Large river food webs : influence of nutrients, turbidity, and flow, and implications for management.

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Roach, Katherine
Other Authors: Winemiller, Kirk O. (Thesis advisor)
Format: Thesis eBook
Language:English
Published: [College Station, Tex.] : [Texas A&M University], [2012]
Subjects:
Online Access:Link to OAK Trust copy

MARC

Tag First Indicator Second Indicator Subfields
LEADER 00000cam a2200000Ka 4500
001 in00002784479
005 20150922145851.0
006 m fo d
007 cr unu||||||||
008 121126s2012 txu obm 000 0 eng d
035 |a (OCoLC)ocn819342655 
035 |a (OCoLC)819342655 
035 |a (TxCM)http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-08-11633 
040 |a TXA  |c TXA  |d UtOrBLW 
049 |a TXAM 
099 |a 2012  |a Dissertation  |a 1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-08-11633 
100 1 |a Roach, Katherine. 
245 1 0 |a Large river food webs :  |b influence of nutrients, turbidity, and flow, and implications for management. 
264 1 |a [College Station, Tex.] :  |b [Texas A&M University],  |c [2012] 
300 |a 1 online resource. 
336 |a text  |b txt  |2 rdacontent 
337 |a computer  |b c  |2 rdamedia 
338 |a online resource  |b cr  |2 rdacarrier 
500 |a "Major Subject: Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences" 
588 |a Description from author supplied metadata (automated record created 2012-10-22 13:24:58). 
502 |b Doctor of Philosophy  |c Texas A&M University  |d 2012  |o http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-08-11633 
504 |a Includes bibliographical references. 
516 |a Text (Dissertation) 
520 3 |a Humans impact rivers in many ways that modify ecological processes yielding ecosystem services. In order to mitigate anthropogenic impacts, scientists are challenged to understand interactions among physicochemical factors affecting large river food webs. An understanding of socioeconomic factors also is critical for ecosystem management. In this dissertation, I explore spatiotemporal patterns in floodplain river food webs and political barriers to management of environmental flows, an important factor influencing river ecology. In Chapter II, I reviewed the scientific literature to test conceptual models of river food webs and predictions of environmental factors that might produce variation in basal production sources supporting consumer biomass. My review indicates that algae are the predominant production source for large rivers worldwide, but consumers assimilate C3 plants in rivers 1) with high sediment loads and low transparency during high flow pulses, 2) with high dissolved organic matter concentrations, and 3) following periods of high discharge or leaf litter fall that increase the amount of terrestrial material in the particulate organic matter pool. In Chapter III, I descrobe field research conducted to examine relationships among hydrology, nutrient concentrations, turbidity, and algal primary production and biomass in the littoral zone of five rivers in Texas, Peru, and Venezuela differing in physicochemical conditions. I used stable isotope signatures to estimate contributions of algal-versus terrestrial-based production sources to consumers during different hydrologic periods. My research indicates that during flow pulses in floodplain rivers, a decrease in algal biomass and productivity, combined with increased inputs of terrestrial organic matter, can result in increased terrestrial support of metazoan consumers in the aquatic food web. In 2007, Texas Senate Bill 3 directed that environmental flow recommendations be developed for river basins. Despite emphasis on use of the "best available science" to develop environmental flow regimes and "stakeholder involvement" to address needs of all water users, for the first two basins to complete the SB3 process, final environmental flow rules did not mimic a natural flow regime. In Chapter IV, I reviewed this process, concluding that incentives for river authorities to increase compromise with diverse stakeholders should result in more sustainable management of freshwater. 
500 |a Electronic resource. 
650 4 |a Major Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. 
653 |a Instream flow 
653 |a Primary production 
653 |a River 
653 |a Texas Senate Bill 3 
653 |a Nutrients 
653 |a Turbidity 
653 |a Food web 
700 1 |a Winemiller, Kirk O.,  |e thesis advisor. 
856 4 0 |u http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-08-11633  |z Link to OAK Trust copy  |t 0 
948 |a cataloged  |b h  |c 2012/11/26  |d o  |e jolivare  |f 2:40:37 pm 
994 |a C0  |b TXA 
999 |a MARS 
999 f f |s 0d21c01f-587a-373b-9584-fb0163f646cd  |i 609fe20b-2897-3e60-9c5b-87170c8648f8  |t 0 
952 f f |a Texas A&M University  |b College Station  |c Electronic Resources  |d Available Online  |t 0  |e 2012 Dissertation 1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-08-11633  |h Other scheme 
998 f f |a 2012 Dissertation 1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-08-11633  |t 0  |l Available Online