An invader in salmonid rearing habitat: current and future distributions of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the Columbia River Basin

Abstract

Invasive species and climate change are leading threats to freshwater ecosystems. In the Columbia River Basin (CRB), nonnative fishes are a critical consideration in salmon recovery, yet managers lament a lack of distribution information. Combining a species distribution model (SDM) with environmental DNA (eDNA), we locate range boundary regions of nonnative smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) and evaluate its overlap with native salmonids. A combination of thermal, hydrological, and geomorphic variables predict that smallmouth bass is distributed across ∼18 000 river kilometres and overlaps with 3%–62% of rearing habitat of salmonids (species-dependent) in the CRB. Under a moderate climate change scenario, smallmouth bass is predicted to expand its range by two-thirds (totaling ∼30 000 river kilometres) by 2080. Basin-wide models were sufficiently accurate to identify upstream invasion extents to within 15 km of the eDNA-based boundary, and including eDNA data improved model performance at critical range boundary regions without sacrificing broadscale model performance. Our study highlights how eDNA approaches can supplement large geospatial data sets to result in more accurate SDM predictions, guiding nonnative species management.