Nick Sievert

Graduate Student, School of Natural Resources

In Missouri, and across the globe, stream fish face a multitude of threats. My research is focused on understanding how alterations to stream flow and changes in climate are likely to impact stream fish communities and to develop tools which can be used to help conserve these species in the face of these threats. In Missouri changes in land use, creation of impoundments, and channelization have altered the amount of water flowing in streams at different times of the year. More severe flood events and longer droughts impact the ability of many species to be able to survive in stream systems. Increases in water temperatures are expected to lead to a decrease in the amount of cool and cold-water habitat available in the state, which is likely to cause declines in species like trout, sculpin and dace. By understanding where stream fish communities are threatened we can implement management actions to help conserve them.

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