Climate Change Reducing Stream Habitat in Mountain Streams

Global climate change is one pervasive challenge that must be dealt with by scientists, policy makers, and engaged citizens.    Ectotherms, such as fishes, are directly influenced by temperature change.    Though most work on climate change and streams and rivers has postulated potential effects of long-term climate change, recent work on stream-dwelling bull trout, provide quantitative determination of habitat change that has already occurred.   This article written by Dan Isaak and others in 2009 documented recent increases in stream water temperature of 0.27 C per decade; they further project a 50% decline in bull trout habitat in the next 50 years.  

 Stream habitat management involve making decisions locally -- decisions that should have benefits far in the future.    Margaret Palmer and colleagues reviewed some protection and adaptation options that could be implemented now in "Climate Change and River Ecosystems" published in Environmental Management last year.  

Today's agencies (Fish and Wildlife Service) are developing strategies for reducing the future impacts of climate change on climate-sensitive ecosystems.    You can expect increasing challenges in applying our knowledge of streams under future uncertain climate conditions.     One specific federal initiative is the National Fish Habitat Action Plan.   This federal legislation has provided a National perspective and the development  of coalitions of  government and non-profit organizations to support local efforts in stream habitat management.  Take a look at the projects underway throughout the US.