Michael R Meador
Mike has more than 35 years of experience working with fish ecology and habitat assessment in streams and rivers across the U.S. He coordinated the national collection of fish community and habitat assessment data as part of the USGS NAWQA Program. Mike’s research includes bioassessment, water-quality stressors and aquatic biota, and effects of streamflow alteration on fish communities.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 39
Quantifying tolerance indicator values for common stream fish species of the United States
The classification of fish species tolerance to environmental disturbance is often used as a means to assess ecosystem conditions. Its use, however, may be problematic because the approach to tolerance classification is based on subjective judgment. We analyzed fish and physicochemical data from 773 stream sites collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Pr
Authors
M. R. Meador, D.M. Carlisle
Can basin land use effects on physical characteristics of streams be determined at broad geographic scales?
The environmental setting (e.g., climate, topography, geology) and land use affect stream physical characteristics singly and cumulatively. At broad geographic scales, we determined the importance of environmental setting and land use in explaining variation in stream physical characteristics. We hypothesized that as the spatial scale decreased from national to regional, land use would explain mor
Authors
R. M. Goldstein, D.M. Carlisle, M. R. Meador, T.M. Short
Relation of fish communities to environmental conditions in urban streams of the Wasatch Front, Utah
Twenty-eight sites along the Wasatch Front, north central Utah, representing the range ot urban land use intensity for wadeable streams of the area, were sampled in September 2000. Fish communities were assessed by single-pass electrofishing, and physical habitat and water-quality characteristics were measured. On average, nonnative species comprised 54% of species richness and 53% of relative abu
Authors
E.M. Giddings, L. R. Brown, T.M. Short, M. R. Meador
Multilevel assessment of fish species traits to evaluate habitat degradation in streams of the upper midwest
We used species traits to examine the variation in fish assemblages for 21 streams in the Northern Lakes and Forests Ecoregion along a gradient of habitat disturbance. Fish species were classified based on five species trait-classes (trophic ecology, substrate preference, geomorphic preference, locomotion morphology, and reproductive strategy) and 29 categories within those classes. We used a habi
Authors
R. M. Goldstein, M. R. Meador
Temporal analysis of the frequency and duration of low and high streamflow: Years of record needed to characterize streamflow variability
A temporal analysis of the number and duration of exceedences of high- and low-flow thresholds was conducted to determine the number of years required to detect a level shift using data from Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Two methods were used - ordinary least squares assuming a known error variance and generalized least squares without a known error variance. Using ordinary least s
Authors
S. Huh, D.A. Dickey, M. R. Meador, K.E. Ruhl
Single-pass versus two-pass boat electrofishing for characterizing river fish assemblages: Species richness estimates and sampling distance
Determining adequate sampling effort for characterizing fish assemblage structure in nonwadeable rivers remains a critical issue in river biomonitoring. Two-pass boat electrofishing data collected from 500-1,000-m-long river reaches as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program were analyzed to assess the efficacy of single-pass boat electrofishing. True
Authors
M. R. Meador
Comparisons of fish species traits from small streams to large rivers
To examine the relations between fish community function and stream size, we classified 429 lotic freshwater fish species based on multiple categories within six species traits: (1) substrate preference, (2) geomorphic preference, (3) trophic ecology, (4) locomotion morphology, (5) reproductive strategy, and (6) stream size preference. Stream size categories included small streams, small, medium,
Authors
R. M. Goldstein, M. R. Meador
Effects of electrofishing gear type on spatial and temporal variability in fish community sampling
Fish community data collected from 24 major river basins between 1993 and 1998 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program were analyzed to assess multiple-reach (three consecutive reaches) and multiple-year (three consecutive years) variability in samples collected at a site. Variability was assessed using the coefficient of variation (CV; SD/mean) of species
Authors
M. R. Meador, J.P. McIntyre
Assessing water quality at large geographic scales: Relations among land use, water physicochemistry, riparian condition, and fish community structure
Data collected from 172 sites in 20 major river basins between 1993 and 1995 as part of the US Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program were analyzed to assess relations among basinwide land use (agriculture, forest, urban, range), water physicochemistry, riparian condition, and fish community structure. A multimetric approach was used to develop regionally referenced indices
Authors
M. R. Meador, R. M. Goldstein
Assessing the efficacy of single-pass backpack electrofishing to characterize fish community structure
Two-pass backpack electrofishing data collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program were analyzed to assess the efficacy of single-pass backpack electrofishing. A two-capture removal model was used to estimate, within 10 river basins across the United States, proportional fish species richness from one-pass electrofishing and probabilities of detection
Authors
M. R. Meador, J.P. McIntyre, K. H. Pollock
Relations between introduced fish and environmental conditions at large geographic scales
Data collected from 20 major river basins between 1993 and 1995 as part of the US Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program were analyzed to assess patterns in introduced and native fish species richness and abundance relative to watershed characteristics and stream physicochemistry. Sites (N = 157) were divided into three regions-northeast, southeast, and west-
Authors
M. R. Meador, L. R. Brown, T. Short
Responses of physical, chemical, and biological indicators of water quality to a gradient of agricultural land use in the Yakima River Basin, Washington
The condition of 25 stream sites in the Yakima River Basin, Washington, were assessed by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Multimetric condition indices were developed and used to rank sites on the basis of physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. These indices showed that sites in the Cascades and Eastern Cascades ecoregions were largely unimpaired
Authors
T. F. Cuffney, M. R. Meador, S. D. Porter, M. E. Gurtz
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 39
Quantifying tolerance indicator values for common stream fish species of the United States
The classification of fish species tolerance to environmental disturbance is often used as a means to assess ecosystem conditions. Its use, however, may be problematic because the approach to tolerance classification is based on subjective judgment. We analyzed fish and physicochemical data from 773 stream sites collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Pr
Authors
M. R. Meador, D.M. Carlisle
Can basin land use effects on physical characteristics of streams be determined at broad geographic scales?
The environmental setting (e.g., climate, topography, geology) and land use affect stream physical characteristics singly and cumulatively. At broad geographic scales, we determined the importance of environmental setting and land use in explaining variation in stream physical characteristics. We hypothesized that as the spatial scale decreased from national to regional, land use would explain mor
Authors
R. M. Goldstein, D.M. Carlisle, M. R. Meador, T.M. Short
Relation of fish communities to environmental conditions in urban streams of the Wasatch Front, Utah
Twenty-eight sites along the Wasatch Front, north central Utah, representing the range ot urban land use intensity for wadeable streams of the area, were sampled in September 2000. Fish communities were assessed by single-pass electrofishing, and physical habitat and water-quality characteristics were measured. On average, nonnative species comprised 54% of species richness and 53% of relative abu
Authors
E.M. Giddings, L. R. Brown, T.M. Short, M. R. Meador
Multilevel assessment of fish species traits to evaluate habitat degradation in streams of the upper midwest
We used species traits to examine the variation in fish assemblages for 21 streams in the Northern Lakes and Forests Ecoregion along a gradient of habitat disturbance. Fish species were classified based on five species trait-classes (trophic ecology, substrate preference, geomorphic preference, locomotion morphology, and reproductive strategy) and 29 categories within those classes. We used a habi
Authors
R. M. Goldstein, M. R. Meador
Temporal analysis of the frequency and duration of low and high streamflow: Years of record needed to characterize streamflow variability
A temporal analysis of the number and duration of exceedences of high- and low-flow thresholds was conducted to determine the number of years required to detect a level shift using data from Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Two methods were used - ordinary least squares assuming a known error variance and generalized least squares without a known error variance. Using ordinary least s
Authors
S. Huh, D.A. Dickey, M. R. Meador, K.E. Ruhl
Single-pass versus two-pass boat electrofishing for characterizing river fish assemblages: Species richness estimates and sampling distance
Determining adequate sampling effort for characterizing fish assemblage structure in nonwadeable rivers remains a critical issue in river biomonitoring. Two-pass boat electrofishing data collected from 500-1,000-m-long river reaches as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program were analyzed to assess the efficacy of single-pass boat electrofishing. True
Authors
M. R. Meador
Comparisons of fish species traits from small streams to large rivers
To examine the relations between fish community function and stream size, we classified 429 lotic freshwater fish species based on multiple categories within six species traits: (1) substrate preference, (2) geomorphic preference, (3) trophic ecology, (4) locomotion morphology, (5) reproductive strategy, and (6) stream size preference. Stream size categories included small streams, small, medium,
Authors
R. M. Goldstein, M. R. Meador
Effects of electrofishing gear type on spatial and temporal variability in fish community sampling
Fish community data collected from 24 major river basins between 1993 and 1998 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program were analyzed to assess multiple-reach (three consecutive reaches) and multiple-year (three consecutive years) variability in samples collected at a site. Variability was assessed using the coefficient of variation (CV; SD/mean) of species
Authors
M. R. Meador, J.P. McIntyre
Assessing water quality at large geographic scales: Relations among land use, water physicochemistry, riparian condition, and fish community structure
Data collected from 172 sites in 20 major river basins between 1993 and 1995 as part of the US Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program were analyzed to assess relations among basinwide land use (agriculture, forest, urban, range), water physicochemistry, riparian condition, and fish community structure. A multimetric approach was used to develop regionally referenced indices
Authors
M. R. Meador, R. M. Goldstein
Assessing the efficacy of single-pass backpack electrofishing to characterize fish community structure
Two-pass backpack electrofishing data collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program were analyzed to assess the efficacy of single-pass backpack electrofishing. A two-capture removal model was used to estimate, within 10 river basins across the United States, proportional fish species richness from one-pass electrofishing and probabilities of detection
Authors
M. R. Meador, J.P. McIntyre, K. H. Pollock
Relations between introduced fish and environmental conditions at large geographic scales
Data collected from 20 major river basins between 1993 and 1995 as part of the US Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program were analyzed to assess patterns in introduced and native fish species richness and abundance relative to watershed characteristics and stream physicochemistry. Sites (N = 157) were divided into three regions-northeast, southeast, and west-
Authors
M. R. Meador, L. R. Brown, T. Short
Responses of physical, chemical, and biological indicators of water quality to a gradient of agricultural land use in the Yakima River Basin, Washington
The condition of 25 stream sites in the Yakima River Basin, Washington, were assessed by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Multimetric condition indices were developed and used to rank sites on the basis of physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. These indices showed that sites in the Cascades and Eastern Cascades ecoregions were largely unimpaired
Authors
T. F. Cuffney, M. R. Meador, S. D. Porter, M. E. Gurtz