Supporting Science

Map of Study Area centered on Montana & Wyoming

Summary

Beginning in 2020, we set out to determine which fishes in our headwaters study area (see map) are the most vulnerable to stream warming caused by climate change. To figure this out, we expanded a stream temperature model to include eastern Montana (NorWeST: EMonSTeR), built a fish-occurrence dataset with over 40,000 samples, and used 2 different methods to determine individual species upper thermal tolerances. We were able to do this for 28 different species or subspecies. 

By applying future climate scenarios to sites where those 28 species have been found, we determined 14 to be vulnerable to stream warming. 

This work is currently undergoing peer review, and we will update this page once that is complete.