Potential for Genetic Monitoring to Detect Biotic Impacts of River Habitat Fragmentation and Land-Use Change

James Henry Roberts; Eric M. Hallerman; Paul L. Angermeier

Potential for Genetic Monitoring to Detect Biotic Impacts of River Habitat Fragmentation and Land-Use Change

James Henry Roberts, Eric M. Hallerman, Paul L. Angermeier

Biology

Virginia Tech

Research output: Contribution to conference › Presentation

Abstract

<div class="line" id="line-5"> Human alterations of the landscape profoundly affect the structure and function of rivers. Population- &hyphen; genetic data are an underutilized tool for testing hypotheses about combined influences of land use and habitat fragmentation on the population dynamics of stream biota. We examined spatial patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation in redline ( Etheostoma rufilineatum ) and greenside darters ( E. blennioides ), two common stream fishes of the upper Tennessee River basin, a region characterized by extensive hydrologic alteration and land- &hyphen; use change. For both species, Random Forest multiple regression models indicated that genetic differentiation was higher, and genetic diversity lower, in streams isolated upstream of dams and reservoirs, suggesting that isolated streams harbored smaller or more variable populations. Indices of urban and agricultural land use were calculated for watersheds surrounding darter sample sites. Influences of land usage varied somewhat among genetic response variables and between species. However, indices of urbanization (% urban land use, % impervious surfaces, and road density) were consistently negatively related to genetic indices of darter population size and stability. Moreover, these genetic signals were detected at relatively low levels of urbanization, suggesting that genetic monitoring could provide early warnings of biotic impacts, thereby complementing conventional methods of biological monitoring. </div>

Original language	American English
State	Published - Feb 11 2014
Event	Virginia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting (VCAFS) - Fredericksburg, VA Duration: Feb 11 2014 → …

Conference

Conference	Virginia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting (VCAFS)
Period	02/11/14 → …

Disciplines

Biology

Keywords

Biology
Laund-use
River habitat fragmentation

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Cite this

@conference{ddf3e22e5551486da930e819131aa656,

title = "Potential for Genetic Monitoring to Detect Biotic Impacts of River Habitat Fragmentation and Land-Use Change",

abstract = " Human alterations of the landscape profoundly affect the structure and function of rivers. Population- &hyphen; genetic data are an underutilized tool for testing hypotheses about combined influences of land use and habitat fragmentation on the population dynamics of stream biota. We examined spatial patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation in redline ( Etheostoma rufilineatum ) and greenside darters ( E. blennioides ), two common stream fishes of the upper Tennessee River basin, a region characterized by extensive hydrologic alteration and land- &hyphen; use change. For both species, Random Forest multiple regression models indicated that genetic differentiation was higher, and genetic diversity lower, in streams isolated upstream of dams and reservoirs, suggesting that isolated streams harbored smaller or more variable populations. Indices of urban and agricultural land use were calculated for watersheds surrounding darter sample sites. Influences of land usage varied somewhat among genetic response variables and between species. However, indices of urbanization (% urban land use, % impervious surfaces, and road density) were consistently negatively related to genetic indices of darter population size and stability. Moreover, these genetic signals were detected at relatively low levels of urbanization, suggesting that genetic monitoring could provide early warnings of biotic impacts, thereby complementing conventional methods of biological monitoring. ",

keywords = "Biology, Laund-use, River habitat fragmentation",

author = "Roberts, {James Henry} and Hallerman, {Eric M.} and Angermeier, {Paul L.}",

year = "2014",

month = feb,

day = "11",

language = "American English",

note = "Virginia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting (VCAFS) ; Conference date: 11-02-2014",

}

TY - CONF

T1 - Potential for Genetic Monitoring to Detect Biotic Impacts of River Habitat Fragmentation and Land-Use Change

AU - Roberts, James Henry

AU - Hallerman, Eric M.

AU - Angermeier, Paul L.

PY - 2014/2/11

Y1 - 2014/2/11

N2 - Human alterations of the landscape profoundly affect the structure and function of rivers. Population- &hyphen; genetic data are an underutilized tool for testing hypotheses about combined influences of land use and habitat fragmentation on the population dynamics of stream biota. We examined spatial patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation in redline ( Etheostoma rufilineatum ) and greenside darters ( E. blennioides ), two common stream fishes of the upper Tennessee River basin, a region characterized by extensive hydrologic alteration and land- &hyphen; use change. For both species, Random Forest multiple regression models indicated that genetic differentiation was higher, and genetic diversity lower, in streams isolated upstream of dams and reservoirs, suggesting that isolated streams harbored smaller or more variable populations. Indices of urban and agricultural land use were calculated for watersheds surrounding darter sample sites. Influences of land usage varied somewhat among genetic response variables and between species. However, indices of urbanization (% urban land use, % impervious surfaces, and road density) were consistently negatively related to genetic indices of darter population size and stability. Moreover, these genetic signals were detected at relatively low levels of urbanization, suggesting that genetic monitoring could provide early warnings of biotic impacts, thereby complementing conventional methods of biological monitoring.

AB - Human alterations of the landscape profoundly affect the structure and function of rivers. Population- &hyphen; genetic data are an underutilized tool for testing hypotheses about combined influences of land use and habitat fragmentation on the population dynamics of stream biota. We examined spatial patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation in redline ( Etheostoma rufilineatum ) and greenside darters ( E. blennioides ), two common stream fishes of the upper Tennessee River basin, a region characterized by extensive hydrologic alteration and land- &hyphen; use change. For both species, Random Forest multiple regression models indicated that genetic differentiation was higher, and genetic diversity lower, in streams isolated upstream of dams and reservoirs, suggesting that isolated streams harbored smaller or more variable populations. Indices of urban and agricultural land use were calculated for watersheds surrounding darter sample sites. Influences of land usage varied somewhat among genetic response variables and between species. However, indices of urbanization (% urban land use, % impervious surfaces, and road density) were consistently negatively related to genetic indices of darter population size and stability. Moreover, these genetic signals were detected at relatively low levels of urbanization, suggesting that genetic monitoring could provide early warnings of biotic impacts, thereby complementing conventional methods of biological monitoring.

KW - Biology

KW - Laund-use

KW - River habitat fragmentation

UR - https://units.fisheries.org/va/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2017/02/2014-Final-Program-and-abstracts.pdf

M3 - Presentation

T2 - Virginia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting (VCAFS)

Y2 - 11 February 2014

ER -

Potential for Genetic Monitoring to Detect Biotic Impacts of River Habitat Fragmentation and Land-Use Change

Abstract

Conference

Disciplines

Keywords

UN SDGs

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