Assessing the Vulnerability of Native Trout in the Northern Rockies: Linking Science and Management for Climate Adaptation

Trout are one of the most culturally, economically, and ecologically important groups of freshwater fishes in the Rocky Mountain region. However, human impacts and climate change are significantly altering freshwater ecosystems that support native trout species. Despite their broad importance, many of the region’s trout populations are threatened and some require immediate conservation efforts to reverse their decline. Although work is being done to understand and mitigate these changes, the ability to accurately assess vulnerability is currently limited due to a lack of data-driven approaches that incorporate uncertainty and adaptive capacity at scales relevant to effective management.  

USGS researchers will use fisheries data collected by natural resource managers to assess the status and vulnerability of native trout populations to climate change and human activities across the Greater Yellowstone and Crown of the Continent Ecosystems of the northern Rocky Mountains, USA and Canada. The project has three primary objectives: 1) quantify the impacts of climate change, habitat loss, and invasive species on native trout populations across this region, 2) develop a robust framework that incorporates multiple data sources and empirical relationships to estimate climate vulnerability and convey uncertainty in the projections, and 3) develop an innovative data visualization and decision support tool in conjunction with local and regional stakeholders and management. 

Results from this project will be used by natural resource managers and stakeholders to inform pro-active on-the-ground conservation and restoration actions for improving native trout resilience and adaptation across these important ecosystems.