Geology topics

Heather Dyer

Publications and source records attributed to Heather Dyer.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2026

Using a temporary emigration model to estimate abundance of stream fishes from hybrid removal surveys with and without block nets

Monitoring programs are often faced with a decision to allocate resources into either robust spatiotemporal coverage to estimate a population index (e.g., not true abundance) or confirming closed sampling conditions (e.g., with block nets) for an unbiased population estimate at the cost of spatiotemporal coverage. However, making accurate and precise abundance estimates at robust spatiotemporal scales is possible when combining open and closed sampling designs with integrated modeling techniques. We used simulations and a case study of backpack electrofishing surveys in the Santa Ana River, California to test the efficacy of an integrated abundance model (temporary emigration model, TE) to estimate abundance of fishes using removal sampling methods with a hybrid sampling design (sampling with and without block nets during removal sampling). We found that the TE model performed well under most modeling scenarios (sample size, amount of closure violation, number of samples collected during closure), although at least a few samples with block nets were necessary for all parameters to be estimable. When applied to fish surveys in the Santa Ana River, we found that catch of the fishes fit to the TE model (Santa Ana Sucker, Arroyo Chub, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Yellow Bullhead) showed little evidence that the closure assumption was violated when block nets were not used. Additionally, we found that the abundance of non-native fishes negatively affected the abundance of the native Santa Ana Sucker, which was also found to adversely affect the native fish’s access to critical habitat consisting of gravel and cobble substrate. Our results indicate that the TE model presents a viable solution to common sampling problems that impact many monitoring programs, where precise and accurate population estimates can be made at large spatiotemporal scales even when most samples violate the closure assumption.

California↗

USGS2024

Evaluation of extinction risk for stream fishes within an urban riverscape using population viability analysis

1. The Santa Ana River in the Los Angeles region of California demonstrates common habitat degradation symptoms that are characteristic of the urban stream syndrome. These impacts have altered the Santa Ana River community structure, with few species as impacted as the native Santa Ana sucker (sucker; Pantosteus santaanae ). 2. Consequently, a recovery plan developed for sucker identified the need for a population viability analysis (PVA) to assess sucker extirpation risk. However, PVAs can be data-intensive and are subject to several sources of bias when standardized protocols are absent. 3. More than 20 years of sucker and arroyo chub (chub; Gila orcuttii ) surveys using different methods were compiled to build an integrated hierarchical multi-population PVA to estimate trends in abundance and extirpation probability of these native fishes from the Santa Ana River. 4. PVA modelling indicated similar patterns in sucker and chub abundance along the Santa Ana River, with the highest abundance of both species in the upper regions of the river during the early 2000s and downstream in recent years (2018–2022). Extirpation risk was estimated to be greatest near wastewater treatment facilities, where native fish abundance estimates have been zero since 2018. Extirpation risk was lower downstream of the wastewater treatment facilities for both species, although extinction risk was higher for sucker than chub throughout the river. 5. As the model evolves and more data are collected, the PVA could be used to assess the effects of various management actions, such as non-native predator removals and native fish re-introductions, on sucker and chub persistence.

California↗

USGS2023

Microhabitat use of native Santa Ana sucker and arroyo chub in an effluent-dominated southern California stream

A significant amount of the base flow of the Santa Ana River, located within California's arid Los Angeles metropolitan region, originates from two wastewater treatment facilities: the Rialto wastewater treatment facility and Rapid Infiltration and Extraction facility. The Santa Ana sucker ( Pantosteus santaanae , syn. Catostomus santaanae ) and arroyo chub ( Gila orcuttii ) are two native species listed in the Upper Santa Ana Habitat Conservation Plan, which aims to balance water supply needs with the ecological needs of native fauna. Consequently, an understanding of the habitat needs of these fishes will play a crucial role in achieving the goals outlined by the conservation plan. We used fish presence during snorkel surveys with habitat availability surveys to quantify habitat selection by both native fish species within a resource selection function analytical framework. We found that both species selected habitat near structures that could serve as refugia from potential predators. In addition, Santa Ana sucker selected habitats with high gravel and cobble substrate composition, presumably to fulfill complementary habitat needs such as foraging and spawning. Our results suggest that habitat alterations due to water management infrastructure and an increasing population size of nonnative predators may also affect native fish habitat selection in the Santa Ana River.

California↗

USGS2022

Joint-species analysis reveals potential displacement of native fishes by non-native fishes within the Santa Ana River, California

Accurate estimates of abundance are a cornerstone for resource managers to make effective decisions for fish conservation. However, multiple sampling methods often are required to sample fish communities, and ignoring the detection process can create substantial bias in latent state parameter estimation (e.g., abundance, survival). We developed a joint-species N -mixture model that integrated snorkel, seining, and electrofishing surveys to estimate factors affecting native and non-native fish distributions in the Santa Ana River, California. We found through data integration that native Santa Ana sucker ( Catostomus santaanae ) and arroyo chub ( Gila orcuttii ) were most abundant in wide stream channels, and the abundance of both native fishes were negatively correlated with non-native largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides ). Our results highlight the power of integrating multiple data sets into a single analysis and incorporating among-species correlation into abundance modeling. Our results also highlight a pattern of native fish declines that coincides with an expanding largemouth bass population, a concern for the management of native aquatic communities within the Santa Ana River.

California↗