Use of Multiple Stream Temperature Logger Models Can Alter Conclusions

Remote temperature loggers are often used to measure water temperatures for ecological studies and by regulatory agencies to determine whether water quality standards are being maintained. Equipment specifications are often given a cursory review in the methods; however, the effect of temperature logger model is rarely addressed in the discussion. In a laboratory environment, we compared measurements from three models of temperature loggers at 5 to 40 °C to better understand the utility of these devices. Mean water temperatures recorded by logger models differed statistically even for those with similar accuracy specifications, but were still within manufacturer accuracy specifications. Maximum mean temperature difference between models was 0.4 °C which could have regulatory and ecological implications, such as when a 0.3 °C temperature change triggers a water quality violation or increases species mortality rates. Additionally, precision should be reported as the overall precision (including a consideration of significant digits) for combined model types which in our experiment was 0.7 °C, not the ≤0.4 °C for individual models. Our results affirm that analyzing data collected by different logger models can result in potentially erroneous conclusions when \u3c1 °C difference has regulatory compliance or ecological implications and that combining data from multiple logger models can reduce the overall precision of results

Efficacy of Using Radio Transmitters to Monitor Least Tern Chicks

Volume: 117Start Page: 85End Page: 9

Defining Conservation Priorities for Freshwater Fishes According to Taxonomic, Functional, and Phylogenetic Diversity

To date, the predominant use of systematic conservation planning has been to evaluate and conserve areas of high terrestrial biodiversity. Although studies in freshwater ecosystems have received recent attention, research has rarely considered the potential trade-offs between protecting different dimensions of biodiversity and the ecological processes that maintain diversity. We provide the first systematic prioritization for freshwaters (focusing on the highly threatened and globally distinct fish fauna of the Lower Colorado River Basin, USA) simultaneously considering scenarios of: taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity; contemporary threats to biodiversity (including interactions with nonnative species); and future climate change and human population growth. There was 75% congruence between areas of highest conservation priority for different aspects of biodiversity, suggesting that conservation efforts can concurrently achieve strong complementarity among all types of diversity. However, sizable fractions of the landscape were incongruent across conservation priorities for different diversity scenarios, underscoring the importance of considering multiple dimensions of biodiversity and highlighting catchments that contribute disproportionately to taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity in the region. Regions of projected human population growth were not concordant with conservation priorities; however, higher human population abundance will likely have indirect effects on native biodiversity by increasing demand for water. This will come in direct conflict with projected reductions in precipitation and warmer temperatures, which have substantial overlap with regions of high contemporary diversity. Native and endemic fishes in arid ecosystems are critically endangered by both current and future threats, but our results highlight the use of systematic conservation planning for the optimal allocation of limited resources that incorporates multiple and complementary conservation values describing taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity

Use of Multiple Stream Temperature Logger Models Can Alter Conclusions

Remote temperature loggers are often used to measure water temperatures for ecological studies and by regulatory agencies to determine whether water quality standards are being maintained. Equipment specifications are often given a cursory review in the methods; however, the effect of temperature logger model is rarely addressed in the discussion. In a laboratory environment, we compared measurements from three models of temperature loggers at 5 to 40 °C to better understand the utility of these devices. Mean water temperatures recorded by logger models differed statistically even for those with similar accuracy specifications, but were still within manufacturer accuracy specifications. Maximum mean temperature difference between models was 0.4 °C which could have regulatory and ecological implications, such as when a 0.3 °C temperature change triggers a water quality violation or increases species mortality rates. Additionally, precision should be reported as the overall precision (including a consideration of significant digits) for combined model types which in our experiment was 0.7 °C, not the ≤0.4 °C for individual models. Our results affirm that analyzing data collected by different logger models can result in potentially erroneous conclusions when \u3c1 °C difference has regulatory compliance or ecological implications and that combining data from multiple logger models can reduce the overall precision of results

Annual Changes in Seasonal River Water Temperatures in the Eastern and Western United States

Changes in river water temperatures are anticipated to have direct effects on thermal habitat and fish population vital rates, and therefore, understanding temporal trends in water temperatures may be necessary for predicting changes in thermal habitat and how species might respond to such changes. However, many investigations into trends in water temperatures use regression methods that assume long-term monotonic changes in temperature, when in fact changes are likely to be nonmonotonic. Therefore, our objective was to highlight the need and provide an example of an analytical method to better quantify the short-term, nonmonotonic temporal changes in thermal habitat that are likely necessary to determine the effects of changing thermal conditions on fish populations and communities. To achieve this objective, this study uses Bayesian dynamic linear models (DLMs) to examine seasonal trends in river water temperatures from sites located in the eastern and western United States, regions that have dramatically different riverine habitats and fish communities. We estimated the annual rate of change in water temperature and found little evidence of seasonal changes in water temperatures in the eastern U.S. We found more evidence of warming for river sites located in the western U.S., particularly during the fall and winter seasons. Use of DLMs provided a more detailed view of temporal dynamics in river thermal habitat compared to more traditional methods by quantifying year-to-year changes and associated uncertainty, providing managers with the information needed to adapt decision making to short-term changes in habitat conditions that may be necessary for conserving aquatic resources in the face of a changing climate

Appendix C. Methodological details of Zonation implementation.

Methodological details of Zonation implementation

Appendix B. Non-native species that were modeled with MARS, as well as species included as point occurrences in Zonation.

Non-native species that were modeled with MARS, as well as species included as point occurrences in Zonation

Appendix H. Changes in the proportion of species distribution that remain as planning units in the basin are removed.

Changes in the proportion of species distribution that remain as planning units in the basin are removed

Supplement 1. Taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic conservation priorities download for Google Earth.

<h2>File List</h2><blockquote> <a href="LCRB Conservation Priorities - Fish Taxonomic Diversity.kmz">LCRB Conservation Priorities - Fish Taxonomic Diversity.kmz</a><br> <a href="LCRB Conservation Priorities - Fish Functional Diversity.kmz">LCRB Conservation Priorities - Fish Functional Diversity.kmz</a><br> <a href="LCRB Conservation Priorities - Fish Phylogenetic Diversity.kmz">LCRB Conservation Priorities - Fish Phylogenetic Diversity.kmz</a> </blockquote><h2>Description</h2><blockquote> <p>To facilitate the usage of the results of our study by conservation practitioners, we have appended a file of taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic conservation priorities for the Lower Colorado River Basin (from Figure 1 of the manuscript) and instructions for viewing in Google Earth.</p> <p><i>Instructions</i>:<br> 1. Download and install Google Earth (<a href="http://www.google.com/earth/index.html">http://www.google.com/earth/index.html</a>)<br> 2. Open Google Earth, navigate to File > Open.<br> 3. Navigate to download location of .kmz file; select and click Open. Conservation priorities are displayed using the same color scheme and ranking as in Figure 1 of the manuscript. Clicking on catchments on the map will bring up the name of the river or stream assigned by the Geographic Names Information System ("GNIS_Name") and a ranking (e.g., "tax_rank" for taxonomic conservation priority).</p> </blockquote