Michael R Meador
Mike has more than 35 years of experience working with fish ecology and habitat assessment in streams and rivers across the U.S. He coordinated the national collection of fish community and habitat assessment data as part of the USGS NAWQA Program. Mike’s research includes bioassessment, water-quality stressors and aquatic biota, and effects of streamflow alteration on fish communities.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 38
Variance partitioning of stream diatom, fish, and invertebrate indicators of biological condition
Stream indicators used to make assessments of biological condition are influenced by many possible sources of variability. To examine this issue, we used multiple-year and multiple-reach diatom, fish, and invertebrate data collected from 20 least-disturbed and 46 developed stream segments between 1993 and 2004 as part of the US Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment Program. We used a
Authors
Robert E. Zuellig, Daren Carlisle, Michael R. Meador, Marina Potapova
Relations between altered stramflow variability and fish assemblages in Eastern USA streams
Although altered streamflow has been implicated as a major factor affecting fish assemblages, understanding the extent of streamflow alteration has required quantifying attributes of the natural flow regime. We used predictive models to quantify deviation from expected natural streamflow variability for streams in the eastern USA. Sites with >25% change in mean daily streamflow variability compare
Authors
Michael R. Meador, Daren Carlisle
Alteration of streamflow magnitudes and potential ecological consequences: A multiregional assessment
Human impacts on watershed hydrology are widespread in the US, but the prevalence and severity of stream-flow alteration and its potential ecological consequences have not been quantified on a national scale. We assessed streamflow alteration at 2888 streamflow monitoring sites throughout the conterminous US. The magnitudes of mean annual (1980–2007) minimum and maximum streamflows were found to h
Authors
Daren Carlisle, David M. Wolock, Michael R. Meador
GAGES: A stream gage database for evaluating natural and alteredflow conditions in the conterminous United States
Stream flow is a controlling element in the ecology of rivers and streams. Knowledge of the natural flow regime facilitates the assessment of whether specific hydrologic attributes have been altered by humans in a particular stream and the establishment of specific goals for stream-flow restoration. Because most streams are ungaged or have been altered by human influences, characterizing the natur
Authors
James A. Falcone, Daren Carlisle, David M. Wolock, Michael R. Meador
Predicting the natural flow regime: Models for assessing hydrological alteration in streams
Understanding the extent to which natural streamflow characteristics have been altered is an important consideration for ecological assessments of streams. Assessing hydrologic condition requires that we quantify the attributes of the flow regime that would be expected in the absence of anthropogenic modifications. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether selected streamflow characteris
Authors
D.M. Carlisle, J. Falcone, D. M. Wolock, M. R. Meador, R.H. Norris
Predictive models for fish assemblages in eastern USA streams: implications for assessing biodiversity
Management and conservation of aquatic systems require the ability to assess biological conditions and identify changes in biodiversity. Predictive models for fish assemblages were constructed to assess biological condition and changes in biodiversity for streams sampled in the eastern United States as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment Program. Separate predict
Authors
Michael R. Meador, Daren Carlisle
Predicting the biological condition of streams: Use of geospatial indicators of natural and anthropogenic characteristics of watersheds
We developed and evaluated empirical models to predict biological condition of wadeable streams in a large portion of the eastern USA, with the ultimate goal of prediction for unsampled basins. Previous work had classified (i.e., altered vs. unaltered) the biological condition of 920 streams based on a biological assessment of macroinvertebrate assemblages. Predictor variables were limited to wide
Authors
D.M. Carlisle, J. Falcone, M. R. Meador
Use of tolerance values to diagnose water-quality stressors to aquatic biota in New England streams
Identification of stressors related to biological impairment is critical to biological assessments. We applied nationally derived tolerance indicator values for four water-quality variables to fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages at 29 sites along an urban gradient in New England. Tolerance indicator values (TIVs), as biologically based predictors of water-quality variables, were determi
Authors
M. R. Meador, D.M. Carlisle, J.F. Coles
Biological assessments of Appalachian streams based on predictive models for fish, macroinvertebrate, and diatom assemblages
We developed empirical models for fish, macroinvertebrate, and diatom assemblages to assess the biological condition of 268 streams sampled from 1993 to 2002 in 7 major river basins in the Appalachian region of the USA. These models estimate the expected taxonomic composition at each site based on observed variation in taxonomic composition at reference sites. The index, O/E, is the ratio of the n
Authors
D.M. Carlisle, C.P. Hawkins, M. R. Meador, M. Potapova, J. Falcone
Evaluation of an index of biotic integrity approach used to assess biological condition in western U.S. streams and rivers at varying spatial scales
Consistent assessments of biological condition are needed across multiple ecoregions to provide a greater understanding of the spatial extent of environmental degradation. However, consistent assessments at large geographic scales are often hampered by lack of uniformity in data collection, analyses, and interpretation. The index of biotic integrity (IBI) has been widely used in eastern and centra
Authors
M. R. Meador, T.R. Whittier, R. M. Goldstein, R. M. Hughes, D.V. Peck
Relative influence of streamflows in assessing temporal variability in stream habitat
The effects of streamflows on temporal variation in stream habitat were analyzed from the data collected 6-11 years apart at 38 sites across the United States. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the variation in habitat caused by streamflow at the time of sampling and high flows between sampling. In addition to flow variables, the model also contained geomorphic and land use factors. Th
Authors
R. M. Goldstein, M. R. Meador, K.E. Ruhl
Estimation and application of indicator values for common macroinvertebrate genera and families of the United States
Tolerance of macroinvertebrate taxa to chemical and physical stressors is widely used in the analysis and interpretation of bioassessment data, but many estimates lack empirical bases. Our main objective was to estimate genus- and family-level indicator values (IVs) from a data set of macroinvertebrate communities, chemical, and physical stressors collected in a consistent manner throughout the Un
Authors
D.M. Carlisle, M. R. Meador, S.R. Moulton, P. M. Ruhl
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 38
Variance partitioning of stream diatom, fish, and invertebrate indicators of biological condition
Stream indicators used to make assessments of biological condition are influenced by many possible sources of variability. To examine this issue, we used multiple-year and multiple-reach diatom, fish, and invertebrate data collected from 20 least-disturbed and 46 developed stream segments between 1993 and 2004 as part of the US Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment Program. We used a
Authors
Robert E. Zuellig, Daren Carlisle, Michael R. Meador, Marina Potapova
Relations between altered stramflow variability and fish assemblages in Eastern USA streams
Although altered streamflow has been implicated as a major factor affecting fish assemblages, understanding the extent of streamflow alteration has required quantifying attributes of the natural flow regime. We used predictive models to quantify deviation from expected natural streamflow variability for streams in the eastern USA. Sites with >25% change in mean daily streamflow variability compare
Authors
Michael R. Meador, Daren Carlisle
Alteration of streamflow magnitudes and potential ecological consequences: A multiregional assessment
Human impacts on watershed hydrology are widespread in the US, but the prevalence and severity of stream-flow alteration and its potential ecological consequences have not been quantified on a national scale. We assessed streamflow alteration at 2888 streamflow monitoring sites throughout the conterminous US. The magnitudes of mean annual (1980–2007) minimum and maximum streamflows were found to h
Authors
Daren Carlisle, David M. Wolock, Michael R. Meador
GAGES: A stream gage database for evaluating natural and alteredflow conditions in the conterminous United States
Stream flow is a controlling element in the ecology of rivers and streams. Knowledge of the natural flow regime facilitates the assessment of whether specific hydrologic attributes have been altered by humans in a particular stream and the establishment of specific goals for stream-flow restoration. Because most streams are ungaged or have been altered by human influences, characterizing the natur
Authors
James A. Falcone, Daren Carlisle, David M. Wolock, Michael R. Meador
Predicting the natural flow regime: Models for assessing hydrological alteration in streams
Understanding the extent to which natural streamflow characteristics have been altered is an important consideration for ecological assessments of streams. Assessing hydrologic condition requires that we quantify the attributes of the flow regime that would be expected in the absence of anthropogenic modifications. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether selected streamflow characteris
Authors
D.M. Carlisle, J. Falcone, D. M. Wolock, M. R. Meador, R.H. Norris
Predictive models for fish assemblages in eastern USA streams: implications for assessing biodiversity
Management and conservation of aquatic systems require the ability to assess biological conditions and identify changes in biodiversity. Predictive models for fish assemblages were constructed to assess biological condition and changes in biodiversity for streams sampled in the eastern United States as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment Program. Separate predict
Authors
Michael R. Meador, Daren Carlisle
Predicting the biological condition of streams: Use of geospatial indicators of natural and anthropogenic characteristics of watersheds
We developed and evaluated empirical models to predict biological condition of wadeable streams in a large portion of the eastern USA, with the ultimate goal of prediction for unsampled basins. Previous work had classified (i.e., altered vs. unaltered) the biological condition of 920 streams based on a biological assessment of macroinvertebrate assemblages. Predictor variables were limited to wide
Authors
D.M. Carlisle, J. Falcone, M. R. Meador
Use of tolerance values to diagnose water-quality stressors to aquatic biota in New England streams
Identification of stressors related to biological impairment is critical to biological assessments. We applied nationally derived tolerance indicator values for four water-quality variables to fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages at 29 sites along an urban gradient in New England. Tolerance indicator values (TIVs), as biologically based predictors of water-quality variables, were determi
Authors
M. R. Meador, D.M. Carlisle, J.F. Coles
Biological assessments of Appalachian streams based on predictive models for fish, macroinvertebrate, and diatom assemblages
We developed empirical models for fish, macroinvertebrate, and diatom assemblages to assess the biological condition of 268 streams sampled from 1993 to 2002 in 7 major river basins in the Appalachian region of the USA. These models estimate the expected taxonomic composition at each site based on observed variation in taxonomic composition at reference sites. The index, O/E, is the ratio of the n
Authors
D.M. Carlisle, C.P. Hawkins, M. R. Meador, M. Potapova, J. Falcone
Evaluation of an index of biotic integrity approach used to assess biological condition in western U.S. streams and rivers at varying spatial scales
Consistent assessments of biological condition are needed across multiple ecoregions to provide a greater understanding of the spatial extent of environmental degradation. However, consistent assessments at large geographic scales are often hampered by lack of uniformity in data collection, analyses, and interpretation. The index of biotic integrity (IBI) has been widely used in eastern and centra
Authors
M. R. Meador, T.R. Whittier, R. M. Goldstein, R. M. Hughes, D.V. Peck
Relative influence of streamflows in assessing temporal variability in stream habitat
The effects of streamflows on temporal variation in stream habitat were analyzed from the data collected 6-11 years apart at 38 sites across the United States. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the variation in habitat caused by streamflow at the time of sampling and high flows between sampling. In addition to flow variables, the model also contained geomorphic and land use factors. Th
Authors
R. M. Goldstein, M. R. Meador, K.E. Ruhl
Estimation and application of indicator values for common macroinvertebrate genera and families of the United States
Tolerance of macroinvertebrate taxa to chemical and physical stressors is widely used in the analysis and interpretation of bioassessment data, but many estimates lack empirical bases. Our main objective was to estimate genus- and family-level indicator values (IVs) from a data set of macroinvertebrate communities, chemical, and physical stressors collected in a consistent manner throughout the Un
Authors
D.M. Carlisle, M. R. Meador, S.R. Moulton, P. M. Ruhl