SFS Annual Meeting

5/23/2019  |   14:00 - 14:15   |  250 DE

PERSISTENCE AND ACCUMULATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL DNA FROM AN ENDANGERED DRAGONFLY: PRELIMINARY RESULTS Detection of environmental DNA (eDNA) is becoming a commonly used survey method for threatened or invasive vertebrates in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. However, its application for the detection of invertebrates is not as well developed. Developing eDNA detection protocols are especially important for endangered invertebrates such as the Hine’s emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana) where conservation efforts have been greatly hindered by the training, time, overall costs, and environmental impacts associated with conducting surveys in the calcareous fens occupied by this species. An essential step in developing such a protocol is the evaluation of the dynamics of eDNA concentration. We used quantitative PCR to examine the persistence and accumulation of eDNA from captive S. hineana larvae in experimental mesocosms at water temperatures (5 and 16 Celsius) that reflect seasonal variation in their natural habitat. There was detectable variation in the accumulation and persistence of eDNA at different temperatures. Differences in the accumulation and persistence of eDNA at these temperatures reflect not only differences in longevity of eDNA, but also seasonal differences in behavior of S. hineana impacting their rates of DNA loss.

Kristie Schmidt (POC,Primary Presenter), University of South Dakota, Kristie.Schmidt@coyotes.usd.edu;


Sarah Maestas (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of South Dakota, sarahmays12@gmail.com;


Daniel Soluk (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of South Dakota, daniel.soluk@usd.edu ;


Hugh Britten (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of South Dakota, hugh.britten@usd.edu;


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5/23/2019  |   14:15 - 14:30   |  250 DE

SOCIAL MEDIA DATA REVEALS ANGLER MOVEMENT NETWORKS AND RISK OF SPECIES INVASIONS Human-mediated movement of aquatic invasive species via recreational fishing represents a significant and growing source of invader introductions into freshwaters. Angler activities that relocate invasive organisms include entanglement on fishing gear, boat hulls, and outboard engines, or use of non-native species as live bait. Understanding when and where anglers are fishing is pivotal for preventing the spread of detrimental invaders, but traditional approaches to inferring angler movement are often sparse in spatiotemporal resolution. Social media platforms now provide an emerging and powerful source of data to quantify geographic patterns of human activities. Anglers are highly active on social media (e.g., Flickr, Twitter and Instagram), and geotagging of fishing photographs represents a previously untapped source of angler spatial distribution data. Furthermore, fishing apps provide waterbody-specific locations of anglers and information on their bait and gear use. Here, we leverage these new data sources to quantify connections between waterbodies in terms of the magnitude, direction and timing of angler movements, with the goal of identifying potential invasion hubs. Our study will directly inform interagency management interventions for nuisance invasive species by visualizing angler movement networks and determining how they change through time.

Rachel Fricke (Primary Presenter/Author), University of Washington, rmfricke@uw.edu;


Spencer Wood (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Washington, spwood@uw.edu;


Julian Olden (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Washington, olden@uw.edu;


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5/23/2019  |   14:30 - 14:45   |  250 DE

BARTRAM’S BASS THREAT ASSESSMENT AND CONSERVATION PLANNING IN THE UPPER SAVANNAH RIVER BASIN Detailed knowledge of distribution is necessary to effectively conserve and manage imperiled species. Bartram’s Bass Micropterus sp. cf cataractae, is endemic to the Savannah River basin, USA, and is threatened by habitat alteration and hybridization with nonnative congeners. We sampled 160 sites along tributaries to the upper Savannah River between March and November of 2017 and 2018. To identify the specific factors affecting Bartram’s Bass distributions, we developed generalized linear mixed models and conditional inference trees. Forested landcover, stream gradient, and distance to reservoir were significant predictors of Bartram’s Bass presence. We predicted Bartram’s Bass occurrence in individual stream segments throughout the upper Savannah River basin and used significant model parameters to assess the intensities of individual threats and systematically quantify threats within individual catchments. Lastly, we used Marxan, a conservation-based decision support tool, to define a priority conservation network for Bartram’s Bass within the Savannah River basin. We used this information to identify aggregate catchments expected to contain unthreatened Bartram’s Bass populations. Confirming Bartram’s Bass occurrences within this network will be important to the adaptive management of the species, as will on-the-ground implementation of conservation recommendations.

Kyle Brumm (Primary Presenter/Author), Clemson University, kbrumm@g.clemson.edu;


Josh Vine (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Clemson University, jvine@g.clemson.edu;


Brandon Peoples (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Clemson University, Peoples@g.clemson.edu;


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5/23/2019  |   14:45 - 15:00   |  250 DE

POTENTIAL FOR A MULTI-SPECIES REFUGE: INVESTIGATING COMPETITION BETWEEN HISTORICALLY CO-OCCURRING CYPRINIDS In many desert ecosystems, native fish conservation is limited by suitable habitat; open waters are invaded by non-native species and refuge habitats are scarce. We investigated the potential for success of a multi-species native fish refuge by assessing interactions between Owens Speckled Dace and two size classes of Owens tui chub (e.g. competition and predation). We used replicated aquatic mesocosms to test the effects of interspecific interaction on fish body condition, growth, and survivorship using five different combinations of species and size. Our study found that dace body condition was negatively affected by competition with small chub while growth and body condition of large and small chub were not affected by the presence of dace. We did not find evidence of predation of dace by large chub. Our results suggest that dace survival is more affected by competition with small chub than by predation by large chub. Restoring sympatric populations of the two species may be possible if refuge habitat complexity reduces the potential for interactions between dace and small chub or if chubs are able to grow rapidly to larger size classes.

Jon Shurin (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of California San Diego, jshurin@ucsd.edu ;


Jeff Holmquist (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of California Los Angeles, jholmquist@ucla.edu ;


Natalie Jones (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of California San Diego and University of Queensland, Australia, ntjones@ucsd.edu ;


Steve Parmenter (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Steve.Parmenter@wildlife.ca.gov ;


Nick Buckmaster (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, nick.buckmaster@wildlife.ca.gov ;


Christi Kruse (Primary Presenter/Author), Oregon State University, krusech@oregonstate.edu;


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5/23/2019  |   15:00 - 15:15   |  250 DE

RIVERINE FRAGMENTATION BY SMALL HYDROPOWER DAMS THREATEN BRAZILIAN MIGRATORY FISHES Small hydropower plants (SHPs) are proliferating worldwide due to incentives for renewable energy. The main conservation challenge is that SHPs are considerably more abundant compared to Large Hydropower Plants (LHPs; global ratio of 11: 1), potentially causing greater habitat fragmentation and thus representing a major threat to migratory fish. Here, we quantify current and projected-future fragmentation of watersheds by hydropower dams across Brazil (using the Dendritic Connectivity Index, DCI), compare the relative contributions of SHP vs. LHP to levels of fragmentation, and assess the vulnerability of migratory fish to future hydropower development. On average, SHPs contribute five times more to future DCI loss in comparison to LHPs, primarily due to the construction of new SHPs in hydropower-free basins. Sub-basins located in the Tapajos, Tocantins, Parana, Paraguay and Uruguay basins are expected to experience the greatest loss of connectivity. Migratory fish that inhabit mid-sized rivers tend to be more vulnerable to SHPs, like the 12 red-listed species of the genus Brycon and Steindachneridion. This study reinforces the need for environmental regulations that look beyond individual projects to consider the cumulative ecological effects of SHPs, an issue still overlooked by environmental policies.

Mathis L. Messager (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Department of Geography, McGill University, Canada | RiverLy Research Unit, INRAE, France, mathis.messager@mail.mcgill.ca;


Julian Olden (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Washington, olden@uw.edu;


Thiago Couto (Primary Presenter/Author), Florida International University, tbelisar@fiu.edu;


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5/23/2019  |   15:15 - 15:30   |  250 DE

RAZORBACK SUCKER MOVEMENTS IN NOVEL ECOSYSTEMS: RIVER-RESERVOIR EXCHANGES AND EXPERIMENTAL TRANSLOCATIONS The historically free-flowing Colorado River system is now fragmented by dams that create a complex of river and novel reservoir habitats used by contemporary populations of endangered fishes, such as Razorback Sucker (Xyrauchen texanus). We synthesized a PIT-tagging database from multi-agency efforts across the upper Colorado River basin from 2014-2018 to quantify river-reservoir exchanges of Razorback Sucker in the two main inflows of Lake Powell: the Colorado (unfragmented) and San Juan (waterfall-fragmented) rivers. Fifteen percent of fish captured in the Colorado River arm were subsequently detected in upper basin rivers, some >600 km away. Twenty-nine percent of fish captured in the San Juan River arm of Lake Powell were detected below the Piute Farms Waterfall within a year. Of 303 fish translocated upstream into the San Juan River, 80% were re-encountered downstream of the waterfall within a year. Razorback Sucker illustrate how dispersal by large river fish can maintain connectivity among populations in highly altered ecosystems. Although a mechanistic understanding of the importance of connectivity among these populations is still lacking, managing for increased connectivity would promote the maintenance of diverse life histories that increase population resilience to environmental change.

Casey Pennock (Primary Presenter/Author), The Ohio State University, pennock.17@osu.edu;


Mark McKinstry (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), US Burearu of Reclamation, mmckinstry@usbr.gov;


Keith Gido (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Kansas State University, kgido@ksu.edu;


Nate Cathcart (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Alaska Department of Fish and Game, cncathca@gmail.com;


Chris Cheek (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Purdue University, christopheracheek@gmail.com;


Katie Creighton (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, katherinecreighton@utah.gov;


Darek Elverud (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), US Fish and Wildlife Service, darek_elverud@fws.gov;


Travis Francis (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), US Fish and Wildlife Service, travis_francis@fws.gov;


Eliza Gilbert (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), US Fish and Wildlife Service, eliza_gilbert@fws.gov;


Skyler Hedden (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Arizona Department of Game and Fish, shedden@azgfd.gov;


Brian Hines (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, bhines@usbr.gov;


Peter MacKinnon (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Utah State University, pdmackinnon@gmail.com;


Benjamin Schleicher (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), US Fish and Wildlife Service, benjamin_schleicher@fws.gov;


David Speas (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), US Burearu of Reclamation, dspeas@usbr.gov;


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