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Impacts of Fragmentation on Midwestern Aquatic Organisms

  • Chapter
Conservation in Highly Fragmented Landscapes

Abstract

Fragmentation has been identified as a major cause of declines in species diversity for many terrestrial ecosystems (reviewed by Saunders 1991). Much less empirical information is available on the effects of fragmentation on freshwater species and communities (Bradford et al. 1993, Townsend and Crowl 1991). Fragmentation in streams (i.e., a lack of connectivity between upstream and downstream populations) can be caused by many anthropogenic influences, but few studies have investigated the problem. In this review we present evidence that freshwater organisms are declining as a result of factors that lead, initially, to fragmentation and, ultimately, to extirpation of populations. Examples of stream modifications that cause fragmentation are described, followed by examples of management and restoration strategies that can mitigate the impact of fragmentation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL, 61820, USA

    Lawrence M. Page, Mark Pyron & Kevin S. Cummings

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  1. Lawrence M. Page
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  2. Mark Pyron
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  3. Kevin S. Cummings
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  1. Center for Population Biology, University of California, 95616, Davis, CA, USA

    Mark W. Schwartz

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Page, L.M., Pyron, M., Cummings, K.S. (1997). Impacts of Fragmentation on Midwestern Aquatic Organisms. In: Schwartz, M.W. (eds) Conservation in Highly Fragmented Landscapes. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-0656-7_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-0656-7_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-0658-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-0656-7

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