Integrating spatial stream network models and environmental DNA to estimate current and future distributions of nonnative Smallmouth Bass

Abstract

Climate change is fueling the rapid range expansion of invasive species in freshwater ecosystems. This has led to mounting calls from natural resource managers for more robust predictions of invasive species distributions to anticipate threats to species of concern and implement proactive conservation and restoration actions. Here, we applied recent advances in fish sampling and statistical modeling in river networks to estimate the current and future watershed-scale spatial distribution of nonnative Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu.