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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2002

Ontogenetic behavior and migration of Atlantic sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus, and shortnose sturgeon, A. brevirostrum, with notes on social behavior

Ontogenetic behavior of Hudson River Atlantic sturgeon and Connecticut River shortnose sturgeon early life intervals were similar during laboratory observations. After hatching, free embryos were photonegative and sought cover. When embryos developed into larvae, fish left cover, were photopositive, and initiated downstream migration. Free embryos may remain at the spawning site instead of migrating downstream because the risk of predation at spawning sites is low. The two species are sympatric, but not closely related, so the similarities in innate behaviors suggest common adaptations, not phylogenetlc relationship. Atlantic sturgeon migrated downstream for 12 days (peak, first 6 days), shortnose sturgeon migrated for 3 days, and year-0 juveniles of both species did not resume downstream migration. Short or long migrations of larvae may reflect different styles related to the total migratory distance from spawning sites to juvenile rearing areas. Atlantic sturgeon need to move a short distance to reach rearing areas and they had a long 1-step migration of 6-12 days. In contrast, shortnose sturgeon need to move a long distance to reach all rearing areas. This may be accomplished by a 2-step migration, of which the brief migration of larvae is only the first step. Early migrant Atlantic sturgeon were nocturnal, while late migrants were diurnal, and shortnose sturgeon were diurnal. These diel differences may also be adaptations for long (Atlantic sturgeon) or short (shortnose sturgeon) migrations. Cultured shortnose sturgeon, and possibly Atlantic sturgeon, have a dominance hierarchy with large fish dominant when competing for limited foraging space. Social behavior may be more important in the life history of wild sturgeons than is generally recognized.

Environmental Biology of Fishes↗
USGS2011

Factors affecting fish biodiversity in floodplain lakes of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

River-floodplain ecosystems offer some of the most diverse and dynamic environments in the world. Accordingly, floodplain habitats harbor diverse fish assemblages. Fish biodiversity in floodplain lakes may be influenced by multiple variables operating on disparate scales, and these variables may exhibit a hierarchical organization depending on whether one variable governs another. In this study, we examined the interaction between primary variables descriptive of floodplain lake large-scale features, suites of secondary variables descriptive of water quality and primary productivity, and a set of tertiary variables descriptive of fish biodiversity across a range of floodplain lakes in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley of Mississippi and Arkansas (USA). Lakes varied considerably in their representation of primary, secondary, and tertiary variables. Multivariate direct gradient analyses indicated that lake maximum depth and the percentage of agricultural land surrounding a lake were the most important factors controlling variation in suites of secondary and tertiary variables, followed to a lesser extent by lake surface area. Fish biodiversity was generally greatest in large, deep lakes with lower proportions of watershed agricultural land. Our results may help foster a holistic approach to floodplain lake management and suggest the framework for a feedback model wherein primary variables can be manipulated for conservation and restoration purposes and secondary and tertiary variables can be used to monitor the success of such efforts.

Environmental Biology of Fishes↗
USGS1997

Life history, latitudinal patterns, and status of the shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum

Historically, shortnose sturgeon inhabited most major rivers on the Atlantic coast of North America south of the Saint John River, Canada. Today, only 16 populations may remain. Major anthropogenic impacts on shortnose sturgeon are blockage of spawning runs by dams, harvest of adults (bycatch and poaching), dredging of fresh/saltwater riverine reaches, regulation of river flows, and pollution. The pattern of anadromy (adult use of salt water) varies with latitude. The pattern may reflect bioenergetic adaptations to latitudinal differences between fresh and salt water habitats for thermal and foraging suitability. The greater adult abundance in northern and north-central populations likely reflects a historical difference with southern populations that is currently accentuated by increased anthropogenic impacts on southern populations. Adult abundance is less than the minimum estimated viable population abundance of 1000 adults for 5 of 11 surveyed populations, and all natural southern populations. Across the latitudinal range, spawning adults typically travel to about river km 200 or farther upstream. Dams built downstream of spawning reaches block spawning runs, and can divide amphidromous populations into up- and downstream segments. Conservation efforts should correct environmental and harvest impacts, not stock cultured fish into wild populations.

Environmental Biology of Fishes↗
USGS1998

Diel and distributional abundance patterns of fish embryos and larvae in the lower Columbia and Deschutes rivers

Diel and distributional abundance patterns of free embryos and larvae of fishes in the lower Columbia River Basin were investigated. Ichthyoplankton samples were collected in 1993 during day and night in the main-channel and a backwater of the lower Columbia River, and in a tributary, the Deschutes River. Fish embryos and larvae collected in the main-channel Columbia River were primarily (85.6%) of native taxa (peamouth Mylocheilus caurinus, northern squawfish Ptychocheilus oregonensis, suckers Catostomus spp., and sculpins Cottus spp.), with two introduced species (American shad Alosa sapidissima and common carp Cyprinus carpio) comprising a smaller percentage of the catch (13.3%). Similarly, in the Deschutes River native taxa [lampreys (Petromyzontidae), minnows (Cyprinidae), and suckers Catostomus spp.] dominated collections (99.5% of the catch). In contrast, 83.5% of embryos and larvae in the Columbia River backwater were of introduced taxa [American shad, common carp, and sunfishes (Centrarchidae)]. In all locations, all dominant taxa except sculpins were collected in significantly greater proportions at night. Taxon-specific differences in proportions of embryos and larvae collected at night can in some instances be related to life history styles. In the main-channel Columbia River, northern squawfish and peamouth were strongly nocturnal and high proportions still had yolksacs, suggesting that they had recently hatched and were drifting downriver to rearing areas. In contrast, sculpin abundances were similar during day and night, and sculpins mostly had depleted yolksacs, indicating sculpins were feeding and rearing in offshore limnetic habitats. Taxon-specific diel abundance patterns and their causes must be considered when designing effective sampling programs for fish embryos and larvae.

Oregon↗
USGS1999

Comparative microhabitat use of ecologically similar benthic fishes

Although benthic insectivorous fishes such as darters and sculpins represent a significant component of riffle communities, few studies have compared the habitat use of these non-related but ecologically similar fishes. The objectives of this study were to examine the habitat use of Etheostoma olmstedi (tessellated darter) compared to Cottus bairdi (mottled sculpin) in Nescopeck Creek and Cottus cognatus (slimy sculpin) in Jack's Creek, Pennsylvania through underwater observation. Etheostoma olmstedi occupied habitats with significantly deeper waters than those available, whereas adult and young of the year Cottus occupied habitats with significantly faster water velocities than those available. Canonical discriminant analysis revealed microhabitat partitioning between E. olmstedi and each Cottus species. Cottus bairdi and C. cognatus occupied significantly shallower habitats with faster water velocities than E. olmstedi. Sculpin species were observed most frequently under substrate whereas E. olmstedi occurred most frequently on the top surface of the substrate. Hurlbert's standardized niche breadth values indicated that C. bairdi and C. cognatus were habitat specialists with regard to water velocity measures, but exhibited generalistic patterns of depth and substrate size use. Etheostoma olmstedi was a habitat specialist with respect to depth, but exhibited generalistic patterns of resource use for substrate size. Differential habitat use by these benthic fishes is consistent with the hypothesis that resource partitioning facilitates species coexistence among stream fishes.

Environmental Biology of Fishes↗
USGS2021

Improved methods for understanding the role of predation on dreissenid population dynamics

Impacts of dreissenid mussels ( Dreissena spp.) on Great Lakes ecosystems are well documented, and a better understanding of mechanisms that cause variation in dreissenid abundance is needed. An outstanding question is how much dreissenid biomass is consumed by fish predation. A significant difficulty for investigating dreissenid consumption by fish is that dreissenids in stomachs are often a mix of indigestible shell and flesh, which can bias bioenergetics models and estimates of daily ration. Here, we develop an analysis to convert crushed shell and flesh mixtures found in fish diets to dry weight of digestible dreissenid flesh. Quagga Dreissena rostiformis bugensis and zebra Dreissena polymorpha mussels were used in separate dry weight analyses simulating stomach contents ranging from individual mussels to aggregates of each species. A species-specific dry weight relationship was observed when comparing flesh-only dry weight to total dry weight (shell + flesh) for individual dreissenid but not for aggregates. Thus, the model is applicable in providing more precise estimates of dreissenid flesh dry weight in fish diets.

Environmental Biology of Fishes↗
USGS2004

The habitats exploited and the species trapped in a Caribbean island trap fishery

We visually observed fish traps in situ to identify the habitats exploited by the U.S. Virgin Islands fishery and to document species composition and abundance in traps by habitat. Fishers set more traps in algal plains than in any other habitat around St. John. Coral reefs, traditionally targeted by fishers, accounted for only 16% of traps. Traps in algal plain contained the highest number of fishes per trap and the greatest numbers of preferred food species. Traps on coral reefs contained the most species, 41 of the 59 taxa observed in the study. Acanthurus coeruleus was the most abundant species and Acanthuridae the most abundant family observed in traps. Piscivore numbers were low and few serranids were observed. Traps in algal plain contained the most fishes as a result of: ecological changes such as shifts in habitat use, mobility of species and degradation of nearshore habitat (fishery independent); and, catchability of fishes and long-term heavy fishing pressure (fishery dependent). The low number of serranids per trap, dominance of the piscivore guild by a small benthic predator, Epinephelus guttatus, and dominance of trap contents overall by a small, fast-growing species of a lower trophic guild, Acanthurus coeruleus, all point to years of intense fishing pressure.

Environmental Biology of Fishes↗
USGS2025

Suspended sediment and fisheries: An exploration of empirical relationships

Objective: Sediment has an important role in aquatic ecosystems, however, excess sediment can negatively impact fish and other aquatic life. Quantifying the response of aquatic life, particularly fish, to suspended sediment is important for natural resource managers tasked with developing sediment management guidelines to protect aquatic ecosystems. Our goal was to assess the ability of established, revised, and alternate severity of ill effect (SEV) dose-response models to predict the impact of suspended sediment on fish. Methods: We synthesized existing literature to develop an expansive dataset that relates suspended sediment concentration and exposure duration to biological effects on fishes and assessed the predictive ability of established and revised SEV dose-response models. We investigated potential sources of variation in biological responses to suspended sediment dose and explored two alternative approaches for assessing the effects of suspended sediment on fish: 90th quantile SEV dose-response regression models and logistic SEV dose-response models. Results: We found that both established and revised linear SEV dose-response models poorly quantify fish biological response to suspended sediment. Quantile SEV dose-response regressions also performed poorly. More promising are logistic dose-response models that identify sediment thresholds where major effects of sediment on fish can be expected to occur. We demonstrate that fish biological response to suspended sediment is modulated by sediment particle size, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen levels, suggesting additional environmental and biological variables to consider when evaluating the effects of suspended sediment on fish. Conclusion: We contribute revised and novel empirically derived tools for predicting the effects of suspended sediment on fish and demonstrate how environmental variables and life stage may modulate fish biological response. Our work illustrates challenges associated with predictive modeling and some potential sources of variation. While empirical models integrating biological stress response to suspended sediment may help natural resource managers capture potential impacts of this stressor, a cautious approach that considers co-acting stressors may be most effective for sediment management that is protective of fish.

North American Journal of Fisheries Management↗
USGS2015

Spatial and temporal movement dynamics of brook Salvelinus fontinalis and brown trout Salmo trutta

Native eastern brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and naturalized brown trout Salmo trutta occur sympatrically in many streams across the brook trout’s native range in the eastern United States. Understanding within- among-species variability in movement, including correlates of movement, has implications for management and conservation. We radio tracked 55 brook trout and 45 brown trout in five streams in a north-central Pennsylvania, USA watershed to quantify the movement of brook trout and brown trout during the fall and early winter to (1) evaluate the late-summer, early winter movement patterns of brook trout and brown trout, (2) determine correlates of movement and if movement patterns varied between brook trout and brown trout, and (3) evaluate genetic diversity of brook trout within and among study streams, and relate findings to telemetry-based observations of movement. Average total movement was greater for brown trout (mean ± SD = 2,924 ± 4,187 m) than for brook trout (mean ± SD = 1,769 ± 2,194 m). Although there was a large amount of among-fish variability in the movement of both species, the majority of movement coincided with the onset of the spawning season, and a threshold effect was detected between stream flow and movement: where movement increased abruptly for both species during positive flow events. Microsatellite analysis of brook trout revealed consistent findings to those found using radio-tracking, indicating a moderate to high degree of gene flow among brook trout populations. Seasonal movement patterns and the potential for relatively large movements of brook and brown trout highlight the importance of considering stream connectivity when restoring and protecting fish populations and their habitats.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS2014

Mechanisms of drift-feeding behavior in juvenile Chinook salmon and the role of inedible debris in a clear water Alaskan stream

Drift-feeding fish are challenged to discriminate between prey and similar-sized particles of debris, which are ubiquitous even in clear-water streams. Spending time and energy pursuing debris mistaken as prey could affect fish growth and the fitness potential of different foraging strategies. Our goal was to determine the extent to which debris influences drift-feeding fish in clear water under low-flow conditions when the distracting effect of debris should be at a minimum. We used high-definition video to measure the reactions of drift-feeding juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) to natural debris and prey in situ in the Chena River, Alaska. Among all potential food items fish pursued, 52 % were captured and quickly expelled from the mouth, 39 % were visually inspected but not captured, and only 9 % were ingested. Foraging attempt rate was only moderately correlated with ingestion rate (Kendall’s τ = 0.55), raising concerns about the common use of foraging attempts as a presumed index of foraging success. The total time fish spent handling debris increased linearly with foraging attempt rate and ranged between 4 and 25 % of total foraging time among observed groups. Our results help motivate a revised theoretical view of drift feeding that emphasizes prey detection and discrimination, incorporating ideas from signal detection theory and the study of visual attention in cognitive ecology. We discuss how these ideas could lead to better explanations and predictions of the spatial behavior, prey selection, and energy intake of drift-feeding fish.

Alaska↗
USGS2014

Life history strategies of fish species and biodiversity in eastern USA streams

Predictive models have been used to determine fish species that occur less frequently than expected (decreasers) and those that occur more frequently than expected (increasers) in streams in the eastern U.S. Coupling life history traits with 51 decreaser and 38 increaser fish species provided the opportunity to examine potential mechanisms associated with predicted changes in fish species distributions in eastern streams. We assigned six life history traits – fecundity, longevity, maturation age, maximum total length, parental care, and spawning season duration – to each fish species. Decreaser species were significantly smaller in size and shorter-lived with reduced fecundity and shorter spawning seasons compared to increaser species. Cluster analysis of traits revealed correspondence with a life history model defining equilibrium (low fecundity, high parental care), opportunistic (early maturation, low parental care), and periodic (late maturation, high fecundity, low parental care) end-point strategies. Nearly 50 % of decreaser species were associated with an intermediate opportunistic-periodic strategy, suggesting that abiotic factors such as habitat specialization and streamflow alteration may serve as important influences on life history traits and strategies of decreaser species. In contrast, the percent of increaser species among life history strategy groups ranged from 21 to 32 %, suggesting that life history strategies of increaser species were more diverse than those of decreaser species. This study highlights the utility of linking life history theory to biodiversity to better understand mechanisms that contribute to fish species distributions in the eastern U.S.

Environmental Biology of Fishes↗
USGS2024

Wetland geomorphology and tidal hydrodynamics drive fine-scale fish community composition and abundance

Effective restoration of tidal wetlands for fish communities requires clear goals and mechanistic understanding of the ecosystem drivers which affect fish distribution and abundance. We examined fish community responses to abiotic habitat features in two adjacent but dissimilar freshwater tidal wetlands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, CA, USA, each of which represents a potential restoration configuration. The first wetland was characterized by a broad, intertidal basin with relatively high hydrodynamic exchange with surrounding waterways. The second wetland was characterized by a dendritic network of shallow subtidal channels with relatively low hydrodynamic exchange. Fish community composition significantly differed between the two wetlands, based on permutational analysis of variance. Fish abundance within and among the two wetlands was also highly affected by specific geomorphic and hydrodynamic characteristics: distance from connection with the main external waterway, bed elevation, and water surface elevation. The physical configuration of a restored tidal wetland, in conjunction with the way tides move across the restored landscape, has strong implications for local fishes. Manipulating these elements to create a landscape mosaic of habitat configurations can be an effective tool for targeting desired restoration outcomes, such as specific fish communities or target fish densities.

California↗
USGS2005

Competition for food between an introduced crayfish and two fishes endemic to the Colorado River basin

Crayfish are not native to the Colorado River basin (CRB), however they are now established in portions of the mainstem and in many tributaries. I used density manipulation experiments in a laboratory setting to determine intra- and interspecific competition for food between Orconectes virilis , an aggressive polytrophic crayfish now common in the CRB, and two native fishes: Gila chub, Gila intermedia , and flannelmouth sucker, Catostomus latipinnis . I tested each fish species in separate trials. Growth of Gila chub decreased when animal densities increased, however they were more affected by intraspecific competition than by crayfish presence. In contrast, growth of flannelmouth suckers was more affected by crayfish than by intraspecific competition. Crayfish growth was not significantly altered by presence of either fish. Crayfish thus reduced fish growth by competition for food, but the effect differed markedly between the two species.

Environmental Biology of Fishes↗
USGS2014

The role of depth in regulating water quality and fish assemblages in oxbow lakes

We evaluated water quality and fish assemblages in deep (> 3.0 m; N = 7) and shallow (< 1.5 m; N = 6) floodplain lakes in the intensively cultivated Yazoo River Basin (Mississippi, USA) using indirect gradient multivariate procedures. Shallow lakes displayed wide diel oxygen fluctuations, some reaching hypoxic/anoxic conditions for extended periods of time, high suspended solids, and extreme water temperatures. Conversely, deeper lakes were represented by higher visibility, stable oxygen levels, and cooler water temperatures. Fish assemblages in shallow lakes were dominated by tolerant, small-bodied fishes and those able to breathe atmospheric oxygen. Deeper lakes had a greater representation of predators and other large-bodied fishes. Our evaluation suggests fish assemblages are reflective of oxbow lakes water quality, which is shaped by depth. Understanding the interactions between depth, water quality, and fish assemblages may facilitate development of effective management plans for improving conditions necessary to sustain diverse fish assemblages in agriculturally dominated basins.

Environmental Biology of Fishes↗