Pioneer Species Metric Changes as a Result of Increased Anthropogenic Disturbance: Statewide Patterns and a Case Study of Four Ohio Streams

Smith (1971) coined the term “pioneer species” to represent the first fish species to recolonize an intermittent stream after water returned to small headwater streams in central Illinois. Smith described a list of species that were representative of adventitious taxa that were tolerant to extremes in environmental conditions including thermal, low dissolved oxygen, increased siltation and cementation of sediments, and generally included members of the herbivore or insectivore feeding guilds.