Drought in the U.S. Caribbean: Impacts on Freshwater Ecosystems
Dates
Publication Date
2019-08-01
Summary
Healthy and functioning freshwater ecosystems are needed for successful conservation and management of native fish and invertebrate species, and the services they provide to communities across the U.S. Caribbean. Yet streams, rivers, and reservoirs are vulnerable to the effects of extreme weather, urbanization, energy development, and other environmental and human-caused disturbances. One major management concern is the impact of prolonged drought on freshwater ecosystems. Drought impacts streamflow, dissolved oxygen content, water quality, stream connectivity, habitat availability, and other characteristics necessary for sustaining fish and invertebrates. These changes can impact species interactions, abundance, life history events, [...]
Summary
Healthy and functioning freshwater ecosystems are needed for successful conservation and management of native fish and invertebrate species, and the services they provide to communities across the U.S. Caribbean. Yet streams, rivers, and reservoirs are vulnerable to the effects of extreme weather, urbanization, energy development, and other environmental and human-caused disturbances. One major management concern is the impact of prolonged drought on freshwater ecosystems. Drought impacts streamflow, dissolved oxygen content, water quality, stream connectivity, habitat availability, and other characteristics necessary for sustaining fish and invertebrates. These changes can impact species interactions, abundance, life history events, and presence of native and non-native species. The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) are particularly sensitive to drought, because almost all streams are ephemeral and typically only flow after rainfall. These intermittent channels, known locally as “ghuts,” run down the surface of steep slopes, rather than through the ground, and are important sources of freshwater. Natural springs are often located in ghuts, and can form pools that serve as habitat for wetland and migratory birds, freshwater shrimp and fish, and amphibians.
