Worldwide studies have shown that the average population size of freshwater vertebrates has fallen by an astonishing 83% since 1970. As such, the conservation of existing populations of freshwater species is of the utmost importance. As water temperatures continue to rise, the existing habitat for coldwater species continues to shrink. Many of the remaining coldwater "refuges" are headwaters that form in the mountainous habitats of snow-melt driven streams. For native Redband Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri) and Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus), headwaters of the Kootenai River basin in Montana, Idaho, & British Columbia serve as refuges where healthy populations of these at-risk species are still present. However, recent blooms of the nuisance algae Didymosphenia geminata have raised concerns that some of these headwaters may not provide conditions that are suitable for the growth of these fishes. The Ecosystem Biogeochemistry & Paleolimnology Lab has therefore teamed up with USU's Fish Ecology Lab and fisheries agency personnel, to investigate the potential impacts of these algae blooms on native fish populations. Graduate student Niall Clancy examined food web structure, and fish growth to determine if Didymo can negatively affect stream fishes. Good news for a change! we did not find negative impacts on the fish , even at up to 80% Didymo streambed cover.
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Publications and Thesis
++Brahney undergraduate/technician researcher, **Brahney graduate researcher
+Undergraduate researcher, *graduate researcher, φpost-doctoral researcher
**Clancy, N.G., Brahney, J., Dunnigan, J., Budy, P. (2021) Effects of a diatom ecosystem engineer on stream food webs: implications for native fishes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences [IF:3.095 Cit:0]
Clancy, N.G. (2020). Do Didymosphenia geminata blooms affect fishes in the Kootenai River Basin?
**Clancy, N.G., Brahney, J., Curtis, J., Budy, P. (2020) Consequences of Didymo blooms in the transnational Kootenay River Basin. Report to BC Parks
++Brahney undergraduate/technician researcher, **Brahney graduate researcher
+Undergraduate researcher, *graduate researcher, φpost-doctoral researcher
**Clancy, N.G., Brahney, J., Dunnigan, J., Budy, P. (2021) Effects of a diatom ecosystem engineer on stream food webs: implications for native fishes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences [IF:3.095 Cit:0]
Clancy, N.G. (2020). Do Didymosphenia geminata blooms affect fishes in the Kootenai River Basin?
**Clancy, N.G., Brahney, J., Curtis, J., Budy, P. (2020) Consequences of Didymo blooms in the transnational Kootenay River Basin. Report to BC Parks