DOCSLIB.ORG

EVALUATIONS of GROWTH and HABITAT USE by GUADALUPE BASS at a RIVERSCAPE SCALE in the SOUTH LLANO RIVER, TEXAS by Jillian Groesch

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
EVALUATIONS of GROWTH and HABITAT USE by GUADALUPE BASS at a RIVERSCAPE SCALE in the SOUTH LLANO RIVER, TEXAS by Jillian Groesch EVALUATIONS OF GROWTH AND HABITAT USE BY GUADALUPE BASS AT A RIVERSCAPE SCALE IN THE SOUTH LLANO RIVER, TEXAS by Jillian Groeschel, B.S. A Thesis In Wildlife, Aquatic, and Wildlands Science and Management Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Approved Timothy B. Grabowski, Ph.D. Chair of Committee Shannon K. Brewer, Ph.D. Gary P. Garrett, Ph.D. Dr. Dominick Joseph Casadonte, Jr. Interim Dean of the Graduate School December, 2013 Copyright 2013, Jillian Groeschel Texas Tech University, Jillian Groeschel, December 2013 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank the entire staff and faculty of the Department of Natural Resources Management and the Texas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Texas Tech University for their guidance and support during my time as a graduate student. Specifically, I thank my major advisor, Dr. Timothy Grabowski, for providing project funds as well as constantly being available to support, guide, and direct me throughout my master’s project. I am also grateful for my committee members, Drs. Shannon Brewer and Gary Garrett. Without their support and helpful advice, this project would not have been possible. I thank the staff, and especially Karen Lopez and Robert Stubblefield at the Texas Tech University-Junction Campus for their kind words, flexibility, and hospitality during my stays in Junction, Texas. I thank Dr. Tom Arsuffi, Scott Richardson, and those from the South Llano Watershed Alliance for their knowledge of the area and people, support, and assistance. I am grateful for Carl Kittel and the staff at the A.E. Wood State Fish Hatchery for donating Guadalupe bass fingerlings for this project as well as the entire staff at the Heart of the Hills Fisheries Science Center, specifically Bobby Wienecke and Bob Betsill, for caring for those fingerlings until I was ready to tag and release them. I also thank Tim Birdsong for his involvement and knowledge as well as allowing funding for this project. The completion of this thesis would not have been possible without the assistance of several volunteers. I thank P. Bean, B. Cheek, Q. Chen, C. Craig, C. Holmes, K. Linner, J. Mueller, B. Perkins, B. Skipper, M. Vanlandeghem, and the TTU Bass Club for helping collect Guadalupe bass. I thank the South Llano River landowners for their support and allowance of access during sample collections. I am also thankful to Dijar Lutz-Carrillo at the A.E. Wood State Fish Hatchery for teaching and assisting me in my genetic analysis. Lastly, I am grateful for the support from my family and friends. God has blessed me on this great journey, and your support, motivation, and advice has always helped. Funding was provided by a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service State Wildlife Grant administered by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (contract number 415385) and the U.S. Geological Survey (cooperative agreement number G11AC20436). ii Texas Tech University, Jillian Groeschel, December 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS............................................................................................... ii ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................... v LIST OF FIGURES......................................................................................................... vii I. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................ 1 II. METHODS.................................................................................................................. 7 Study Area............................................................................................................ 7 Habitat mapping of the South Llano River, Texas............................................... 8 Guadalupe bass PIT-tag telemetry...................................................................... 9 Guadalupe bass age and growth......................................................................... 10 Guadalupe bass genetics...................................................................................... 12 Data Analysis....................................................................................................... 13 III. RESULTS.................................................................................................................. 21 Instream habitat types and composition of the South Llano River, Texas........... 21 Guadalupe bass PIT-tag telemetry...................................................................... 22 Guadalupe bass population demographics-age and growth............................... 22 Guadalupe bass genetics...................................................................................... 23 Relation between habitat and Guadalupe bass growth....................................... 24 Guadalupe bass age-specific habitat associations.............................................. 24 Influence of discharge rate and fragment on Guadalupe bass growth rates....... 27 IV. DISCUSSION........................................................................................................... 44 Habitat mapping of the South Llano River, Texas............................................... 44 Guadalupe bass PIT-tag telemetry...................................................................... 46 Guadalupe bass population demographics-age and growth............................... 48 Guadalupe bass genetics...................................................................................... 50 Relation between habitat and Guadalupe bass growth....................................... 50 Guadalupe bass age-specific habitat associations.............................................. 52 Influence of discharge rate and fragment on Guadalupe bass growth rates....... 54 Conclusions.......................................................................................................... 56 REFERENCES................................................................................................................ 58 iii Texas Tech University, Jillian Groeschel, December 2013 ABSTRACT Guadalupe bass Micropterus treculii is a black bass species endemic to central Texas. Its dependence on undisturbed pool and run habitats with sufficient flow and cover renders it sensitive to habitat alteration. The decline of the species due to habitat alteration/loss and introgressive hybridization with introduced smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu has prompted efforts to restore Guadalupe bass habitats. However, detailed data on how the species may respond to these efforts are lacking. I assessed age- specific Guadalupe bass habitat associations and habitat specific growth rates at three different scales (fine, intermediate, and coarse) in the South Llano River. Substrates were classified using side-scan sonar. Scales and otoliths were extracted from Guadalupe bass to determine age and growth. Over 65% of captured Guadalupe bass were age-2 or age-3, but individuals ranged from 0-7 years of age. Overlap in habitat associations was exhibited between age classes 1-3+. Age-0 Guadalupe bass tended to associate with greater proportions of pool and run mesohabitats with submerged aquatic substrates. Finally, low discharge rates appeared to have the greatest influence on Guadalupe bass growth rates with growth exhibiting a negative correlation with the proportion of discharge observations falling in the Q90 range in a given year. My results suggest age- specific Guadalupe bass habitat associations that may increase the effectiveness of restoration efforts directed at the species. Further application of these results may allow the use of the Guadalupe bass population trajectories and habitat occupation rates as an indicator of stream health in Edwards Plateau streams or as a predictor of changes in stream condition. iv Texas Tech University, Jillian Groeschel, December 2013 LIST OF TABLES 1. Classification of substrate type and instream cover (Cummins & Lauff 1969; Minshall 1984; Quinn & Hickey 1990, Snedden 1999, Perkin et al. 2010) used to classify substrates of the South Llano River, Texas based on side scan sonar imagery collected in October 2011.................. 16 2. List of six multiplex polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) used for Guadalupe bass fin clips captured from the South Llano River, Texas in spring 2012 – fall 2012....................................................................................... 17 3. Relocated and recaptured PIT-tagged Guadalupe bass and associated habitat type in the South Llano River, TX from May – August 2012, November 2012, and July........................................................................ 29 4. Mean (±SE) back-calculated total length (TL) at each annulus of Guadalupe bass captured in the South Llano River, Texas from April – November 2012........................................................................................ 30 5. Age-length key based on the total length (TL) at age and age at capture of Guadalupe bass captured in the South Llano River, Texas from April 2012 – November 2012. Numbers in rows give the probability (%) that a Guadalupe bass within the 20-mm length interval is a certain age............................................................................ 31 6. Discriminant analysis of hybrids versus
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Endangered Species
    FEATURE: ENDANGERED SPECIES Conservation Status of Imperiled North American Freshwater and Diadromous Fishes ABSTRACT: This is the third compilation of imperiled (i.e., endangered, threatened, vulnerable) plus extinct freshwater and diadromous fishes of North America prepared by the American Fisheries Society’s Endangered Species Committee. Since the last revision in 1989, imperilment of inland fishes has increased substantially. This list includes 700 extant taxa representing 133 genera and 36 families, a 92% increase over the 364 listed in 1989. The increase reflects the addition of distinct populations, previously non-imperiled fishes, and recently described or discovered taxa. Approximately 39% of described fish species of the continent are imperiled. There are 230 vulnerable, 190 threatened, and 280 endangered extant taxa, and 61 taxa presumed extinct or extirpated from nature. Of those that were imperiled in 1989, most (89%) are the same or worse in conservation status; only 6% have improved in status, and 5% were delisted for various reasons. Habitat degradation and nonindigenous species are the main threats to at-risk fishes, many of which are restricted to small ranges. Documenting the diversity and status of rare fishes is a critical step in identifying and implementing appropriate actions necessary for their protection and management. Howard L. Jelks, Frank McCormick, Stephen J. Walsh, Joseph S. Nelson, Noel M. Burkhead, Steven P. Platania, Salvador Contreras-Balderas, Brady A. Porter, Edmundo Díaz-Pardo, Claude B. Renaud, Dean A. Hendrickson, Juan Jacobo Schmitter-Soto, John Lyons, Eric B. Taylor, and Nicholas E. Mandrak, Melvin L. Warren, Jr. Jelks, Walsh, and Burkhead are research McCormick is a biologist with the biologists with the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Guadalupe Bass Micropterus Treculii (Vaillant & Bocourt, 1874)
    American Fisheries Society Symposium 82:55–60, 2015 © 2015 by the American Fisheries Society Guadalupe Bass Micropterus treculii (Vaillant & Bocourt, 1874) STEPHEN G. CURTIS* Aquatic Station, Department of Biology, Texas State University 601 University Drive, San Marcos, Texas 78666, USA JOSHUAH S. PERKIN Division of Biology, Kansas State University 116 Ackert Hall, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA PRESTON T. BEAN Department of Natural Resources Management, Texas Tech University 254 Red Raider Lane, Junction, Texas 76849, USA MARIO L. SULLIVAN AND TIMOTHY H. BONNER Aquatic Station, Department of Biology, Texas State University 601 University Drive, San Marcos, Texas 78666, USA Taxonomic Status Guadalupe Bass Micropterus treculii diverged from northeastern ancestral Micropterus (Conner and Suttkus1986) approximately 4.1–5.7 million years ago during the late Miocene or early Pliocene (Near et al. 2003, 2005). The species was originally described by Cope (1880) as the Texas (Johnson Fork of the Llano River) version of Florida Bass M. floridanus, differing slightly in some morphometric and meristic counts from its Florida counterpart. Since that time, Guadalupe Bass have undergone sev- eral redescriptions, including Dioplites treculii (Vaillant and Bocourt 1883), M. nuecensis var. treculii (Vaillant and Bocourt 1883), M. salmoides (Jordan and Gilbert 1886, Evermann and Kendall 1894), M. pseudaplites (Hubbs 1927), M. punctulatus punctulatus (Hubbs and Bailey 1940), M. p. treculii (Hubbs and Bailey 1942), M. treculi (Jurgens and Hubbs 1953; Hubbs 1954), and its current nomenclature M. treculii (Nelson et al. 2004). Johnson et al. (2001) determined that the sister taxa of Guadalupe Bass is Spotted Bass M. punctulatus based on mitochondrial DNA analyses.
    [Show full text]
  • GCP LCC Regional Hypotheses of Ecological Responses to Flow
    Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative Regional Hypotheses of Ecological Responses to Flow Alteration Photo credit: Brandon Brown A report by the GCP LCC Flow-Ecology Hypotheses Committee Edited by: Mary Davis, Coordinator, Southern Aquatic Resources Partnership 3563 Hamstead Ct, Durham, North Carolina 27707, email: [email protected] and Shannon K. Brewer, U.S. Geological Survey Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 007 Agriculture Hall, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078 email: [email protected] Wildlife Management Institute Grant Number GCP LCC 2012-003 May 2014 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the GCP LCC Flow-Ecology Hypotheses Committee members for their time and thoughtful input into the development and testing of the regional flow-ecology hypotheses. Shannon Brewer, Jacquelyn Duke, Kimberly Elkin, Nicole Farless, Timothy Grabowski, Kevin Mayes, Robert Mollenhauer, Trevor Starks, Kevin Stubbs, Andrew Taylor, and Caryn Vaughn authored the flow-ecology hypotheses presented in this report. Daniel Fenner, Thom Hardy, David Martinez, Robby Maxwell, Bryan Piazza, and Ryan Smith provided helpful reviews and improved the quality of the report. Funding for this work was provided by the Gulf Coastal Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and administered by the Wildlife Management Institute (Grant Number GCP LCC 2012-003). Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Suggested Citation: Davis, M. M. and S. Brewer (eds.). 2014. Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative Regional Hypotheses of Ecological Responses to Flow Alteration. A report by the GCP LCC Flow-Ecology Hypotheses Committee to the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP) for the GCP LCC Instream Flow Project.
    [Show full text]
  • BFL - Fish Last Updated September 2020 1=Introduced Species 4=Found in Adjacent Ladybird Lake
    BFL - Fish last updated September 2020 1=Introduced Species 4=Found in Adjacent Ladybird Lake Catostomidae Carpiodes carpio River Carpsucker 1,4 Catostomidae Ictiobus bubalus Smallmouth Buffalo 4 Catostomidae Moxostoma congestum Gray Redhorse 1, 4 Centrarchidae Lepomis auritus Redbreast Sunfish 4 Centrarchidae Lepomis gulosus Warmouth 4 Centrarchidae Lepomis macrochirus Bluegill Centrarchidae Lepomis megalotis Longear Sunfish 4 Centrarchidae Lepomis microlophus Redear Sunfish 4 Centrarchidae Lepomis cyanellus x L. microlophus Green Redear Sunfish 4 Centrarchidae Lepomis punctatus Spotted Sunfish 4 Centrarchidae Micropterus dolomieu Smallmouth Bass 4 Centrarchidae Micropterus punctulatus Spotted Bass 4 Centrarchidae Micropterus punctulatus x M. treculii Spotted X Guadalupe Bass 4 Centrarchidae Micropterus salmoides Largemouth Bass 4 Centrarchidae Micropterus treculii Guadalupe Bass 4 Characidae Piaractus brachypomus Red Bellied Pacu 1,4 Cichlidae Herichthys cyanoguttatus Rio Grande Cichlid 1 Clupeidae Dorosoma cepedianum Gizzard Shad 4 Cyprinidae Carassius auratus Goldfish 1, 4 Cyprinidae Ctenopharyngodon idella Grass Carp 1, 4 Cyprinidae Cyprinus carpio Common Carp 1, 4 Cyprinidae Notropis venustis Blacktail Shiner Cyprinodontidae Zygonectus notatus Blackstripe Topminnow Esocidae Esox lucius Northern Pike 1,4 Ictaluridae Ameiurus natalis Yellow Bullhead 1 Ictaluridae Ictalurus furcatus Blue Catfish 1, 4 Ictaluridae Ictalurus punctatus Channel Catfish 1 Ictaluridae Pylodictis olivaris Flathead Catfish 4 Lepisosteidae Lepisosteus oculatus Spotted Gar 4 Lepisosteidae Lepisosteus osseus Longnose Gar, Needlenose Gar 4 Moronidae Morone chrysops White Bass, Sand Bass 4 Moronidae Morone chrysops x M. saxitilis Palmetto Bass 4 Moronidae Morone saxatilis Striped Bass 1,4 Percidae Sander vitreus Walleye 4 Poeciliidae Gambusia affinis Mosquitofish Poeciliidae Gambusia spp. 1 Poeciliidae Molleniesia spp. 1 Sciaenidae Aplodinotus grunniens Freshwater Drum 4 Sciaenidae Micropogonias undulates Atlantic Croaker 1,4 Sciaenidae Sciaenops ocellatus Red Drum 1,4.
    [Show full text]
  • PEASE-DISSERTATION-2018.Pdf (2.692Mb)
    Variation and plasticity and their interaction with urbanization in Guadalupe Bass populations on and off the Edwards Plateau by Jessica E. Pease A Dissertation In Wildlife, Aquatic, and Wildlands Science and Management Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTORAL OF PHILOSOPHY Approved Dr. Timothy Grabowski Co-Chair of Committee Dr. Allison Pease Co-Chair of Committee Dr. Preston Bean Dr. Adam Kaeser Mark Sheridan Dean of the Graduate School August 2018 Copyright 2018, Jessica E. Pease Texas Tech University, Jessica E. Pease, August 2018 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to express my extreme gratitude to my advisors Dr. Tim Grabowski and Dr. Allison Pease for their continued efforts, mentorship, and support throughout this project. This research and the completion of my dissertation would not have been possible without their guidance and contributions. I would also like to thank my committee members Dr. Preston Bean and Dr. Adam Kaeser for their continued support and guidance throughout this project. Additionally, I want to thank all the individuals that have helped with both field and lab work over the past five years. A. Adams, C. Alejandrez, K. Aziz, P. Bean, M. Berlin, T. Birdsong, S. Boles, J. Botros, D. Bradsby, C. Carter, M. Casarez, D. Chilleri, A. Cohen, B. Cook, G. Cummings, M. DeJesus, J. East, S. Fritts, K. Garmany, D. Geeslin, M. Gilbert, D. Gossett, A. Grubh, R. Hawkenson, D. Hendrickson, S. Hill, A. Horn, F. Howell, L. Howell, M. Kelly, G. Kilcrease, K. Kolodziejcyk, T. Lane, D. Leavitt, K. Linner, C.
    [Show full text]
  • Expanding the Toolbox: SNP Tools for Aquaculture and Conservation Management in the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica) and the Black Basses (Micropterus Spp.)
    Expanding the Toolbox: SNP Tools for Aquaculture and Conservation Management in the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and the Black Basses (Micropterus spp.) by Wilawan Thongda A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Auburn University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Auburn, Alabama May 5, 2018 Key words: eastern oyster, black basses, SNP, GBS Copyright 2018 by Wilawan Thongda Approved by Eric Peatman, Chair, Associate Professor of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences William H. Daniels, Associate Professor of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences Charles Y. Chen, Professor of Crop Soil and Environmental Sciences Scott McElroy, Professor of Crop Soil and Environmental Sciences Abstract Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are considered as important molecular markers due to their several advantages, including their abundance, distribution in the genome, stability due to low mutation rates, ease of multiplexing, lower cost, amenability to high throughput assays, and low genotyping error rate. The rapid development of technology for SNPs has provided an efficient and cost-effective genetic marker tool for aquaculture and aquatic conservation in recent years for various purposes such as the determination of the population structure, population genomics, traceability, species identification, hybridization rates, and migratory dynamics. Here, relevant aspects of the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and black basses (Micropterus spp.), key aquatic species in the southeastern United States, are examined. Culture of the Eastern oyster is rapidly expanding. Combined with their continuing role as an environmental sentinel species and ecological model, this trend necessitates improved molecular tools for breeding and selection, as well as population assessment and genetic conservation.
    [Show full text]
  • Risk Assessment of the Alien Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu)
    2017 Risk assessment of the alien smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) M.E. Schiphouwer, R.P.W.H. Felix, G.A. van Duinen, L. de Hoop, P.C. de Hullu, J. Matthews, G. van der Velde & R.S.E.W. Leuven 1 Risk assessment of the alien smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) M.E. Schiphouwer, R.P.W.H. Felix, G.A. van Duinen, L. de Hoop, P.C. de Hullu, J. Matthews, G. van der Velde & R.S.E.W. Leuven 24th December 2017 Netherlands Centre of Expertise for Exotic Species (NEC-E): Bargerveen Foundation, Bureau Natuurbalans - Limes Divergens, RAVON and Radboud University (Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Environmental Science) Commissioned by the Invasive Alien Species Team Office for Risk Assessment and Research Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority 2 Series of Reports Environmental Science The Reports Environmental Science are edited and published by the Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands (tel. secretariat: + 31 (0)24 365 32 81). Reports Environmental Science 527 Title: Risk assessment of the alien smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) Authors: M.E. Schiphouwer, R.P.W.H. Felix, G.A. van Duinen, L. de Hoop, P.C. de Hullu, J. Matthews, G. van der Velde & R.S.E.W. Leuven Cover photo: Smallmouth bass © E. Engbretson, US Fish and Wildlife Service Project management: Dr. P.C. de Hullu, Bargerveen Foundation, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, the Netherlands, e-mail: [email protected] Quality assurance: Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Conservation Status of Imperiled North American Freshwater And
    FEATURE: ENDANGERED SPECIES Conservation Status of Imperiled North American Freshwater and Diadromous Fishes ABSTRACT: This is the third compilation of imperiled (i.e., endangered, threatened, vulnerable) plus extinct freshwater and diadromous fishes of North America prepared by the American Fisheries Society’s Endangered Species Committee. Since the last revision in 1989, imperilment of inland fishes has increased substantially. This list includes 700 extant taxa representing 133 genera and 36 families, a 92% increase over the 364 listed in 1989. The increase reflects the addition of distinct populations, previously non-imperiled fishes, and recently described or discovered taxa. Approximately 39% of described fish species of the continent are imperiled. There are 230 vulnerable, 190 threatened, and 280 endangered extant taxa, and 61 taxa presumed extinct or extirpated from nature. Of those that were imperiled in 1989, most (89%) are the same or worse in conservation status; only 6% have improved in status, and 5% were delisted for various reasons. Habitat degradation and nonindigenous species are the main threats to at-risk fishes, many of which are restricted to small ranges. Documenting the diversity and status of rare fishes is a critical step in identifying and implementing appropriate actions necessary for their protection and management. Howard L. Jelks, Frank McCormick, Stephen J. Walsh, Joseph S. Nelson, Noel M. Burkhead, Steven P. Platania, Salvador Contreras-Balderas, Brady A. Porter, Edmundo Díaz-Pardo, Claude B. Renaud, Dean A. Hendrickson, Juan Jacobo Schmitter-Soto, John Lyons, Eric B. Taylor, and Nicholas E. Mandrak, Melvin L. Warren, Jr. Jelks, Walsh, and Burkhead are research McCormick is a biologist with the biologists with the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu) ERSS
    Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) Ecological Risk Screening Summary U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, February 2019 Web Version, 8/26/2019 Photo: Marcus Rosten/USFWS. Public domain – Government work. 1 Native Range and Status in the United States Native Range From Froese and Pauly (2019a): “North America: St. Lawrence-Great Lakes system, Hudson Bay and Mississippi River basins from southern Quebec in Canada to North Dakota and south to northern Alabama and eastern Oklahoma in the USA.” “Native species ranging from Manitoba to Nova Scotia [Canada]; introduced into other provinces [Coker et al. 2001].” Status in the United States From Froese and Pauly (2019a): “Widely transplanted throughout USA except in Atlantic and Gulf Slope drainages, where rare south of Virginia and east of central Texas [Page and Burr 1991].” “Imported into Hawaii in 1953 for sportfishing; became established in Nu'uanu Reservoir No.3 in 1956; presently well established in the Ho'omaluhia Reservoir, Kaukonahua Stream, Nu'uanu Stream, and Maunawili Stream on O'ahu and in various streams on the island of Kaua'I; law 1 prohibits release of this species in areas where they had not previously occurred [Yamamoto and Tagawa 2000].” According to Fuller et al. (2019), nonindigenous occurrences of Micropterus dolomieu have been reported in the following States, with range of years and hydrologic units in parentheses: Alabama (1971-2008; Black Warrior-Tombigbee, Cahaba, Coosa-Tallapoosa, Middle Coosa, Middle Tombigbee-Chickasaw, Mobile-Tombigbee, Sipsey Fork, Upper Tallapoosa)
    [Show full text]
  • The Bass Menagerie: a Micropterus Odyssey Guy Eroh
    The Bass Menagerie: A Micropterus Odyssey Guy Eroh Summer 2020 American Currents 6 THE BASS MENAGERIE: A MICROPTERUS ODYSSEY Guy Eroh In 2017, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) map, and a little deliberation, we decided to start locally on the initiated the Georgia Bass Slam. This program was designed to Oconee River. entice anglers to learn about the state’s black bass (Micropterus Our first morning on the water found us below a recently removed spp.) diversity by offering recognition and prizes for those who dam, fishing for native Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides and can catch and document at least five of the black basses native to introduced, some may say invasive, Spotted Bass M. punctulatus. Georgia within a 1-year period. There are 12 species ofMicrop - Although dams like this one can sometimes act as barriers to the terus that can be caught in Georgia (Table 1), representing three- spread of invasive fishes, Spotted Bass had already been introduced quarters of the formally described or provisionally recognized upstream before the dam’s removal. I grew up in northern Utah black bass species known to exist in the world (Figure 1, Taylor and was pleased to find that the techniques I’d honed over years on et al. 2019). In May 2019, after living in Georgia for three years, small, western trout streams worked just as well with river bass. Af- I was offered a career opportunity that would remove me from ter crossing the waist-deep river several times, casting in-line spin- the southeastern US following my graduation from the Univer- ners on ultralight tackle, we both landed Spotted and Largemouth sity of Georgia (UGA) the following December.
    [Show full text]
  • Final Business Plan NFWF Native Black Bass Keystone Initiative Feb
    A Business Plan for the Conservation of Native Black Bass Species in the Southeastern US: A Ten Year Plan February 2010 Executive Summary Conservation need : The southeastern US harbors a diversity of aquatic species and habitats unparalleled in North America. More than 1,800 species of fishes, mussels, snails, turtles and crayfish can be found in the more than 70 major river basins of the region; more than 500 of these species are endemic. However, with declines in the quality and quantity of aquatic resources in the region has come an increase in the rate of extinctions; nearly 100 species have become extinct across the region in the last century. At present, 34 percent of the fish species and 90 percent of the mussels in peril nationwide are found in the southeast. In addition, the southeast contains more invasive, exotic aquatic species than any other area of the US, many of which threaten native species. The diversity of black bass species (genus Micropterus ) mirrors the freshwater fish patterns in North America with most occurring in the southeast. Of the nine described species of black bass, six are endemic to the southeast: Guadalupe bass, shoal bass, redeye bass, Florida bass, Alabama bass, and Suwannee bass. However, many undescribed forms also exist and most of these are in need of conservation measures to prevent them from becoming imperiled. Furthermore, of the black bass species with the greatest conservation needs, all are endemic to the southeast and found in relatively small ranges (Figure 1). In an effort to focus and coordinate actions to conserve these species, local, state and federal agencies, universities, NGOs and businesses from across the region have come together in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to develop the Southeast Native Black Bass Keystone Initiative.
    [Show full text]
  • Front Matter Template
    CRWR Online Report 12-05 The Long Tail of Hydroinformatics: Implementing Biological and Oceanographic Information in Hydrologic Information Systems by Eric S. Hersh, PhD PE December 2012 CENTER FOR RESEARCH IN WATER RESOURCES The University of Texas at Austin, J.J. Pickle Research Campus, Austin, TX 78712-4497 This document is available online at: http://www.crwr.utexas.edu/online.shtml Copyright by Eric Scott Hersh 2012 The Dissertation Committee for Eric Scott Hersh certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: THE LONG TAIL OF HYDROINFORMATICS: IMPLEMENTING BIOLOGICAL AND OCEANOGRAPHIC INFORMATION IN HYDROLOGIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS Committee: David Maidment, Supervisor Timothy Bonner Kenneth Dunton Robert Gilbert Ben Hodges Daene McKinney THE LONG TAIL OF HYDROINFORMATICS: IMPLEMENTING BIOLOGICAL AND OCEANOGRAPHIC INFORMATION IN HYDROLOGIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS by Eric Scott Hersh, B.S.C.E.; M.S.E. Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Austin in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Texas at Austin December 2012 Acknowledgements I thank my advisor, David Maidment, for his vision, support, enthusiasm and guidance. I thank my other committee members and acknowledge their valuable insight, input, and support. I thank the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for supporting this research. I thank Tim Whiteaker and Center for Research in Water Resources colleagues and staff. I thank the captain and crew of the R/V Alpha Helix and R/V Moana Wave for safe and successful field seasons. Lastly, I acknowledge the many valuable stakeholders, agency reviewers, workgroup members, and project teams who contributed to this research.
    [Show full text]