Extreme natural events, like major floods, are very rare and difficult to document because they are unpredictable. It is clear, however, that they must have profound effects on many facets of geology, flora and fauna. Large-scale floods are of obvious importance for aquatic ecosystems. The amount of water and the force with which it is flowing temporarily will physically destroy or displace many aquatic organisms. Only if one has relevant data from just before a flood and is able to collect comparative data right after a flood, can one take advantage of such a situation. This research builds on a long-term study of fish communities and population genetics of fishes from several sites in Tabasco, Mexico that have recently been impacted by the large flood that occurred in the region in November 2007. The extensive data from before the flood provides an unparalleled opportunity to examine the impacts on fish communities and population abundance and genetic structure using modern morphological and molecular genetic techniques. This study will investigate the consequences of the flood on species richness and population abundance of fish at several previously sampled sites and examine population genetic consequences for Poecilia mexicana.
This research will contribute to our understanding of how large-scale weather events impact communities and populations. The frequency of such weather events are predicted to increase with global change. In addition, this study will provide international research experiences for undergraduate students and will foster international collaboration with Mexican scientists.
