Reviewed by: John Newberry

Biology Department

Tennessee Tech University

Cookeville, TN 38505

Article Title: “Introduction: An Overview of Stream Ecosystems”

Author: K.W. Cummins, C.E. Cushing and G.W. Minshall

Source: “River and Stream Ecosystems, Ecosystems of the World 22”

Review:

This book chapter gives an overview of the study of stream ecosystems. The historical perspectives are discussed as well as the current approaches to stream ecology. The River Continuum Concept is addressed fairly thoroughly. The slight adjustments to the original RCC are discussed in detail as well.

Critique:

This chapter was very informative from the start when it reviewed the schools of thought from stream ecology’s past. It is interesting that stream ecology got its start in Europe over a hundred years ago dealing mainly with the taxonomy of stream organisms. In the U.S.A. the early science of stream ecology dealt mainly with fishery biology. Gradually the science shifted to more holistic views of stream ecosystems. These holistic views seemed to culminate with the River Continuum concept. The RCC views streams as continuous systems affected by gradients and other physical factors and the living organisms reactions to these factors. The authors showed that there is a need to do more studies that take into account the larger picture of stream systems. While saying this, the authors also pointed out that it is hard to do this because adjustments to populations take place over many years in most cases. This makes it hard to get a clear picture of the long term variability in organisms. While the original RCC model focused on hydrological and geomorphological characteristics and how populations adapt to these, there have been some modifications proposed. The authors told that the original ideas have changed slightly to include tributary effects, climate, nutrient spiraling, riparian influence, as well as other factors. They said that these factors taken into account all make the RCC a more reliable tool. It was an interesting chapter in that it gave a very helpful overview of what has been done in the science of stream ecology and where we are now.

Scientific Merit:

This study definitely has merit because it tries to get everyone up to date and on the same page with the past, present, and hopefully the future of stream ecology.

Completeness:

I thought that the paper was well written and very informative.

Problems:

The only problem that I had was that some concepts of the chapter were hard to understand since my background is not in stream biology.

Benefits:

The main benefit is that the chapter tells where stream ecology is right now as a science. It also shows the tools needed to get the science where it needs to be.

Additional Research:

It shows that local spatial and temporal components need further consideration in the RCC model.