Abstract
Temporal variability in water temperature plays an important role in aquatic ecosystems, yet the thermal regime of streams has mainly been described in terms of mean or extreme conditions. In this study, annual and diel variability in stream water temperature was described at 135 unregulated, gauged streams across the USA. Based on magnitude, amplitude and timing characteristics of daily water temperature records ranging from 5 to 33 years, we classified thermal regimes into six distinct types. This classification underlined the importance of including characteristics of variability (amplitude and timing) in addition to aspects of magnitude to discriminate thermal regimes at the continental scale. We used a classification tree to predict thermal regime membership of the six classes and found that the annual mean and range in the long-term air temperature average along with spring flows were important variables defining the thermal regime types at the continental scale. This research provides a framework for a comprehensive characterization of the thermal regimes of streams that could provide a basis for future assessment of changes in water temperature caused by anthropogenic activities such as dams, land use changes and climate change.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 896-906 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | River Research and Applications |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2016 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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A Classification of Stream Water Temperature Regimes in the Conterminous USA. / Maheu, A.; Poff, N. L.; St-Hilaire, A.
In: River Research and Applications, Vol. 32, No. 5, 2016, p. 896-906.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - A Classification of Stream Water Temperature Regimes in the Conterminous USA
AU - Maheu, A.
AU - Poff, N. L.
AU - St-Hilaire, A.
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - Temporal variability in water temperature plays an important role in aquatic ecosystems, yet the thermal regime of streams has mainly been described in terms of mean or extreme conditions. In this study, annual and diel variability in stream water temperature was described at 135 unregulated, gauged streams across the USA. Based on magnitude, amplitude and timing characteristics of daily water temperature records ranging from 5 to 33 years, we classified thermal regimes into six distinct types. This classification underlined the importance of including characteristics of variability (amplitude and timing) in addition to aspects of magnitude to discriminate thermal regimes at the continental scale. We used a classification tree to predict thermal regime membership of the six classes and found that the annual mean and range in the long-term air temperature average along with spring flows were important variables defining the thermal regime types at the continental scale. This research provides a framework for a comprehensive characterization of the thermal regimes of streams that could provide a basis for future assessment of changes in water temperature caused by anthropogenic activities such as dams, land use changes and climate change.
AB - Temporal variability in water temperature plays an important role in aquatic ecosystems, yet the thermal regime of streams has mainly been described in terms of mean or extreme conditions. In this study, annual and diel variability in stream water temperature was described at 135 unregulated, gauged streams across the USA. Based on magnitude, amplitude and timing characteristics of daily water temperature records ranging from 5 to 33 years, we classified thermal regimes into six distinct types. This classification underlined the importance of including characteristics of variability (amplitude and timing) in addition to aspects of magnitude to discriminate thermal regimes at the continental scale. We used a classification tree to predict thermal regime membership of the six classes and found that the annual mean and range in the long-term air temperature average along with spring flows were important variables defining the thermal regime types at the continental scale. This research provides a framework for a comprehensive characterization of the thermal regimes of streams that could provide a basis for future assessment of changes in water temperature caused by anthropogenic activities such as dams, land use changes and climate change.
KW - classification
KW - Fourier series
KW - stream
KW - thermal regime
KW - variability
KW - water temperature
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84928745113&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.mendeley.com/research/classification-stream-water-temperature-regimes-conterminous-usa-1
U2 - 10.1002/rra.2906
DO - 10.1002/rra.2906
M3 - Article
VL - 32
SP - 896
EP - 906
JO - River Research and Applications
JF - River Research and Applications
SN - 0886-9375
IS - 5
ER -