Interannual Variability of Lotic Macroinvertebrate Communities in the Kootenay-Columbia Basin, BC: the Relative Contribution of Environmental Gradients vs. Stream Water Temperatures

Climate change is predicted to impact freshwater ecosystems through interannual variability in surface water temperature, discharge, and physiochemical water characteristics. Benthic macroinvertebrate communities (BMI) are often used to assess biological impacts of long-term environmental changes. This study utilizes Environment and Climate Change Canada climatic, hydrometric, and Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network datasets to examine the influence of stream temperature and environmental variables on interannual variability of BMI composition at sites in the Kootenay-Columbia Basin, Illecillewaet River (IR), Kootenay River (KR), and Beaver River (BR). Interannual variation in BMI was largely explained by flow and water physiochemistry; temperature explained ~20% of interannual variation at KR and IR. Temperature-associated Interannual BIC variation at KR was associated with changes in relative abundance of Baetidae, while IR variation was associated with Ephemerellidae. These findings highlight the high interannual variability in natural BMI, which can obscure response patterns of taxa to specific environmental stressors.

Author dc:creator

• Ritz, Jessica

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Bright, Douglas

• School of environment and sustainability

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Identifier URI

https://doi.org/10.25316/IR-20926

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10613/29396