Arkansas Project
Interactive Effects of Flow Regime, Climate Change, and Angler Harvest on Smallmouth Bass at the Southern Range Extent
May 2015 - August 2017
Personnel
Participating Agencies
- Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Climate change and altered land use are two of the largest threats to aquatic systems across the United States. In Arkansas, climate change is expected to alter precipitation patterns and increase air temperatures over the course of the century. Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu are one of the most important lotic species in Arkansas both ecologically and economically and they are susceptible to the effects of climate change and altered land use. We create a model examining the effects of climate change, land use, and angler harvest on smallmouth bass populations in important Ozark streams. Results of this study will be used to predict best management strategies for the present, as well as for future climate change scenarios.