June Sucker Chasmistes Liorus Research Articles

Detecting bias in abundance estimates of spawning fish from closed‐capture models using remote and physical capture data

AbstractObjectiveMixed‐data models incorporating remote antenna detections from PIT‐tagged fish together with physical capture data (mixed data) can improve precision of mark–recapture abundance estimates, particularly for spawning fish. However, if the entire population is not available for physical capture during the mark–recapture sampling period, abundance estimates will be biased low. Our objectives were to examine bias and precision of two modeling approaches and develop a simple diagnostic to determine whether the entire population was sampled.MethodsWe use a simulation modeling approach to compare specified abundances with abundance estimates from closed‐capture models using mixed data (the mixed‐data approach) and using only marked (e.g., PIT‐tagged) individuals divided by the proportion of individuals that are marked (proportional approach). We use the difference in bias between the two models as our diagnostic of whether a population was randomly sampled. We then applied our diagnostic to two case studies: a spawning population of adfluvial June Sucker Chasmistes liorus in Utah Lake, Utah, 2008–2020, and a spawning population of Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus in the Imnaha River, a tributary of the Snake River, Oregon, 2013–2020.ResultSimulation experiments revealed that the mixed‐data approach became increasingly negatively biased as the proportion of the population that was unavailable for physical capture increased, yet the proportional approach remained unbiased. Abundance estimates from the proportional approach averaged approximately 6× greater for June Sucker and 2× greater for Bull Trout compared to the mixed‐data approach, suggesting a proportion of the population was not available for physical capture in both case studies.ConclusionUnderstanding the magnitude of bias in abundance estimates is particularly important for the management of imperiled species that are subject to recovery plans. Comparing estimates using the unbiased proportional approach that we described here with those from a mixed‐data approach when PIT tag detection data are used to estimate abundance is a straightforward method to evaluate bias in these estimates.

Size-Specific Fate and Survival of June Sucker Chasmistes liorus mictus in Utah Lake, Utah

The June Sucker Chasmistes liorus mictus is a large-bodied catostomid endemic to Utah Lake, Utah. It is a federally listed endangered species, and one component to its recovery is a stocking program with a target of releasing 2.8 million fish averaging 200 mm long. Because size is implicated as a factor in poststocking survival of western native fishes, particularly in the presence of nonnative fishes, over a 4-year period a combination of telemetry and remote sensing was used to demonstrate size-specific poststocking survival of June Sucker in Utah Lake. A total of 88 June Sucker were released with acoustic tags to estimate short-term survival, and remote PIT scanners were deployed to examine longterm survival. Survival of telemetry fish varied from 0.0 to 0.83, with larger fish exhibiting the greatest survival in the final year. Size-specific survival was most evident in the analysis of PIT scanning data in which survival ranged from 2% for fish shorter than 200 mm to 90% for fish stocked at 300 mm. The causes of mortality are unknown, but likely culprits are nonnative fish and piscivorous birds. Both are well documented preying on June Sucker and similar species. Controlling predation may be impractical, but releasing fewer numbers of larger fish presumably will increase or maintain the population and be more cost effective than the current strategy. Overall, conservation and recovery of June Sucker will be a challenging endeavor going forward.

Matching Watershed and Otolith Chemistry to Establish Natal Origin of an Endangered Desert Lake Sucker

AbstractStream habitat restoration and supplemental stocking of hatchery‐reared fish have increasingly become key components of recovery plans for imperiled freshwater fish; however, determining when to discontinue stocking efforts, prioritizing restoration areas, and evaluating restoration success present a conservation challenge. In this study, we demonstrate that otolith microchemistry is an effective tool for establishing natal origin of the June Sucker Chasmistes liorus, an imperiled potamodromous fish. This approach allows us to determine whether a fish is of wild or hatchery origin in order to assess whether habitat restoration enhances recruitment and to further identify areas of critical habitat. Our specific objectives were to (1) quantify and characterize chemical variation among three main spawning tributaries; (2) understand the relationship between otolith microchemistry and tributary chemistry; and (3) develop and validate a classification model to identify stream origin using otolith microchemistry data. We quantified molar ratios of Sr:Ca, Ba:Ca, and Mg:Ca for water and otolith chemistry from three main tributaries to Utah Lake, Utah, during the summer of 2013. Water chemistry (loge transformed Sr:Ca, Ba:Ca, and Mg:Ca ratios) differed significantly across all three spawning tributaries. We determined that Ba:Ca and Sr:Ca ratios were the most important variables driving our classification models, and we observed a strong linear relationship between water and otolith values for Sr:Ca and Ba:Ca but not for Mg:Ca. Classification models derived from otolith element : Ca signatures accurately sorted individuals to their experimental tributary of origin (classification tree: 89% accuracy; random forest model: 91% accuracy) and determined wild versus hatchery origin with 100% accuracy. Overall, this study aids in evaluating the effectiveness of restoration, tracking progress toward recovery, and prioritizing future restoration plans for fishes of conservation concern. Our results have further application, such as identifying subpopulations that provide the greatest reproductive contribution to a metapopulation or finding the reproductive area and origin of invasive fishes.Received August 27, 2016; accepted February 28, 2017 Published online May 22, 2017

Fish Assemblage Associations with Floodplain Connectivity Following Restoration to Benefit an Endangered Catostomid

AbstractThe dynamics of stream and floodplain connectivity are a growing consideration for restoration projects. Restoration of a tributary stream to Utah Lake was undertaken in 2008 with the intent of increasing available spawning and nursery habitat for the endangered June Sucker Chasmistes liorus. Restoration efforts provided an opportunity to evaluate relationships between fish assemblages and variables related to the physiochemical environment, vegetation, and habitat connectivity at floodplain ponds. Fish were collected with beach seines and habitat variables were measured each month at 12 floodplain ponds during March 2010 to March 2011. Total catch was predominated by nonnative species: Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus, Western Mosquitofish Gambusia affinis, Black Bullhead Ameiurus melas, Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas, and Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus. Both indirect and direct gradient analyses indicated a significant correlation between fish assemblages and site connectivity. The percentage and type of macrophyte cover (e.g., emergent, submergent) also played a significant role in structuring fish assemblages. Species richness was generally higher at sites with intermediate to high connectivity than at sites with lower connectivity. Sites with lower connectivity were predominated by Green Sunfish, Mosquitofish, and Fathead Minnow. June Suckers were collected from sites with intermediate values of connectivity and vegetation. Observed patterns suggested connectivity structured initial fish assemblages and macrophyte colonization dynamics; subsequent interactions between local habitat (i.e., percent vegetation) and biotic factors (e.g., competition, predation, etc.) provided site‐specific interactions and structure. The results of this study indicate connectivity dynamics should be an important consideration in stream and floodplain restoration efforts.

Retention of learned predator recognition in an endangered sucker Chasmistes liorus liorus

AB Aquatic Biology Contact the journal Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections AB 20:195-202 (2014) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/ab00558 Retention of learned predator recognition in an endangered sucker Chasmistes liorus liorus Stephanie K. Archer1,2,*, Todd A. Crowl1 1Utah State University, Ecology Center and Watershed Sciences Department, Logan, Utah 84322, USA 2Present Address: Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA *Corresponding author: skraftarcher@gmail.com ABSTRACT: Captive propagation and restocking of native fishes is a common conservation strategy. However, hatchery-reared fishes are predator-naïve, and thus many stocked fishes are lost to predation, reducing the effectiveness of restocking programs. Many fishes use odor to identify known predators and, through the detection of chemical alarm cues, learn to recognize novel predators. A large body of research has focused on the efficacy of using predator odors in conjunction with chemical alarm cues to train hatchery-reared fishes to recognize predators prior to stocking. While it appears possible to train most fishes to recognize a novel predator through exposure to olfactory cues, few studies have shown that this training translates into increased survival for trained fishes. Recently, it has been proposed that hatchery fishes do not retain the learned associations long enough for hatchery training to result in increased survival, though few studies have quantified how long hatchery-reared fishes do retain learned associations. We conducted a series of laboratory experiments that demonstrate hatchery-raised June sucker Chasmistes liorus liorus, an endangered sucker endemic to Utah Lake, Utah, USA, can learn to recognize a novel predator (largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides). We also show that this learned association is retained for at least 2 d, but is lost by 10 d after initial exposure. Our results suggest that in the absence of reinforcement, June sucker do not retain learned predator recognition long enough to expect hatchery training to translate into increased survival. KEY WORDS: June sucker · Chasmistes liorus liorus · Olfactory cues · Learning · Retention · Largemouth bass · Micropterus salmoides Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Archer SK, Crowl TA (2014) Retention of learned predator recognition in an endangered sucker Chasmistes liorus liorus . Aquat Biol 20:195-202. https://doi.org/10.3354/ab00558 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in AB Vol. 20, No. 3. Online publication date: April 24, 2014 Print ISSN: 1864-7782; Online ISSN: 1864-7790 Copyright © 2014 Inter-Research.

Determination of Upper Temperature Tolerance in June Sucker Larvae: Is the Transition to Utah Lake Temperatures a Recruitment Bottleneck?

AbstractThe June sucker Chasmistes liorus is an endangered adfluvial fish species that is endemic to the Utah Lake basin. This species remains endangered due to a lack of recruitment. Anthropogenic changes to June sucker lotic and lentic habitat has likely led to recruitment failure. Changes to Utah Lake include increased water temperature, increased turbidity, and eutrophic and saline conditions. The remaining spawning habitat for June suckers in the Provo River has experienced flow, temperature, and channelization modifications. We tested the hypothesis that recruitment failure is caused by a thermal shock that occurs when larvae are transported in the drift out of the Provo River (12–19°C) and into Utah Lake (17–25°C). We used two laboratory methods—direct transfer and acclimated chronic exposure (ACE)—to determine (1) the upper lethal temperature (ULT) and (2) the acute and chronic mortality associated with larval exposure to an acute thermal shock. The ULT of larvae acclimated to 16°C was 33°C. Survival varied from 81% to 95% for larvae that were directly transferred from 16°C (acclimation temperature) to 19–29°C and held for 7 d; survival was not significantly different from that of the 16°C control. A modified ACE method was used to mimic the river‐to‐lake transition. Acclimation temperatures of 12, 16, and 19°C were increased by 5–8°C over 4–6 h. After approximately 30 d, survival ranged from 42% (transition from 16°C to 21°C) to 87% (transition from 19°C to 27°C). Mean weight of fish that received the 19–27°C transition treatment was significantly greater than that of all other treatment groups except the 19–25°C transition group. Warmer incubation and rearing temperatures led to increased growth and survival. We conclude that thermal shock does not explain June sucker larval recruitment failure in Utah Lake, and we suggest that other factors are responsible for the recruitment failure.

Ontogenetic diet shift in the June suckerChasmistes liorus(Cypriniformes, Catostomidae) in the early juvenile stage

Kreitzer JD, Belk MC, Gonzalez DB, Tuckfield RC, Shiozawa DK, Rasmussen JE. Ontogenetic diet shift in the June suckerChasmistes liorus(Cypriniformes, Catostomidae) in the early juvenile stage. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 433–438. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/SAbstract – Ontogenetic diet shifts are common in fishes and often occur during early life stages. The larval and early juvenile period is critical in the life cycle of the endangered June sucker,Chasmistes liorus(Teleostei: Catostomidae). High larval and juvenile mortality leads to low recruitment to the breeding population and hence a declining natural population. To understand diet composition and dynamics in June sucker at early life stages, diet was quantified and compared to available food items in the natural environment during the early juvenile stage. Rotifers (Brachionussp.) were the primary diet item at week 10, but by week 12 a small cyclopoid copepod (Microcyclops rubellus) became predominant. Availability of diet items varied little across the experimental period. The increase in size of young suckers may explain this rapid dietary shift, but there are some inconsistencies with the size selection argument. This diet shift represents an important nutritional change that should be considered in development of diets for young June sucker and in assessing suitability of nursery habitats.

Residence time and drift patterns of larval June sucker Chasmistes liorus in the lower Provo River as determined by otolith microstructure

Estimates of age derived from daily ring counts from otoliths and capture rates of larval June sucker Chasmistes liorus were used to determine the relationship between discharge rates of the Provo River and residence time and patterns of larval drift. During 1997, larval drift occurred over a 22 day period when discharge rates were low (mean +/-s.d. 3.2 +/- 0.0 m(3) s(-1)). In 1998, larval drift occurred in two separate events over a 40 day period. Discharge was higher during the first larval drift period (19 days; 24.8 +/- 1.3 m(3) s(-1)) and lower during the second larval drift period (17 days; 7.0 +/- 0.9 m(3) s(-1)). In 1997, no larval fish were collected at the lowermost transect on the Provo River (nearest Utah Lake), and few larvae >21 days of age were found. During the first drift period of 1998, larval C. liorus were collected at all transects, and mean age of larvae collected between upstream and downstream transects increased by c. 7 days. During the second drift period of 1998, only a few were collected in the lowermost transects, and age did not increase with proximity to the lake. Patterns in catch and age distribution of larval C. liorus in the lower Provo River suggest that recruitment failure occurs during the larval drift period in years with insufficient discharge to transport larvae into the lake.

Endangered species augmentation: a case study of alternative rearing methods

ESR Endangered Species Research Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsSpecials ESR 8:225-232 (2009) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00219 Endangered species augmentation: a case study of alternative rearing methods Josh E. Rasmussen*, Mark C. Belk, Steven L. Peck Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, USA josh_rasmussen@byu.edu ABSTRACT: Stocking of artificially propagated fish has been adopted by many endangered fish recovery programs as a key component of their recovery plans. However, quantifying successful recruitment of individuals to the adult population is difficult, especially in long-lived species. To evaluate the effect of the rearing environment on recruitment in the native environment, we compared post-stocking survival of the endangered June sucker Chasmistes liorus reared under conventional hatchery practices to those reared in 2 reservoirs. We used logistic regression analysis to compare patterns of survival among populations including total length and condition at the time of stocking as continuous covariates. The estimated probability of survival for reservoir-reared fish from Red Butte and Camp Creek Reservoirs was 0.19 and 0.05, respectively, compared to 0.05 for hatchery-reared fish. Length and condition were positively related to post-stocking survival. On average, reservoir-reared fish performed better than hatchery-reared fish. It is not clear what mechanism led to increased survival for the Red Butte source, but several studies have demonstrated the importance of acclimation to the physical environment and the threat of predation. We suggest that augmentation procedures would produce more recruits to the adult population if they incorporate grow-out or at least acclimation in more natural environments than that provided by hatcheries prior to release in Utah Lake. KEY WORDS: Post-stocking survival · Semi-natural rearing · Chasmistes liorus Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Rasmussen JE, Belk MC, Peck SL (2009) Endangered species augmentation: a case study of alternative rearing methods. Endang Species Res 8:225-232. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00219Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in ESR Vol. 8, No. 3. Online publication date: September 17, 2009 Print ISSN: 1863-5407; Online ISSN: 1613-4796 Copyright © 2009 Inter-Research.

Growth and Survival of Juvenile June Suckers in Enclosures in Utah Lake: Feasibility of Modified Cage Culture for an Endangered Species

AbstractAn objective of the recovery program for the federally endangered June sucker Chasmistes liorus is to produce large numbers of artificially propagated individuals to augment the wild population and offset recruitment deficits. We tested the feasibility of modified cage culture in Utah Lake, Utah, as a cost‐effective addition to the current hatchery program. Specifically, we examined the survival and growth of age‐0 June suckers from July to September at two densities (62 and 187 fish/m3) in two cage types (fixed and floating; n = 12 cages total) in a complete factorial design and compared the cost of production with hatchery costs of production. June suckers were not given supplemental feed during the study but instead preyed on zooplankton that drifted into the cages. Mean survival of June suckers was 45.5% and was not significantly different between cage types or density. Cage design significantly affected growth of June suckers, with fish growing larger in floating cages (mean standard length [SL] = 56.7 mm) than in fixed cages (mean SL = 49.6 mm). Density significantly affected growth in fixed cages (mean SL = 52.5 and 46.6 mm in low‐ and high‐density cages, respectively) but did not significantly affect growth in floating cages. Comparison of costs of production between cage and hatchery production indicates that cage culture would be a cost‐effective addition to the current June sucker augmentation program.

Evaluation of Thermal Requirements for the Propagation and Recovery of June Suckers

AbstractDetermining the optimal rearing temperature for the June sucker Chasmistes liorus has been identified as a key component necessary for the design of a new June sucker hatchery and for achieving the June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program supplementation goal of 350,000 fish of 20‐cm length annually. A laboratory study was conducted to monitor the performance of June suckers reared at average temperatures of 8.3, 10.1, 12.3, 14.0, 16.1, 18.5, 20.5, 21.8, 23.9, 25.9, 27.9, and 29.7°C for 16 weeks. In this study, quadratic regression analysis was used to determine maximum condition factor and weight gain, respectively, and 22.5°C and 21.9°C were identified as the maximum water temperatures. According to this same regression analysis, the maximum feed efficiency and total length increase occurred at 21.6°C and 23.7°C, respectively, during the 16‐week study. The modified acclimated chronic exposure water temperature (50% survival for 60 d) was greater than 27.9°C. Spinal and fin deformities increased during this study in all treatments, and these malformations appear to be diet related. There was no temperature effect on deformities, but temperature did affect overall survival.

Population Dynamics of a June Sucker Refuge Population

AbstractThe June sucker Chasmistes liorus is an endangered sucker endemic to Utah Lake in the Bonneville basin of the western United States. Little is known about the critical life history parameters for this species. We evaluated the life history characteristics of a June sucker refuge population using mark‐recapture techniques. The Red Butte June sucker population was structured as five stage‐classes: age 0, age 1, age 2, age 3, and adult. The first four annuli on opercles were estimated to form at approximately 57, 121, 184, and 259 mm total length (TL). The adult class comprised all June suckers 4 years and older; the oldest possible age for an adult was 16 years, these June suckers representing the original suckers used to establish this refuge population. Mean lengths of reproductive adults indicated sex‐specific differences in size at maturity; females were significantly greater in TL than males (402 and 378 mm, respectively). The estimated population size excluding age‐0 fish was 13,556 (95% confidence interval, 11,499–16,510) after adjusting for tag loss. Survival rates were estimated for all but the age‐0 class as follows: age 1, 0.4225; age 2, 0.4625; age 3, 0.8020; and adults, 0.9576. This study provides the first estimates of abundance and survival of juvenile June suckers as well as comprehensive life history data for a June sucker population.

A review of the comparative morphology and systematics of Utah Lake suckers (Catostomidae)

AbstractUtah Lake, Utah, U.S.A. harbours an endemic catostomid fish, the June sucker Chasmistes liorus, that is recognized as being endangered. Since 1981, post‐1935 representatives of the June sucker have generally been considered to be examples of a self‐propagating hybrid. Utah Lake has contained another endemic catostomid, the webug sucker Chasmistes fecundus that was regarded as a true species until 1981 when it was judged to be an extirpated sterile hybrid. Since then, fisheries biologists have not attempted to identify it. This review makes a comparative examination of the published descriptions of the internal and external anatomy of these two species, plus the third catostomid of Utah Lake, the Utah sucker Catostomus ardens. The Utah sucker purportedly crossed with a form of the June sucker that has supposedly since been expunged, to produce hybrids. On the basis of comparative morphology and the consideration of temporal changes in the habitat and piscifauna of Utah Lake, the authenticity of supposed hybridism in the webug sucker, and in the contemporary June sucker, is analysed. The conclusion is reached that there is insufficient evidence to deem these taxa hybrids, or the webug sucker, extinct.