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Reviewed: 7/27/2021 Construction of River Fish Community Guilds Using Life History Characteristics and Multivariate Classification Methods: Case Study Trinity River, Dr. George Guillen, Jenny Wrast, & Dianna Ramirez Environmental Institute of Houston, University of Houston Clear Lake

BALON CLUSTER/GUILD COMMON NAME FAMILY TROPHIC TOLERANCE LEVEL 1 FOCAL SPECIES Introduction Agonostomus monticola mountain mullet Mugilidae O N CAT no Anguilla rostrata American eel Anguillidae P N CAT no Cluster 1: Mix Brood Campostoma anomalum central stoneroller H N A2 no During 2009 we conducted a project funded by the Trinity River Authority (TRA) and others to evaluate spatial and temporal trends in Trinity River fish Hider and Catadromous Cyprinella venusta blacktail shiner Cyprinidae IF N A2 no Fish populations and communities. A comprehensive database and accompanying analysis was used to support recent ecological instream flow analyses of the spectabile orangethroat darter IF N A2 no Semotilus atromaculatus creek chub Cyprinidae P N A2 no Trinity River conducted by the Trinity-San Jacinto River and Galveston Bay, Basin and Bay expert Science Team (BBEST) in support of SB3 initiatives Alosa chrysochloris skipjack herring Clupeidae P N A1 no associated with the Galveston Bay watershed (Guillen et al. 2009). A total of 134 species were identified. However, to evaluate potential flow ecology Cluster 2: Predator, Esox americanus redfin pickerel Esocidae P N A1 no Open SubsTrinity Morone chrysops white bass Moronidae P N A1 Trinity River relationships, it was necessary to reduce and focus the analysis on target “focal” species of concern. These species represented sensitive species and/or Riverate Spawner Morone mississippiensis yellow bass Moronidae P N A1 no Morone saxatilis striped bass Moronidae P N A1 no important game fish. To address potential impacts on the entire community we also attempted to reduce the original species matrix into a smaller group of Ameiurus melas black bullhead Ictaluridae O T B2 no Ameiurus natalis yellow bullhead Ictaluridae O N B2 no Cluster 3: Omnivore, ecologically similar “guilds” based on habitat preferences, environmental tolerances, trophic levels, reproductive traits and biological processes. We utilized Cyprinodon variegatus sheepshead Cyprinodontidae O T B2 no Tolerant, Nest Spawners Ictalurus punctatus channel catfish Ictaluridae O T B2 no cluster analysis techniques to construct guilds based on the similarity of these traits. These guilds represent species assemblages with analogous life Pimephales promelas fathead minnow Cyprinidae O T B2 no history characteristics which should exhibit similar responses to environmental stressors. In addition previously identified candidate “focal” species were Amia calva bowfin Amiidae P T B2 no Atractosteus spatula alligator gar Lepisosteidae P T A1 Trinity River Cluster 4: Predator, Lepisosteus oculatus spotted gar Lepisosteidae P T A1 no examined to determine if they were present in most guilds. Membership in a guild would suggest that the focal species exhibits life history characteristics Tolerant, Open and Nest Lepisosteus osseus longnose gar Lepisosteidae P T A1 San Jacinto River Spawners similar to other members of the group. Management of flow regimes for protection of this focal species could be used to protect associated guilds. Lepomis cyanellus green sunfish Centrarchidae P T B2 no Lepomis gulosus warmouth Centrarchidae P T B2 no Ammocrypta vivax scaly sand darter Percidae IF N A1 no Fundulus blairae western starhead topminnow Fundulidae IF N A1 no Fundulus chrysotus golden topminnow Fundulidae IF N A1 no Methods Fundulus notatus blackstripe topminnow Fundulidae IF N A1 no amnis pallid shiner Cyprinidae IF N A1 San Jacinto River Lythrurus fumeus ribbon shiner Cyprinidae IF N A1 San Jacinto River To facilitate construction of meaningful species guilds we classified species based on published literature into their respective trophic levels, water quality Lythrurus umbratilis redfin shiner Cyprinidae IF N A1 no Macrhybopsis hyostoma shoal chub Cyprinidae IF N A1 no tolerance, reproductive behavior, and early life history classifications (Balon 1975; Balon 1981; Linam and Kleinsasser 1998; Simon 1999). If data were Membras martinica rough silverside Atherinopsidae IF N A1 no Menidia beryllina inland silverside Atherinopsidae IF N A1 no Cluster 5: Invertivore, lacking for a species we would utilize information from taxonomically related species that share similar life history traits. After compiling the list of fish Menidia peninsulae tidewater silverside Atherinopsidae IF N A1 no Open SubsTrinity Minytrema melanops spotted sucker Catostomidae IF N A1 no Riveratum Spawner species and their associated attributes, a multivariate cluster analysis technique (Wards algorithm, squared Euclidean distance) was used to classify Moxostoma poecilurum blacktail redhorse Catostomidae IF N A1 San Jacinto River species (observations) based on shared characteristics (Romesburg 1990). Cluster analysis was run using the Minitab software package supplemented by Notropis atherinoides emerald shiner Cyprinidae IF N A1 no Notropis atrocaudalis blackspot shiner Cyprinidae IF N A1 Trinity & San Jacinto Rivers the Clustan software package using the “Best Cut” procedure to identify the appropriate number of groups (Wishart 2006). This process produced a Notropis buchanani ghost shiner Cyprinidae IF N A1 no Notropis potteri chub shiner Cyprinidae IF N A1 no multivariate dendrogram which depicts the similarity of species and species groups based on shared life history attributes. After examination of the output Notropis sabinae Sabine shiner Cyprinidae IF N A1 no Notropis shumardi silverband shiner Cyprinidae IF N A1 Trinity River we then classified fish species with highest group affinities into community guilds. Notropis stramineus sand shiner Cyprinidae IF N A1 no Notropis texanus weed shiner Cyprinidae IF N A1 no Phenacobius mirabilis suckermouth minnow Cyprinidae IF N A1 no Aphredoderus sayanus pirate Aphredoderidae IF N C1 no Results Elassoma zonatum banded pygmy sunfish Elassomatidae IF N B1 no Fish species with similar traits were placed into one of 14 community guilds (Figure 1 and Table 1). We then checked to see if at least one candidate “focal” Cluster 6: Invertivore, Etheostoma artesiae redspot darter Percidae IF N B1 no SubsTrinity Riverate Etheostoma chlorosomum bluntnose darter Percidae IF N B1 no species (from both San Jacinto and Trinity River lists) occurred in each of the community guilds and could therefore theoretically serve as indicator species Choosers & Others Etheostoma gracile slough darter Percidae IF N B1 no Etheostoma histrio harlequin darter Percidae IF N B1 no for that guild as well. Focal species were associated with many of the specific clusters or guilds. Gambusia affinis western mosquitofish Poeciliidae IF N C2 no Aplondinotus grunniens freshwater drum Sciaenidae IF T A1 Trinity River Cluster 7: Mainly Ctenopharyngodon idella grass carp Cyprinidae H T A1 no Invertivore, Tolerant, Cyprinella lutrensis red shiner Cyprinidae IF T A2 no Open and Nest Lepomis macrochirus bluegill Centrarchidae IF T B2 no Spawners Notemigonus crysoleucas golden shiner Cyprinidae IF T A1 no Carpiodes carpio river carpsucker Catostomidae O T A1 no Cyprinus carpio common carp Cyprinidae O T A1 no Conclusions: Cluster 8: Omnivore, Dorosoma cepedianum gizzard shad Clupeidae O T A1 no Fish Guilds Based on Cluster Analysis of Life History Traits of Selected Species Tolerant, Mainly Open Hybognathus nuchalis silvery minnow Cyprinidae O T A1 no Trinity and San Jacinto River focal species are Spawners Hybognathus placitus plains minnow Cyprinidae O T A1 no Ward Linkage, Squared Euclidean Distance Oreochromis aureus blue tilapia Cichlidae O T B1 no found in 7 of the 14 cluster groupings. These Poecilia latipinna sailfin molly Poeciliidae O T C2 no Centrarchus macropterus flier Centrarchidae IF N B2 no clusters or guilds represent a wide range of Lepomis auritus redbreast sunfish Centrarchidae IF N B2 no -1119.70 Lepomis humilis orangespotted sunfish Centrarchidae IF N B2 no spawning habitats and life history requirements. Lepomis marginatus dollar sunfish Centrarchidae IF N B2 no Cluster 9: Invertivore, Lepomis megalotis longear sunfish Centrarchidae IF N B2 Trinity River Cluster analysis and other multivariate analyses Nest Spawners Lepomis microlophus redear sunfish Centrarchidae IF N B2 no Lepomis miniatus redspotted sunfish. Centrarchidae IF N B2 no when combined with species life history traits Lepomis symmetricus bantam sunfish Centrarchidae IF N B2 no Opsopoeodus emiliae pugnose minnow Cyprinidae IF N B2 no should provide a method for organizing and Pimephales vigilax bullhead minnow Cyprinidae IF N B2 no

y -713.13 Cycleptus elongatus blue sucker Catostomidae IF I A1 no t i Cluster 10: Mainly r defining coherent guilds based on life history Fundulus olivaceus blackspotted topminnow Fundulidae IF I A1 no

a Invertivore, Intolerant, Labidesthes sicculus brook silverside Atherinopsidae IF I A1 no l i similarities and habitat use. This tool and Open Water Spawners Notropis volucellus mimic shiner Cyprinidae IF I A1 no

m Polyodon spathula paddlefish Polyodontidae O I A1 Trinity River i

S approach should facilitate future analyses of fish Dorosoma petenense threadfin shad Clupeidae O N A1 no Erimyzon oblongus creek chubsucker Catostomidae O N A1 San Jacinto River Cluster 11: Omnivore, Erimyzon sucetta lake chubsucker Catostomidae O N A1 no -306.57 community responses to changes in hydrological Open Water Spawners Ictiobus bubalus smallmouth buffalo Catostomidae O N A1 no regime, habitat and water quality. Improvements Ictiobus niger black buffalo Catostomidae O N A1 no Etheostoma parvipinne goldstripe darter Percidae IF I B1 no and future analyses will include refining and Cluster 12: Invertivore, Etheostoma proeliare cypress darter Percidae IF I B1 no Intolerant Noturus gyrinus tadpole madtom Ictaluridae IF I B2 no expanding life history attribute data including Noturus nocturnus freckled madtom Ictaluridae IF I B2 San Jacinto River Ichthyomyzon gagei southern brook lamprey Petromyzontidae None I A2 no 100.00 carbonaria Texas Percidae IF I A2 no a a s a e s s e e o s s s s s s s s e s s s s s s s s s s s e s a s r e s s s s s a a a e s s s i i e i s s s s s s s s o o s s s a a s s a s s s s a s s s s s s a e e s s i a a a i l t m t il i m a m i l i li i a x e i i i i li s t e x a i li c a m e li n r a d li a a li i i m li l a l i l r e i r d growth, longevity and more refined habitat and Cluster 13: Invertivore, o u u i r u u i u t u u u i a u u r u r r u p s i u u a u u u i i n l p e u u i l u u l u u n v u u u u n s u u u u u n u u r d i c ra l u t s b n fin u s u ac t r i t t lo h t ic il i l t t i d la t a lo n o n t n g et al ig v i r t t n e t om n li u o u id a a t i n ar e n b e t t e ta rp rp u a i t e n al l s tu t e i e c e n ir t e l ll u n li a n n ag a i ie ar t t a la u a a f t e r is e r m a a ia r g a la o la v a s e a e c i la o a m a t i s n r o d n t n a a a a a a a n h c r i c e lo a la s u id e a c u e h i e i r n p c Percina macrolepida bigscale logperch Percidae IF I A2 no s n t a a t m t u n p t m i c u li h c y i x n n b n v s t a m r s t y a u u a o b m i r m g t m c c a c a u p n s n le r h g a c c t p o r g o le s m n o m u e c y a n r o g h p u i g lo in e e v r u m n u o c i r p a e lo u u s b y o u b o r r i n l i l in a h p a x i s e c o n i u l a i ia a u p u o n o n t c v i c u a i r y u o a Intolerant, Brood Hiders o r o ac v e sa si o a os a a o a h g e o s s fu ct al n ac s so er h p s t b s b u ta s r n is f y a e n e c r c c s s u am te m u ri n r s es s d n p s at y g s oc s u s o u ro on li s ol p v p g ct on rb r n u m a n p z a r r is i s r m r m m u e s a i c i e e o n u h s s s m m b e m e e o u i is h r r a u p u u e s i l m c s s u r y d l c l o s s r o z a c i h ll a m la s s u a o m m c a ic s l s n m t y m s p o s b p l c p u u h a o h r p s t i s s s r d n p s a A i u s e r o a a e s e v a a s c a c s Percina sciera dusky darter Percidae IF I A2 Trinity River s i a o el a u b om l to to a m m m i s i m od a u u s i s o ic r a e is on a n z u i o y u s lu o r s i s as i p a p t at b o op is s p i u iu v p le u i o ri e u u om i li is m e u t g c g l s u h is on p m u n y a m er a u u r r m t h s s m o o m m y e h r p u x r d h n s r o y b t r d u b u s r id i a m a a i s r r s o e n s a i p c h h r c o t e s s s e m u l t a o r s m n conducting additional similarity analysis. This t n m e m o c s m s r c x o s z c c u u s t p i b e p t m s t o n p d n a P i m g m a i o a s s o o s p p i o is o o p lu s e o i g lo o r i o m io I o n l d y r r p b n d e i s i p o t o r o m o u h r a t a h e o p o s s u u in i s t u s o o t u u o i c o n to s r t od s eo a e e u e e m p p i s p e a u t m n y sa s o m so y i m t u u n h u o e i tr om p p o o r op ot c A d r p m a y m a n c o p e t o i ot n ry r p d e r y om os ot r y rc i n r Percina shumardi river darter Percidae IF I A2 no t A s p s G la m h h L L o e m e o m t r p o o E M o m r c m d H t r b m n t o o r N N t r a o lu e A C C o n o P e L c i s p o a p m le n i d t l t e u h e c e s o lu y o d h o t t h o L m s i c e o is P l M e r i E I F u y e M e y s r r t o t N n n a s g g e a e i n o c o o s N t t r P o p ti C e re E t t E E rc ep L p o p P I t r P x A n o r m n F L th y i n o t ot o N o e ri t i m o o o r L tr ep L d ig h y p y u ab N P o th o h P e n o h E s a e p p ic o o E A u h M M x o N h c r b b O p C e F e N c P o m t h o r L L e O o r D F y r o N N p I P o y A L n m o L C L h E I Ictalurus furcatus blue catfish Ictaluridae P N B2 Trinity River g a m E p e t L r M m o L ac M N P y D y lo te n t A C e A h n ic o M C H H p o e E should yield even more definitive groupings and S t e P M t E C M M A N C Micropterus punctulatus spotted bass Centrarchidae P N B2 no Cluster 14: Predator, Micropterus salmoides largemouth bass Centrarchidae P N B2 Trinity River Fish Species facilitate analyses of environmental impacts on Nest Spawners Pomoxis annularis white crappie Centrarchidae P N B2 no Pomoxis nigromaculatus black crappie Centrarchidae P N B2 no freshwater fish communities. Pylodictis olivaris flathead catfish Ictaluridae P N B2 San Jacinto River

Figure 1: Fish guilds identified from cluster analysis based on life history characteristics including Table 1: Fish guilds identified from cluster analysis based on life history characteristics including trophic level, water quality tolerance and reproductive behavior. (Balon level 1). Species list based on trophic level, water quality tolerance and reproductive behavior (Balon level 1). O = Omnivore, IF = Invertabrate abbreviated list using recommendations of TPWD and BBEST. Feeder, H = Herbivore, P = Picivore, N = Neutral, T = Tolerant, I = Intolerant, A1 = Open Substratum Spawner, A2 = Brood Hiders, B1 = Substratum Choosers, B2 = Nest Spawners, C1 = External Bearers, C2 = Internal Bearers, CAT = Catadromous

Funding Provided By: Guillen, G.J., J. Wrast and D. Ramirez. 2009. Ecological Overlay for the Trinity River for support of Development of Instream Environmental Flow Recommendations. Prepared for: Trinity River Authority and Texas Water Development Board In Cooperation with the Trinity River Authority. Houston, TX.