Article
Ecology
Emma K. T. Carroll, Steven M. Vamosi
Summary: The study reveals that the population and distribution of Bull Trout in their native range are declining due to historic overharvest, invasive non-native species, and habitat loss. While there is evidence of genetic differentiation, significant isolation-by-distance patterns were not observed in the Athabasca River basin.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
William K. Jaeger, Mark D. Scheuerell
Summary: The decline in salmon and steelhead populations in the Columbia River Basin has been well-documented, and extensive restoration efforts have been made with a spending of $9 billion by federal and state agencies. However, the impact of these efforts remains poorly understood, and concerns have been raised about the lack of evidence for recovery. This study uses regression models to estimate the effects of restoration spending and hatchery production on adult fish returns, finding substantial increases in returning adult fish associated with these factors. However, evidence of benefits to wild fish alone is difficult to determine due to the interplay of restoration spending and hatchery releases.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiuyi Li
Summary: This study introduced an index system for evaluating soil and water conservation functions in Dingxi City, China. The results showed that areas with higher soil conservation were concentrated in the hilly and gully areas of the Loess Plateau, while areas with higher water conservation were concentrated in areas with abundant precipitation and high vegetation coverage. The conflict between agricultural production and ecological protection of soil and water conservation was prominent in the central and northern areas of Dingxi City.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Timothy A. Whitesel, Patrick W. DeHaan, Jeremiah Doyle, Brice A. Adams, Paul M. Sankovich
Summary: Bull trout in the Wallowa River watershed were considered extinct in the 1950s, but were reintroduced from the adjacent Imnaha River watershed in 1997. Genetic analysis and modeling estimates suggest that the bull trout captured in the Wallowa River watershed are more similar to the reintroduced individuals and exhibit evidence of recent population bottleneck. These findings indicate that the 1997 reintroduction has led to natural reproduction and recolonization of bull trout in the Wallowa River watershed.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Stuart C. Willis, Blaine Parker, Andrea D. Schreier, Ray Beamesderfer, Donella Miller, Shawn Young, Shawn R. Narum
Summary: An analysis of the genetic structure of white sturgeon populations suggests a genetic gradient in the Columbia River Basin, with the uppermost populations being the most distinct. However, there is also evidence of gene exchange through coastal routes. The genetic diversity of white sturgeon populations in the Kootenai and upper Snake Rivers is lower due to historical factors. Conservation efforts should focus on maintaining genetic diversity while increasing population size.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hisham Eldardiry, Tian Zhou, Maoyi Huang, Oriana S. Chegwidden
Summary: This study investigates the impacts of groundwater pumping on the regulated streamflow in the Columbia River Basin (CRB). The results show that considering additional groundwater withdrawals can alleviate irrigation water deficit and increase streamflow during dry periods in certain locations. However, the implementation of groundwater withdrawal does not improve the overall model performance in long-term averaged streamflow and storage predictions.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Water Resources
Kai Tsuruta, Markus A. Schnorbus
Summary: The study investigates the potential changes in the hydrology of the Mica Basin in the western Canada under different Representative Concentration Pathways. The results show statistically significant increases in spring flow in future eras, while the variability of summer runoff and the forecasting capability of April 1st SWE remain relatively unchanged. This suggests that the predictability of summer runoff in the Mica Basin may not be significantly affected by glacier loss and reduced snowmelt contribution in the future.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chengjian Liu, Lei Zou, Jun Xia, Xinchi Chen, Lingfeng Zuo, Jiarui Yu
Summary: This study provides important theoretical basis for river basin management and ecological restoration by calculating and analyzing the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of water conservation function (WCF) in the upper Yangtze River basin and its driving factors.
Article
Ecology
Shelby Burgess, Christopher Clark, Kai Ross, Michelle Krall, Phil Roni
Summary: Riparian enhancement is commonly used in the Columbia River Basin and the Pacific Northwest for restoration. However, few studies have evaluated its success, especially with long-term monitoring. This study evaluated 41 riparian planting projects in the CRB and found that woody plant abundance, richness, and bud browse or deceased rates were higher in treatment reaches compared to control reaches. However, no significant improvements were observed in other riparian variables. Implementation techniques and restoration project types were also found to have significant impacts on restoration response.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Curtis J. Roth, Eric J. Stark, Lucas D. Koenig, Brian S. Ayers, Kevin A. Meyer
Summary: By analyzing mark-recapture data, this study estimated population vital rates for Bull Trout in the East Fork Salmon River in Idaho, and found that factors such as the number of anadromous salmonid smolts and annual discharge influenced growth and survival of adult Bull Trout. The population of Bull Trout was found to be increasing during the study period, with a positive ecological link between the abundance of Chinook Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, and steelhead smolts and Bull Trout growth and survival in sympatric systems.
NORTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marcos Lagunas, Arnar Palsson, Benony Jonsson, Magnus Johannsson, Zophonias O. Jonsson, Sigurour S. Snorrason
Summary: This study assessed the genetic structure and diversity of brown trout in the Olfusa river watershed in Iceland. The results showed the presence of multiple small brown trout populations near Lake Thornigvallavatn, with some populations having reduced genetic diversity. There was no downstream gene flow from Lake Thorningvallavatn, and variations in effective population size and recent population bottlenecks were observed in different populations.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Christine L. Dolph, Se Jong Cho, Jacques C. Finlay, Amy T. Hansen, Brent Dalzell
Summary: The spatial distribution of soil phosphorus is crucial for both biogeochemical processes and agricultural landscape management. By applying a random forest machine learning model to soil phosphorus datasets and geospatial attributes in the Upper Mississippi River Basin, we were able to predict total soil phosphorus at a fine scale. The accuracy of our model was relatively high and can be used to improve water quality and conservation planning in the region.
Article
Environmental Studies
Xichen Che, Liang Jiao, Xuli Zhu, Jingjing Wu, Qian Li
Summary: The water conservation function of Gannan in the upper Yellow River Basin was quantitatively assessed using the InVEST model. The results showed an overall increasing trend in water conservation capacity from 2000 to 2020. The spatial distribution of water conservation varied from year to year, with high degrees in the southwest and low degrees in the northeast. Climatic factors were found to be the dominant factors underlying the spatial and temporal distribution of water conservation in Gannan.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chloe R. Nater, Marlene W. Stubberud, Oystein Langangen, Atle Rustadbakken, S. Jannicke Moe, Torbjorn Ergon, L. Asbjorn Vollestad, Yngvild Vindenes
Summary: Freshwater species are at risk from climate change due to already being impacted by habitat destruction, pollution, and exploitation. This study explores the consequences of terminating a long-term stocking program for brown trout populations and evaluates alternative management strategies for population viability under climate change.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Laura E. Queen, Philip W. Mote, David E. Rupp, Oriana Chegwidden, Bart Nijssen
Summary: The USA and Canada are negotiating to modernize the Columbia River Treaty, with a focus on balancing flood risk, hydropower production, and improving aquatic ecosystem function in the face of climate change. A study using a large dataset of past and future daily streamflows found that most locations in the Columbia River basin are projected to experience increased streamflow magnitudes in the future.
HYDROLOGY AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2021)
