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Significant anthropogenic-induced changes of climate classes since 1950
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Anthropogenic forcings have contributed to global and regional warming in the last few decades and likely affected terrestrial precipitation. Here we examine changes in major Köppen climate classes from gridded observed data and their uncertainties due to internal climate variability using control simulations from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 (CMIP5). About 5.7% of the global total land area has shifted toward warmer and drier climate types from 1950–2010, and significant changes include expansion of arid and high-latitude continental climate zones, shrinkage in polar and midlatitude continental climates, poleward shifts in temperate, continental and polar climates, and increasing average elevation of tropical and polar climates. Using CMIP5 multi-model averaged historical simulations forced by observed anthropogenic and natural, or natural only, forcing components, we find that these changes of climate types since 1950 cannot be explained as natural variations but are driven by anthropogenic factors.
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Climate Science Documents
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Snorkel Survey in the Tellico River, Cherokee National Forest
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On August 15, 2013 Conservation Fisheries, Inc. snorkeled the Tellico River in search of some of the imperiled fishes they have been working to restore to this river. This was the first time they ventured out with a new GoPro Black Hero 3. This video captures great numbers of spotfin chubs, Erimonax monachus, Smoky madtoms, Noturus baileyi and Citico darters, Etheostoma sitikuense. Some of the male spotfin chubs were spectacular! Enjoy!
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Videos and Webinars
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Sour Streams in Appalachia: Mapping Nature’s Buffer Against Sulfur Deposition
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Sulfur emissions are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency, but sulfuric acid that has
leached into soil and streams can linger in the environment and harm vegetation and aquatic life. Some
watersheds are better able to buffer streams against acidification than others; scientists learned why in
southern Appalachia.
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Climate Science Documents
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Southern Salvelinus - Brook Trout Below the Mason-Dixon
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Southern Appalachian Brook Trout are a geographically isolated strain of Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) that are facing a realistic possibility of disappearing. They are a valuable indicator species and the decline in brook trout populations is a reflection of the degradation of our beautiful streams. They are the only native trout (technically a char) to the Eastern United States. Because of the introduction of invasive Rainbow Trout (from the Western US) through state fish stocking programs, they are being out competed and brook trout populations are being even further reduced. Video by BlueBlood.
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Videos and Webinars
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Spot fin Chub Spawning in Tellico River
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For a little more than 10 years, Conservation Fisheries has been working to re-establish spotfin chub into the Tellico River in eastern Tennessee. These spectacular, turquoise minnows (only the males develop this color and only during summertime spawning), are highly specialized and closely associated with clean, current swept, bedrock habitats. During spawning season, the males become very territorial and stake out crevices in the rocks where the females will ultimately deposit the eggs. While males vigorously defend these territories, they do not provide any direct care to the eggs and larvae. The spotfin chub is federally threatened.
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Videos and Webinars
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Starr, Richard
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Watershed and stream function-based assessment, stream restoration design, stream restoration monitoring, stream restoration implementation, and stream training
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Expertise Search
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Stream & Watershed Restoration Design & Implementation Workshop
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Participants will learn about developing and implementing stream and watershed restoration programs at the district level. Restoration in watershed analysis context, and effective stream restoration programs will also be covered. Scheduled for May 2023, pending COVID.
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Training
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Stream at Clinch Mountain Wildlife Management Area
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Upstream view of stream at the Clinch Mountain Wildlife Management Area.
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TRB Images
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Stream Baseflow Index
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Average annual stream baseflow index at 1 kilometer resolution throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
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Research
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Gallery: Cave and Karst Maps
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Study Overview Maps and Foundational Datasets
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Stream channel geomorphology influences mussel abundance in southern Appalachian streams, U.S.A.
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We quantified freshwater mussel abundance and species richness and their physical habitat at 24 sites in eight streams in southern Appalachian catchments in 2000 and 2001. In addition, we modelled site-specific hydraulic parameters during summer baseflow and bankfull stages to estimate high- and low-discharge conditions, respectively.
Mussel abundance was related to stream geomorphology, whereas richness was related to stream size. Baseflow habitat parameters explained only minor variation in abundance or richness, and both measures were highly correlated with mean current velocity or stream size. Bankfull shear stress composed a relatively low proportion of overall mussel habitat variability, but it accounted for significant variation in abundance and richness. Mussel abundance was highly variable at sites subject to low-shear stress during spates, whereas abundance always was low at sites subject to high-shear stress. These data suggest that habitat conditions during floods, rather than those at summer baseflow, limit the abundance of mussels in Appalachian streams. These data also suggest that mussel abundance and assemblage structure may be sensitive to any changes in channel geomorphology and hydraulic conditions that might result from land use in the catchment.
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General Resources Holdings
