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Exploring thermal conditions occupied by Lampreys (Petromyzontidae) in California and Northern Baja California: current environment and implications for future scenarios

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Abstract

California (USA) is home to a diverse lamprey fauna that historically occupied streams throughout the state and into Baja California (México). Recent range fluctuations by anadromous Pacific Lamprey, Entosphenus tridentatus, in its southern range have caused concern with regard to anticipated climatic changes and warming of stream habitats. Examination of temperature tolerances in lampreys has generally been conducted in the laboratory. Here we associate modeled mean August water temperatures (AugTw) of stream reaches currently occupied by lampreys in California for periods 2002–2011, 2040, 2080, and + 3 °C scenarios. The nine lamprey taxa in California occupy a considerable range in temperatures, reflecting their broad elevational and latitudinal ranges, with 2002–2011 AugTw of 7.9–25.9 °C. This includes the current distribution of the anadromous Pacific Lamprey (10.3–25.9 °C). Under a projected relatively extreme + 3 °C increase, only eight streams state-wide are projected to have reaches exceeding AugTw of 28.0 °C, accounting for 2.6% of currently occupied habitat. Actual 2021 August water temperatures surveyed at selected sites with high modeled 2002–2011 temperatures and currently occupied by Pacific Lamprey ranged from 18.5 to 32.6 °C (mean, 27.9 °C). Projected temperature increases suggest that future conditions may be within the range currently encountered and tolerated by Pacific Lamprey. Empirical observations of multiple-year classes of ammocoetes (lamprey larvae) in warmer stream reaches suggest that lampreys are successfully rearing in streams that reach temperatures close to the upper lethal limits suggested by laboratory studies. How they do this is not clear, but may involve both physiological tolerances and behavioral responses to high-temperature conditions. Our results also suggest that rising stream temperatures are not likely to restrict the distribution of western lampreys in the foreseeable future, and therefore, conservation strategies should focus on other issues, such as restoring access to historical habitats, avoiding stream desiccation, and restoring natural flow regimes.

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Data published in this manuscript are available upon request.

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Acknowledgements

Patricia Bratcher, Douglas Killam, and Duane Linande (California Department of Fish and Wildlife; Redding, Red Bluff, and Rancho Cordova offices), as well as Max Stevenson (Streamkeeper, Solano County Water Agency) provided temperature data and background for selected streams.

Funding

Funding for this effort and other lamprey conservation efforts in California was provided by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (Region 8).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Western Fishes, Ashland, OR, USA

    Stewart B. Reid

  2. CalTrout (U.S. Fish and Wildlife), Mount Shasta, CA, USA

    Damon H. Goodman

  3. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife), Arcata, CA, USA

    Damon H. Goodman

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  1. Stewart B. Reid
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Correspondence to Stewart B. Reid.

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Ethics approval and consent to participate

Sampling efforts were carried out according to the Guidelines for the Use of Fishes in Research published in 2014 by the joint committee of the American Fisheries Society, the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists, and the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.

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The authors declare no competing interest.

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Reid, S.B., Goodman, D.H. Exploring thermal conditions occupied by Lampreys (Petromyzontidae) in California and Northern Baja California: current environment and implications for future scenarios. Environ Biol Fish 107, 537–550 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-024-01549-8

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