DOCSLIB.ORG

Species Status Assessment Report for the Colorado Pikeminnow Ptychocheilus Lucius

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Species Status Assessment Report for the Colorado Pikeminnow Ptychocheilus Lucius U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service FINAL March 2020 Species Status Assessment Report for the Colorado pikeminnow Ptychocheilus lucius U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Department of the Interior Upper Colorado Basin Region 7 Denver, CO FINAL Species Status Assessment March 2020 PREFACE This Species Status Assessment provides an integrated, scientifically sound assessment of the biological status of the endangered Colorado pikeminnow Ptychocheilus lucius. This document was prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), with assistance from state, federal, and private researchers currently working with Colorado pikeminnow. The writing team would like to acknowledge the substantial contribution of time and effort by those that participated in the Science Team. Writing Team Tildon Jones (Coordinator, Upper Colorado River Recovery Program) Eliza Gilbert (Program Biologist, San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program) Tom Chart (Director, Upper Colorado River Recovery Program) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species Status Assessment Advisory Group Craig Hansen (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 6) Reviewers and Collaborators Upper Colorado River Recovery Program Directors Office: Donald Anderson, Katie Busch, Melanie Fischer, Kevin McAbee, Cheyenne Owens, Julie Stahli Science Team: Kevin Bestgen, Jim Brooks, Darek Elverud, Eliza Gilbert, Steven Platania, Dale Ryden, Tom Chart Peer Reviewers: Keith Gido, Wayne Hubert Upper Colorado River Recovery Program Biology Committee Members: Paul Badame, Pete Cavalli, Harry Crockett, Bill Davis, Derek Fryer, Tom Pitts, Dale Ryden, Dave Speas, Melissa Trammell San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program Biology Committee: Ryan Besser, Harry Crockett, Stephen Davenport, Vincent Lamarra, Jacob Mazzone, Mark McKinstry, William Miller, Benjamin Schleicher, Tom Wesche, Brian Westfall, and Matthew Ziegler San Juan River Program Office Staff: Melissa Mata, Nate Franssen, Scott Durst Federal, State, and Private Collaborators and Other Interested Parties: Doug Osmundson Cover Photograph Credits a) Colorado River, Grand Canyon 1911 (National Park Service), b) upper Colorado River subbasin (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), and c) Green River subbasin (Utah Division of Wildlife Resources) ii FINAL Species Status Assessment March 2020 Recommended Reference U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2020. Species status assessment report for the Colorado pikeminnow Ptychocheilus lucius. Department of the Interior Upper Colorado Basin Region 7, Denver, Colorado. iii Species Status Assessment Report for Colorado pikeminnow Ptychocheilus lucius Prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This species status assessment (SSA) is a comprehensive review of demographic and habitat factors for the Colorado pikeminnow Ptychocheilus lucius (Girard 1856) and provides a thorough account of the species’ overall viability. The SSA analyzes the viability of the species across three extant populations, and considers resource conditions for the lower Colorado River basin where the species is currently extirpated. The SSA provides an overview of the species’ taxonomy, life cycle, historical distribution, and listing status under the Endangered Species Act. Species needs are described at the individual, population, and species level, and needs are organized into the concepts of resiliency, redundancy, and representation. Next, the SSA provides an overview of factors that can negatively influence the species or its habitat (stressors), followed by a description of conservation measures intended to mitigate those stressors. Current condition of demographic and habitat factors for each analysis unit is summarized, providing an overall ranking of current condition for each unit. The final section summarizes projections of future conditions for each analysis unit, based on model results from a recently completed population viability analysis. Species Background The Colorado pikeminnow is the largest member of the family Cyprinidae native to North America and a species endemic to warmwater reaches of large rivers in the Colorado River basin. It was the apex predator within these reaches, and is believed to be almost entirely piscivorous as an adult. The species can grow to a large size (>1.5 m [5 ft]) and live over fifty years. Colorado pikeminnow are known to make long distance migrations for spawning and return to their home range where they inhabit deep runs, pools, and eddies. Eggs hatch within the river substrate as spring peak flows decline, with the larvae carried potentially long distances by river flows to low velocity nursery habitats downstream of the cobble spawning bars. In these reaches, larvae and juveniles seek low to zero velocity backwaters that provide warm temperatures for growth and abundant food supply in the form of macroinvertebrates and small fish prey. Individuals become sexually mature between seven and ten years of age and can spawn repeatedly as adults. Both adult and nursery habitats, as well as spawning bars, are formed and maintained by high spring peak flows that move sediment, clean cobble substrates, and maintain channel complexity to provide a diversity of habitats. Colorado pikeminnow inhabit river reaches that historically experienced extremes in both flow and temperature on an annual basis, in addition to high turbidity from sediment inputs as a result of spring snow melt or flash floods. Historically, Colorado pikeminnow occurred throughout the warmwater reaches of the Colorado River basin, including the Green, Colorado, and San Juan subbasins of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico; downstream through the Colorado River mainstem in Arizona, Nevada, California, and Mexico; and the Gila River subbasin in Arizona and New Mexico. In the lower Colorado River basin (LCRB or ‘lower basin’) downstream of Glen Canyon Dam, the construction of dams and water projects diverted river flows, fragmented river reaches, reduced FINAL Species Status Assessment March 2020 peak flows, dewatered some reaches, and channelized the river starting in the early 20th century. As a result of extensive water development and modified hydrology and resultant habitats, Colorado pikeminnow were extirpated from the LCRB by the 1960s. In the upper Colorado River basin (UCRB or ‘upper basin’), including Lake Powell and its tributaries, the construction of large dams and diversions was more diffuse, leaving longer reaches of river available in downstream areas. Dams converted sections of rivers to coldwater tailraces, altered hydrology through reduced spring peaks, and presented barriers to migration. Nonnative sport fishes were also introduced into reservoirs and riverine habitats throughout the entire Colorado River basin; these species both compete with and prey upon Colorado pikeminnow. In the UCRB, Colorado pikeminnow populations exhibit contracted ranges and reduced abundances in the Green and upper Colorado river subbasins, and were functionally extirpated from the San Juan River subbasin. Population declines and extirpation from the LCRB, resulting from flow and habitat modifications and the impacts of nonnative species, led to Colorado pikeminnow being included in the 1967 List of Endangered Species and the original 1973 Endangered Species Act. Two recovery programs were established to enhance populations of the Colorado pikeminnow, one for the Green and upper Colorado subbasins, and one for the San Juan River subbasin. The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program (UCREFRP) was established to maintain and recover wild, self-sustaining populations of Colorado pikeminnow in the Green and upper Colorado rivers and their major tributaries. The San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program (SJRIP) has reintroduced Colorado pikeminnow through an augmentation program, with the goal of establishing a wild, self-sustaining population that is not dependent on stocking. An experimental, non-essential population of Colorado pikeminnow was also designated in the Salt and Verde rivers of the Gila River subbasin, but individuals stocked into these two tributaries since the 1980s do not appear to have established a population. The SSA examines the current and future status of Colorado pikeminnow analysis units and their habitats in the Green, upper Colorado, and San Juan river subbasins. The SSA also describes and summarizes habitat conditions in the LCRB reaches of the Grand Canyon, lower Colorado River mainstem, and the Gila River subbasin, but no demographic information is available for these extirpated populations to make an assessment of future viability in these reaches. Despite potentially suitable habitat factors, any analysis unit where the species is extirpated was considered to be in an overall extirpated condition. Species Needs The SSA considers the species’ needs during discrete life stages: spawning adults, egg and larvae within spawning substrates, age-0 and juvenile fish in nursery habitats, sub-adults, and adults. Because of Colorado pikeminnow’s complex life history, each life stage has specific and often unique resource needs. The SSA summarizes the following resources which were considered to most influence species viability: 1. Variable flow regimes, specifically peak flows to maintain channel complexity and spawning habitats 2. Base flows to provide suitable nursery habitats 3. Suitable water temperatures for spawning and growth v FINAL Species Status Assessment March 2020 4. Complex, redundant riverine habitats that provide a combination of the necessary
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Edna Assay Development
    Environmental DNA assays available for species detection via qPCR analysis at the U.S.D.A Forest Service National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation (NGC). Asterisks indicate the assay was designed at the NGC. This list was last updated in June 2021 and is subject to change. Please contact [email protected] with questions. Family Species Common name Ready for use? Mustelidae Martes americana, Martes caurina American and Pacific marten* Y Castoridae Castor canadensis American beaver Y Ranidae Lithobates catesbeianus American bullfrog Y Cinclidae Cinclus mexicanus American dipper* N Anguillidae Anguilla rostrata American eel Y Soricidae Sorex palustris American water shrew* N Salmonidae Oncorhynchus clarkii ssp Any cutthroat trout* N Petromyzontidae Lampetra spp. Any Lampetra* Y Salmonidae Salmonidae Any salmonid* Y Cottidae Cottidae Any sculpin* Y Salmonidae Thymallus arcticus Arctic grayling* Y Cyrenidae Corbicula fluminea Asian clam* N Salmonidae Salmo salar Atlantic Salmon Y Lymnaeidae Radix auricularia Big-eared radix* N Cyprinidae Mylopharyngodon piceus Black carp N Ictaluridae Ameiurus melas Black Bullhead* N Catostomidae Cycleptus elongatus Blue Sucker* N Cichlidae Oreochromis aureus Blue tilapia* N Catostomidae Catostomus discobolus Bluehead sucker* N Catostomidae Catostomus virescens Bluehead sucker* Y Felidae Lynx rufus Bobcat* Y Hylidae Pseudocris maculata Boreal chorus frog N Hydrocharitaceae Egeria densa Brazilian elodea N Salmonidae Salvelinus fontinalis Brook trout* Y Colubridae Boiga irregularis Brown tree snake*
    [Show full text]
  • Operation of Flaming Gorge Dam Final Environmental Impact Statement
    Record of Decision Operation of Flaming Gorge Dam Final Environmental Impact Statement I. Summary of Action and Background The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has completed a final environmental impact statement (EIS) on the operation of Flaming Gorge Dam. The EIS describes the potential effects of modifying the operation of Flaming Gorge Dam to assist in the recovery of four endangered fish, and their critical habitat, downstream from the dam. The four endangered fish species are Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), humpback chub (Gila cypha), razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), and bonytail (Gila elegans). Reclamation would implement the proposed action by modifying the operations of Flaming Gorge Dam, to the extent possible, to achieve the flows and temperatures recommended by participants of the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program (Recovery Program). Reclamation’s goal is to implement the proposed action and, at the same time, maintain and continue all authorized purposes of the Colorado River Storage Project. The purpose of the proposed action is to operate Flaming Gorge Dam to protect and assist in recovery of the populations and designated critical habitat of the four endangered fishes, while maintaining all authorized purposes of the Flaming Gorge Unit of the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP), including those related to the development of water resources in accordance with the Colorado River Compact. As the Federal agency responsible for the operation of Flaming Gorge Dam, Reclamation was the lead agency in preparing the EIS. Eight cooperating agencies also participated in preparing this EIS: the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, State of Utah Department of Natural Resources, U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Population Status of Humpback Chub, Gila Cypha, and Catch
    Population Status of Humpback Chub, Gila cypha, and Catch Indices and Population Structure of Sympatric Roundtail Chub, Gila robusta, in Black Rocks, Colorado River, Colorado, 1998- 2012 Picture 1. Humpback chub on grid board (2012). Photo credit: T. Francis, USFWS. Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program Project Number 131 (22a3) Final Report April, 2016 Travis A. Francis U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Colorado River Fishery Project 445 West Gunnison Avenue, Suite 140 Grand Junction, Colorado 81501 -and- Dr. Kevin R. Bestgen Dr. Gary C. White Colorado State University Larval Fish Laboratory Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 i Suggested Citation: Francis, T.A., K.R. Bestgen, and G.C. White. 2016. Population status of humpback chub, Gila cypha, and catch indices and population structure of sympatric roundtail chub, Gila robusta, in Black Rocks, Colorado River, Colorado, 1998-2012. Larval Fish Laboratory Contribution 199. Final Report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program, Project Number 131. Grand Junction, Colorado. ii Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................................... vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................... vii INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Razorback Suckers Are Making a Comeback in the Upper Colorado River Basin
    Winter 13 Razorback suckers are making a comeback in the upper Colorado River basin iologists are thrilled that the recovery programs’ stocking Hatchery programs have been very successful. In the upper efforts are bearing fruit and razorback suckers are becom- basin, razorback suckers are being raised by the Ouray National Bing more numerous throughout the upper Colorado River Fish Hatchery, Randlett and Grand Valley units near Vernal, Utah basin. “We catch so many razorbacks these days; it takes us lon- and Grand Junction, Colorado. Following analysis of razorback ger to complete our Colorado pikeminnow sampling trips,” says sucker stocking and survival by Colorado State University’s Larval U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) researcher Travis Francis. Fish Lab, the Recovery Program increased the size of razorback Historically, the razorback sucker occurred throughout warm- sucker for stocking from an average of about 11 inches to about 14 water reaches of the Colorado River Basin from Mexico to Wyoming. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY UDWR-MOAB inches and is stocking the fish in the fall when fish survive better. When this species was listed in 1991, its numbers were much reduced To increase growth, the Program raises the fish in a combination and biologists were worried it might become extinct. Thanks to of outdoor ponds during warmer months and indoor tanks in the the efforts of the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation winter. Program and the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery This past summer, many wild-spawned razorback larvae drift- Program, these fish are making a real comeback today. Hatchery- ed from a middle Green River spawning bar into the Stewart Lake produced fish are being stocked to re-establish the species in the JUVENILE RAZORBACK SUCKER, MAY, 2013 wetland about 11 miles downstream.
    [Show full text]
  • Molecular Systematics of Western North American Cyprinids (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae)
    Zootaxa 3586: 281–303 (2012) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2012 · Magnolia Press Article ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0EFA9728-D4BB-467E-A0E0-0DA89E7E30AD Molecular systematics of western North American cyprinids (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) SUSANA SCHÖNHUTH 1, DENNIS K. SHIOZAWA 2, THOMAS E. DOWLING 3 & RICHARD L. MAYDEN 1 1 Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, 3507 Laclede Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63103, USA. E-mail S.S: [email protected] ; E-mail RLM: [email protected] 2 Department of Biology and Curator of Fishes, Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA. E-mail: [email protected] 3 School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract The phylogenetic or evolutionary relationships of species of Cypriniformes, as well as their classification, is in a era of flux. For the first time ever, the Order, and constituent Families are being examined for relationships within a phylogenetic context. Relevant findings as to sister-group relationships are largely being inferred from analyses of both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences. Like the vast majority of Cypriniformes, due to an overall lack of any phylogenetic investigation of these fishes since Hennig’s transformation of the discipline, changes in hypotheses of relationships and a natural classification of the species should not be of surprise to anyone. Basically, for most taxa no properly supported phylogenetic hypothesis has ever been done; and this includes relationships with reasonable taxon and character sampling of even families and subfamilies.
    [Show full text]
  • Colorado Pikeminnow: Forgotten Predator of the Lower Colorado River
    Colorado Pikeminnow: Forgotten Predator of the Lower Colorado River David Ward US Geological Survey Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center Outline • Historical context • A common misperception about Colorado Pikeminnow • Political Context • A Call to Action Historical Context Celebration at completion of Laguna Dam 1909 Concrete Cap on Laguna Dam stretching from CA to AZ Catching Colorado pikeminnow above Hoover Dam c.1938 Last Colorado pikeminnow captured in Lake Mohave, November 13, 1962 1976 last pikeminnow caught in Grand Canyon at Havasu Creek A Common Misperception • Colorado Pikeminnow will cause detrimental impacts to other endangered fish Conservation efforts through predation Flathead Catfish Smallmouth Bass Bullhead Catfish Colorado Pikeminnow Body depth of Humpback Chub Body depth of Razorback Sucker Why Have they Been forgotten? •2002 Recovery Goals stated that no Conservation actions downstream of Glen Canyon Dam count toward species recovery • This decision was to be re- evaluated during 5-year status reviews - but has not occurred Adult Pikeminnow persist in the Verde River, but no research is conducted because no money is available The River is too disjunct! Segregated native fish management Marsh and Pacey 2005 Clarkson et al. 2005 Mueller 2005 If we are not going to pursue segregated fish management Which of our native fish are likely to persist with Non-native fishes? Colorado Pikeminow – one of best candidates Conclusions • Gape comparisons indicate Pikeminnow pose little threat relative to other introduced predatory fishes (and they have no teeth) • Arguments against repatriation based on fears of potential negative impacts to other endangered native fishes may be overstated • Without revision of the recovery goals the fate of Colorado Pikeminnow in the Lower Colorado River basin may be sealed.
    [Show full text]
  • Flaming Gorge Operation Plan - May 2021 Through April 2022
    Flaming Gorge Operation Plan - May 2021 through April 2022 Concurrence by Kathleen Callister, Resources Management Division Manager Kent Kofford, Provo Area Office Manager Nicholas Williams, Upper Colorado Basin Power Manager Approved by Wayne Pullan, Upper Colorado Basin Regional Director U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation • Interior Region 7 Upper Colorado Basin • Power Office Salt Lake City, Utah May 2021 Purpose This Flaming Gorge Operation Plan (FG-Ops) fulfills the 2006 Flaming Gorge Record of Decision (ROD) requirement for May 2021 through April 2022. The FG-Ops also completes the 4-step process outlined in the Flaming Gorge Standard Operation Procedures. The Upper Colorado Basin Power Office (UCPO) operators will fulfil the operation plan and may alter from FG-Ops due to day to day conditions, although we will attempt to stay within the boundaries of the operations defined below. Listed below are proposed operation plans for four different scenarios: moderately dry, average (above median), average (below median), and moderately wet. As of the publishing of this document, the most likely scenario is the moderately dry, however actual operations will vary with hydrologic conditions. The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program (Recovery Program), the Flaming Gorge Technical Working Group (FGTWG), Flaming Gorge Working Group (FG WG), United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) provided input that was considered in the development of this report. The FG-Ops describes the current hydrologic classification of the Green River Basin and the hydrologic conditions in the Yampa River Basin. The FG-Ops identifies the most likely Reach 2 peak flow magnitude and duration that is to be targeted for the upcoming spring flows.
    [Show full text]
  • Volume III, Chapter 5 Northern Pikeminnow
    Volume III, Chapter 5 Northern Pikeminnow TABLE OF CONTENTS 5.0 Northern Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus oregonensis)................................................... 5-1 5.1 Distribution ................................................................................................................. 5-1 5.2 Life History Characteristics ........................................................................................ 5-2 5.2.1 Size & Mortality................................................................................................... 5-2 5.2.2 Population Dynamics & Demographic Risk........................................................ 5-3 5.3 Status & Abundance Trends........................................................................................ 5-4 5.3.1 Abundance............................................................................................................ 5-4 5.3.2 Productivity.......................................................................................................... 5-5 5.3.3 Harvest................................................................................................................. 5-6 5.4 Factors Affecting Population Status............................................................................ 5-7 5.4.1 Northern Pikeminnow Management Program History........................................ 5-7 5.4.2 NPMP Review .................................................................................................... 5-11 5.4.3 Harvest..............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Native Unionoida Surveys, Distribution, and Metapopulation Dynamics in the Jordan River-Utah Lake Drainage, UT
    Version 1.5 Native Unionoida Surveys, Distribution, and Metapopulation Dynamics in the Jordan River-Utah Lake Drainage, UT Report To: Wasatch Front Water Quality Council Salt Lake City, UT By: David C. Richards, Ph.D. OreoHelix Consulting Vineyard, UT 84058 email: [email protected] phone: 406.580.7816 May 26, 2017 Native Unionoida Surveys and Metapopulation Dynamics Jordan River-Utah Lake Drainage 1 One of the few remaining live adult Anodonta found lying on the surface of what was mostly comprised of thousands of invasive Asian clams, Corbicula, in Currant Creek, a former tributary to Utah Lake, August 2016. Summary North America supports the richest diversity of freshwater mollusks on the planet. Although the western USA is relatively mollusk depauperate, the one exception is the historically rich molluskan fauna of the Bonneville Basin area, including waters that enter terminal Great Salt Lake and in particular those waters in the Jordan River-Utah Lake drainage. These mollusk taxa serve vital ecosystem functions and are truly a Utah natural heritage. Unfortunately, freshwater mollusks are also the most imperiled animal groups in the world, including those found in UT. The distribution, status, and ecologies of Utah’s freshwater mussels are poorly known, despite this unique and irreplaceable natural heritage and their protection under the Clean Water Act. Very few mussel specific surveys have been conducted in UT which requires specialized training, survey methods, and identification. We conducted the most extensive and intensive survey of native mussels in the Jordan River-Utah Lake drainage to date from 2014 to 2016 using a combination of reconnaissance and qualitative mussel survey methods.
    [Show full text]
  • Fishes As a Template for Reticulate Evolution
    University of Arkansas, Fayetteville ScholarWorks@UARK Theses and Dissertations 12-2016 Fishes as a Template for Reticulate Evolution: A Case Study Involving Catostomus in the Colorado River Basin of Western North America Max Russell Bangs University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd Part of the Evolution Commons, Molecular Biology Commons, and the Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons Recommended Citation Bangs, Max Russell, "Fishes as a Template for Reticulate Evolution: A Case Study Involving Catostomus in the Colorado River Basin of Western North America" (2016). Theses and Dissertations. 1847. http://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/1847 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Fishes as a Template for Reticulate Evolution: A Case Study Involving Catostomus in the Colorado River Basin of Western North America A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biology by Max Russell Bangs University of South Carolina Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, 2009 University of South Carolina Master of Science in Integrative Biology, 2011 December 2016 University of Arkansas This dissertation is approved for recommendation to the Graduate Council. _____________________________________ Dr. Michael E. Douglas Dissertation Director _____________________________________ ____________________________________ Dr. Marlis R. Douglas Dr. Andrew J. Alverson Dissertation Co-Director Committee Member _____________________________________ Dr. Thomas F. Turner Ex-Officio Member Abstract Hybridization is neither simplistic nor phylogenetically constrained, and post hoc introgression can have profound evolutionary effects.
    [Show full text]
  • Long-Term Mark-Recapture Monitoring of a Colorado Pikeminnow Ptychocheilus Lucius Population: Assessing Recovery Progress Using Demographic Trends
    Vol. 34: 131–147, 2017 ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH Published July 31 https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00842 Endang Species Res OPEN ACCESS Long-term mark-recapture monitoring of a Colorado pikeminnow Ptychocheilus lucius population: assessing recovery progress using demographic trends Douglas B. Osmundson1,3,*, Gary C. White2 1Colorado River Fishery Project, US Fish and Wildlife Service, 445 West Gunnison Ave., Suite 140, Grand Junction, CO 81505, USA 2Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1484 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA 3Present address: 380 34 Road, Palisade, CO 81526, USA ABSTRACT: Colorado pikeminnow Ptychocheilus lucius, a large, endangered, piscivorous cypri- nid once abundant throughout warm-water reaches of North America’s Colorado River system, has been reduced to 2 wild populations inhabiting the Colorado and Green rivers. Status and trends of these remaining populations were unknown when a recovery program was initiated in 1987. During 1991 to 2013, we used mark-recapture to monitor the smaller Colorado River popu- lation. Adult abundance was estimated and patterns of recruitment and dispersal assessed to determine if recovery actions produced a population response. In 1992, adults were rare (Nˆ = 345; 95% CI = 216 to 583) in the 288 km study area, but recruitment of a strong 1986 year class began a positive trend, and adult estimates reached 674 (95% CI = 517 to 897) by 2008. A significant decline then ensued, and by 2013, an estimated 282 adults remained (95% CI = 204 to 407). Annual adult survival was relatively high and stable. Juvenile survival was variable, making catch rates of young-of-the-year unreliable predictors of later recruitment strength.
    [Show full text]
  • Final Rogue Fall Chinook Salmon Conservation Plan
    CONSERVATION PLAN FOR FALL CHINOOK SALMON IN THE ROGUE SPECIES MANAGEMENT UNIT Adopted by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission January 11, 2013 Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 3406 Cherry Avenue NE Salem, OR 97303 Rogue Fall Chinook Salmon Conservation Plan - January 11, 2013 Table of Contents Page FOREWORD .................................................................................................................................. 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................... 5 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 6 RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER NATIVE FISH CONSERVATION PLANS ................................. 7 CONSTRAINTS ............................................................................................................................. 7 SPECIES MANAGEMENT UNIT AND CONSTITUENT POPULATIONS ............................... 7 BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................... 10 Historical Context ......................................................................................................................... 10 General Aspects of Life History .................................................................................................... 14 General Aspects of the Fisheries ..................................................................................................
    [Show full text]