were similarly low in a relevant environmental sample matrix (8.6 and 174.2, respectively). The assay’s utility was demonstAuthorsPatrick Ross Hutchins, Jonathan Giersch, Adam J. Sepulveda, Clint C. MuhlfeldInsects in high-elevation streams: Life in extreme environments imperiled by climate change
Climate change is altering conditions in high-elevation streams worldwide, with largely unknown effects on resident communities of aquatic insects. Here, we review the challenges of climate change for high-elevation aquatic insects and how they may respond, focusing on current gaps in knowledge. Understanding current effects and predicting future impacts will depend on progress in three areas. FirAuthorsJackson H. Birrell, Alisha A. Shah, Scott Hotaling, J. Joseph Giersch, Craig E. Williamson, Dean Jacobsen, H. Arthur WoodsStoneflies in the genus Lednia (Plecoptera: Nemouridae): Sentinels of climate change impacts on mountain stream biodiversity
Rapid recession of glaciers and snowfields is threatening the habitats of cold-water biodiversity worldwide. In many ice-sourced headwaters of western North America, stoneflies in the genus Lednia (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) are a prominent member of the invertebrate community. With a broad distribution in mountain streams and close ties to declining glacier cover, Lednia has emerged as a sentinel ofAuthorsMatthew D. Green, Lusha M. Tronstad, J. Joseph Giersch, Alisha A. Shah, Candace E. Fallon, Emilie Blevins, Taylor Kai, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Debra S. Finn, Scott HotalingCold tolerance of mountain stoneflies (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) from the high Rocky Mountains
How aquatic insects cope with cold temperatures is poorly understood. This is particularly true for high-elevation species, which often experience a seasonal risk of freezing. In the Rocky Mountains, nemourid stoneflies (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) are a major component of mountain stream biodiversity and are typically found in streams fed by glaciers and snowfields, which are rapidly receding due toAuthorsScott Hotaling, Alisha A. Shah, Michael E. Dillon, J. Joseph Giersch, Lusha M. Tronstad, Debra S. Finn, H. Arthur Woods, Joanna L. KelleyHeadwaters fed by subterranean ice: Potential climate refugia for alpine stream communities?
Near-term extirpations of macroinvertebrates are predicted for mountain streams worldwide as a warming climate drives the recession of high-elevation ice and snow. However, hydrological sources likely vary in their resistance to climate change, and thus streams fed by more resistant sources could persist as climate refugia for imperiled biota. In 2015–2016, we measured habitat characteristics andAuthorsLusha M. Tronstad, Scott Hotaling, J. Joseph Giersch, Oliver J. Wilmot, Debra S. FinnMountain stoneflies may tolerate warming streams: Evidence from organismal physiology and gene expression
Rapid glacier recession is altering the physical conditions of headwater streams. Stream temperatures are predicted to rise and become increasingly variable, putting entire meltwater-associated biological communities at risk of extinction. Thus, there is a pressing need to understand how thermal stress affects mountain stream insects, particularly where glaciers are likely to vanish on contemporarAuthorsScott Hotaling, Alisha A. Shah, Kerry L. McGowan, Lusha M. Tronstad, J. Joseph Giersch, Debra S. Finn, H. Arthur Woods, Michael E. Dillon, Joanna L. KelleySpecialized meltwater biodiversity persists despite widespread deglaciation
Glaciers are important drivers of environmental heterogeneity and biological diversity across mountain landscapes. Worldwide, glaciers are receding rapidly due to climate change, with important consequences for biodiversity in mountain ecosystems. However, the effects of glacier loss on biodiversity have never been quantified across a mountainous region, primarily due to a lack of adequate data atAuthorsClint C. Muhlfeld, Timothy Joseph Cline, J. Joseph Giersch, Erich Peitzsch, Caitlyn Florentine, Dean Jacobsen, Scott HotalingClimate-induced expansions of invasive species in the Pacific Northwest, North America: A synthesis of observations and projections
Climate change may facilitate the expansion of non-native invasive species (NIS) in aquatic and terrestrial systems. However, empirical evidence remains scarce and poorly synthesized at scales necessary for effective management. We conducted a literature synthesis to assess the state of research on the observed and predicted effects of climate change on a suite of 398 aquatic and terrestrial NIS nAuthorsJennifer Gervais, Ryan P. Kovach, Adam J. Sepulveda, Robert K. Al-Chokhachy, J. Joseph Giersch, Clint C. MuhlfeldGlobal status of trout and char: Conservation challenges in the twenty-first century
Freshwater ecosystems are among the most threatened ecosystems in the world (Richter et al. 1997; Strayer and Dudgeon 2010), and freshwater fishes may now be the most threatened group of vertebrates (Ricciardi and Rasmussen 1999; Vorosmarty et al. 2010; Darwall and Freyhof 2016). Of the 7,300 freshwater fish species globally assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, wwwAuthorsClint C. Muhlfeld, Daniel C. Dauwalter, Vincent S. D'Angelo, Andrew Ferguson, J. Joseph Giersch, Dean Impson, Itsuro Koizumi, Ryan Kovach, Philip McGinnity, Johannes Schoeffmann, John Epifanio, Leif Asbjørn VøllestadMicrobial assemblages reflect environmental heterogeneity in alpine streams
Alpine streams are dynamic habitats harboring substantial biodiversity across small spatial extents. The diversity of alpine stream biota is largely reflective of environmental heterogeneity stemming from varying hydrological sources. Globally, alpine stream diversity is under threat as meltwater sources recede and stream conditions become increasingly homogeneous. Much attention has been devotedAuthorsScott Hotaling, Mary E. Foley, Lydia Zeglin, Debra S. Finn, Lusha M. Tronstad, J. Joseph Giersch, Clint C. Muhlfeld, David W. WeisrockAn integrated framework for ecological drought across riverscapes of North America
Climate change is increasing the severity and extent of extreme droughts events, posing a critical threat to freshwater ecosystems, particularly with increasing human demands for diminishing water supplies. Despite the importance of drought as a significant driver of ecological and evolutionary dynamics, current understanding of drought consequences for freshwater biodiversity is very limited. WAuthorsRyan Kovach, Jason B. Dunham, Robert Al-Chokhachy, Craig Snyder, Erik A. Beever, Gregory T. Pederson, Abigail Lynch, Nathaniel P. Hitt, Christopher P. Konrad, Kristin Jaeger, Alan H. Rea, Adam J. Sepulveda, Patrick M. Lambert, Jason M. Stoker, J. Joseph Giersch, Clint C. MuhlfeldCongruent population genetic structure but differing depths of divergence for three alpine stoneflies with similar ecology and geographic distributions
Comparative population genetic studies provide a powerful means for assessing the degree to which evolutionary histories may be congruent among taxa while also highlighting the potential for cryptic diversity within existing species.In the Rocky Mountains, three confamilial stoneflies (Zapada glacier , Lednia tumana , and Lednia tetonica ; Plecoptera, Nemouridae) occupy cold alpine streams that arAuthorsScott Hotaling, J. Joseph Giersch, Debra S. Finn, Lusha M. Tronstad, Steve Jordan, Larry Serpa, Ronald Call, Clint C. Muhlfeld, David W. Weisrock - News