And Silver Carp, H. Molitrix (Valenciennes, 1844) Range Expansion on the Northwestern Front of the Invasion in North America
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BioInvasions Records (2014) Volume 3, Issue 4: 283–289 Open Access doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3391/bir.2014.3.4.10 © 2014 The Author(s). Journal compilation © 2014 REABIC Rapid Communication Adult, juvenile and young-of-year bighead, Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (Richardson, 1845) and silver carp, H. molitrix (Valenciennes, 1844) range expansion on the northwestern front of the invasion in North America Cari-Ann Hayer*, Brian D.S. Graeb and Katie N. Bertrand South Dakota State University, Department of Natural Resource Management, Box 1240B, NPB 138, Brookings, SD 57006 USA E-mail: [email protected] (CAH), [email protected] (BDSG), [email protected] (KNB) *Corresponding author Received: 2 June 2014 / Accepted: 14 August 2014 / Published online: 23 September 2014 Handling editor: Vadim Panov Abstract Asian carps (bighead and silver carp) were collected with boat electrofishing over four years in three South Dakota tributaries to the Missouri River at the beginning of their invasion into this region. This paper documents their annual movement upstream into these tributaries and identifies differences in distribution by age-0, juvenile, and adults. By the end of this study in 2012, Asian carps dispersion was slowed or halted in these tributaries due to artificial and natural barriers. These records represent the northern most records of Asian carps in North America (46.931042, -98.708975). Key words: South Dakota, prairie streams, flooding, establishment, reproduction Introduction through numerous dams on the Mississippi River and into associated tributaries (e.g., Missouri River, Invasive species are becoming a worldwide Illinois River, Ohio River; Kolar et al. 2007; epidemic and are triggering changes in the USGS 2014). The northern extent of the Asian structure and function of invaded ecosystems carps expansion is in the Mississippi River basin. (Ricciardi et al. 2000). One pair of global invaders, They could potentially colonize the Great Lakes bighead, Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (Richardson, through the Chicago Shipping Canal (e.g., Lake 1845), and silver carp, H. molitrix (Valenciennes, Michigan) and the Illinois River, a tributary to the 1844), (collectively referred to as Asian carps) have Mississippi River (Kocovsky et al. 2012). The been introduced intentionally and unintentionally eastern range includes the Ohio River where they throughout the world, mostly for aquaculture threaten to enter the Great Lakes (e.g., Lake purposes (Kolar et al. 2007) as they are the most Erie) through the Wabash River, a tributary to important aquaculture species in Asia and east- the Ohio River, and the Maumee River, the second central Europe (Lieberman 1996; Penman et al. largest tributary to Lake Erie (Kocovsky et al. 2005). Bighead carp have been introduced to 74 2012). On the northwestern part of their expansion, countries and are reproducing in 19 and the silver Asian carps threaten to colonize three tributaries carp has been introduced to 88 countries and are (e.g., James, Vermillion, and Big Sioux rivers) to reproducing in 23 (Kolar et al. 2007). Both species the Missouri River below Gavins Point Dam, that of Asian carps are currently reproducing in the serve as important fish habitat for many threatened United States (Papoulias et al. 2006; DeGrandchamp and endangered fishes (Berry et al. 2007). These et al. 2007; Lohmeyer and Garvey 2009; Deters et tributaries already face disturbance from current al. 2013). Asian carps were originally introduced and present land use practices and natural into the southern United States in aquaculture physio-chemical and hydrologic fluctuations ponds in the early 1970s where both species characteristic of prairie streams (Matthews 1988; subsequently escaped and began their expansion Poff and Ward 1989; Hayer et al. 2014a). 283 C.-A. Hayer et al. Figure 1. Study area with standardized sampling sites (circles) spanning the James, Vermillion, and Big Sioux Rivers in the eastern part of North and South Dakota. Large barriers represent dams that presumably Asian carp cannot pass. 1= Gavins Point Dam, 23 m high, 2 = Jamestown Dam, 28 meters high, 3 = Vermillion Lake Dam, 12 m high, 4 = Sioux Falls, 8 m high. A = Shue creek, b = Lake Byron, c = Milltown, SD, d = Mitchell, SD. Prior to this study, the distribution and use by South Dakota to its confluence with the Missouri Asian carps of these three Missouri River Plains River (Berry et al. 1993; Figure 1). The James River tributaries in South Dakota were unknown. contains over 200 lowhead dams (approximately However; one bighead carp was caught by an 1–2 meters) that are passable by fish during high angler in the middle James River near Mitchell, water (Berry et al. 1993; Shearer and Berry 2003) South Dakota in 2008 and one silver carp was and 28 meter high dam in the North Dakota part caught by an angler in the Big Sioux River near of the river (Berry et al. 1993). The Vermillion Canton, SD in 2004 (Kolar et al. 2005). The goal River, the smallest basin (watershed area = 5,800 of this paper is to document the northwestern km2) extends 243 Rkm from the confluence of invasion front of adult, juvenile, and young-of- West and East Fork Vermillion rivers to its year Asian carps in three prairie tributaries and confluence with the Missouri River (Schmulbach other South Dakota waters (e.g., lakes) by and Braaten 1993; Figure 1). The Vermillion providing the northern most latitude detection River contains one larger dam, East Vermillion locations. Lake Dam, which creates Vermillion Lake and is 12 m high (Hayer et al. 2014b). The Big Sioux 2 Methods River (watershed area = 23,325 km ) extends 470 Rkm from the Prairie Coteau of northeastern Three prairie tributaries in South Dakota converge South Dakota to its confluence with the Missouri with an unchannelized section (Galat et al. 2005a) River at the South Dakota-Nebraska-Iowa border of the Missouri River just downstream of Gavins (Figure 1). The Big Sioux River contains a set of Point Dam: the James, Vermillion and Big Sioux natural falls that are deemed impassable by fish rivers. Gavins Point Dam is 23 m high hydro- (Dieterman and Berry 1998; Galat et al. 2005). electric dam and is the lower most dam on the The highest fall is 8 m high. Missouri River. No carp have been found upstream Standardized boat electrofishing occurred of this barrier. The three warmwater tributaries between 2009 and 2012 at five sites on the James drain the Central Lowlands physiographic province River, two sites on the Vermillion River, and in South Dakota (Galat et al. 2005b) and are three sites on the Big Sioux River (Figure 1), all characterized by low gradient streams of glacial within South Dakota. Sampling consisted of three origin (Hoagstrom et al. 2007). The James River 10 minute electrofishing runs which generally (watershed area = 57,000 km2) extends 760 Rkm covered three river kilometers. Sampling occurred from southeastern North Dakota through eastern once during each of three seasons: spring (May – 284 Asian carps expansion on the northwestern front Figure 2. Northern most collections of silver and bighead carp adults. Adults are 3 years old or more and greater than 600 mm TL. June), summer (July – August), and fall (September Silver carp have also only been collected in the – October). Additional non-standardized boat Big Sioux River at the confluence with the electrofishing occurred at various sites on the Missouri River and were last collected on August James River in North and South Dakota. Adult 17, 2012 (N = 5; TL = 634–783 mm; 3260–6123 g; carps were considered to be greater than 600 mm Figure 2). One adult bighead carp was collected TL (age 3+), juveniles were between 300 and near Mitchell (August, 31 2010) on the James 600 mm TL (ages 1 and 2), and age-0 were less River (TL = 1001, 9072 g) and no adults have than 300 mm TL. Life stage ages were verified been collected in the Vermillion or the Big Sioux by analyzing otoliths (Hayer et al. 2014b). Rivers (Figure 2). Results Juveniles Our data suggest that Asian carps dispersion has Twelve juvenile silver carp were collected from been slowed or halted in these Missouri River Shue Creek, a tributary to the James River north tributaries due to artificial and natural barriers. of Huron on September 27, 2011 (TL = 409 – These barriers are the most upstream collections 507; 768 – 1474 g; Figure 3). One juvenile silver within these river basins (Figure 1) where carp (450 mm, 1088 g) was subsequently collected bighead and silver carp were detected (Figures 2 in North Dakota on the James River in the –4). These findings represent the northernmost Jamestown Reservoir tailrace (Figures 3, 4) on Asian carps detections in North America October 12, 2011. This is the first record of (46.931042, -98.708975). silver carp in North Dakota. Fifteen silver carp (TL = 311–369 mm, 299–656 g) were collected from the Vermillion River below East Lake Adults Vermillion dam on August 11, 2011 and nineteen One adult silver carp was collected as far upstream were collected in the Big Sioux River at the as Milltown on the James River (TL = 752,4958 g) confluence with the Missouri River (TL = 384 – 474 on August 2, 2012 (Figure 2) and have not been mm; 510 – 1191; Figure 3) on August 17, 2012. collected above the confluence of the Vermillion Six juvenile bighead carp (415 – 509 mm TL, River with the Missouri River where nine silver 822 – 1389 g) were first collected from Firesteel carp were last collected on August 16, 2012 (TL Creek, a tributary to the James River near Mitchell = 681 – 784 mm; 3203 – 7285 g; Figure 2). on September 29, 2011 and were last collected 285 C.-A.