Fish predation on a landscape scale: “Predator–prey dynamics can have landscape‐level impacts on ecosystems, and yet, spatial patterns and environmental predictors of predator–prey dynamics are often investigated at discrete locations, limiting our understanding of the broader impacts. At these broader scales, landscapes often contain multiple complex and heterogeneous habitats, requiring a spatially representative sampling design. This challenge is especially pronounced in California’s Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, where managers require information on the landscape‐scale impacts of non‐native fish predators on multiple imperiled native prey fish populations. ... ” Read more from ESA here: Fish predation on a landscape scale
Assessing spatial variability of nutrients and related water quality constituents in the California Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta at the landscape scale: High resolution mapping surveys: “This data release documents the spatial and temporal variability of nutrients and related water quality parameters at high spatial resolution in the North Delta, Central Delta, and the Western Delta out to Suisun Bay in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta of California, USA.” Click here for more from the USGS: Assessing spatial variability of nutrients and related water quality constituents in the California Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta at the landscape scale: High resolution mapping surveys
Effects from low-level concentrations of harmful chemicals preserved in three generations of fish: “Fish exposed to very low levels of chemicals commonly found in waterways can pass the impacts on to future generations that were never directly exposed to the chemicals, according to Oregon State University researchers. “What that gets at is something your grandparents may have come into contact within their environment can still be affecting the overall structure of your DNA in your life today,” said Kaley Major, a postdoctoral scholar at Oregon State and lead author of the paper published today in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science. ... ” Read more from Science Daily here: Effects from low-level concentrations of harmful chemicals preserved in three generations of fish
Finding their way: New website helps public remove fish passage barriers: “Last fall, the California Fish Passage Forum announced the launch of a new web-based tool, FISHPass, to help determine which fish passage barriers to prioritize for removal. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is one of several organizations participating with the Forum to help guide the decision making process for fish barrier removal projects throughout the state. There are thousands of fish passage barriers in California, and prioritization methods differ widely on which barriers to remediate. Recognizing the need to ease and possibly standardize this process, the forum created this publicly available tool to provide a state-wide method to assist in making these decisions. … ” Read more from the US Fish and Wildlife Service here: Finding their way: New website helps public remove fish passage barriers
Initial Sampling of the Carp-DEUM Project: “This spring, the Carp-Dependent Urgent Management (Carp-DEUM) Project began its first round of sampling in the UC Davis Arboretum before the Covid-19 lockdown. The project has two planned phases; a population estimate of common carp (and other arboretum fishes) in the Arboretum and a subsequent carp exclosure experiment. We want to know if removing carp can improve water quality and reduce harmful algal blooms, HABs. Carp are widely known to bioturbate sediments where previously deposited nutrients like phosphorus are bound (see YouTube video below). Re-suspension of phosphorus by carp leads to HABs, creating an interesting link between fish and human health. At the same time, this exercise also provides an opportunity to evaluate the unique fish community and limnological conditions within the Arboretum. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog here: Initial Sampling of the Carp-DEUM Project
A great leap forward: Collaborative partnership results in first ever release of 115 zoo-reared Foothill yellow-legged frogs: “Recently, 115 Foothill yellow-legged frogs, hailing from the Oakland Zoo, called the Plumas National Forest their new home. Little did these frogs know they were the part of a historical conservation moment – the first ever population of captive-reared Foothill yellow-legged frogs released into the wild. This colossal effort was the outcome of a collaborative partnership involving the zoo, U.S. Forest Service, Garcia and Associates, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Gas and Electric, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and a research biologist. … ” Read more from the US Fish and Wildlife Service here: A great leap forward: Collaborative partnership results in first ever release of 115 zoo-reared Foothill yellow-legged frogs
Video: Remembering Ridgecrest: “Earthquakes can be unsettling. Feeling the ground beneath you shake and seeing the environment around you roll and rock can leave one feeling wary of what is to come next. This was certainly the case for the community of Ridgecrest, California, on July 4th, 2019, as they experienced a magnitude 6.4 earthquake. As scientists and responders from different agencies and organizations focused their energy on emergency response, another stronger earthquake shook the area about 33 hours later. In the video, “Remembering Ridgecrest,” USGS scientists recollect how they responded on July 4, 2019, and their most memorable moments during the immediate and subsequent response. This video is only a small snapshot of the many USGS employees who responded, and only begins to allude to the myriad of partner agencies and institutions who were involved. This kind of research and partnership ultimately can help save lives and property.” Watch video here: Remembering Ridgecrest
Climate change is altering terrestrial water availability: “The amount and location of available terrestrial water is changing worldwide. An international research team led by ETH Zurich has now proved for the first time that human-induced climate change is responsible for the changes observed in available terrestrial water. Water is the lifeblood of ecosystems and one of the most important natural resources for human beings. But available terrestrial water—that is, the amount of water left from precipitation after evaporation—is not just distributed unevenly across the planet, it is also changing over time. Observations show that the available volume of water has been falling in some regions of the world for a few decades. One example is southern Europe, where aridity is increasing. But in other areas water supplies are trending upwards. … ” Read more from Phys Org here: Climate change is altering terrestrial water availability
International team of scientists warns of increasing threats posed by invasive species: “In a new study, scientists from around the world — including a professor at the University of Rhode Island — warn that the threats posed by invasive alien species are increasing. They say that urgent action is required to prevent, detect and control invaders at both local and global levels. Alien species are plants, animals and microbes that are introduced by people, accidentally or intentionally, into areas where they do not naturally occur. Many of them thrive, spreading widely with harmful effects on the environment, economy, or human health. … ” Read more from Science Daily here: International team of scientists warns of increasing threats posed by invasive species
Featured image credit: Niger River by USGS.
About Science News and Reports: This weekly feature, posted every Thursday, is a collection of the latest scientific research and reports with a focus on relevant issues to the Delta and to California water, although other issues such as climate change are sometimes included. Do you have an item to be included here? Submissions of relevant research and other materials is welcome. Email Maven
