Climate Change in the Champlain Basin - The Nature Conservancy

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Climate Change in the Champlain BasinInvasive Species and Climate Change:A Pervasive SynergyAt last count, there were 18 nonnative invertebratespecies in Lake Champlain, 15 nonnative fish, 13 plantsand 2 pathogens. Still, the Champlain Basin containsfar fewer exotic aquatic species than the Great Lakes,in part due to its relative isolation from commercialshipping traffic (Marsden and Hauser, 2009).Exotic species have been introduced in many ways,including authorized and unauthorized stocking, andbait bucket and aquarium dumping. But the mostimportant sources may be the Champlain and ChamblyCanals that link Lake Champlain to the HudsonRiver, Mohawk River, ErieCanal, St. Lawrence Riverand the Great Lakes, whereEuropean and Asian specieshave been introduced by shipballast water. An estimated20 species have entered LakeChamplain via canals, includingwater chestnut, zebra musselsand white perch. More areapproaching, including quaggamussels, spiny water fleas,whirling disease, Asian clamsand round gobies.Climate change may affect ecological interactionsamong species already present in the ChamplainBasin. Some may be at a disadvantage in a warmingfuture because they will no longer inhabit the temperaturerange to which they are currently adapted.Some organisms may increase in prevalence (Hellman,2008), potentially causing trophic changes that couldbe beneficial or detrimental to other species (Raheland Olden, 2008).Responses will vary. Warming may have no directeffect on already-established invasive plants such aswater chestnut, Eurasian water milfoil and purpleloosestrife, or on invasive animals such as zebra mussels,none of which is near the limits of its temperaturerange in this region. On the other hand, warmingis expected to benefit cold-sensitive alewives whilepossibly harming native salmonids and forage fishsuch as rainbow smelt. Precipitation changes thatthreaten to carry more silt and nutrients to the lakecould favor species such as white perch, which wasintroduced in the 1980s and is becoming dominantin the more eutrophic portions of Lake Champlain(Fisheries Technical Committee, 2009).Myxobolus cerebralis, which causes whirling disease insalmon and trout, is a European fish parasite recentlyfound in a tributary of Lake Champlain (VermontFish and Wildlife Department, 2009). Its virulenceincreases with temperature, so warmer water is likelyto magnify the pathogen’s impact (Rahel and Olden,2008). On the other hand,Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia(VHS), which has killeda wide variety of fish in theGreat Lakes and St. LawrenceRiver since it was discoveredthere in 2005, tends to lastlonger in cold, clear water(Gunderson, 2010) and mightbecome less of a threat as localtemperatures rise.While research is importantto understanding hownative and invasive speciesmay respond to future climatic changes, the time forpursuing research and using it to inform managementtechniques is short. Ecologists and managers in theChamplain Basin have already established platformsfor action with an interagency invasive species councilfor the lake: the Lake Champlain Basin Program’sTechnical Advisory Committee subcommittee onAquatic Nuisance Species. Its Lake Champlain BasinRapid Response Action Protocol will be an importantframework for tracking and responding to climatedrivenspecies changes.The Advisory Committee and key partners haveagreed to pursue proactive action through a biologicalbarrier on the Champlain Canal. A barrier shouldalso be considered for the Chambly Canal. A renewedemphasis on public education will also be importantin preventing or slowing future introductions of nonnativespecies into the watershed.White perch (Morone americana) © USFWS32
What natural resource managers can expect and doSocial ImpactsClimate change affects more than plants and wildlife. The people who live and work in the Champlain Basin willalso be influenced by higher temperatures and, possibly, increasing precipitation. For most of us, gradual climaticshifts will not pose great threats to our health, livelihoods or property, but some of the associated environmentalchanges will be quite noticeable and may also be undesirable.• We can expect an increase in the number ofuncomfortably hot days in summer, particularly inthe more humid lowlands of the Champlain Basin.Unfortunately, the region's rivers and lakeshorebeaches will not provide as much relief as they dotoday if water quality problems become more commonand severe in the future. This makes it all themore important to eliminate sources of phosphorusand other pollutants that are washed into the lakeand its tributaries.• Potentially heavier rains and higher water levels,particularly in winter, may increase propertydamage by erosion, flooding and storms in settledand agricultural areas.• In warmer and possibly drier summers and earlyautumns, water tables and lake levels might fallfarther than they do today, potentially reducing seasonalwater availability for homes, industryand agriculture.• Anglers and fishing outfitters may be among thefirst to notice environmental changes related toclimate. Reductions of ice cover will probablyreduce the duration and extent of ice-fishing, andcold-water game fish populations in the basincould decline as certain invasive and warm-waterspecies gain competitive advantages.• Winter recreation in the form of snowmobiling,skating and skiing is likely to decline along withice-fishing as winter thaws and cold-season rainsprogressively reduce snow and ice cover.• Fish-consumption warnings could become morecommon as warmer water increases the toxicityof pollutants such as methylmercury, which causesdevelopmental disabilities in children.• More than 4,000 households and 99 publicwater systems (approximately 200,000 people)draw drinking water directly from Lake Champlain.Potentially heavier runoff and erosion may reducewater quality and cause microbial contaminationand outbreaks of waterborne disease by washinganimal waste into the water.• Blooms of toxic cyanobacteria may become morecommon, threatening the quality of water suppliesused for drinking, washing and swimming.Lake Champlain at flood stage© Nicholas PerezThe repercussionsof future climatechange, however,are not necessarilyall negative.For example,heating costs maybe reduced, andwinter roads maynot need as muchplowing or salting,which wouldlessen corrosion ofcars and salt inputsto waterways. And, unlike some parts of the world, theChamplain Basin is projected to maintain air temperaturesand precipitation patterns that are generally hospitable toagriculture throughout the rest of this century.Residents of the Champlain Basin are well advised toconsider impending climate changes as they manage theirown properties and make decisions in their communities.While this report was written with conservation managersin mind, it can also be a resource for citizens in general.By encouraging the establishment and conservation ofshoreline vegetation, keeping fertilizers out of waterwaysand staying informed about long-term trends and theireffects, we can all play a role in strengthening the region’sresilience in a changing climatic future.33
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Climate Change in the Champlain Basin - The Nature Conservancy

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