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Status and Trends of Ontario’s Sydenham River Ecosystem in Relation to Aquatic Species at Risk
Shawn K. Staton1, A. Dextrase2, J.L. Metcalfe-Smith3,
J. Di Maio3, M. Nelson4, Parish Geomorphic Ltd.5, B. Kilgour6 and E. Holm7
1Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, Canada, L7R 4A6; 2Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Species at Risk Section, Ontario Parks, 300 Water St., Peterborough, ON, Canada; 3National Water Research Institute, Environment Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, Canada, L7R 4A6; 4School of Rural Planning and Development, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; 510 Mountainview Road South, Suite 207, Georgetown, ON, Canada; 6Jacques Whitford Environment Ltd., 2781 Lancaster Road, Suite 200, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 7Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON, Canada
(1Author for correspondence: e-mail: StatonS@DFO-MPO.GC.CA; Tel: (905) 336-4864)
Abstract
The Sydenham River in southwestern Ontario is located in the
Mixedwood Plains Ecozone, which supports the greatest diversity of flora and
fauna in Canada. The river historically supported a rich aquatic community that
included 80 fishes and 34 species of freshwater mussels. Fourteen aquatic species
native to the river (8 fishes, 5 mussels and 1 turtle) have been designated as
endangered, threatened, or of special concern by the Committee on the Status of
Species at Risk in Canada (COSEWIC). A multi-agency Recovery Team was formed in
1999 to ensure the continued survival of these and other rare species in the
river. The Sydenham River Recovery Team is the first in Canada to adopt an
ecosystem approach to recovery planning for aquatic species. Information on
land use patterns, water quality trends, the physical condition of the river,
and the distributions of aquatic species at risk was synthesized to gain an
understanding of the overall health of the river and its major anthropogenic
stresses. Seven of the species at risk have declined in distribution or
abundance, and three may be extirpated. The main threat to fishes and mussels
is heavy loadings of sediment, nutrients, and possibly pesticides to the river
via tile drainage and overland runoff from agricultural lands. A strategy that
incorporates four overall approaches (management, stewardship, research and
monitoring, and awareness and outreach) was developed to recover and protect
this globally significant freshwater ecosystem.
Keywords
aquatic ecosystem, endangered species, fluvial
geomorphology, land use, recovery strategy, Sydenham River, water quality
Article ID: 5141344
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