Aquatic Ecology of Rocky Mountain Streams and Wetlands
Examines how predator-prey dynamics, trophic cascades, and climate-driven range shifts shape aquatic invertebrate and amphibian communities in Rocky Mountain streams and wetlands, using experimental and field sampling methods.
Knowledge Graph (76 nodes, 259 connections)
Research Primer
Background
Mountain streams, ponds, and wetlands of the Gunnison Basin are small in size but disproportionately important to the ecology of the southern Rocky Mountains. They serve as breeding grounds for amphibians, nurseries for aquatic insects, conduits for nutrients moving from snowpack to downstream rivers, and habitat for the trout and salamanders that anchor regional food webs. Research at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) has documented these systems for more than half a century, building one of the longest continuous records of high-elevation freshwater ecology in North America.
Understanding the findings that follow requires familiarity with a handful of recurring ideas. Food web structure describes the network of who eats whom, and trophic cascades are the indirect effects that ripple down through that network — for example, when trout scare mayflies into hiding, the algae mayflies normally graze flourish. Many such effects do not require predators to actually eat their prey; nonconsumptive effects are the behavioral and physiological costs prey pay simply to avoid being eaten, often signaled by kairomones, chemicals released by predators that prey can detect. Pond hydroperiod — the length of time a pond holds water each year — sorts wetland communities into temporary, semi-permanent, and permanent habitats, each with characteristic species. Some salamanders show facultative paedomorphosis, an alternative life history in which individuals retain larval, aquatic features and breed in the pond rather than metamorphosing to terrestrial adults. Beavers are ecosystem engineers whose dams reshape stream hydrology, and researchers and managers now build Beaver Dam Analogues (BDAs) to mimic those effects. Other key ideas include detritus breakdown (the processing of dead leaves and other organic matter by shredders and decomposers), animal-driven nutrient cycling (the nitrogen and phosphorus animals release through excretion), nutrient limitation (when growth is capped by available nitrogen or phosphorus), and climate-induced range shifts as warming pushes species upslope.
These concepts matter for the Gunnison Basin because mountain freshwaters are warming, drying earlier, and receiving more nitrogen from the atmosphere than they did a generation ago. The species and processes described below are sensitive indicators of those changes, and they also mediate how the basin's water and nutrients reach communities downstream.
Foundational work
The foundations of aquatic ecology at RMBL were laid by studies of stream invertebrate communities and predator-prey interactions in the East River drainage. Allan's work on Cement Creek mapped how benthic insect diversity is structured by substrate complexity and elevation (Allan, 1975), and his trout-removal experiments showed that, contrary to expectation, removing brook trout from a stream did not noticeably change invertebrate numbers (Allan, 1982). He also demonstrated that larger mayflies drift mostly at night to avoid visual predators (Allan, 1978). Peckarsky's behavioral observations established that mayflies detect predatory stoneflies through chemical cues and respond with distinctive escape or defensive postures (Peckarsky, 1980), opening a decades-long line of work on nonconsumptive predator effects.
In ponds, Dodson's cage experiments in an alpine pond overturned the prevailing size-efficiency hypothesis, showing that predatory copepods, not competition, excluded small Daphnia from communities with large Daphnia (Dodson, 1974). Follow-up work demonstrated that a waterborne kairomone from phantom-midge larvae could even alter Daphnia embryonic development, producing a predator-resistant morph (Krueger & Dodson, 1981). Wissinger's experimental work on dragonflies established that multiple predators rarely combine additively, and that intraguild predation reshapes shared prey communities (Wissinger & McGrady, 1993). Together these studies framed RMBL aquatic research around chemical communication, nonconsumptive effects, and habitat permanence.
Key findings
A central thread running through the research is that predators shape prey populations as much by fear as by consumption. Stonefly predators reduce mayfly feeding, growth, and ultimately adult fecundity even when they cannot kill prey (Peckarsky et al., 1993), and demographic modeling shows that for mayflies — whose adult egg production depends directly on body size — these growth effects can matter more than direct mortality (McPeek & Peckarsky, 1998). Whole-stream manipulations confirmed that trout odor alone causes mayflies to mature roughly 20% smaller (Peckarsky et al., 2002), and more recent work shows brook trout chemical cues reduce mayfly secondary production by about 17% even where the fish themselves are absent (Brogan et al., 2020). Yet mayfly females preferentially lay eggs in trout streams, where survival of eggs and early larvae is apparently higher (Peckarsky et al., 2011) — a reminder that prey decisions integrate risk across the whole life cycle.
In ponds and wetlands, hydroperiod and predator identity organize the community. Caddisfly life histories sort cleanly along the permanence gradient, with some species restricted to permanent waters because they cannot tolerate drying (Wissinger et al., 2003), while species in temporary ponds have evolved rapid development, cannibalism, and protective cases (Wissinger et al., 2004). Tiger salamanders dominate many permanent ponds, where cannibalism by paedomorphs and large larvae suppresses young-of-year survival (Wissinger et al., 2010) and where facultative paedomorphosis itself is maintained by climate- and density-mediated trade-offs: longer growing seasons favor metamorphosis, while cold winters or light snowpack tip individuals toward staying aquatic (Kirk et al., 2024). Long-term monitoring at the Mexican Cut shows salamander populations swing from fewer than 200 to over 3,000 individuals across decades, driven more by natural recruitment variation than by acidification (Whiteman et al., 1992).
These systems are also nutrient processors. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition has measurably shifted lakes from nitrogen toward phosphorus limitation across the Rockies and beyond (Elser et al., 2009), and within RMBL ponds, caddisfly species differ by up to eightfold in how much nitrogen and phosphorus they excrete (Wissinger et al., 2018). Animal-driven nutrient supply can exceed ecosystem demand in permanent ponds but falls short in temporary ones (Balik et al., 2021). Beavers add another layer of control: their pond morphology determines whether downstream water is cooler or warmer, with cascading effects on mayfly life histories (Wissinger et al., 2011).
Current frontier
Research since 2020 has moved in two complementary directions. The first uses long-term datasets to test how climate is reshaping life histories and ranges. A 32-year salamander record shows that climate operates both directly (longer growing seasons favor metamorphs) and indirectly through density-dependent cannibalism (Kirk et al., 2024), and paedomorphs pay for their plasticity with accelerated senescence and shorter female lifespans (Cayuela et al., 2024). Range-shifting caddisflies are now competing with resident species at montane elevations, with outcomes that depend on elevation and that alter ecosystem nitrogen supply (Wissinger et al., 2020, 2023) (Balik et al., 2023). Nuisance blooms of the diatom Didymosphenia geminata, favored by low summer flows and low phosphorus, are reshaping invertebrate communities in Rocky Mountain streams (Brogan et al., 2024).
The second direction is applied and methodological. Beaver Dam Analogues are being evaluated as restoration tools, with new work showing that BDAs further engineered by beavers produce deeper, larger, more naturally shaped ponds (Daniel, 2025) and that BDA ponds host distinct macroinvertebrate communities and thermal regimes compared with stream pools (Hinke, 2025). A burst of undergraduate-led studies in 2025 has begun probing biofluorescence in tiger salamanders as a possible communication signal (Killian, 2025; Chairez, 2025) (Chairez, 2025), quantifying how salamander predation drives caddisfly case size and behavior (Romo-Ornelas, 2025), and asking how aquatic insects choose oviposition sites — a recruitment bottleneck largely ignored in past work (Baker, 2025). Globally, comparative analyses now place RMBL wetlands within a worldwide framework showing that maximum temperature and precipitation seasonality are the dominant climate drivers of wetland invertebrate communities (Epele et al., 2024; Epele et al., 2022) (Epele et al., 2022), and ecosystem-size scaling is emerging as a unifying lens for river populations (McIntosh et al., 2024).
Open questions
Several major questions remain. How will the balance between metamorphic and paedomorphic salamanders shift as snowpacks shrink and growing seasons lengthen, and what does that mean for pond food webs that depend on cannibalistic top predators? Can BDAs reliably reproduce the hydrological and biological functions of true beaver ponds at landscape scales, or do they require beaver occupancy to deliver promised benefits? How will climate-driven range shifts among caddisflies and other invertebrates reshape detritus processing and animal-mediated nutrient cycling across the Gunnison Basin? What controls aquatic insect oviposition and early-life survival — a recruitment stage that may turn out to be more limiting than the larval stage that has dominated past research? And how do nonconsumptive predator effects, atmospheric nitrogen deposition, and warming interact, given that each has already been shown to alter mountain freshwaters on its own? Addressing these questions will require continued long-term monitoring, broader integration of stream and wetland datasets in the RMBL Knowledge Fabric, and closer coupling between basic ecology and the restoration practices now being deployed across the headwaters of the Colorado River.
REFERENCES
Allan, J. D. (1975). The distributional ecology and diversity of benthic insects in Cement Creek, Colorado. Ecology. →
Allan, J. D. (1978). Trout predation and the size composition of stream drift. Limnology and Oceanography. →
Allan, J. D. (1982). The effects of reduction in trout density on the invertebrate community of a mountain stream. Ecology. →
Baker (2025). Understanding aquatic insect oviposition to increase aquatic insect recruitment rates. →
Balik et al. (2021). Animal-Driven Nutrient Supply Declines Relative to Ecosystem Nutrient Demand Along a Pond Hydroperiod Gradient. →
Brogan et al. (2020). Nonconsumptive effects of Brook Trout predators reduce secondary production of mayfly prey. →
Brogan et al. (2024). Consequences of nuisance algal blooms of Didymosphenia geminata on invertebrate communities in Rocky Mountain streams. Freshwater Science. →
Cayuela et al. (2024). Polyphenism predicts actuarial senescence and lifespan in tiger salamanders. Journal of Animal Ecology. →
Chairez (2025). The effects of natural sun exposure on the intensity and distribution of salamander biofluorescence. →
Daniel (2025). Best restoration practices: Do BDAs mimic inundation patterns of natural beaver dams? →
Dodson, S. I. (1974). Zooplankton competition and predation: an experimental test of the size-efficiency hypothesis. Ecology. →
Elser et al. (2009). Shifts in lake N:P stoichiometry and nutrient limitation driven by atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Science. →
Epele et al. (2022). Perils of life on the edge: Climatic threats to global diversity patterns of wetland macroinvertebrates. →
Epele et al. (2024). A global assessment of environmental and climate influences on wetland macroinvertebrate community structure and function. Global Change Biology. →
Hinke (2025). Evaluating differences in water temperature and macroinvertebrate communities in BDA ponds, stream pools, and beaver dam ponds. →
Killian (2025). Biofluorescence in Arizona Tiger Salamanders as an indicator of sexual readiness. →
Kirk et al. (2024). Climate mediates the trade-offs associated with phenotypic plasticity in an amphibian polyphenism. Journal of Animal Ecology. →
Krueger, D. A., & Dodson, S. I. (1981). Embryological induction and predation ecology in Daphnia pulex. Limnology and Oceanography. →
McIntosh et al. (2024). Ecosystem-size relationships of river populations and communities. Trends in Ecology & Evolution. →
McPeek, M. A., & Peckarsky, B. L. (1998). Life histories and the strengths of species interactions: combining mortality, growth, and fecundity effects. Ecology. →
Peckarsky et al. (1993). Sublethal consequences of stream-dwelling predatory stoneflies on mayfly growth and fecundity. Ecology. →
Peckarsky et al. (2002). Predator chemicals induce changes in mayfly life history traits: a whole-stream manipulation. →
Peckarsky et al. (2011). Why do vulnerable mayflies thrive in trout streams? →
Peckarsky, B. L. (1980). Predator-prey interactions between stoneflies and mayflies: behavioral observations. Ecology. →
Romo-Ornelas (2025). Quantifying physiological and behavioral differences in caddisfly larvae. →
Whiteman et al. (1992). Fluctuation in a Rocky Mountain population of salamanders: anthropogenic acidification or natural variation? →
Wissinger et al. (2003). Caddisfly life histories along permanence gradients in high-altitude wetlands in Colorado. →
Wissinger et al. (2004). The role of larval cases in reducing aggression and cannibalism among caddisflies in temporary wetlands. →
Wissinger et al. (2010). Consumptive and nonconsumptive effects of cannibalism in fluctuating age-structured populations. →
Wissinger et al. (2011). Ecosystem engineering by beavers affects mayfly life histories. →
Wissinger et al. (2018). High interspecific variation in nutrient excretion within a guild of closely related caddisfly species. →
Wissinger et al. (2020). Elevation alters outcome of competition between resident and range shifting species. →
Wissinger et al. (2023). Consequences of climate-induced range expansions on multiple ecosystem functions. →
Wissinger, S. A., & McGrady, J. (1993). Intraguild predation and competition between larval dragonflies: direct and indirect effects on shared prey. Ecology. →
Species (112) →
Ambystoma
brook trout
aquatic insects
Salvelinus fontinalis
Ambystoma tigrinum
tiger salamander
Trichoptera
Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosm
benthic invertebrates
Culicidae
Show 102 more speciess
Baetis
Carex aquatilis
Baetis bicaudatus
Daphnia
aquatic macroinvertebrates
terrestrial organisms
Limnephilus externus
Ischnura barberi
benthic algae
Enallagma
Atlantic salmon
Megarcys
B. bicaudatus
Asynarchus nigriculus
Didymosphenia geminata
Ambystoma mavortium
Megarcys signata
Coenagrionidae
Gasteromermis sp.
amphibian species
water lilies
Ephemerella
Simulium silvestre/craigi
Limnephilus picturatus
Ischnura
Dytiscus
Epeorus longimanus
Aeshna
Anabolia
Chironomus
Branchinecta coloradensis
Aedes aegypti
caddis fly
Bromius obscurus
Arthropoda
Baetis rhodani
Pseudacris
Aedes pullatus
Rhinichthys cataractae
Ceratophyllum demersum
longnose sucker
Catostomus catostomus
Longnose
Gasteromermis
Nemotaulius hostilis
Ambystoma talpoideum
Meridion
Culex tarsalis
wading birds
fish assemblages
gypsy moth
Aedes communis
Culiseta incidens
Culiseta inornata
Aedes triseriatus
Ecclisomyia
Culex pipiens
Aedes cataphylla
Culiseta alaskaensis
Culiseta impatiens
Aedes hexodontus
Aedes impiger
Cymbella
Rhithrogena hageni
Ischnura elegans
Gomphonema
Tramea
Ischnura verticalis
Navicula
Baetis tricaudatus
Enallagma boreale
Euthyplocia hecuba
Oncopeltus
Prosimulium
Narpus
longnose dace
Simulium vittatum
Pyrrhosoma nymphula
blue crabs
Cyprinus carpio
Asellus aquaticus
Culex quinquefasciatus
Canadian Lynx
Rhododendron ferrugineum
Aedes fitchii
Fragilaria
Anax junius
zebra mussels
Hannea
Enallagma hageni
blue-winged teal
Atherix
Limnephilus abbreviatus
Picea crassifolia
tree lizard
Cladophora
Tipula sacra
Heterlimnius
Chelonia mydas
Tarebia granifera
marbled salamander
Calopteryx splendens
Concept (94) →
space use
Way in which individuals distribute themselves across landscape, including movement patterns and spatial organization like home range size and overlap
climate-induced range shifts
Changes in species geographic distributions in response to changing climate conditions, typically involving movement to higher elevations or latitudes
trophic cascade
Indirect effects of predators on lower trophic levels mediated through changes in intermediate consumer behavior or abundance
early-life trade-offs
The concept that organisms face competing demands for limited resources during development that create trade-offs between different fitness components
detritus breakdown
The decomposition and fragmentation of dead organic matter by organisms, particularly the conversion of coarse to fine particulate organic matter
nonconsumptive effects
Behavioral, physiological, and life-history changes that reduce the risk of predation but have associated energetic or fitness costs to prey individua...
food web structure
The network of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem
algae bloom
Excessive extracellular stalk production by individual cells that coalesce to form a continuous mat covering the stream bottom
pond hydroperiod
The frequency and duration of annual pond inundation vs. exposure, with categories including temporary ponds (dry annually in early summer), semi-perm...
prey selection
Show 84 more concepts
plant-pathogen interactions
Selective pressure relationships between host plants and their parasites that can shift based on environmental changes
metapopulation structure
The spatial arrangement and connectivity of subpopulations across a landscape that influences local population dynamics
nutrient limitation
Growth limitation of organisms due to insufficient availability of essential nutrients like nitrogen or phosphorus
benthic community sampling
Quantitative collection methods for invertebrates living on or in stream bottom substrates
demographic factors
Age and sex characteristics affecting susceptibility to mortality
instar development
The progression through larval developmental stages with associated changes in size and feeding capacity
facultative paedomorphosis
Alternative life history strategy where some individuals retain larval traits and become sexually mature in aquatic environment while others metamorph...
ecosystem engineering
The modification of environments by organisms in ways that influence resource availability for other species, exemplified by beaver dam construction c...
kairomones
Chemical cues released by predators that benefit prey by providing information about predator presence
cannibalism
Predation behavior where individuals consume members of their own species, particularly common in A. m. nebulosum populations targeting first year hat...
size at maturity
Body size when organisms transition from growth to reproduction, with important consequences for lifetime reproductive success
juvenile growth rate
Daily mass gain during critical post-emergence development period in juvenile mammals
population stage structure
The distribution of individuals across different size or age classes within a population
indicator species
Taxa that are significantly associated with particular habitat conditions and can be used to assess ecosystem state or restoration success
functional feeding groups
Categorization of invertebrates based on feeding mechanisms: collector-gatherers, grazers, predators, shredders, and suspension-feeders
animal-driven nutrient cycling
The contribution of animals to ecosystem nutrient fluxes through excretion, with supply determined by animal biomass, excretion rates, and time spent ...
phenomenon time
invertebrate drift
Downstream movement of benthic invertebrates in flowing water either naturally or induced by disturbance
pond drying
Temporary pond hydroperiod reduction that triggers behavioral and physiological responses in aquatic organisms
faunal elements
Biogeographic classification of species based on their broader distributional affinities and evolutionary origins
snow mosquitoes
Univoltine species which develop from overwintered eggs in pools formed by melting snow water
precipitation seasonality
Temporal variation in precipitation patterns expressed as coefficient of variation in monthly precipitation over 5 years
case construction
Caddisfly larvae ability to construct protective cases from environmental debris using silk-like string
climatic niche
The range of climate conditions that a species can tolerate, estimated from ecological niche models
insect recruitment
Addition of new individuals to insect populations through successful reproduction and development
PIT tag telemetry
Use of passive integrated transponder tags for remote detection and tracking of individual animals without need for recapture
recruitment limitation
The hypothesis that relationships between egg and juvenile densities are linear when egg densities are constrained below values where eggs or hatching...
non-additive effects
Combined impact of multiple predators differs from the sum of their individual effects, can be greater or less than additive
detritivore feeding preference
Selective consumption behavior of invertebrates feeding on different types of organic detritus
algal resource quality
The nutritional value of algae as food for aquatic consumers, typically measured by nutrient content
biofluorescence
The emission of visible light by organisms following the absorption of shorter wavelengths of light
electivity index
A measure comparing the proportion of prey in predator diet to proportion in environment to detect selection or avoidance
stalk production
Production of extracellular polymeric stalk material by diatoms when photosynthetic rates exceed cellular growth rates
bottom-up forcing
energy flux
The flow of energy through ecological systems, measured as invertebrate biomass transfer from terrestrial to aquatic environments
protandry
Male-first flowering phenology where flowers function first as males then as females
hydro-geomorphological constraints
Physical habitat constraints related to water flow and stream geomorphology that affect oviposition site availability
biotic associations
Co-occurrence patterns between species that reflect ecological interactions beyond shared environmental responses
animal communication
Mechanisms used by individuals to convey different cues to others, including color, vocal cues, body language, and biofluorescence
case grazing
Behavior where caddisfly larvae consume material from their own or others' protective cases
oligotrophic
Low nutrient conditions that select for microorganisms adapted to low substrate availability
mass-specific excretion rate
the rate of nutrient excretion per unit body mass of an organism
stoichiometry
The relative proportions of chemical elements in biological systems
drift phase
diel vertical migration
Daily behavioral pattern where aquatic organisms move vertically in the water column, typically showing different activity levels during day versus ni...
frequency of dividing cells
The proportion of cells undergoing division within a population
terrestrial subsidies
Input of terrestrial invertebrates into aquatic food webs providing energy to aquatic predators
transmission dynamics
coarse particulate organic matter
Organic matter particles larger than 1 mm, including intact leaves and larger detrital fragments
best of a bad lot mechanism
Paedomorphosis becomes the preferred life strategy when growing conditions such as prey abundance, water temperature, and population density are poor,...
Schoener's index
A measure of niche overlap calculated as SI = 1 - (1/2) Σᵢ |pᵢₖ - pⱼₖ| where values approach 1 when resource use curves coincide perfectly and approac...
threshold elemental ratios
The hypothesis that disposing of excess dietary nutrients imposes a growth cost on organisms, creating hump-shaped relationships with diet stoichiomet...
source-sink dynamics
Some environments will be resource rich and produce a high amount of offspring (sources) while other environments will be resource low and produce a l...
demographic compensation
Population response where decreases in fitness due to other factors are offset by increases in another demographic parameter
predation rate
The rate at which predators consume prey, measured as prey mortality per predator per unit time
microhabitat preference
Species-specific selection for particular combinations of physical habitat characteristics like water depth, current velocity, and substrate size
diel periodicity
Daily patterns in organism behavior, with some mayfly species showing increased drift activity at night to minimize exposure to visual predators
intraguild predation
Asymmetric intraguild predation (IGP) between caddisflies where larger, faster-growing species prey on smaller competitors
hydrological regime
Patterns of stream flow including magnitude, timing, and duration of high and low flow periods
beaver pond morphology
Physical structure and arrangement of beaver ponds, specifically comparing single isolated ponds versus terraced series of connected ponds
sampling efficiency
Measure of how effectively a sampling method captures target organisms relative to processing time and effort
EPT taxa
Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera orders used as indicators of aquatic ecosystem health
biofilm succession
The sequential development of microbial communities on substrates following disturbance
sexual dimorphism
Differences between sexes in fluorescent patterns, as identified in Plethodon metcalfi
stoichiometric homeostasis
size at emergence
The body size of mayflies when they emerge as adults from aquatic larval stage
depletion sampling
Population estimation method using repeated sampling to remove individuals and estimate total abundance from decline curve
periphytic algae
Algae growing attached to surfaces such as decomposing plant material
dietary specialization
Differential prey use based on habitat type, with fairy shrimp comprising majority of diet in temporary ponds
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
A principle stating that allele and genotype frequencies remain constant in a population under certain conditions
ecosystem function
The roles that invertebrates play in the flow of energy and cycling of nutrients in wetlands
predator refuge
Habitat structure that provides protection from predation by offering shelter or hiding places
positive feedback loop
Mechanism where state and behavior mutually reinforce each other, measured as positive correlation between individual intercept and slope in random re...
principal component analysis
Statistical method used to identify the structuring factors driving life-history variation and to detect slow-fast continuum patterns
nutrient spiraling
The downstream transport and repeated cycling of nutrients through uptake and release in stream ecosystems
ash-free dry mass
Standard measure of organic biomass determined by ashing samples to remove inorganic material
detritus shredders
Functional guild of macroinvertebrates that break down dead organic material, contributing to nutrient cycling in aquatic ecosystems
detritivory
Consumption of dead organic matter by organisms, particularly caddisfly larvae feeding on detritus
benthic organic matter
Organic material found in pond sediments that serves as nutrient storage compartment
metamorphosis
primary productivity
The production of organic compounds by autotrophic organisms, measured here through chlorophyll-a concentration
bioaccumulation
The accumulation of substances like sodium in organisms through their food chain, allowing carnivores to obtain adequate salt from prey
environmental harshness
Degree of environmental stress affecting survival and reproduction, differing between elevational sites
phosphorus uptake
The removal of phosphorus from the water column by organisms for metabolic processes
Protocol (55) →
benthic sampling
Plastic pan traps with soapy water deployed along stream transects to capture terrestrial invertebrates falling into or near the river. Traps are pool...
Factorial environmental stress experiment (Limnephilidae)
2x2 factorial design manipulating temperature and conductivity to test environmental drying cues on caddisfly development and survival. Uses shade man...
Microcosm predator avoidance bioassay
Controlled experimental system using circular plastic tanks to test mayfly larval responses to chemical cues by measuring foraging behavior on substra...
mark-recapture (Ambystomatidae)
Annual capture-recapture surveys over 24 years to track individual survival, growth, reproduction and developmental pathways in a polyphenic salamande...
automated temperature logging
Time-lapse camera monitoring of aquatic insect landing and oviposition behavior on paired emergent rocks with different embedding characteristics. Com...
slit emergence traps
Systematic collection of water samples from ponds across a hydroperiod gradient for analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds. Samples collected a...
Leaf pack decomposition assay
Controlled microcosm experiments measuring invertebrate-mediated breakdown of sedge detritus by quantifying mass loss of coarse and fine particulate o...
instar staging
Standardized measurements of wing length and dried body mass components under stereomicroscope to quantify adult fitness proxies and assess elevation ...
Fluorometric ammonium method
Fluorometric analysis of ammonia in water samples using working reagent that produces fluorescent compound when reacting with ammonia. Uses quadruplic...
Chlorophyll-a extraction and fluorometric analysis
Collection of nitrogen samples via syringe filtration and chlorophyll samples via algae collection from submerged rocks, with spectrophotometric analy...
Show 45 more protocols
oven-dry mass measurement
Standardized measurement of individual larval dry mass using precision microbalance after oven-drying at controlled temperature. Applied to assess gro...
focal animal sampling (Limnephilidae)
Individual caddisflies are observed for fixed time periods to record movement patterns, social interactions, and aggressive behaviors. Follows establi...
Stream quality assessment
Comprehensive measurement of stream physical and chemical parameters including substrate characteristics, water quality, and algal biomass. Provides e...
Tiger salamander feeding preference mesocosm trials (Ambystomatidae)
Controlled feeding trials in plastic mesocosms where starved salamanders are presented with multiple prey types and their consumption and foraging beh...
CDC light trap sampling (Culicidae)
Opportunistic collection of adult and larval mosquitoes across elevational gradients using standardized collection techniques. Adults collected during...
Adult mosquito collection and identification (Culicidae)
Collection of adult mosquitoes during blood-seeking behavior and other activities to complement larval surveys and confirm species identifications.
Beaver pond habitat characterization
Multi-parameter assessment of beaver pond physical characteristics including area, depth, flow velocity, and beaver activity indicators to control for...
Persulfate phosphorus digestion
Standard colorimetric method for measuring soluble reactive phosphorus and total dissolved phosphorus in water samples using spectrophotometry. Total ...
gastric-lavage (Ambystomatidae)
Modified gastric-lavage technique to obtain stomach contents for prey identification, enumeration, and biomass/caloric calculations using published co...
CNS elemental analysis (Limnephilidae)
Short-term incubation of caddisfly larvae in filtered pond water to measure nitrogen and phosphorus excretion rates under ambient conditions. Five lar...
removal method electrofishing
Three-pass electrofishing to estimate fish densities and species composition in stream reaches for characterizing predator presence and abundance.
Nutrient Diffusing Substrates (NDS)
Factorial experimental design using artificial stream channels to test temperature and nutrient effects on algae growth. Solar heating systems create ...
Fish mucus extraction and processing (Baetidae)
Method for collecting fish skin mucus by gentle rubbing in plastic bags followed by freeze-drying and chemical characterization of mucus components in...
Multiple-choice feeding preference assay (Limnephilidae)
Larvae offered multiple food choices in aquatic containers with instantaneous behavioral sampling over extended time periods to quantify feeding prefe...
De-mentation behavioral interference assay
Laboratory aquarium experiment using surgically modified (de-mented) dragonfly larvae to separate behavioral interference effects from direct predatio...
Macroinvertebrate nutrient excretion incubation
Organisms are incubated in filtered pond water for one hour to measure nitrogen and phosphorus excretion rates through water chemistry analysis before...
d-frame net sampling
Standardized sampling of large and small benthic invertebrates using D-net sweeps and benthic cores, with zooplankton sampling using mesh nets. Animal...
DAYMET climate data (Ambystomatidae)
Collection and integration of climate variables from multiple databases including temperature, solar radiation, snow metrics, and topographic factors ...
Egg mass density manipulation experiment (Baetidae)
Experimental manipulation of existing egg mass densities on preferred substrates to test whether females exhibit aggregative oviposition behavior in r...
Flow-through channel mesocosm experiment
Artificial stream channels with controlled flow regimes and nutrient treatments to test effects of phosphorus availability on D. geminata growth and b...
Multi-parameter water quality monitoring (Amphibia)
In-situ measurement of temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and barometric pressure at multiple points around each pond during peak photosynthetic activ...
body condition index (Ambystomatidae)
Calculation of body condition metrics (mass/SVL³) and derived fitness proxies including condition-weighted reproductive opportunities for males and es...
Ash-free dry mass
Collection and processing of biofilm samples from natural and artificial substrates to quantify biomass, algal content, and nutrient content through A...
cellulose acetate electrophoresis (Baetidae)
Cellulose acetate electrophoresis to analyze genetic variation at enzyme loci in mayfly populations, involving initial enzyme screening, locus selecti...
Salamander biofluorescence photography under blue excitation (Amphibia)
Standardized photography protocol using blue light excitation to capture biofluorescence in salamanders under controlled conditions with specific came...
COI DNA barcoding (Baetidae)
DNA extraction using modified Chelex protocols followed by PCR amplification and sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene to assess g...
PIT tagging technique for Ambystomatid salamanders (Amphibia)
Controlled laboratory experiment comparing survival, growth, and tag retention between PIT-tagged and control salamanders over 90 days to validate tag...
probabilistic species co-occurrence model (Rhyacophilidae)
Statistical analysis comparing observed vs. expected species co-occurrence patterns using probabilistic models to identify positive, negative, or rand...
Ambystoma population dynamics differential equation modeling
Development and analysis of a seven-dimensional nonlinear differential equation system modeling tiger salamander population dynamics across life stage...
Thermal gradient runway temperature selection assay
Custom apparatus measuring salamander temperature selection behavior using water-cooled and heated runway with position and body temperature tracking ...
Ceramic tile algal biomass estimation
Use of ceramic tiles as standardized substrates for measuring benthic algal biomass via chlorophyll-a extraction and fluorometry. Includes grazed vs u...
Didymosphenia geminata removal experiment in stream plots (Heptageniidae)
Manual removal of invasive diatom D. geminata from stream substrate plots with adjacent controls to test effects on invertebrate community composition...
Ivlev's Electivity Index
Modified gut content analysis method that estimates feeding intensity by counting the proportion of abdominal segments containing food rather than ide...
Global literature survey of Didymosphenia geminata blooms
Systematic search and compilation of published records of D. geminata blooms with associated soluble reactive phosphorus measurements to characterize ...
Three-chamber salamander choice experiment (Ambystomatidae)
Controlled behavioral experiments using salamanders in tanks with traps at either end to test preferences for different light stimuli and biofluoresce...
MAGIC method
Magnesium hydroxide co-precipitation method using Sargasso Sea water to concentrate low-level soluble reactive phosphorus samples 70-fold prior to col...
Ecosystem nutrient uptake measurement (Amphibia)
Nutrient addition experiments in benthic substrates and sedge biofilms to measure ecosystem demand through exponential decay models. Measures uptake c...
Tile-based didymo sampling and enumeration
Standardized substrate tiles deployed in stream channels for algae colonization, followed by systematic scraping, filtering, and microscopic enumerati...
D. geminata mimic predation refuge experiment
Controlled experiment using flow-through tanks to test whether artificial D. geminata mats (polyester pillow stuffing) provide refuge for T. tubifex f...
Benthic diatom mat field survey
Field surveys of river systems to document the relationship between diatom cellular division rates and mat coverage patterns under natural conditions.
In situ Didymosphenia regrowth manipulation
Experimental removal of D. geminata cells and stalks from stream rocks to test regrowth capacity under natural conditions with different initial stalk...
Grid-based topographic measurement
Systematic measurement of slope and aspect at grid cell centers using compass and clinometer with clipboard to minimize micro-scale surface variation ...
Stream Solute Workshop method
Tracer Additions for Spiraling Curve Characterization method involving simultaneous injection of water tracer and nutrients with downstream breakthrou...
pond hydroperiod classification
Classification of ponds into permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary categories based on historical drying patterns and hydroperiod duration from lon...
Systematic grid mapping of sagebrush populations (Asteraceae)
Complete census of sagebrush individuals within systematic 16m × 16m grids divided into 1m² cells, with measurement of plant dimensions for size estim...
Publication (331) →
Life histories and the strengths of species interactions: combining mortality, growth, and fecundity effects
Fitness and community consequences of avoiding multiple predators
Invertebrates in Freshwater Wetlands of North America: Ecology and Management
Caddisfly life histories along permanence gradients in high-altitude wetlands in Colorado (U.S.A.)
Stoichiometry and infectious disease: Linking chemical elements and parasitic interactions
Variation in mayfly size at metamorphosis as a developmental response to risk of predation
The influence of predatory fish on mayfly drift: extrapolating from experiments to nature
Host-parasite ecology of <i>Baetis bicaudatus</i> mayflies and <i>Gasteromermis sp.</i> nematodes in high-altitude streams
Interactions Between Digenean Trematodes and Human Land Use, Nutrient Cycling, and Climate in Colorado
Hydrologic and behavioral constraints on oviposition of stream insects: implications for adult dispersal
Show 321 more publications
From animals to ecosystem processes: Predicting functional outcomes of climate-driven changes in animal communities through species traits
Origin and specificity of predatory fish cues detected by Baetis larvae (<i>Ephemeroptera; Insecta</i>)
Carbon Dioxide Concentrations and Efflux from Permanent, Semi-Permanent, and Temporary Subalpine Ponds
Caddisfly behavioral responses to drying cues in temporary ponds: Implications for effects of climate change
Cross-trophic-level dynamics in aquatic ecosystems and their application across ecological contexts
Nonlinear effects of consumer density on multiple ecosystem processes
Foraging trade-offs along a predator-permanence gradient in subalpine wetlands
Species-specific traits predict whole-assemblage detritus processing by pond invertebrates
Predator effects on prey population dynamics in open systems
Animal-Driven Nutrient Supply Declines Relative to Ecosystem Nutrient Demand Along a Pond Hydroperiod Gradient
High interspecific variation in nutrient excretion within a guild of closely related caddisfly species
Predator defense along a permanence gradient: roles of case structure, behavior, and developmental phenology in caddisflies
Intraguild predation and cannibalism among larvae of detritivorous caddisflies in subalpine wetlands
The Ecology of Place
Larval cannibalism, time constraints, and adult fitness in caddisflies that inhabit temporary wetlands
A comparative study of the cost of alternative mayfly oviposition behaviors.
Biotic interactions at species’ range limits in a changing climate
Ecological stoichiomety of consumer-resource interaction in lotic food webs
A global assessment of environmental and climate influences on wetland macroinvertebrate community structure and function
Larval growth in polyphenic salamanders: making the best of a bad lot
Diet and a developmental time constraint alter life-history trade-offs in a caddis fly (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae)
Lifetime Fitness, Sex-Specific Life History, and the Maintenance of a Polyphenism
Consumptive and nonconsumptive effects of cannibalism in fluctuating age-structured populations
Predator-induced resource heterogeneity in a stream food web
Perils of life on the edge: Climatic threats to global diversity patterns of wetland macroinvertebrates
Lack of appropriate behavioral or development responses by mayfly larvae to trout predators
Sampling stream invertebrates using electroshocking techniques: implications for basic and applied research
Females know best: dispersal polymorphism maintained by sex-specific foraging
Why do vulnerable mayflies thrive in trout streams?
Invertebrates in Freshwater Wetlands of North America: Ecology and Management
Fluctuation in a Rocky Mountain population of salamanders: anthropogenic acidification or natural variation?
Methods in Stream Ecology
Reinforcing abiotic and biotic time constraints facilitate the broad distribution of a generalist with fixed traits
Mayflies avoid sweets: fish skin mucus amino sugars stimulate predator avoidance behaviour of <i> Baetis </i> larvae
The role of environmental variation in mediating fitness trade-offs for an amphibian polyphenism
Effects of Native and Non-native Predators on Aquatic Communities
How beaver pond age affects aquatic invertebrates
Climate mediates the trade-offs associated with phenotypic plasticity in an amphibian polyphenism
Mountain mosquitoes of the Gothic, Colorado area
Effects of <i>Didymosphenia germinata</i> on American Dipper (<i>Cinclus mexicanus</i>) Territory Size
Seasonal movement patterns in a subalpine population of the tiger salamander, <i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>
Elevation alters outcome of competition between resident and range shifting species
Are populations of mayflies living in adjacent fish and fishless streams genetically differentiated?
Swarming and mating behavior of a mayfly <i>Baetis bicaudatus</i> suggest stabilizing selection for male body size
Invertebrates in Freshwater Wetlands of North America: Ecology and Management
Growth and foraging consequences of facultative paedomorphosis in the tiger salamander, <i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>
Efficacy and Uses of PIT Tag Telemetry in Salamanders From the Western USA: ,<i> Aneides vagrans </i>, <i> Ensatina eschscholtzii </i>, and <i> Ambystoma mavortium </i>
Predator chemicals induce changes in mayfly life history traits: a whole-stream manipulation
Tracing phenology trends in time and space using herbarium data and citizen science observations in western Colorado
Emergence cues of a mayfly in a high-altitude stream ecosystem: Potential response to climate change
Beaver pond morphology as a tool for predicting changes downstream
Induced morphological defenses in the wild: predator effects on a mayfly, <i>Drunella coloradensis</i>
Predators balance consequences of climate-change-induced habitat shifts for range-shifting and resident species
Consequences of climate-induced range expansions on multiple ecosystem functions
Selective oviposition by the mayfly <i>Baetis bicaudatus</i>
Contrasting short-and long-term outcomes of pairwise interactions between caddisflies at a hydrologically heterogeneous range margin
The effect of long-term metal exposure and mermithid parasitism on behavior and predation of nymphal <i>Baetis bicaudatus</i> by <i>Megarcys signata</i>
Role of animal detritivores in the breakdown of emergent plant detrius in temporary ponds
Nonconsumptive effects of Brook Trout predators reduce secondary production of mayfly prey
Determining the Effects of Climate-Induced Range Shifts on Caddisfly Population Dynamics
The Ecology of Place
Does the morphology of beaver ponds alter downstream ecosystems?
Natal philopatry varies with larval condition in salamanders
From Insects to Frogs, Egg–Juvenile Recruitment Can Have Persistent Effects on Population Sizes
Trade-offs associated with food availability and predator avoidance behavior of a stream mayfly
The role of larval cases in reducing aggression and cannibalism among caddisflies in temporary wetlands
Polyphenism predicts actuarial senescence and lifespan in tiger salamanders
Effects of pond permanence on avian behaviors
Determinants of diet of brook trout (<i>Salvelinus fontinalis</i>) in a mountain stream
From individuals to ecosystem function: toward an integration of evolutionary and ecosystem ecology
Intraguild predation and competition between larval dragonflies: direct and indirect effects on shared prey
Ecosystem engineering by beavers affects mayfly life histories
Hydraulic and geomorphic effects on mayfly drift in high-gradient streams at moderate discharges
Genetic structure in a montane mayfly <i>Baetis bicaudatus</i> (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae), from the Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Characterizing the role of phosphorus availability and periphytic algae in the food choice and performance of detritivorous caddisflies (Trichoptera:Limnephilidae)
Reach-scale Manipulations show invertebrate grazers depress algal resources in streams
Sublethal consequences of stream-dwelling predatory stoneflies on mayfly growth and fecundity
Foraging tactics in alternative heterochronic salamander morphs: trophic quality of ponds matters more than water permanency
Biogeochemical characteristics and hydroperiod affect carbon dioxide flux rates from exposed high-elevation pond sediments
Cyclic Colonization in Predictably Ephemeral Habitats: A Template for Biological Control in Annual Crop Systems
Effects of the nuisance diatom <i>Didymosphenia geminata</i> on invertebrates in a Rocky Mountain stream
<i>Didymosphenia geminata</i> blooms are not exclusively driven by low phosphorus under experimental conditions
The impact of </Didymosphenia geminata> on the community structures of invertebrates in streams around the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab
Effects of larval energetic resources on life history and adult allocation patterns in a caddisfly (Trichoptera: Phryganeidae)
Costs of predator-induced phenotypic plasticity: A graphical model for predicting the contribution of non-consumptive and consumptive effects of predators on prey
Consumptive and non-consumptive effects of predators on metacommunities of competing prey
Investigating the comparison between bird diversity and apex aquatic predators in sub-alpine beaver ponds
Seasonal variation in the intensity of competition and predation among dragonfly larvae
The Origin of Invasive Microorganisms Matters for Science, Policy, and Management: The Case of <i>Didymosphenia geminata</i>
Cascading effects of predatory fish on the composition of benthic algae in high-altitude streams
The Didymo story: the role of low dissolved phosphorus in the formation of <i>Didymosphenia geminata</i> blooms
Disturbance legacies and nutrient limitation influence interactions between grazers and algae in high elevation streams
Effects of size at metamorphosis on stonefly fecundity, longevity, and reproductive success
Evolution of Facultative Paedomorphosis in Salamanders
Limnephilus externus Case Grazing
Ecological role of <i>Limnephilus abbreviates</i> in detritus dynamics
Predator effects in predator-free space: The remote effects of predators on prey
Effects of a range-shifting caddisfly on life histories of a top predator in high elevation ponds
Mapping the range shifts of East River Valley caddisflies <i> (Trichoptera) </i>
Comparing decomposition rates and detritivore preferences for caddisfly (Trichoptera) cases versus ambient detritus
Vascular Plants of the Gothic Area
Seasonal Progression of Algal Development and Quality in Streams that Vary in Timing of Springtime Peak Flow
Temporal shift of diet in alternative cannibalistic morphs of the tiger salamander
Influence of handling stress and fasting on estimates of ammonium excretion by tadpoles and fish: recommendations for designing excretion experiments
Nutrient excretion rates of common aquatic taxa in high elevation ponds at the Mexican Cut
Macroinvertebrate excretion rates and their contribution to nutrient cycling in a rocky mountain stream
Temporal Variation of Thermal Microhabitat Use of Tiger Salamanders
Modeling the population dynamics and community impacts of <i>Ambystoma tigrinum</i>: A case study of phenotype plasticity
Habitat selection by stream-dwelling predatory stoneflies
A PIT tagging technique for Ambystomatid salamanders
Measuring dispersal in a metapopulation using stable isotope enrichment: high rates of sex-biased disperal between patches in a mayfly population
Understanding aquatic insect oviposition to increase aquatic insect recruitment rates
Effects of a caddisfly range shift on competition and facilitation in high elevation ponds
Evaluating differences in water temperature and macroinvertebrate communities in BDA ponds, stream pools, and beaver dam ponds
Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Coexistence in Closely Related <i>Rhyacophila</i> (Trichoptera) Species
High-discharge disturbance does not alter the seasonal trajectory of nutrient uptake in a montane stream
Comparing predator-induced changes in stream insects with varying vulnerabilities to risk of predation
Diel feeding and positioning periodicity of a grazing mayfly in a trout stream and a fishless stream
Microhabitat and activity periodicity of predatory stoneflies and their mayfly prey in a western Colorado stream
The effects of cattle derived nutrients on growth rates of Arizona Tiger Salamander hatchlings in pastureland
Testing how density affects caddisfly distribution along a detritus quality gradient
Morph- and sex-specific differences in corticosterone of Arizona tiger salamanders (<i>Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum</i>)
Does species diversity of caddisflies enhance detritus breakdown and nutrient release in temporary ponds?
From brown to green: how does caddisfly detritus processing affect the growth of invertebrate algal grazers
Rates of Cannibalism in <i> Asynarchus Nigriculus </i> based on Sedge Nutrient Content
The influence of recruitment on within-generation population dynamics of a mayfly
<i> Limnephilus externus </i> Case Grazing Effects on Predation
Nutrient limitation controls the strength of behavioral trophic cascades in high elevation streams
Niche overlap and the potential for competition and intraguild predation between size-structured populations
The Impact of Environmental Factors on Arizona Tiger Salamander Larval Growth
Conservation and Status of North American Amphibians
The effects of reduction in trout density on the invertebrate community of a mountain stream
Nutrient availability and phytoplankton nutrient limitation across a gradient of atmospheric nitrogen deposition
Salamanders impact on L. externus population densities
Morph and Sex differences in prey selectivity of tiger salamanders (<i> Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum </i>)
Biofluorescence in Polymorphic Tiger Salamanders ( Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum)
Effects of soil moisture on <i>Lupinus spp</i> growth and root nodulation
Species Co-occurrence Patterns and Mechanisms for <i>Rhyacophila</i> in High-Altitude Streams
A model of inter-cohort cannibalism and paedomorphosis in Arizona tiger salamanders, <i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>
Evolutionary ecology of facultative paedomorphosis in news and salamanders
Herbivore growth responses to nutrient mobilization by detritivores
Linking drift and benthic density along fishless to fish transitions in Rocky Mountain streams
Extrapolating from individual behavior to populations and communities in streams
Changes in the biofluorescence of Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum with age
Exploring mechanisms explaining coexistence patterns of <i> Rhyacophila </i> species (Trichoptera) in streams near the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory
Predator-prey interactions between stoneflies and mayflies: behavioral observations
The effect of food quality and time constraints on caddisfly growth and development
Differential behavioural responses of mayflies from stream with and without fish to trout odour
Consequences of nuisance algal blooms of Didymosphenia geminata on invertebrate communities in Rocky Mountain streams
Experimental Validation of Biophysical Models of Tiger Salamanders (<i> Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum </i>)
What sexual diversity in the natural world can teach humans about sex, gender, and inclusive biology
Direct and indirect effects of nuisance blooms by the diatom, <i>Didymosphenia geminata</i> on the whirling disease intermediate host, <i>Tubifex tubifex</i>
Changes in mosquito community of Gunnison County since 1966
Alternative predator avoidance syndromes of stream-dwelling mayfly larvae
Do Stream Mayflies Exhibit Trade-Offs Between Food Acquisition and Predator Avoidance Behaviors?
Maintenance of polymorphism promoted by sex-specific fitness payoffs
Characterizing disturbance regimes of mountain streams
Best restoration practices: Do BDAs mimic inundation patterns of natural beaver dams?
Trout predation and the size composition of stream drift
Energy Fluxes of Terrestrial and Aquatic Invertebrates in the East River
Using ecological stoichiometry to understand and predict infectious diseases
Exploring effects of proliferation of <i>Didymosphenia geminata</i> on abundance and coexistence of <i>Rhyacophila</i> species (Trichoptera) in streams near the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory
Shifts in lake N:P stoichiometry and nutrient limitation driven by atmospheric nitrogen deposition
Prey exchange rates and the impact of predators on prey populations in streams
Do predaceous stoneflies and siltation affect the structure of stream insect communities colonizing enclosures?
Heterospecific prey and trophic polyphenism in larval tiger salamanders
Identifying PCR primers to facilitate molecular phylogenetics in Caddisflies (Trichoptera)
Do Pond Caddisflies Reap a Double Benefit from Detritus Processing?
Effect of diatom, <i>Didymosphenia geminata</i>, on Invertebrate Abundance and Composition in Rocky Mountain Streams
Bio-fluorescence in Cannibalism Interactions in MCNP Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum Population
Increased aggression among <i>Asynarchus nigriculus</i> caddisfly larvae in a rapidly drying environment
Foraging Differences Between Sexes in Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum
Salamander cannibalism
Delayed egg hatching and semivoltinism in the nearctic stonefly <i>Megarcys signata</i> (Plecoptera:Perlodidae)
Aquatic invertebrate communities in old, new, and re-formed beaver ponds in the Trail Creek watershed
Impact of light availability on benthic algal assemblages and invertebrate species composition
The role of non-caddisfly taxa on detrital processing in montane ponds
Effects of single and terraced beaver ponds on benthic macroinvertebrate communities
Dissolved iron stimulates uptake of organic phosphorus by <i>Didymosphenia geminata</i>
Stonefly predation along a hydraulic gradient: a test of the harsh-benign hypothesis
Effects of elevation on salamander life strategies
Criteria determining behavioural responses to multiple predators by a stream mayfly
Beaver pond project
Iron is not responsible for <i>Didymosphenia geminata</i> bloom formation in phosphorus-poor rivers
Accuracy assessment of skeletochronology in the Arizona tiger salamander (<i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>)
Possible effects of acidic deposition on a Rocky Mountain population of the tiger salamander <i>Ambystoma tigrinum</i>
Growth Tendencies in <i>Didymosphenia geminata</i>
Influence of Parasitism on Consumer Driven Nutrient Recycling by Aquatic Insects
Estimates of mayfly mortality: is stonefly predation a significant source?
Comparing detritus breakdown rates with and without detritivores in subalpine ponds with different hydroperiods
Integrating behavioral, population and large-scale approaches for understanding stream insect communities
Feeding Preference and Growth Effects for Three Trichoptera Species
Effects of size-selective predation and food competition on high altitude zooplankton communities
Does living in streams with fish involve a cost of induced morphological defense?
Carbon Dioxide Efflux and Storage in Small, Drying Alpine Ponds
Behavioral thermoregulation in high altitude tiger salamanders, Ambystoma tigrinum
Quantifying physiological and behavioral differences in caddisfly larvae
Effects of Environmental Pond Drying Cues on <i> Asynarchus nigriculus </i> Cannibalism Rates
Courtship behavior in a polymorphic population of the Tiger Salamander, <i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>
An evaluation of MS-222 and benzocaine as anesthetics for metamorphic and paedomorphic tiger salamanders (<i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>)
Temperature Selection in the Arizona Tiger Salamander (<i> Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum </i>)
Testing for competition, facilitation, and intraguild predation between two co-dominant detritivores: the caddisfly <i> Limnephilus externus </i> and chironomid midges
Consequences and plasticity of the specialized predatory behavior of stream-dwelling stonefly larvae
Biofluorescence as a Mechanism of Sexual Selection in Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum
The Effects of Temperature and N:P Ratios on Didymo Algae Growth
Testing Nutrient Limitation Status Along a Subalpine Pond Hydroperiod Gradient
Feeding habits and prey consumption of three predaceous stoneflies (Plecoptera) in a mountain stream
Potential of prey size and type to affect foraging asymmetries in tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum) larvae
Life history patterns of Ambystoma tigrinum in montane Colorado
Testing for nutrient limitation of algal biomass across elevational and permanence gradients in high elevation ponds near the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab
Blooms of benthic diatoms in phosphorus-poor streams
Pond nutrient storage across permanence and temporal gradients
The infection of nymphal Baetis bicaudatus by the mermithid nematode Gasteromermis sp
Stonefly nymphs hydrodynamic cues to discriminate between prey
Effect of a reduction in mountain stream flow on the diversity and quantity of benthic macroinvertebrates and the abundance of algae
Response to Bergey and Spaulding
The effect of mermithid parasitism on predation of nymphal Baetis bicaudatus (Ephemeroptera) by invertebrates
How Does Streambed Heterogeneity, Light Intensity, and Near-bed Current Influence Algal Accrual, Ash Free Dry Mass, and Macroinvertebrate Richness, and Abundance?
The diet of Ambystoma tigrinum larvae from western Colorado
Dispersal, phenology and habitat preference of subalpine whirligig beetles (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae: Gyrinus)
The distributional ecology and diversity of benthic insects in Cement Creek, Colorado
Biofluorescence in Arizona Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma mavortium nebulsoum) as an indicator of sexual readiness
Regrowth of Didymosphenia geminata after a removal event.
Prey preference in stoneflies: a comparative analysis of prey vulnerability
The effects of natural sun exposure on the intensity and distribution of salamander biofluorescence
Rapid size-specific changes in the drift of <i>Baetis bicaudatus</i> (Ephemeroptera) caused by alterations in fish odour concentration
Diet of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis Mitchill) and brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) in an alpine stream
The size composition of invertebrate drift in a Rocky Mountain stream
Is predaceous stonefly behavior affected by competition?
Dispersal of the fairy shrimp <i>Branchinecta coloradensis</i> (Anostraca): Effects of hydroperiod and salamanders
Community assembly and food web interactions across pond permanence gradients
Male body size and mating success in swarms of the mayfly <i>Epeorus longimanus</i>
Nutrient limitation of the nuisance, stalk-forming diatom, <i>Didymosphenia geminata</i>, in Rocky Mountain streams
Mayfly cerci as defense against stonefly predation: deflection and detection
Prey preference of stoneflies: sedentary vs. mobile prey
Macroinvertebrate drift in a Rocky Mountain stream
Aquatic insect predator-prey relations
An experimental analysis of biological factors contributing to stream community structure
Trout predators and demographic sources and sinks in a mayfly metapopulation
The effect of the mermithid parasite Gasteromermis sp. (Nematoda: Mermithidae) on the drift behaviour of its mayfly host, Baetis bicaudatus (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae): a trade-off between avoiding pred
The adaptive significance of paedogenesis in North American species of <i>Ambystoma</i> (Amphibia: Caudata): an hypothesis
Growth rates and size at metamorphosis of high elevation populations of Ambystoma tigrinum
The mating biology of a mass-swarming mayfly
Neidiopsis hamiltonii sp. nov., N. weilandii sp. nov., N. levanderi and N. wulffii from western North America
The behavioral effects of intraspecific predation on larval tiger salamanders: an investigation of life history variation in montane populations of <i>Ambystoma tigrinum</i>
Do stonefly predators influence benthic distributions in streams?
The quantification of stream drift
Mortality in a population of Daphnia rosea
Non-visual communication in freshwater benthos: an overview
Dynamics of reproductive allocation from juvenile and adult feeding: radiotracer studies
Why do Ephemerella nymphs scorpion posture: a "ghost of predation past"?
Asymmetry as an Indicator of Habitat Quality and Foraging Ability in the Arizona Tiger Salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum
Empirical evidence for nonselective recruitment and a source-sink dynamic in a mayfly metapopulation
Biological interactions as determinants of distribution of benthic invertebrates within the substrate of stony streams
Competition and intraguild predation between two species of caddisfly larvae (Trichoptera) in permanent and semi-permanent high elevation ponds
A key to the aquatic insects of streams in the vicinity of the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab, including chironomid larvae from streams and ponds
A field test of resource depression by predatory stonefly larvae
Embryological induction and predation ecology in Daphnia pulex
Sex-specific fitness payoffs in a facultatively paedomorphic population of the tiger salamander <i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>
Head and body size relationship in polymorphic tiger salamander larvae from Colorado
An Artificial Key to the Aquatic Insects of Gunnison County, Colorado Streams above 2750 Elevation including chrironomid larvae from streams and ponds
Evolution of alternative life histories in the tiger salamander, <i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>
The effects of large invertebrates on the development of cannibal morphology in the tiger salamander, <i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>
The effect of macroinvertebrate prey on the cannibalistic polymorphism in the tiger salamander <i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>
Effects of enclosures on stream microhabitat and invertebrate community structure
Evolution of alternative life histories in tiger salamanders (<i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>): a study of the cannibal morph
Restoration of vegetation communities of created depressional marshes in Ohio and Colorado (USA): the importance of initial effort for mitigation success
Early warning lowers risk of stonefly predation for a vulnerable mayfly
Distances travelled by drifting mayfly nymphs: factors influencing return to the substrate
Behavioral response of <i>Ambystoma tigrinum</i>, tiger salamanders, to varying temperatures and oxygen levels
Colonization of natural substrates by stream benthos
Respiratory responses to hypoxia by <i>Ambystoma tigrinum</i> larvae, paedomorphs, and metamorphosed adults
Variations in the life history of tiger salamander (<i>Ambystoma tigrinum</i>) populations near Gothic, Colorado
Shifts in natural isotopic signatures of animals with complex life-cycles can complicate conclusions on cross-boundary trophic links
Why predaceous stoneflies do not aggregate with their prey
Current habitat status of and anthropogenic impacts on the tiger salamander, <i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>
Emergence cues of <i></i>Baetis bicaudatus<i></i> (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) in a high altitude stream system
Zooplankton competition and predation: an experimental test of the size-efficiency hypothesis
Morphological variation of Daphnia pulex Leydig (Crustacea: Cladocera) and related species from North America
A Key to the aquatic insects of the streams in the vacinity of the rocky mountain biolociacl lab
Assessing the substitutability of mitigation wetlands for natural sites: estimating the restoration lag costs of wetland mitigation
Substrate characteristics affect colonization by the bloom-forming diatom <i>Didymosphenia geminata</i>.
Fluctuating Asymmetry:Environmental causes in adult and larval tiger salamanders, <i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>
Effects of food supplementation on a population of golden-mantled ground squirrel, <i>Spermophilus lateralis</i>
Developmental Thresholds, Life History Trade-Offs, and Resource Allocation in Wetland Caddisflies (Trichoptera)
Life history phenomena of <i>Ambystoma tigrinum</i> in montane Colorado
Biodiversity of aspen (<i>Populus tremuloides</i>) groves: a precursor to studies of ecosystem services
An assessment of the abundance and habitat requirements of the southern red-backed vole, <i>Clethrionomys gapperi</i> on Snodgrass Mountain
Feeding strategies of an adult stonefly (Plecoptera): implications for egg production and dispersal
Observations of <i>Baetis bicaudatus</i> and <i>Rithrogena hageni</i> in Coal Creek above and below the discharge of effluent from the Keystone Mine
Observations on light and temperature orientation in <i>Ambystoma tigrinum</i>
The effect of size and morphology on the foraging behavior of <i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>
Influence of detritus upon colonization of stream invertebrates
Sexual dimorphism in tiger salamanders of the kettle ponds of Gothic, Colorado
Differential predation of mayfly larvae and damselfly larvae by tiger salamanders
The taxonomy and ecology of the tiger salamander of Colorado
Effect of Keystone Mine effluent on colonization of stream benthos
Food limitation of planktonic rotifers: field experiments in two mountain ponds
Ecological Stoichiometry Of Consumer-Resource Interactions In Lotic Food Webs
Neotenic salamanders, Ambystoma tigrinum, in the Elk Mountains of Colorado
The distribution and habitat separation of three corixids (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) in western Colorado
Nesting behavior of the American dipper in Colorado
Ecosystem-size relationships of river populations and communities
Ecology of Aquatic Insects
Behavior of <i>Ambystoma tigrinum</i> larvae under field and laboratory conditions
Writing an Effective Response to a Manuscript Review
Ethogram: <i>Ambystoma tigrinum</i>
Dietary differences between two co-occurring calanoid copepod species
The effect of downstream drift on colonization of aquatic insect larvae
Genetic population structure of the fairy shrimp <i>Brachinecta coloradensis</i> (Anostraca) in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado
The effect of the Grand Ditch on the abundance of benthic invertebrates in the Colorado River, Rocky Mountain National Park
Foraging behavior of <i>Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum</i>
The damselfly <i>Enallagma boreale</i>: an ethogram
A short study of selected feeding behaviors in <i>Ambystoma tigrinum</i>
<i>Castilleja</i> of the Gunnison Basin
Effect of case removal and increased nutrition on larval development, pupation, emergence time, and sexual selection in a caddisfly (Agrypnia deflata, order Trichoptera)
Winter Survival of Culex Tarsalis (Diptera: Culicidae) Hibernating in Mine Tunnels in Boulder County, Colorado, USA
An assessment of the effects of powdertracking on small mammals
Predation on <i>Ambystoma tigrinum</i>
The effect of pH and other pollutants on benthic invertebrates in a pristine alpine watershed in central Colorado
The Ecology of Aquatic Insects
Dataset (7) →
Data from: Lifetime fitness, sex-specific life history, and the maintenance of a polyphenism
Polyphenisms, alternative morphs produced through plasticity, can reveal the evolutionary and ecological processes that initiate and maintain diversit...
The role of environmental variation in mediating fitness tradeoffs for an amphibian polyphenism
Fitness tradeoffs are a foundation of ecological and evolutionary theory because tradeoffs can explain life history variation, phenotypic plasticity...
Elevation alters outcome of competition between resident and range-shifting species
Species’ geographic range shifts towards higher latitudes and elevations are among the most frequently reported consequences of climate change. Howe...
Data from: Climate mediates the tradeoffs associated with phenotypic plasticity in an amphibian polyphenism
Polyphenisms occur when phenotypic plasticity produces morphologically distinct phenotypes from the same genotype. Plasticity is maintained through ...
Rainbow trout diet and invertebrate drift data from 2012-2015 for the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona
These data were compiled to explore the foraging ecology of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona. These da...
Data from: Biotic and abiotic variables influencing plant litter breakdown in streams: a global study
Plant litter breakdown is a key ecological process in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Streams and rivers, in particular, have high rates of car...
Cottonwood Lake Study Area - Invertebrate Counts
This dataset contains macroinvertebrate sampling data for the wetlands in the Cottonwood Lake Study Area, Stutsman County, North Dakota. This dataset ...