Understanding Landscape Influences on Aquatic Fauna across the Central and Southern Appalachians

摘要: For the success of aquatic conservation efforts, it is imperative for there to be an understanding influences multiple stressors across landscape have on biota, as provides spatial patterns and informs regional stakeholders. The central southern Appalachians contain biodiversity hotspots fauna. Therefore, we sought create a comprehensive multimetric model that based influence abiotic factors fish macroinvertebrates could predict watershed quality. Good coverage exists land use/land cover (LULC) other physicochemical components throughout region, yet biological data unevenly distributed, which creates difficulties in making informed management decisions large landscapes. We used boosted regression trees (BRT) variety responses (fish macroinvertebrate variables) predictors by combining outputs created single score both biotic values region. mean variance was explained BRT models 73% (range = 48–85%) 81% 76–89%). categorized predictor response variables into themes targets, respectively, better understand scale condition streams. most important our were geomorphic water quality macroinvertebrates. Regional developed fish, but not due low number sample sites. There strong correlation between global scores models. propose use such can inform managers, NGOs, private owners regarding practices, thereby contributing efforts.