Yellow creek abundance data for stream fish response to drought

Climate change projections in the western United States suggest that
snowpack levels and winter precipitation will decline, but mean annual
precipitation levels will remain unchanged. Mountain streams that once saw
a constant source of water from snowpack will begin to see large seasonal
variation in flow. Increased stream intermittency will create significant
conservation risks for fish species; however, few studies have examined
the abundance responses of fish in high elevation streams to the shift
from perennial to intermittent flow. To determine the effects of stream
intermittency on fish abundance in a montane stream, we quantified changes
in abundance for five species over a five-year period that exhibited
extreme variation in streamflow. Responses varied by species and life
stage, suggesting that the shift from perennial to intermittent flow will
cause significant declines in abundance for some species. Northern
leatherside chub, may experience large decreases in their range as the
availability of perennial streams decreases. The study of drought effects
on fish abundance will be crucial to the conservation of biodiversity in
montane regions of the world.