Stream water temperature and climate change: An ecological perspective.

摘要

Rivers and streams are complex environments where physical, biological and chemical processes take place simultaneously and jointly determine the water quality. Freshwater must be well managed and protected because it shelters an enormous amount of aquatic species. In this context, stream water temperature is a crucial water quality parameter, for it determines the fitness and life of all aquatic organisms. This work reviews the thermal tolerance of such organisms, summarizes their behavioral and physiological responses to temperature, and outlines the major factors determining water temperature.; To predict the influence of both air temperature and climate change on streams, Mohseni's non-linear regression model is reviewed and applied to several monitored watersheds in Ontario. A detailed case study involving Wilmot creek shows both the suitability of Mohseni's model for existing temperature regimes, and predicts that an increase of 5°C in air temperature will likely result in an increase in average weekly stream temperatures of between 2.6 and 3.3°C.