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Spatial Assessment for Freshwater Ecoregions

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Spatial Assessment for Freshwater Ecoregions A Sourcebook for Conducting Biological Assessments and Developing Biodiversity Visions for Ecoregion Conservation Volume II: Freshwater Ecoregions Robin Abell, Michele Thieme, Eric Dinerstein, and David Olson Conservation Science Program WWF-US Publication Credits Authors: Robin Abell, Michele Thieme, Eric Dinerstein, and David Olson Publication Manager: Robin Abell Editor: Grammarians Design: 202design Please cite this publication as: Abell, R., M. Thieme, E. Dinerstein, and D. Olson. 2002. A Sourcebook for Conducting Biological Assessments and Developing Biodiversity Visions for Ecoregion Conservation. Volume II: Freshwater Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC, USA. Acknowledgments We would like to acknowledge the many individuals who assisted in the completion of this sourcebook. Jamie Pittock, Gordon Orians, Curt Freese, and George Powell helped to shape the focus of this document with their important reviews of drafts. Representatives from WWF-Peru and WWF-Brazil permitted us to use the prelimi- nary results of the Amazon River and Flooded Forests assessment to illustrate a suggested approach, and GIS specialists from the Conservation Science Program provided additional maps as well as information on GIS and satellite imagery. Numerous authors and publishers gave permission for the use of excerpts, which enrich this sourcebook immeasurably. This sourcebook is modeled on a prior volume about terrestrial ecoregions and bor- rows many ideas from it. Many people throughout the WWF network provided encouragement for this source- book, and we particularly want to thank Diane Wood, Judy Oglethorpe, and David Sandalow. We are especially thankful to Kimberley Marchant, who helped guide this volume to production. WWF gratefully acknowledges USAID for its support of this publication. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by: I conserving the world's biological diversity I ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable I promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption CONTENTS Introduction . .6 Part I: Conserving biodiversity at the scale of ecoregions . .11 1. The biological basis of ecoregion conservation . .12 2. An introduction to freshwater ecoregion conservation . .18 3. The biodiversity vision for freshwater ecoregions: what is it, how do we get there? . .32 Part II: Conducting a biological assessment and developing a biodiversity vision for a freshwater ecoregion . .41 4. Ecological principles for freshwater conservation . .42 5. Getting oriented . .64 6. Preparing for an assessment I: data collection and synthesis . .84 7. Preparing for an assessment II: methodology for biological importance . .98 8. Preparing for an assessment III: methodology for evaluating ecological integrity and prioritizing important areas . .112 9. Conducting the assessment I: biological importance . .126 10. Conducting the assessment II: ecological integrity . .132 11. Conducting the assessment III: prioritizing areas at the ecoregion scale . .136 12. Identifying specific and overarching threats . .140 13. Developing a biodiversity vision . .150 Part III: Advanced topics . .155 14. Restoration of aquatic ecosystems . .156 15. Remote sensing for freshwater conservation . .164 Appendices . .171 I. Glossary of ecoregional conservation terms . .172 II. Glossary of biological terms . .174 III. GIS needs and decentralization of GIS in the WWF network . .184 IV. Some suggestions for conducting successful expert assessment workshops . .188 V. Samples of data sheets for assessment workshops . .193 VI. Important global maps, GIS, and satellite data . .196 VII. Contact information for select WWF freshwater staff . .200 List of Figures 2.1 Stream orders . .22 2.2 Overlapping terrestrial and freshwater ecoregion maps for Africa . .23 2.3The Tennessee-Cumberland freshwater ecoregion . .25 2.4 Proportion of species at risk in the United States as of 2000 . .25 3.1 Historic water flow in the Everglades . .33 3.2 Water flow in the Everglades today resulting from massive diversions, channelizations, and withdrawals . .33 3.3 Projected water flow in the Everglades as a result of restoration efforts implemented over the next 20 years . .33 3.4 Flooded forests defining the Amazon River and Flooded Forests ecoregion . .35 3.5 Suggested flowchart of steps for conducting a biological assessment and developing a biodiversity vision for a freshwater ecoregion . .38 Table of Contents 3 4.1 Basic life cycle of stream fish with emphasis on patterns of habitat use and movement . .49 4.2 Conceptual diagram depicting functional habitat types in a restoration strategy . .52 4.3 The four dimensions of the stream corridor . .56 5.1 Subregions for the lower Mekong River Basin . .74 5.2 Catchment types for a portion of the Klamath-Siskiyou ecoregion based on physical characteristics . .75 5.3 Possible approaches for conducting a biological assessment . .78 6.1 Two hierarchies of catchments for central West Africa . .88 7.1 Influences of riparian buffer width on filter and barrier functions . .101 7.2 Synthesis of multiple nominated (or taxon) priority areas into candidate priority areas . .105 7.3 Example of a ranking approach for assigning levels of biological importance . .106 7.4Subregions of the Amazon River and Flooded Forests ecoregion . .110 7.5 Major catchments within subregions of the Amazon River and Flooded Forests ecoregion . .110 8.1 Landscapes with high and low degrees of riparian forest connectivity . .115 8.2 Example of roads and streams in the Valley River catchment of the Tennessee-Cumberland ecoregion, USA. .123 8.3 Mechanisms by which introductions of exotic species and stocks lead to decline and extinction of native species . .124 14.1 Simulated annual discharge patterns for natural, regulated, and re-regulated hydrographs . .158 List of Tables 2.1 Examples illustrating the interrelationship between riverine and terrestrial ecosystems . .26 5.1 Threats to processes identified for Cape Floristic Kingdom freshwater systems . .71 5.2 Possible format for a conservation targets chart . .72 5.3 Chihuahuan Desert complex freshwater habitat types . .77 7.1 Biological importance criteria for the Amazon River and Flooded Forests ecoregion . .111 8.1 Habitat intactness criteria for the Amazon River and Flooded Forests ecoregion . .118 8.2 Stages in the modification of large floodplain rivers . .120 8.3 Example of a matrix to assign ecological integrity levels to candidate areas . .121 8.4 Example of an integration matrix for assigning priority levels to candidate areas . .122 9.1 Example of representation of habitat types within subregions . ..
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