Imperiled Great Basin terminal lakes: Synthesizing ecological and hydrological science gaps and research needs for waterbird conservation

Garth Herring; Ashley L. Whipple; Cameron L. Aldridge; Bryce Alan Pulver; Collin A. Eagles-Smith; Rich D. Inman; Elliott Matchett; Adrian P. Monroe; Elizabeth Kari Orning; Benjamin Seward Robb; Jessica E. Shyvers; Bryan C. Tarbox; Nathan D. Van Schmidt; Cassandra Smith; Matthew J. Holloran; Cory T. Overton; David O’Leary; Michael L. Casazza; Rebecca J. Frus

doi:10.1093/biosci/biae126

Imperiled Great Basin terminal lakes: Synthesizing ecological and hydrological science gaps and research needs for waterbird conservation

BioScience

By: Garth Herring, Ashley L. Whipple, Cameron L. Aldridge, Bryce Alan Pulver, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Rich D. Inman, Elliott Matchett, Adrian P. Monroe, Elizabeth Kari Orning, Benjamin Seward Robb, Jessica E. Shyvers, Bryan C. Tarbox, Nathan D. Van Schmidt, Cassandra Smith, Matthew J. Holloran, Cory T. Overton, David O’Leary, Michael L. Casazza, and Rebecca J. Frus

https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae126

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Abstract

Terminal lakes are declining globally because of human water demands, drought, and climate change. Through literature synthesis and feedback from the resource and conservation community, we review the state of research for terminal lakes in the Great Basin of the United States, which support millions of waterbirds annually, to prioritize ecological and hydrologic information needs. From an ecological perspective, research priorities include measuring the underlying differences in waterbird resource selection and distribution, migratory connectivity, abiotic factors that interact with prey densities to affect prey availability, and waterbird fitness or demography. Integrated links between water availability, water quality, and food webs are lacking in the literature. Scarce water availability data hinder the current knowledge of water extraction and evapotranspiration rates. Research that can address these priorities would help advance our understanding of how the Great Basin terminal lakes function as an interrelated system and support conservation efforts to reverse the decline of these critical lakes.

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Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	Imperiled Great Basin terminal lakes: Synthesizing ecological and hydrological science gaps and research needs for waterbird conservation
Series title	BioScience
DOI	10.1093/biosci/biae126
Volume	75
Issue	2
Publication Date	December 13, 2024
Year Published	2025
Language	English
Publisher	Oxford Academic
Contributing office(s)	Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
Description	15 p.
First page	112
Last page	126
Country	United States
State	California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah
Other Geospatial	Great Basin