Collaborative Research: Influences of Predators, Habitat Structure and Disturbance on Corridor Movement by Stream Fish

小行星9520469 人类活动极大地破坏了景观，因此，重要的栖息地往往是孤立的。 虽然人们普遍认为通过走廊将这些孤立的栖息地重新连接起来是可取的，但人们对动物通过走廊的运动知之甚少。 本研究的目的是调查河流走廊的属性，可能会促进或阻碍支流之间的鱼类的运动。 在研究系统中，捕食性鱼类将流域分为两个区域：一个较低的区域，捕食者是常见的河流，但不毗邻的支流，和一个较高的区域，其中捕食者是缺席的。 这项研究将测试三个假设，捕食者，河流的物理结构，和季节性洪水如何相互作用，以促进或阻碍猎物鱼沿着连接支流的河流走廊的运动。 将通过以下方式检验假设：（1）在分水岭的上部和下部区域对鱼类进行大型标记实验，在该实验中，将跟踪整个雨季和旱季的运动，（2）在现场实验性溪流设施中进行研究，其中可以操纵捕食者和物理结构，（3）流域上、下游支流种群的遗传比较分析。 通过关注走廊的物理和生物特性如何促进或阻碍生物体通过走廊的运动，该项目将有助于我们未来设计重新连接栖息地片段的现实走廊的能力。 因此，该研究对物种保护和生物多样性管理具有重要意义。

9520469 Gilliam Human activities have greatly fragmented the landscape, and as a result, critical habitats are often isolated. While it is generally considered desirable to reconnect such isolated habitats by means of corridors, little is known about the movement of animals through corridors. The goal of this study is to investigate the properties of a river corridor that may facilitate or retard the movement of a fish between tributaries. In the study system a predatory fish divided the watershed into two zones: a lower zone in which the predator is common in the river but not adjoining tributaries, and an upper zone in which the predator is absent. The research will test three hypotheses about how the predator, physical structure of the river, and seasonal floods can interact to promote or retard movement of the prey fish along the river corridor connecting tributaries. The hypotheses will be tested by: (1) a large marking experiment with fish in the upper and lower zones of the watershed, in which movement will be followed through wet and dry seasons, (2) a study in an experimental stream facility, on-site, in which predators and physical structure can be manipulated, and (3) a comparative genetic analysis of the populations in the tributaries in the upper and lower zones of the watershed. By focusing on how physical and biological properties of corridors can work to facilitate or retard movement of an organism through a corridor, this project will contribute to our future ability to design realistic corridors reconnecting habitat fragments. Therefore, the research is applicable to conservation of species and management of biodiversity.