California golden trout and climate change: Is their stream habitat vulnerable to climate warming?

Abstract

To determine the current range of water temperatures in streams inhabited by California Golden Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita, we deployed and monitored water temperature recording probes from 2008-2013 in three meadows in the Golden Trout Wilderness in the southern Sierra Nevada, California. Ninety probes were placed in three meadow streams: Mulkey Creek in Mulkey Meadow (2,838 m), South Fork Kern River in Ramshaw Meadows (2,640 m) and Golden Trout Creek in Big Whitney Meadow (2,963 m). Year-round water temperatures were successfully downloaded from seventy-nine probes along with measurements of stream shade. Water temperatures ranged from -0.1 to 26^oC in Mulkey and Ramshaw meadows while in Big Whitney Meadow maximum temperature did not exceed 21^oC. Temperatures were highest in late July through mid-September. Salmonids generally prefer cool water and become stressed when temperatures exceed 21^o C, and water temperatures are predicted to increase with future climate warming. Thus, these results indicate that current stream temperatures in the Golden Trout Wilderness are high and may lack the resiliency to future warming.

Citation

Matthews, K.R.; Nussle, S.C. 2014. California golden trout and climate change: Is their stream habitat vulnerable to climate warming? In: Carline, R.F.; LoSapio, C., eds. Looking back and moving forward: Proceedings of the Wild Trout XI symposium. Bozeman, MT: Wild Trout Symposium: 51-57.