Barriers beget barriers: the political-ecological drivers and consequences of aquatic invasive species (ais) management

Fauser, Christian Holmes (2023) Barriers beget barriers: the political-ecological drivers and consequences of aquatic invasive species (ais) management. Masters thesis, Northern Arizona University.

Text Fauser_2023_barriers_beget_barriers_political-ecological_drivers_conse.pdf - Published Version Download (2MB)

Abstract

The establishment and spread of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) is considered a threat to the ecological health and populations of Aquatic Native Species (ANS) in Central Arizona’s freshwater ecosystems. Management efforts to address AIS with fish barriers create significant policy and ecological challenges. While seemingly effective at preventing the upstream spread of AIS, fish barriers often mimic dams by disrupting the hydrological connectivity of a river. By diminishing a river's free-flowing nature, barrier use potentially disqualifies a river from other conservation strategies such as Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (WSRA) designations. The conflicting conservation aims between the WSRA and fish barrier use has yet to be adjudicated. A proposal for two barriers on the WSRA-eligible Upper Verde River (UVR) in Arizona highlights this policy mismatch. Against that backdrop this study asks, “What political-ecological factors influence aquatic native species (ANS) conservation in the Verde River watershed?” Through both policy and spatial analysis, the study reveals the role of state-level recreational fish stocking programs in perpetuating AIS presence in the greater Verde Watershed and the resulting need to construct fish barriers to protect the Federally listed endangered ANS with Critical Habitat in the UVR. Given that similar conflicts between AIS management and the WSRA will arise, findings offer management solutions that can successfully address the issue of AIS while retaining the Federal protections offered to eligible rivers through the WSRA.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Publisher’s Statement:	© Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords:	Endangered Species Act; Fish Barriers; Hydrological Connectivity; Invasive Species; Verde River; Wild and Scenic Rivers; Arizona; Verde River Waterhsed
Subjects:	Q Science > QK Botany
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Student
Department/Unit:	Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences > School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability
Date Deposited:	09 Jul 2026 22:04
Last Modified:	09 Jul 2026 22:04
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/6288

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