Relation of urbanization to stream fish assemblages and species traits in nine metropolitan areas of the United States

Urban Ecosystems
By: , and 

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Abstract

We examined associations of fish assemblages and fish traits with urbanization and selected environmental variables in nine major United States metropolitan areas. The strongest relations between fishes and urbanization occurred in the metropolitan areas of Atlanta, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; Boston, Massachusetts; and Portland, Oregon. In these areas, environmental variables with strong associations (rs ≥ 0.70) with fish assemblages and fish traits tended to have strong associations with urbanization. Relations of urbanization with fish assemblages and fish traits were weaker in Denver, Colorado; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Milwaukee-Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Raleigh, North Carolina. Environmental variables associated with fishes varied among the metropolitan areas. The metropolitan areas with poor relations may have had a limited range of possible response because of previous landscape disturbances. Given the complexities of urban landscapes in different metropolitan areas, our results indicate that caution is warranted when generalizing about biological responses to urbanization.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Relation of urbanization to stream fish assemblages and species traits in nine metropolitan areas of the United States
Series title Urban Ecosystems
DOI 10.1007/s11252-009-0082-2
Volume 12
Issue 4
Year Published 2009
Language English
Publisher Springer
Contributing office(s) California Water Science Center, Georgia Water Science Center
Description 26 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Urban Ecosystems
First page 391
Last page 416
Country United States
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