Decadal-Scale Change in a Large-River Ecosystem

• Published in: Bioscience 2014-06, Vol.64 (6), p.496-510
• Main Authors: STRAYER, DAVID L., COLE, JONATHAN J., FINDLAY, STUART E. G., FISCHER, DAVID T., GEPHART, JESSICA A., MALCOM, HEATHER M., PACE, MICHAEL L., ROSI-MARSHALL, EMMA J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic ecosystems; Climate change; Ecological invasion; Ecological studies; Ecology; Ecosystems; Environmental changes; Evolution; Extreme weather; Fish harvest; Fresh water; Freshwater ecology; Freshwater ecosystems; Freshwater fishes; Lotic systems; Marine ecosystems; Mussels; Overview Articles; Rivers; Weather
• ISSN: 0006-3568; 1525-3244
• DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biu061

Like many large-river ecosystems, the Hudson River has been changing rapidly, chiefly as a result of human activities. Many of these changes take place on a decadal timescale, longer than the duration of most ecological studies. We use long-term studies of the Hudson to describe decadal-scale change in this ecosystem. Major impacts on the Hudson in the last few decades include biological invasions, climate change and extreme weather events, and changes in harvests of fishes. The effects of these impacts may be manifested at even longer timescales because of slow ecological responses and rapid evolution. Similar changes are occurring in large rivers around the world. We propose a framework based on the abruptness, severity, duration, and novelty of the drivers and responses to organize and understand these highly varied decadal-scale changes. Tracking and managing these rapidly changing ecosystems require an active program of scientific research and monitoring.