Transcript No Slide Title

Iowa Aquatic Gap: Modeling Fish Distributions in Iowa Rivers
Robin L. McNeely2, Anna K. Loan-Wilsey1, Patrick D. Brown2, Kevin L. Kane2, and Clay L. Pierce3
Upper Iowa River
1Department
of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa; 2GIS Facility, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa; 3USGS, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
Saukenuk Paddlers Canoe & Kayak Club
Chimney Rock, Upper Iowa River
Saukenuk Paddlers Canoe & Kayak Club
Aquatic Gap Goals
Hydrographic Base Layer
Aquatic GAP uses a modified version of the National
Hydrography Dataset (NHD). The original dataset is a
product of the collaboration between the USGS and the
USEPA.
The project area for Iowa encompasses 57 HUC level 8
watersheds. The individual watershed coverages were
appended into one coverage and modified with Arc AML
scripts provided by staff at the Missouri Resource
Assessment Partnership (MoRAP) in Columbia, MO.
E. Broadleaf Forest
Aquatic Subregion
http://nhd.usgs.gov
Provide
Aquatic Gap Analysis and Biodiversity Management
a standardized base layer for sample locational accuracy
Developing a Data Layer of Valley Segment Types
Characterize
aquatic biodiversity throughout Iowa at the regional, watershed,
and valley segment scales
Identify the extent to which current management efforts are conserving
aquatic biodiversity in Iowa at the regional, watershed, and valley segment
scales
Help to direct management, protection, restoration, and
educational efforts within Iowa’s river resources
Prioritize conservation efforts
Provide easy accessibility to all information
Example of a Distinct Valley Segment Type
Purpose
Delineate distinct stream environments
 Serve as the backbone for analyzing
conservation status of stream segments

* River Size: Medium
* Flow: Perennial
* Temperature: Warm
* Gradient: Moderate
* Soil Texture: Fine
* Size Discrepancy: Low
* Link Category: Moderate
* Elevation Category: Medium
* Subregion: Central Plains
Protocol
The Nature Conservancy’s Aquatic
Community Classification Framework
 Based on ecoregions and watersheds
aka EcoDrainage Units (EDUs)

Analysis Process
The modified NHD coverage was sent
to MoRAP for additional processing
that resulted in a set of standard
attributes being added to the
coverage table.
Central Plains
Aquatic Subregion
The Missouri Aquatic Gap modeling
process had determined a
recommended set of attributes and
MoRAP generated these attributes for
the Iowa coverage.
The predictor variables under consideration for modeling inputs include stream
flow, temperature, general size category, general downstream size category, soil or
geology indicator, gradient category, stream maximum and minimum elevation and
downstream size discrepancy category.
The Iowa Aquatic Gap team will
decide which of the available
attributes will actually be used in the
modeling process.
Species Range Determination
Step 2
Phase 1
Step 1
Assign attribute values to
reaches and run statistical
analyses to determine which
attributes describe variability.
Analyses are performed for
each of the 155 species to
determine modeling criteria.
Preliminary fish ranges based on sample data
were established at the HUC 8 level. Draft
maps for all 157 species were sent to
professional fish biologists in Iowa for review.
Final range maps will be used to limit the
predicted distribution of a species once the
model is run to identify potential river reaches.
NHD
Generate predicted distributions for
fish species from modeling criteria.
These results are analyzed with
terrestrial GAP stewardship data to
show to what extent a species is
protected on publicly owned or
managed land.
Step 3
Fish Community Database
Draft
Draft range map for Brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis
Assess the relative conservation status of
each valley segment type using stewardship
data. Develop initial conservation priorities for
fish species, valley segments, and
watersheds (quality and quantity).
Objectives

Create one database that would give electronic access to all historic riverine fish sampling data in Iowa

Geographically link each community collection to the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and to appropriate
Hydrologic Units using GIS
Predictive Distribution Modeling Process
AGAP staff either directly transferred or manually entered data obtained into a Microsoft Access relational
database consisting of separate but related tables that contain three primary elements:
 information about the collector and collection, including IBI if available
 information about the location of each sample
 information about the species collected
Fish Community Database
Data Collection
Database Creation
Shapefile Generation
By using a unique numeric identifier for each sample, a direct relationship back to the original data is ensured,
allowing other information not captured in our database to be retrieved by future investigators.
Expert
Review
 visiting 15 Iowa DNR offices and field stations across Iowa to acquire field notes and reports
 literature searches using bibliographies, print and electronic database indexes and abstracts, and library catalogs to
acquire published literature, dissertations and government reports
 acquiring museum collection records through web-accessible database searches as well as direct contact with
curators
 directly contacting individual fisheries investigators to acquire unpublished field notes
Fish Sample Locations
The AGAP Team:
Kevin Kane, Co-PI
AIT GIS Facility, ISU, [email protected]
Clay Pierce, Co-PI
Dept. Natural Resource Ecology and Management, ISU,
[email protected]
Patrick Brown, AGAP Web Interface
AIT GIS Facility, ISU, [email protected]
Robin McNeely, AGAP Hydrographic Base Layer
AIT GIS Facility, ISU, [email protected]
Anna Loan-Wilsey, Aquatic Habitat Biologist
Dept. Natural Resource Ecology and Management, ISU,
[email protected]
Please visit the following web pages for more
information about Aquatic Gap Analysis:
IRIS and Aquatic GAP - maps.gis.iastate.edu/iris
Iowa Gap Analysis - www.iowagap.iastate.edu
National Gap Analysis - www.gap.uidaho.edu/gap
Turkey River
Watershed
Plot Species Point Locations
Assign species to HUC 8
Expert Review of Ranges
Use sampled reach values for
predictor variables as input to
decision tree.
For each species, a statement will be
created of values for each predictor
variable.
To be comprehensive in data gathering, several methods were used to locate riverine fish records. These strategies
included:
Identify valley segments and
watersheds (HUC 8,10 and 12)
which are biologically significant
and of relatively high quality.
Species Point Distributions and
Range Maps
Predictive Distribution Models
Data Gathering Methods
 10,992 sampling sites
 155 fish species sampled
 All 99 counties sampled
 1884-2002 sampling date range
 169 individual sources of data
 Over 3200 unique stream reaches
100% 8-digit HUCs sampled
92.1% 10-digit HUCs sampled
73.2% 12-digit HUCs sampled
Step 4
State Fish Species List
Database Design
Fish Database Summary
Phase 2
AGAP Cooperators:
Predicted Distributions
ArcMap will be used to select relevant
values for each predictor variable per
fish and the selected reaches will be the
predicted distribution for that fish.
Final Products / Credits:
The Iowa Aquatic Gap Analysis Program will publish a final
report explaining the biodiversity status of breeding fish
species in the state. In conjunction with this biodiversity
analysis, an atlas of fish species will also be published.
The documents will be available on CD and on the Iowa
Aquatic GAP website in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format. The GIS
datasets used to create the stewardship and aquatic species
layers will be available for downloading via ftp service. This
same GIS data will be available for interactive viewing and
querying over the Internet using ESRI’s Internet Map Server
software.
Credits:
Iowa State University
Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources
Missouri Resource Assessment Partnership
National Gap Analysis Program
Accessibility of Information
Aquatic GAP data users will have on-line, real time
access to data through an ArcIMS map service and
the ability to download data through FTP. Access via
the internet map server will allow users to have the
latest version of data without relying on updates to
CDs plus the ability to analyze the data using GIS
tools without the purchase of costly software. The
Iowa Aquatic Gap dataset will be part of the IRIS IMS
service.
The web interface will include basic GIS
functions, including the ability to query, classify,
and select features. The site will also include
report functionality for user selected fish
species, river reaches or watersheds.
IRIS ArcIMS interface showing fish range
(http://maps.gis.iastate.edu/iris)
August 4, 2004