Knowing Rivers for Life: Crossing Boundaries to Explore the Hidden Mysteries of Streams

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Streams and rivers worldwide, and their streamside (riparian) ecosystems, are in trouble. The habitats in these linked ecosystems, and the organisms they support, are declining at an alarming rate. Many native species of freshwater fish, crayfishes, and mussels in North America are already imperiled or extinct. Representative case studies show that rivers on the western Great Plains have already dried substantially and some are projected to be lost completely within a few decades due to pumping for agriculture, extirpating all aquatic species. In addition, mountaintop removal to mine coal in Appalachia has buried 1200 miles of headwater streams so far. Urbanization and increased storm water runoff continues to cause serious impairment to streams throughout the United States. The public is largely unaware of these drastic changes, and there is limited national recognition of the need for conservation of stream ecosystems.The goal of this project is to write a highly readable book that eduates a wide audience about the importance of streams and rivers, their biota, and their strong interconnections with riparian forests and grasslands. This work will synthesize nearly 20 years of NSF-funded research with Japanese and American colleagues, and capitalize on a documentary film (RiverWebs) that has been broadcast by television to 70 million homes in 30 states. The approach will be to develop engaging stories which pique the reader's interest, while teaching them how aquatic ecologists conduct their work and about the wonder and serendipity of scientific discoveries. Subsequent chapters will explore what scientists have discovered about streams, and present several case studies on the drastic decline in their biota. The final chapter will ask what the future is for rivers and streams, develop an ethic and philosophy for why humans need rivers to sustain healthy societies, and chart a course for how we can maintain functioning streams. An additional goal is to reach two new audiences beyond traditional book readers: the mobile generation that uses the web and social networking sites, via video clips and podcasts; and some of the 2.9 million U.S. students with learning disabilities, using rich illustrations, an audio book, and targeted learning resources, to engage them in science, especially field ecology.