Fish assemblages in dammed coastal streams are less diverse, more homogenous, and dominated by non-native species: Comprehensive insights from quantitative analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA).
Small dams are commonplace and impact local and regional aquatic diversity by altering habitats and disrupting dispersal networks. Quantifying the local and regional impacts of dams requires nearly comprehensive species occurrence data. We used environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to test theoretical predictions about the impacts of dams on local and regional bony fish diversity within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, USA.