Dietary overlap and selectivity among mountain steppe river fish in the United States and Mongolia.

Lotic systems in mountain regions have historically provided secure habitat for native fish populations because of their relative isolation from human settlement and lack of upstream disturbances. However, rivers of mountain ecoregions are currently experiencing heightened levels of disturbance due to the introduction of nonnative species impacting endemic fishes in these areas. We compared the fish assemblages and diets of mountain steppe fishes of the stocked rivers in Wyoming with rivers in northern Mongolia where stocking is absent.

Intercontinental analysis of temperate steppe stream food webs reveals consistent autochthonous support of fishes.

Quantifying the trophic basis of production for freshwater metazoa at broad spatial scales is key to understanding ecosystem function and has been a research priority for decades. However, previous lotic food web studies have been limited by geographic coverage or methodological constraints. We used compound-specific stable carbon isotope analysis of amino acids (AAs) to estimate basal resource contributions to fish consumers in streams spanning grassland, montane and semi-arid ecoregions of the temperate steppe biome on two continents.

Geomorphology variables predict fish assemblages for forested and endorheic rivers of two continents.

Stream fishes are restricted to specific environments with appropriate habitats for feeding and reproduction. Interactions between streams and surrounding landscapes influence the availability and type of fish habitat, nutrient concentrations, suspended solids, and substrate composition. Valley width and gradient are geomorphological variables that influence the frequency and intensity that a stream interacts with the surrounding landscape.

Valley-scale hydrogeomorphology drives river fish assemblage variation in Mongolia.

River hydrogeomorphology is a major driver shaping biodiversity and community composition. Here, we examine how hydrogeomorphic heterogeneity expressed by Functional Process Zones (FPZs) in river networks is associated with fish assemblage variation. We examined this association in two distinct ecoregions in Mongolia expected to display different gradients of river network hydrogeomorphic heterogeneity.

Diet overlap among non-native trout species and native cutthroat Trout ( in two U.S. ecoregions.

The invasion of freshwater ecosystems by non-native species can constitute a significant threat to native species and ecosystem health. Non-native trouts have long been stocked in areas where native trouts occur and have negatively impacted native trouts through predation, competition, and hybridization. This study encompassed two seasons of sampling efforts across two ecoregions of the western United States: The Great Basin in summer 2016 and the Yellowstone River Basin in summer 2017.

Dietary specificity and overlap in endorheic river fishes: How do native and nonnative species compare?

The introduction of nonnative species is one of the most critical problems facing freshwater systems today. The rivers of the Great Basin (USA) have been particularly imperilled by nonnative species introductions and represent a valuable location to study the dietary trends of native and nonnative fishes in isolated, endorheic systems. We collected fish from 23 sites, spanning three Great Basin watersheds (Carson, Humboldt and Bear Rivers) and two elevation categories (upland and lowland).

Correction: Long-term fish assemblages of the Ohio River: Altered trophic and life history strategies with hydrologic alterations and land use modifications.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Long-term fish assemblages of the Ohio River: Altered trophic and life history strategies with hydrologic alterations and land use modifications.

Long-term monitoring of species assemblages provides a unique opportunity to test hypotheses regarding environmentally induced directional trajectories of freshwater species assemblages. We used 57 years of lockchamber fish rotenone and boat electrofishing survey data (1957-2014) collected by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) to test for directional trajectories in taxonomy, trophic classifications, and life history strategies of freshwater fish assemblages in the Ohio River Basin. We found significant changes in taxonomic and trophic composition of freshwater fishes in the Ohio River Basin.