Indicators for Climate Change Impacts - Rivers in cold ecoregions, Small rivers
Replacement of cold water species (fish, macroinvertebrates)
| Stressor type | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Responding parameter group | Biological parameters |
| Responding parameter | Replacement of cold water species (fish, macroinvertebrates) |
Response description
Many fish and invertebrate species in cold regions are highly adapted to cold water temperatures and vanish with higher temperatures.
Secondary effects
Species more tolerant to warm temperatures will invade the formerly cold water areas; thus, the entire community will change.
Specification of relevant ecosystem type
Relevant for all small rivers in cold ecoregions.
Relevant ecoregion(s) according to Illies
Borealic Uplands (20), Tundra (21), Fennoscandian Shield (22), Taiga (23)
Suggested indicator
Water temperature (maximum monthly values)
Justification of indicator
Physiologic barriers are mainly determined by extremes. For cold water species these are too warm temperatures in crucial phases of their life cycle.
Reference(s)
Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. Fausch, S.W. Hostetler, G.H.Leavesley, P.R. Leavitt, D.M. Macknight & & J.A. Stanford (1997): Assessment of climate change and freshwater ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains, USA and Canada. Hydrological Processes 11: 903-924.
