Regional species richness,hydrological characteristics and the local species richness of assemblages of North American stream fishes

1. Local assemblage structure, from a deterministic perspective, is presumably dictated by the regional species pool as well as regulated by local factors. We examined the relationships of the regional species pool and local hydrological characteristics to local species richness of North American freshwater fishes using data sets collected during the National Water Quality Assessment program conducted by the United States Geological Survey. 2. We predicted that local species richness is ultimately constrained by the composition of the regional species pool and further associated with local hydrological factors. Moreover, we predicted that variation in local species richness within major families can be explained by different combinations of hydrological characteristics that represent lineage‐specific responses to the environment. 3. Daily discharge and regional and local species richness data were assembled from 41 stream localities across the United States. Multiple stepwise regressions were conducted to predict local species richness, based on regional species richness, mean discharge and hydrological characteristics quantified by nine variables characterising flow variability. Species richness at each site was calculated for the entire assemblage as well as within the four most species‐rich families in the data set (Catostomidae, Centrarchidae, Cyprinidae and Percidae). 4. Local species richness was best predicted by a combination of regional species richness and discharge magnitude when all species were considered. Regional species richness was a significant explanatory variable of local species richness for three of four families (Catostomidae, Centrarchidae, Cyprinidae), but not for Percidae. Local richness in Centrarchidae and Cyprinidae was positively correlated with temporal flow variability as well as high and low flow duration, respectively, while richness in Catostomidae and Percidae tended to be associated with discharge volume. In addition, local species richness for three of the four major families was positively correlated with species richness of the other families in the assemblage, potentially suggesting the influence of local habitat quality and heterogeneity. 5. Results suggest the importance of the combined influences of the regional species pool and local hydrological characteristics on local richness in freshwater fishes, with variation in richness within each family predicted by different characteristics of flow regimes.