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Fish modeling in river networks: a Taunton River watershed example
Citation:
Rashleigh, B., Joe Ebersole, A. Brookes, B. Waller, M. Snyder, J. Massie, AND G. Boxall. Fish modeling in river networks: a Taunton River watershed example. Northeast Aquatic Biologists Conference, Newport, RI, March 04 - 06, 2020.
Impact/Purpose:
Fish are valued endpoints in riverine systems. Modeling allows managers to understand how fish communities will respond to future scenarios. The model used here includes key factors such as habitat effects, species interaction, and movement across a river network.
Description:
Future human activities and environmental change are likely to affect riverine fish communities. Modeling can be used to assess the effects of multiple stressors on populations of fish species across a river network. We propose a modeling approach that is spatially-explicit and age-structured, with three components: habitat suitability; population dynamics, including species interactions; and movement across a spatial network. Although this model is simple, it can form the basis of fisheries assessments and may be incorporated into an integrated modeling system for watershed management and prediction. We applied this model to the Taunton River watershed, using ten species. Initial results provide testable hypotheses regarding species distributions and projected fish population responses to environmental change, water consumption, species invasions, and land use effects on water temperature.