Abstract Dams, increasingly common in riverine systems worldwide, are particularly prevalent on the Columbia River (CR) in the United States. Hydroelectric projects, including both storage and run‐of‐river (i.e., minimal storage) structures, on the mainstem CR highly manage water flow, often by releasing water over (rather than through) dams as “spill.” To test the effects of run‐of‐river dam spill on microplankton abundance
Abstract Large river estuaries experience multiple anthropogenic stressors. Understanding plankton community dynamics in these estuaries provides insights into the patterns of natural variability and effects of human activity. We undertook a 2-year study in the Columbia River Estuary to assess the potential impacts of abiotic and biotic factors on planktonic community structure over multiple time scales.
Abstract The Columbia River Estuary Science Education and Outreach (CRESCENDO) project was a university–high school partnership between Washington State University (WSU) researchers and science teachers and students from five high schools located in southwest Washington, adjacent to the Columbia River Estuary (CRE).
Abstract Phytoplankton form the base of pelagic food webs, and as aquatic systems come under increasing pressure from environmental stressors, managers are becoming more concerned about how these pressures may result in changes to phytoplankton distribution and abundance. The vertical distribution of phytoplankton, including the phenomenon of subsurface chlorophyll a (Chl-a) maxima (SCM), is known to vary widely, with a combination of biotic and abiotic processes hypothesized to be driving this variation.
Abstract As the frequency and intensity of hypoxic events increase in both fresh and marine waters, understanding the ecological effects of hypoxia becomes more important. The extant literature reports varying effects of hypolimnetic hypoxia on the vertical distribution and diel vertical migration(DVM)of zooplankton, with some but not all taxa reported to avoid hypoxic waters. We studied the vertical distribution and DVM of diverse zooplankton taxa throughout three seasons over 2 years (2014 and 2015) in Lacamas Lake, WA, USA.
Abstract We present the first comprehensive analysis of the Pacific Northwest estuaries (PNWE) zooplankton time series, which encompasses 38 estuaries distributed across more than 1000 km of the North American Pacific Coast. With observations spanning more than 20 yr, we here examine biogeographic trends among zooplankton communities, patterns of biological invasion across the region, and environmental correlates with dominant native and invasive taxa.
Abstract We present a comprehensive survey of the scientific literature pertaining to non-indigenous and invasive zooplankton published across the first decades of the twenty-first century (i.e., 2000–2018). We provide a concise summary of the manner in which the scientific community has allocated its efforts to this issue in recent decades, and to illuminate trends that emerge from the literature.
Abstract The Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea, was introduced into North America in the 1920s—first observed in the Columbia River—and has expanded its range across the continent and into South America and Europe, yet little is known about its ecology and potential to impact food webs. To evaluate prey selectivity and feeding rates of C. fluminea, we conducted laboratory feeding experiments using water from two distinct Columbia River environments (unimpounded river and reservoir) during July and October 2016.