Quantifying flow–ecology relationships across flow regime class and ecoregions in South Carolina

The natural flow regime (i.e. magnitude, frequency, duration, timing and rate of change events) is crucial for maintaining freshwater biodiversity ecosystem services. Protecting instream from anthropogenic alterations first requires an understanding the relationship between aquatic organisms regime. In this study, we used a unique framework based on random forest modeling to quantify effects metrics fish macroinvertebrate assemblages across ecoregions types in state South Carolina, USA. We found that all components affected both benthic assemblages, suggesting aspects critical protecting diversity. identified hydrologic such as duration events, were associated with greatest ecological responses individual stream classes help managers prioritize biological interest during environmental standard development. response varied classifications ecoregions, highlighting importance accounting differences ecoregion when designing standards. provide flexible statistical flow-ecology relationships can be inform management assess alteration riverine assemblages.