TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Healthy watersheds create healthy fish populations, a connection that brought the Alabama Water Institute’s CONSERVE Research Group to the Southeastern Fishes Council’s annual meeting in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 20. CONSERVE sponsored the conference to share how their nature-based watershed restoration work supports the diverse freshwater ecosystems on which southeastern fish species depend.
“CONSERVE was pleased to have an opportunity to network with other ecosystem and watershed scientists from across the Southeast to discuss the advancements in fish science and watershed habitat conservation,” said Dr. Michael Fedoroff, CONSERVE executive director.
Dozens of students, graduate and undergraduate alike, approached the CONSERVE team during the conference, not just to collect information about their work, but many inquired how they could get involved and even volunteer on upcoming field surveys.
“Our team contributes greatly through our applied research to healthy watershed habitats that have direct impacts to many of the diverse fish species across the southeastern United States, therefore it was a pleasure to meet some of our upcoming student researchers in this field,” Fedoroff said. “This meeting gives our CONSERVE group a chance to recruit talented students interested in watershed and fish conservation work to come and work with The University of Alabama.”
The conference drew 250 scientists, students and conservation professionals, with attendance numbers expected to break previous records. CONSERVE sponsored an afternoon poster session featuring approximately 50 research presentations and an evening event at the Alabama Museum of Natural History, creating space for students and professionals to discuss everything from species genetics to habitat restoration strategies.
“The SFC is very student-focused, so many of the presentations we saw were actually from students to give them an opportunity to talk about their research and practice their presentation skills,” said Parker King, CONSERVE graduate research assistant. “There were expert fish scientists there from across the region.”
Why Rivercane Helps Fish Populations
The students who approached CONSERVE were drawn to the group’s restoration projects involving rivercane, North America’s only native bamboo. It stabilizes stream banks to prevent erosion, provides shade that cools water temperatures for fish, and creates habitat structure in riparian areas. The plant also absorbs nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural runoff, improving water quality in watersheds that support Alabama’s nationally recognized aquatic biodiversity.
Dr. Katie Horton, CONSERVE postdoctoral fellow, is working under principal investigators Fedoroff and Dr. Michael McKain to lead the development of a new 12-state survey to document rivercane populations across the plant’s historical range and create a database connecting physical traits, genes and environmental conditions that will benefit restoration efforts across the Southeast. The database will be informed by surveys that will map rivercane locations with high-precision GPS equipment and collect physical and environmental data as well as tissue samples to be prepared for sequencing and analysis using CONSERVE’s state-of-the-art genetics equipment. This analysis will contribute to the understanding of rivercane’s population diversity and how clonal organisms respond to stress. Additionally, tribal communities will be able to use the database to locate mature stands suitable for cultural practices like basketry.
“We had several students interested in participating,” King said. “After talking about our rivercane work, many expressed interest in getting involved with our surveys and fieldwork. If they are that excited and interested, we may be open to opportunities with them.”
Students from universities throughout the region could contribute to fieldwork in their home states. CONSERVE has already partnered with tribes including the Poarch Creek Indians, Jena Band of Choctaw Indians and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, with whom they completed the largest rivercane restoration in Alabama state history in Choctaw County.
Building Conservation Partnerships
The Southeast holds the greatest global biodiversity of temperate freshwater fishes, with well over half of all species found in North America concentrated in the region. The SFC was formed in 1975 by scientists concerned with increasing environmental threats to southeastern rivers, and the annual meeting rotates throughout the region each year to connect researchers working on these challenges.
Fedoroff and Horton attended the conference along with King. A dozen UA students participated in the meeting, which drew researchers from as far as Ohio and Texas.
The conference included presentations from university scientists, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff and state agency representatives, including the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and Geological Survey of Alabama, in addition to nonprofit organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and local riverkeeper organizations. Students presented research on specific river ecosystems, fish genetics, species distribution mapping and habitat preferences for threatened species. CONSERVE recruits students interested in conservation research, with undergraduate and graduate research assistantships available throughout the year. The research group works to deliver nature-based watershed conservation practices across Alabama’s watersheds, which are nationally recognized as having the most diverse ecology in the U.S. CONSERVE collaborates with collocated partners including NOAA’s National Water Center, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USFWS and the U.S. Geological Survey.