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Species Status Assessment Report for the Amber Darter Percina Antesella Williams and Etnier 1977

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Species Status Assessment Report for the Amber Darter Percina Antesella Williams and Etnier 1977 Species Status Assessment Report for the Amber Darter Percina antesella Williams and Etnier 1977 Department of the Interior South Atlantic-Gulf Region Georgia Ecological Services Field Office Athens, Georgia November 2019 This species status assessment report provides the best available information on the ecological requirements, current conditions, threats/stressors, future needs, and conservation actions for the endangered amber darter (Percina antesella). Updates to this version are anticipated as additional information becomes available. Robin Goodloe (USFWS-Georgia Field Office) prepared the document, with assistance from Dr. Brett Albanese, Paula Marcinek, and Ani Popp (Georgia Department of Natural Resources); Dr. Mary Freeman (USGS); Edward Sage Stowe (University of Georgia); and Erin Rivenbark (USFWS-Region 4). We appreciate their time and effort to make this a more robust assessment and final report. Suggested Citation: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2019. Species status assessment report for amber darter (Percina antesella). South Atlantic-Gulf Region, Georgia Ecological Services, Athens, GA. Copies may be obtained from: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Georgia Ecological Services Office RG Stephens Federal Building 355 E. Hancock Ave., Room 320, Box 7 Athens, Georgia 30601 706-613-9493 Available online at the US Fish and Wildlife Service Catalog, https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/. Amber Darter SSA Page i Executive Summary The amber darter (Percina antesella) occurs in the Etowah and Conasauga Rivers of Georgia and Tennessee. These small fish generally are found in the rivers’ mainstems, preferring shoals with a moveable gravel/small cobble substrate and moderate to swift currents. Primary factors affecting the species’ include: (1) habitat degradation associated with agriculture, (2) urban sprawl of the Atlanta metropolitan area, (3) small population size and limited geographic range, and (4) climate change. We used the best available information to evaluate the current viability of the amber darter in terms of its resiliency, redundancy, and representation. Count data from surveys over almost two decades indicate numbers of amber darters in both populations are declining, with estimated losses of 12% and 9% annually in the Conasauga and Etowah Rivers. Occupancy of shoals has decreased in the Conasauga, and fish have been extirpated or greatly reduced in abundance in the lower reaches of the historic range in both systems. Declining populations suggest the species, currently, has low resiliency to environmental or demographic stochastic events and/or existing anthropogenic-related stressors. Amber darter current conditions (resiliency). Population Annual Abundance Change over 20 Years1 Historic Range Occupancy 12% 50% Conasauga Very low Very low 9% Only 1 fish found in lower third of range Etowah during last 2 surveys Low Low 1 Based on MARSS analysis (Stowe et al. 2019). Mitochondrial genetic variation is low in both populations, but high levels of genetic diversity were found within and between the two amber darter populations at six nuclear microsatellite markers; diversity was lower in the Etowah River than in the Conasauga, suggesting a recent bottleneck in population. The two amber darter populations are effectively isolated by Lake Allatoona, a 12,000- acre U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir that bisects the Etowah River, reducing redundancy. Preliminary results from viability models suggest that, at current rates of decline, amber darters would be effectively undetectable (defined as a catch-per-unit-effort of 1 fish in 400 seine-sets at a given shoal by experienced field biologists) between 2021 and 2032 in the Conasauga, and between 2030 and 2047 in the Etowah. A catastrophic event, such as a major flood that limits recruitment by washing eggs, larvae, and/or juveniles far downstream, could cause the species to decline even more rapidly. Species recovery could be enhanced if (1) a new viable population is located or established; (2) connectivity and genetic exchange are improved; and/or (3) stressors are reduced and habitat quality is improved so that recruitment of juveniles increases during favorable spawning years and survival of adults exceeds mortality. Habitat improvements must be made at a large enough scale, on priority tracts, and within a reasonable time period, to recover this species. Amber Darter SSA Page ii Summary of amber darter needs, current conditions, and viability to 2060. Future Viability Current Current Stressor Species Needs Conditions and High Spring Best Case Scenario Flow Scenarios Resiliency: Large populations able to withstand stochastic events High quality shoal Narrow endemic Viability models Resiliency dependent habitat with areas of species with only two suggest that, at on (1) funding levels; moderate water small populations and current rates of (2) scale of depth flowing over limited geographical decline, amber implemented substrate dominated ranges. Count data darters would be management actions by moveable gravel from surveys over effectively relative to watershed and small cobble. almost two decades undetectable size and degree of Adequate water indicate both are between 2021 and threat; (3) ongoing quality and food declining 9-12% 2032 in the stochastic stressors; (4) availability. annually. Occupancy Conasauga, and how quickly Sexually-mature of shoals has declined 2030 and 2047 in the management actions are males and females in in the Conasauga, and Etowah. implemented; and (5) a shoal. Low spring fish in both systems the effects of climate flows for spawning. have been extirpated change on species’ Connectivity among or greatly reduced in demographics. shoals. Sufficient abundance in the numbers to lower reaches of the withstand stochastic historic range. events. Resiliency = low to very low. Redundancy: Number and distribution of populations to withstand catastrophic events Multiple resilient Only two With only two Redundancy dependent populations widely populations are populations, both in on (1) increased distributed across known historically, decline, redundancy resiliency of Conasauga the species’ historic and neither appears is likely to remain and Etowah populations range. resilient to stochastic low, unless viable (see above) and (2) or catastrophic populations are potential for locating events and/or to located or and conserving existing current established outside populations outside of anthropogenic of the species’ the Conasauga and stressors. known historical Etowah systems. range. Redundancy = low. Representation: Genetic and ecological diversity to maintain adaptive potential Decreased inbreeding Two declining Genetic diversity Genetic diversity likely and reduced negative populations likely to decline as to decline due to genetic impact of genetic drift genetically-isolated population numbers isolation unless and deleterious by Lake Allatoona. are reduced and Allatoona Dam is mutations on viability. genetic isolation removed and/or Representation = remains. individuals are Low to Moderate translocated between the two populations. Amber Darter SSA Page iii Table of Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Amber Darter Needs Historic Distribution ........................................................................................................................ 4 Taxonomy and Description ............................................................................................................. 6 Natural History ................................................................................................................................ 7 Population Needs ............................................................................................................................. 9 Species Needs .................................................................................................................................. 9 Current Condition and Species’ Needs for Viability Current Population Trends ............................................................................................................ 11 Current Species Viability Current Resiliency ................................................................................................................. 14 Current Representation .......................................................................................................... 15 Current Redundancy .............................................................................................................. 16 Summary ................................................................................................................................ 17 Factors Influencing Viability Small Populations and Limited Geographic Range ...................................................................... 18 Anthropogenic Stressors Historic Land Use .................................................................................................................... 19 Current Land Use in the Upper Conasauga River Basin ......................................................... 20 Current Land Use in the Upper Etowah River Basin .............................................................. 23 Stressors in the Conasauga and Etowah Basins Fine Sediment .................................................................................................................... 25 Excess Nutrients/Cultural Eutrophication ........................................................................
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