title: Developing a broader scientific foundation for river restoration: Columbia River food webs.
abstract: Well-functioning food webs are fundamental for sustaining rivers as ecosystems and maintaining associated aquatic and terrestrial communities. The current emphasis on restoring habitat structure--without explicitly considering food webs--has been less successful than hoped in terms of enhancing the status of targeted species and often overlooks important constraints on ecologically effective restoration. We identify three priority food web-related issues that potentially impede successful river restoration: uncertainty about habitat carrying capacity, proliferation of chemicals and contaminants, and emergence of hybrid food webs containing a mixture of native and invasive species. Additionally, there is the need to place these food web considerations in a broad temporal and spatial framework by understanding the consequences of altered nutrient, organic matter (energy), water, and thermal sources and flows, reconnecting critical habitats and their food webs, and restoring for changing environments. As an illustration, we discuss how the Columbia River Basin, site of one of the largest aquatic/riparian restoration programs in the United States, would benefit from implementing a food web perspective. A food web perspective for the Columbia River would complement ongoing approaches and enhance the ability to meet the vision and legal obligations of the US Endangered Species Act, the Northwest Power Act (Fish and Wildlife Program), and federal treaties with Northwest Indian Tribes while meeting fundamental needs for improved river management.
authors.affiliation: School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. naiman@uw.edu
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Naiman
authors.forename: J Richard
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Alldredge
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Beauchamp
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Bisson
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Congleton
authors.forename: Charles J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Henny
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Huntly
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lamberson
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Levings
authors.forename: Erik N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Merrill
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Pearcy
authors.forename: Bruce E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Rieman
authors.forename: Gregory T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Ruggerone
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scarnecchia
authors.forename: Peter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Smouse
authors.forename: Chris C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D020387:Food Chain; D045483:Rivers; D014481:United States