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Scales of Resilience: Community Stability, Population Dynamics, and Molecular Ecology of Brook Trout in a Riverscape after a Large Flood

Rodgers, Erin V.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1422195420

Abstract Details

2014, Ph.D., Antioch University, Antioch New England: Environmental Studies.
Climate change in the northeastern United States currently and in future decadal predictions is characterized by warmer average temperatures and more frequent and intense storm events. Many aquatic organisms that thrive below a certain temperature threshold, such as brook trout, are being pushed towards their upper thermal limits, ultimately lowering their probability of survival and resilience to disturbance. In late-August and early-September 2011, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee created an extended flood in the Delaware Water Gap region of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as much of the northeast. This dissertation examines the effects of this flood on a network of naturally fragmented tributaries in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. All study sites showed significant changes in mesohabitat and in-stream large woody debris. Because of the area geology, downstream reaches of tributaries were more disturbed, exhibited significant changes in substrate composition, and had a greater loss of species richness. Abundance of all species varied significantly between years, in some locations increasing 500% between 2011 before the flood and 2012 after the flood. Displaced adults and massive increases in young-of-year recruitment should indicate a substantial change in genetic diversity and differentiation over time and space. In fact, pairwise Fst (a comparative measure of genetic differentiation) showed significant differences in nearly all study populations before and after the flood. Of even greater concern was an increase in fixed monomorphic loci in multiple populations. A rich and well-conserved landscape provides the resources necessary to build resilient stream communities and populations after a large disturbance. However, fine scale examination of population genetics show a much graver trend in species health due to fewer reproducing adults and higher offspring survival the following year. Such genetic homogenization increases the likelihood of inbreeding and susceptibility to disease and other long-term environmental stressors. The electronic version of this dissertation is at OhioLink ETD Center, www.ohiolink,edu/etd
James Jordan, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Beth Kaplin, Ph.D (Committee Member)
Benjamin Letcher, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
115 p.
Aquatic Sciences; Climate Change; Ecology; Environmental Science; Freshwater Ecology; Genetics; Natural Resource Management; Wildlife Conservation
Brook trout; Salvelinus fontinalis; flood; abundance; genetic divergence; community change; resilience; Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Rodgers, E. V. (2014). Scales of Resilience: Community Stability, Population Dynamics, and Molecular Ecology of Brook Trout in a Riverscape after a Large Flood [Doctoral dissertation, Antioch University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1422195420

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Rodgers, Erin. Scales of Resilience: Community Stability, Population Dynamics, and Molecular Ecology of Brook Trout in a Riverscape after a Large Flood . 2014. Antioch University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1422195420.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Rodgers, Erin. "Scales of Resilience: Community Stability, Population Dynamics, and Molecular Ecology of Brook Trout in a Riverscape after a Large Flood ." Doctoral dissertation, Antioch University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1422195420

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

antioch1422195420
450
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This open access ETD is published by Antioch University and OhioLINK.