Abstract
Climate change is causing rapid changes to stream habitats across the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest as warmer air temperatures and changes in precipitation increase stream temperatures, alter stream hydrology, and increase the extent and magnitude of natural disturbances related to droughts and wildfires. These changes are affecting trout, salmon, and other fish populations, many of which are already subject to substantial non-climate stressors. Fish habitats at lower elevations - near the downstream edges of species distributions - are particularly vulnerable. However, three Rocky Mountain Research scientists are conducting research and developing applied management tools that harness the power of crowd-sourcing to generate information and create opportunities for collaboration and resource allocation decisions that may help to conserve some of the aquatic biotas currently at risk. This is enabling adaptation to move forward at a scale and pace more appropriate to the challenges posed by climate change.
Keywords
Science You Can Use,
SYCU,
climate change,
stream habitats,
temperatures,
aquatic biotas,
fish habitats,
crowd-sourcing
Citation
Hines, Sarah; Isaak, Dan; Luce, Charles; Young, Michael K. 2014. Climate change, crowd-sourcing, and conserving aquatic biotas in the Rocky Mountains this century. Science You Can Use Bulletin, Issue 12. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 10 p.
