TEMPORARY STREAMS : THE HYDROLOGY , GEOGRAPHY , AND ECOLOGY OF NON - PERENNIALLY FLOWING WATERS Owen

Temporary streams represent a significant yet understudied and particularly vulnerable portion of river networks. While the vast majority of stream and river research to date has focused on perennial flowing waters, recent work reveals that temporary streams are not only abundant and widely distributed, but also play a significant role in the hydrological and ecological integrity of lotic networks. In this chapter, we seek to summarize the current state of the science of these ubiquitous portions of river networks while simultaneously stressing the need for their future investigation. We begin by defining temporary streams and their hydrology and highlighting their abundance and extent. We then consider the ecological significance of temporary streams, including their role as faunal and floral habitat providers, biogeochemical processors, and connectivity corridors within river networks. The chapter concludes with a discussion of policy issues surrounding temporary streams and the anthropogenic disturbances they face.