4.2 Aquatic Communities
Potential increased air temperatures and resulting increased water temperatures can lead to algal blooms in aquatic systems, which diminish stream oxygen availability. Te increased water temperature alone can cause a decline in DO and any decline in DO can lead to fsh kills, whether as a direct result of increased water temperature or as a second- ary efect of algal blooms. Maintaining water quality is important for the species that rely upon headwater streams for habitat as well as for those species which rely indirectly on the system as provision of habitat for their prey. Wetlands associated with headwater streams are important as breed- ing sites for amphibian species and can also be important breeding habitat for crayfshes. Concentrated stormwater fows can strip salamander eggs from river banks and vegetation, reducing reproductive success. Riparian areas serve as thermal refugia because they provide stream shading and have higher water content than upland areas. Animals with thermoregulatory limitations have refugia which will become increasingly important with anticipated increases in air temperatures. Drought and loss of vegetated cover will reduce available refugia for these species. Riparian areas associated with headwater streams provide habitat for terrestrial wildlife species and are a linkage between aquatic and terrestrial systems which serve as corridors for movement of terrestrial wildlife species ( Seavy et al. 2009; NCWRC 2002; Wenger 1999 ). Some birds may use headwater stream communities and associated small wetlands for nesting and feeding areas. 4.2.7.6 Recommendations Land conservation or preservation can serve numerous purposes in the face of anticipated climate change, but above all, it promotes ecosystem resilience, such as: protecting water- sheds for clean water, food attenuation, and decreased erosion and sedimentation; pro- viding ecological corridors for species movement throughout the landscape in response to changing habitats; preserving existing habitats to help prevent forced migration (Band and Salvesen 2009) . Section 4.2.2 provides recommendations appropriate for all aquatic communi- ties, statewide. Actions specifc to the state’s river basins are provided in Section 4.5. Surveys. Distributional and status surveys are needed for aquatic snails, crayfsh, mussels, and fsh (in order of general need).Identify the location of headwater systems and associ- ated small wetland communities in the Piedmont. • Initiate distribution surveys for all amphibian species associated with headwater communities, but especially the Mole Salamander, Eastern Tiger Salamander, Dwarf Salamander, and Four-toed Salamander.
256
2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online