Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Annual Research Highlights 2009 Volume III, Sept. 2010 Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Annual Research Highlights 2009 Volume III, Sept. 2010 Our Mission: To conserve and enhance fish and wildlife resources and provide opportunity for hunting, fishing, trapping, boating and other wildlife related activities. Annual Research Highlights 2008 Foreword 4) To expand and diversify our user base and 5) To create a more diverse, effective, and efficient orga- nization. These two documents are available to the public, and are intended for frequent revision and re-adjustment to incorpo- rate ever changing agency and public needs and interests. The 2009 Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Research Summary represents our targeted efforts to fulfill the goals of our Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy as well as the goals of the 2008 – 2012 Strategic Plan. These project summaries serve as a testament to KDFWR’s vigi- lance in the conservation of the fish and wildlife resources that we hold in trust for the public. Prescribed burn / Joe Lacefield Funding Sources and Long Term Conservation two unique purposes. The Compre- Guidance to Federal Planning in Kentucky hensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy Programs The mission of the Kentucky (CWCS) is Kentucky’s roadmap for The Kentucky Department of Fish Department of Fish and Wildlife Re- sustaining fish and wildlife diversity. and Wildlife Resources receives no sources (KDFWR) is to conserve and The two primary goals of the CWCS general fund taxpayer dollars. As a enhance fish and wildlife resources are to identify and prioritize important result, the Department relies on hunting and to provide opportunity for hunting, species and habitats of conservation and fishing license fees, boat registra- fishing, trapping, boating, and other concern within Kentucky and to suc- tion fees, and federal programs to fund wildlife related activities. To effec- cessfully implement conservation mea- the six divisions within KDFWR. Proj- tively conserve and enhance game and sures for these species and habitats. In ects that are entirely funded by the state non-game fish and wildlife resources contrast, the 2007 – 2012 Strategic Plan are labeled “non-federal aid” (NFA); in Kentucky, long-term planning is addresses fish and wildlife manage- however, most of the projects included necessary. Over the past several years, ment issues as well as agency issues as in this document are partially or fully KDFWR has collaborated with multiple a whole. funded by federal programs such as the outside agencies, non-profit organiza- State and Tribal Wildlife Grant Pro- tions, professionals, and biologists The five primary goals of the gram, the Wildlife Restoration Act (Pit- to complete two important planning Strategic plan are: tman-Robertson), the Sport Fish Resto- documents: the Comprehensive Wild- 1) To conserve and enhance fish and ration Program (Dingell-Johnson), and life Conservation Strategy (completed wildlife populations and their habi- the Cooperative Endangered Species in 2007; http://fw.ky.gov/kfwis/stwg/) tats; Conservation Fund (Section 6). and the 2008 – 2012 Kentucky Depart- 2) To increase opportunity for, and safe These federal programs serve a va- ment of Fish and Wildlife Resources participation in hunting, fishing, riety of purposes; however, each has an Strategic Plan (http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/ trapping, boating, and other wildlife- underlying goal of fish, wildlife, and/or strategicplan008-01.pdf). Both of related activities; habitat conservation. Brief descrip- these documents are designed to guide 3) To foster a more informed and in- tions of each of these programs are as agency decisions; however, they serve volved public; follows: Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources FOREWORD Federal Funding Source Program Goal To develop and implement programs that benefit wildlife and State Wildlife Grant their habitats, specifically species (SWG) Program and habitats of conservation concern Wildlife Restoration To restore, conserve, manage and Act enhance wild birds and mammals (Pittman-Robertson) and their habitats To fund fishery management Sport Fish Restoration projects, boating access, and aquatic (Dingell-Johnson) Program education Cooperative To fund conservation projects Endangered Species for candidate, proposed, or listed Conservation Fund species (Section 6) Big South Fork mussel release / Lee McClellan These federal programs provided tents. For projects that have been com- that began in 2009, a brief 1-page over- approximately 18.9 million dollars to pleted and not yet published, a detailed view of the project is included in the KDFWR in 2009 (see Figure 1). For summary will be included in the first second portion (“project highlights”) reference, we have included the state portion of the document. For projects of the document. For select and federal funding sources for ongoing projects, brief updates each project; however, these are included in the last section projects may be additionally of this document. In the table supplemented by outside fund- of contents, an expected date ing provided by non-profit of completion is listed for each organizations or universities. project with a finite end-date. When possible, we listed these This will facilitate looking up sources in addition to the state detailed summaries of com- and federal funding sources. pleted projects in later years. For each project summary, we Additionally, a comprehensive also identify the specific goals glossary of all projects in- of the strategic plan or CWCS cluded in Research Highlights fulfilled, as well as the KD- documents (beginning in 2007) FWR contact responsible for is listed after the Table of Con- each project. tents. How to Use This Please use the following citation Document This document is divided when referencing this into four main sections: pub- (UNTINGAND&ISHING,ICENSES document: lished research, completed &EDERAL2EIMBURSEMENT Kentucky Department of projects, project highlights, Fish and Wildlife Resources "OAT2EGISTRATION&EES and project updates. Citations Annual Research Highlights, for all published research with /THEREG)NCOME4AX#HECK OFFAND)NTEREST)NCOME 2009. Volume III. Publication Kentucky Department of Fish of the Wildlife and Fisheries and Wildlife involvement are Figure 1. Kentucky Department of Fish and Divisions. September, 2010, included in the Table of Con- Wildlife Resources Funding Sources 009 121 pp. Annual Research Highlights 009 Table of Contents Published Research Wildlife Contact SWG Coordinator, Danna Baxley Genetic Diversity, Structure, and Recolonization Patterns ([email protected]) for reprints of these publications. of Black Bears in Eastern Kentucky ..........................33 Culp, J.J., A.C. Shepard, and M.A. McGregor. 2009. Bias in GPS Telemetry Studies: A Case Study Using Fish hosts and conglutinates of the pyramid pigtoe Black Bears in Southeastern Kentucky .....................38 (Pleurobema rubrum). Southeastern Naturalist 8(1):19-22. Factors Impacting Reproductive Success of Interior Dzialak, M.R., K.M. Carter, M.J. Lacki, D.F. Westneat, Least Terns (Sterna antillarum athalassos) in Western and K. Anderson. 2009. Activity of post-fledging Kentucky....................................................................46 peregrine falcons in different rearing and habitat conditions. Southeastern Naturalist 8(1):93-106. Harris, D., C. Elliott, R. Frederick, and T. Edwards. Project Highlights 2009. Habitat characteristics associated with These projects began in 009 American woodcock (Scolopax minor Gmelin) nests in central Kentucky. The Journal of the Kentucky Academy of Sciences 70(2):114-144. Fishes Hartman, P.J., D.S. Maehr, and J.L. Larkin. 2009. Alligator Gar Propagation and Restoration in Western Habitat selection by cerulean warblers in Eastern Kentucky Kentucky. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology Estimated Completion Date: December 31, 030 .....54 121(3):469-475. Distribution and Ecology of the Blackfin Sucker Hopkins, R.L. 2009. Use of landscape pattern metrics (Thoburnia atripinnis) in the Upper Barren River, and multiscale data in aquatic species distribution Kentucky models: a case study of a freshwater mussel. Estimated Completion Date: December 31, 010 .....55 Landscape Ecology 29:943-955. West Creek Fish Barrier Removal – Harrison County, Hopkins, R.L. and B.M. Burr. 2009. Modeling freshwater fish distributions using multiscale Kentucky landscape data: A case study of six narrow range Estimated Completion Date: June 30, 011 ..............56 endemics. Ecological Modelling 220:2024-2034. Description and Geography of Restricted Range Kentucky Fish Endemics Estimated Completion Date: June 30, 011 ..............57 Completed Projects Fisheries Mollusks The Ichthyofauna of Rock Creek, Kentucky, with Augmentation of the Slippershell Mussel, Alasmidonta Observations on the Impact of Stocking Rainbow viridis in Guist Creek, Kentucky ...............................58 Trout on Native Fishes ................................................9 Augmentation of the Snuffbox, Epioblasma triquetra in Spatio-temporal Analysis of Fishes in Terrapin Creek, the Rolling Fork River, Kentucky ..............................59 Kentucky....................................................................15 Five Year Quantitative Monitoring at Thomas Bend on Conservation Status and Habitat of the Longhead the Green River, Kentucky ........................................60 Darter,