Biocomplexity: River-Road Networks
• “Biocomplexity arises from the multitude of
behavioral, biological, social, chemical,
and physical interactions that affect,
sustain, or are modified by living
organisms, including humans”
• “Integrated research teams are the way to
study complex research question”
» Rita Colwell
Biocomplexity: River-Road Networks
Biocomplexity: River-Road Networks
• Overarching hypothesis: An integrated, individual
based modeling framework will best predict
interactive effects of humans on river landscapes
than will individual physical, chemical, biological
and social models
River network models
Drainage System
Hydro Network
Hydro Features
Channel System
From Maidment
individuals
populations
communities
ecosystems
Xiphocaris
• Particulate
feeder /
shredder /
predator
• 10-12 m^2
Atya
• Filter feeder /
scraper
• 4-8 per m^2
•DOWNSTREAM DRIFT
•
ADULT
HABITAT
•UPSTREAM MIGRATION
Culverts, Rio Grande,
Backway school
Bridge piles, Rio Espiritu Santo,
El Verde
Narrow squared culvert,
Q. Tabonuco, near La Vega
Large bridge, Rio Espiritu Santo,
Jimenez
Hypotheses
• Aquatic species richness (fishes and decapods)
will be:
–
–
–
–
–
higher within larger drainage areas.
lower above waterfalls that limit dispersal (fishes).
lower above more road crossings (fishes).
lower below areas of high road density.
lower in areas with a high percentage of agricultural
and urban land uses.
Gobiomorus dormitor, bigmouth sleeper
presence
2
1
0
0
5000
10000
15000
distance from ocean (m)
20000
7
6
fishes
5
4
3
y = -0.0062x2 + 0.3116x + 1.2249
2
R2 = 0.651
1
0
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
Drainage area (km2)
30.0
35.0
40.0
Sqrt(Decapods) = 2.75 + 0.09*link –
0.27*area – 0.25*road density
Predictors significant at 0.05 level
R2 = 0.7982, p < 0.001
Shrimp density = 2.2 + .04(area)
+ .004(depth) - .014(macdens)
R^2=0.34
600
Atya Shrimp
500
400
Observed
300
Expected
200
100
0
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
Pools
15
17
19
21
23
25
INDIVIDUAL BASED MODELING: SWARM
Hypothesized Shrimp Movement Rules
Rule set 1: Ideal free distribution , 9 shrimp /m2
8.5
9.0
8.8
Rule set 2: Elevation, Area
Elevation > 400m , 18 shrimp /m2
Elevation < 400m , 6 shrimp /m2
Rule set 3 : Predator
Rule set 4: Predator, Elevation, Area
Best Predictors:
Rule set: Predator, Area and nearest pool distance
600
Atya Shrimp
500
400
Observed
300
Expected
200
100
0
1
3
5
7
9
11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25
Pools ( upstream->)
individuals
populations
communities
ecosystems
Physical
models
Social
models
Individual
Based
models
Biological
models
Acknowledgements
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Felipe Blanco
Dave Kikkert
Ruth Kikkert
Maria Ocasio Torres
Enrique Marrero
Coralys Ortiz
Andy Crowl
Paul Nicholson
Kaua Friola
Wyatt Cross
Andrew Pike
Kirk Sherrill