Download or read book Thermal Controls of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout and Invasive Fishes Under Climate Change written by Robert Al-Chokhachy and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 13 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We combine large observed data sets and dynamically downscaled climate data to explore historic and future (2050-2069) stream temperature changes over the topographically diverse Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (elevation range = 824-4017 m). We link future stream temperatures with fish growth models to investigate how changing thermal regimes could influence the future distribution and persistence of native Yellowstone cutthroat trout (YCT) and competing invasive species. We find that stream temperatures during the recent decade (2000-2009) surpass the anomalously warm period of the 1930s. Climate simulations indicate air temperatures will warm by 1 °C to >3 °C over the Greater Yellowstone by mid-21st century, resulting in concomitant increases in 2050-2069 peak stream temperatures and protracted periods of warming from May to September (MJJAS). Projected changes in thermal regimes during the MJJAS growing season modify the trajectories of daily growth rates at all elevations with pronounced growth during early and late summer. For high-elevation populations, we find considerable increases in fish body mass attributable both to warming of cold-water temperatures and to extended growing seasons. During peak July to August warming, mid-21st century temperatures will cause periods of increased thermal stress, rendering some low-elevation streams less suitable for YCT. The majority (80%) of sites currently inhabited by YCT, however, display minimal loss (

Download or read book Life History Characteristics and the Effects of Climate on Growth of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout in Headwater Basins written by Patrick Ryan Uthe and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 85 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout was historically distributed throughout the Upper Yellowstone and Upper Snake River drainages, but now occupies only 42% of its original range because of habitat degradation and introduced salmonid species. Many of the current strongholds are located on public land in mountainous watersheds with low human disturbance. However, knowledge of life history characteristics of headwater populations is limited. Moreover, streams throughout the Rocky Mountains have already exhibited symptoms of climate change through alterations in thermal and hydrologic regimes, but it is unknown how these changes will affect fish populations. To address these needs, we implemented a mark-recapture study on five populations of trout from Spread Creek, Wyoming, and Shields River, Montana, to estimate annual growth, survival rates, and movement patterns, and document the effects of discharge, temperature, and food availability on summer growth patterns. Survival rates were high compared to survival rates of other Cutthroat Trout subspecies and large trout generally had lower survival rates than small trout. Downstream movements out of streams by tagged trout were substantial. Annual growth rates varied among streams and size classes, but were relatively low compared to populations of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout from large, low elevation streams. Trout grew more in length than weight in summer, suggesting an investment in structural growth rather than accumulation of reserve tissues. Temperature and discharge had strong effects on summer growth, but the effect of discharge was greater for growth in weight than in length, probably resulting from increased prey availability at high discharges. Temperature interacted with fish length such that small trout responded favorably to increased average daily temperatures near physiological optima and increased growing season length, whereas large trout responded negatively to warming temperatures. These estimates of key demographic parameters are useful in developing management and conservation strategies. Additionally, we documented that even under thermally suitable conditions, discharge can have significant effects on growth, making it important to consider multiple factors affected by climate change when devising climate adaptation strategies for coldwater fishes.

Download or read book Climate Change in Wildlands written by Andrew J Hansen and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2016-06-07 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Scientists have been warning for years that human activity is heating up the planet and climate change is under way. We are only just beginning to acknowledge the serious effects this will have on all life on Earth. The federal government is crafting broad-scale strategies to protect wildland ecosystems from the worst effects of climate change. One of the greatest challenges is to get the latest science into the hands of resource managers entrusted with vulnerable wildland ecosystems. This book examines climate and land-use changes in montane environments, assesses the vulnerability of species and ecosystems to these changes, and provides resource managers with collaborative management approaches to mitigate expected impacts. Climate Change in Wildlands proposes a new kind of collaboration between scientists and managers--a science-derived framework and common-sense approaches for keeping parks and protected areas healthy on a rapidly changing planet.

Download or read book Biology Status and Management of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout written by Robert E. Gresswell and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 31 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Yellowstone cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri were historically distributed in the Yellowstone River drainage (Montana and Wyoming) and the Snake River drainage (Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and probably Washington). Individual populations evolved distinct life history characteristics in response to the diverse environments in which they were isolated after the last glaciation. Anthropogenic activities have resulted in a substantial decline (42% of the historical range is currently occupied; 28% is occupied by core [genetically unaltered] populations), but the number of extant populations, especially in headwater streams, has precluded listing of this taxon under the Endangered Species Act. Primary threats to persistence of Yellowstone cutthroat trout include (1) invasive species, resulting in hybridization, predation, disease, and interspecific competition; (2) habitat degradation from human activities such as agricultural practices, water diversions, grazing, dam construction, mineral extraction, grazing, timber harvest, and road construction; and (3) climate change, including an escalating risk of drought, wildfire, winter flooding, and rising temperatures. Extirpation of individual populations or assemblages has led to increasing isolation and fragmentation of remaining groups, which in turn raises susceptibility to the demographic influences of disturbance (both human and stochastic) and genetic factors. Primary conservation strategies include (1) preventing risks associated with invasive species by isolating populations of Yellowstone cutthroat trout and (2) connecting occupied habitats (where possible) to preserve metapopulation function and the expression of multiple life histories. Because persistence of isolated populations may be greater in the short term, current management is focused on isolating individual populations and restoring habitats; however, this approach implies that humans will act as dispersal agents if a population is extirpated because of stochastic events.

Download or read book Advances in the Ecology of Stream Dwelling Salmonids written by Javier Lobon-Cervia and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on with total page 733 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Freshwater Biodiversity written by David Dudgeon and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-05-21 with total page 517 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Growing human populations and higher demands for water impose increasing impacts and stresses upon freshwater biodiversity. Their combined effects have made these animals more endangered than their terrestrial and marine counterparts. Overuse and contamination of water, overexploitation and overfishing, introduction of alien species, and alteration of natural flow regimes have led to a 'great thinning' and declines in abundance of freshwater animals, a 'great shrinking' in body size with reductions in large species, and a 'great mixing' whereby the spread of introduced species has tended to homogenize previously dissimilar communities in different parts of the world. Climate change and warming temperatures will alter global water availability, and exacerbate the other threat factors. What conservation action is needed to halt or reverse these trends, and preserve freshwater biodiversity in a rapidly changing world? This book offers the tools and approaches that can be deployed to help conserve freshwater biodiversity.

Download or read book Socio economic and Eco biological Dimensions in Resource use and Conservation written by Niranjan Roy and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-01-27 with total page 553 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents the outcomes of the 2017 national workshop and international conference organized by CEENR of ISEC, Bengaluru and Assam University Silchar. Addressing the threats to biodiversity and sustainable development resulting from the impacts of human induced pressures on ecosystems and global-warming-driven climate change is a major challenge. It requires increased knowledge and an enhanced information base in order to devise local policies to improve the adaptive capacity of vulnerable socio-ecological systems in developing countries. In this context, the book presents research that has the potential to benefit the environment and empower communities. It appeals to researchers investigating diverse aspects of socio-ecological-biological systems to create strategies for resource use, conservation and management to ensure sustainability.

Download or read book Fluctuations in Age Composition and Growth Rate of Cutthroat Trout in Yellowstone Lake written by Ross V. Bulkley and published by . This book was released on 1961 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Age composition, growth rate, and year-class strength of Yellowstone Lake cutthroat trout from collections made in 1948 and from 1950 to 1959 are analyzed to relate total catch changes in age composition and growth rate. An increase in growth rate of fish fully recruited to the fishery and a decrease in percentages of fish belonging to age groups VI and VII are attributed to an increase in fishing pressure. Mean age of the catch varied with year-length of the catch has remained high, suggesting that production is more efficient now than in past years. Maximum equilibrium yield may be near. If the catch continues to increase at the present rate, it may become excessive within the next few years.

Download or read book Effects of Air Exposure on Survival of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Angled from a Stream with Warm Water Temperatures written by Darcy K. McCarrick and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 22 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We evaluated the effects of air exposure on Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri caught and released in a coldwater stream with elevated water temperatures (i.e., > 14°C) in southeastern Idaho. Fish were caught by angling in a 2.3 km section of Fall Creek, Idaho, during August 2018. Sampled fish remained underwater while they were measured and then tagged with T-bar anchor tags. Fish were exposed to air for 0, 30, or 60 seconds and then released at the point of capture. Temperature was continuously monitored during the study period. Water temperatures during the study varied from 10.0°C to 19.7°C and averaged 14.9°C (SE = 0.08). In total, 161 Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout were caught via angling over 10 days. Of those fish, 54 were not exposed to air, 54 were exposed to air for 30 s, and 53 were exposed to air for 60 s. Electrofishing was used to recapture tagged fish and estimate relative survival. Relative survival was highest for fish exposed to air for 60 s (proportion ± SE; 0.40 ± 0.25) followed by 0 s (0.35 ± 0.25) and 30 s (0.30 ± 0.27), but differences were not statistically significant. Results from this study are consistent with other air exposure studies suggesting that air exposure of 60 s or less is not likely a concern in Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout fisheries. Releasing fish as quickly as possible is always encouraged, but management regulations exposure. Nevertheless, similar studies on other systems and species are warranted.

Download or read book Predicting Year class Abundance of Yellowstone Lake Cutthroat Trout written by Ross V. Bulkley and published by . This book was released on 1962 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fluctuations in strength of year classes from 1945 to 1956 of Yellowstone Lake cutthroat from Pelican and Chipmunk Creeks are compared with the parental stock and several climatically influenced factors of the environment. Variations in year-class strength in the two tributaries were highly correlated with fluctuations in lake water levels. Strong year classes occurred in yeas of low water. Female spawner escapement, timing of the runs, and summer air temperatures were not significant factors. A formula based on water levels is presented for predicting year-class strength in Pelican Creek and in the Fishing Bridge area fishery. Stocking of fry in years of high water is suggested as a means of supplementing natural production. A method of forecasting lake water levels several months in advance of their occurrence is discussed.

Download or read book Status and Management of Interior Stocks of Cutthroat Trout written by Robert E. Gresswell and published by . This book was released on 1988 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Relative Contributions of Climate Variation Lake Trout Predation and Other Factors to the Decline of Yellowstone Lake Cutthroat Trout During the Three Recent Decades written by Lynn Robert Kaeding and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The relative contributions of climate variation, lake trout Salvelinus namaycush predation, and other factors to the recent, three-decade decline of the lacustrine-adfluvial (i.e., a life-history form consisting of fish that mostly live in a lake but spawn in an inflowing tributary) Yellowstone cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri (YCT) population of Clear Creek, a Yellowstone Lake tributary, were evaluated. Strong growth of that population's storied spawning run between the early 1960s and 1978, when the run peaked at about 70,000 fish, had been considered key evidence of recovery of the lake's YCT population from formerly excessive angler harvest and other adverse factors. Thus the run's subsequent, almost continuous decline to about 500 fish in 2007 was perplexing. Gillnet catches of YCT at established lake locations likewise indicated a concurrent decline in the lake-wide YCT population. Prominent among the factors that may have importantly affected the YCT population during the recent decades was predation by the illegally introduced, reproducing, nonnative lake trout discovered in Yellowstone Lake in 1994. Data mainly taken from YCT in the spawning run (n = 29 years) and gillnet catch (n = 30 years) were examined for information useful to specifying the Leslie matrix of a dynamic, age-structured model that had climate as a covariate. The model, fitted to spawning run size and mean total length (TL) of YCT in the run during 1977-2007 (n = 29 data years), explained 87% of variation in observed run size, 86% of variation in observed mean TL, and strongly suggested that climate (as indexed by total-annual air degree-days> 0°C measured on the lake's north shore) had an important effect on recruitment of age-0 YCT to subsequent spawning runs. Results also suggested that an effect of lake trout predation on survival of age-1 to age-5 YCT became apparent only during the recent decade. The important test of ongoing efforts to control lake trout in Yellowstone Lake and thereby limit their predation on YCT - on the basis of data for YCT - will occur when climatic conditions improve for YCT recruitment to the Clear Creek and other YCT spawning stocks of the lake.

Download or read book Life history Organization of Cutthroat Trout in Yellowstone Lake and Its Management Implications written by Robert E. Gresswell and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Life-history organization of the cutthroat trout (Oncorhvnchus clarki) may be viewed at various levels, including species, subspecies, metapopulation, population, or individual. Each level varies in spatial scale and temporal persistence, and components at each level continually change with changes in environment. Cutthroat trout are widely distributed throughout the western USA, and during its evolution the species has organized into fourteen subspecies with many different life-history characteristics and habitat requirements. Within subspecies, organization is equally complex. For example, life-history traits, such as average size and age, migration strategy, and migration timing, vary among individual spawning populations of Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhvnchus clarki bouvieri) in tributary streams of Yellowstone Lake. In this study specific life-history traits of adfluvial cutthroat trout spawners from Yellowstone Lake were examined in relation to habitat of tributary drainages and subbasins of the lake. Results suggest that stream drainages vary along gradients that can be described by mean aspect, mean elevation, and drainage size. Approximately two-thirds of the variation in the timing of annual cutthroat trout spawning migrations and average size of spawners can be described by third-degree polynomial regressions with mean aspect and elevation as predictor variables. Differences in average size and growth of cutthroat trout suggested metapopulation substructure related spatial heterogeneity of environmental characteristics of individual lake subbasins. Evidence that polytypic species can adapt to heterogenous environments, even within a single lake, has implications for the conservation, restoration, and management of many freshwater fishes. Understanding the consequences of human perturbations on life-history organization is critical for management of the cutthroat trout and other polytypic salmonid species. Loss of diversity at the any hierarchical level jeopardizes long-term ability of the species to adapt to changing environments, and it may also lead to increased fluctuations in abundance and yield and increase risk of extinction. Recent emphasis on a holistic view of natural systems and their management is associated with a growing appreciation of the role of human values in these systems. The recreational fishery for Yellowstone cutthroat trout in Yellowstone National Park is an example of the effects of management on a natural-cultural system. Although angler harvest has been drastically reduced or prohibited, the recreational value of Yellowstone cutthroat trout estimated by angling factors (e.g., landing rate or size) ranks above all other sport species in Yellowstone National Park. To maintain an indigenous fishery resource of this quality with hatchery propagation is not economically or technically feasible. Nonconsumptive uses of the Yellowstone cutthroat trout including fish-watching and intangible values, such as existence demand, provide additional support for protection of wild Yellowstone cutthroat trout populations. A management strategy that reduces resource extraction has provided a means to sustain a quality recreational fishery while enhancing values associated with the protection of natural systems.

Download or read book Are Yellowstone Lake Temperatures More Suitable to Nonnative Lake Trout Than to Native Cutthroat Trout written by Lynn Robert Kaeding and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 5 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A recent study revealed limitations to the reproduction potential of Yellowstone cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri (YCT) in Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming, resulting from suboptimal conditions for somatic growth. The present study evaluated the lake as suitable thermal habitat for YCT and lake trout Salvelinus namaycush, a highly piscivorous, nonnative species, a reproducing population of which was discovered there in 1994. Because the fundamental thermal niche of lake trout delimits a zone of the lake's annual temperature profile that surrounds the corresponding, separate zone for YCT, the annual growing season and volume of suitable Yellowstone Lake habitat will invariably be larger for lake trout than YCT across the range of cool-to-warm climate years. Ongoing management actions to control lake trout emphasize intensive gill netting, while temporal changes in lake trout catch rates and population structure provide metrics of program success. However, the limits to YCT reproduction potential attributed to the short growing season make the YCT population especially susceptible to lake trout predation, perhaps even from a measurably reduced predator population. Identification of such effects requires that dynamic, age-structured models of the YCT population that incorporate all important population drivers be formulated and used in data analyses and control program assessment.

Download or read book The Effects of Climate Change on the Future Persistence of Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout written by Matthew P. Zeigler and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Effects of Temperature on Survival and Growth of Westslope Cutthroat Trout and Rainbow Trout written by Elizabeth Ann Bear and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Westslope cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi have declined throughout their native range in the Northern Rockies and were considered for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. Water temperature is widely regarded as playing a key role in determining their persistence, but specific lethal levels and thermal optima for this cutthroat trout subspecies had not been precisely defined. This laboratory study used the acclimated chronic exposure method to determine tolerances and thermal optima of westslope cutthroat trout and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, a potential nonnative competitor now occupying much of the former range of westslope cutthroat trout. Rainbow trout had a distinct survival advantage over westslope cutthroat trout at warmer temperatures. The ultimate upper incipient lethal temperature (temperature at which 50% of the population survives for 60-d) of rainbow trout (24.3°C; 95% CI, 24.0-24.7°C) was 4.7°C higher than that of westslope cutthroat trout (19.6°C; 95% CI, 19.1-19.9°C). In contrast, the optimum growth temperature for westslope cutthroat trout (13.6°C; 95% CI, 10.3-17.0°C) over the 60-d test period was very similar to that of rainbow trout (13.1°C; 95% CI, 6.8-18.2°C), although rainbow trout grew better over a wider range and at higher temperatures than did westslope cutthroat trout. The upper lethal and optimum growth temperatures for westslope cutthroat trout are in the lower range among most salmonids. The higher upper temperature tolerance of rainbow trout and its greater ability for growth at warmer temperatures may account for its increased occurrence at lower elevations than cutthroat trout. Water quality standards setting maximum daily temperatures from 13-15°C, near the optimum growth temperature, would ensure suitable thermal habitat to maintain the persistence of westslope cutthroat trout populations. In addition, survival and growth parameters indicated in this study can be used with stream temperature modeling to predict suitable habitat for westslope cutthroat trout, as they may be particularly susceptible to increases in stream temperature associated with climate change. Such predictions of habitat suitability will be vital in prioritizing conservation efforts with respect to reintroduction and translocation of westslope cutthroat trout.

Download or read book The Yellowstone Fly Fishing Guide New and Revised written by Craig Mathews and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2019-10-16 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This fine little guidebook to the best fishing in Yellowstone Park discusses aquatic and terrestrial insect emergences and activity periods, fly patterns to imitate these insects, and effective fishing techniques. Included are specific locations, access points and trailheads, distances, and terrain descriptions. The handy icons located at the beginning of each of the more than two hundred waters discussed provide helpful, at-a-glance information about fish type, ease of access, and wildlife to watch for. This book is required reading for any fly fisher planning a trip to Yellowstone Park - an area that holds more wild trout water for its size than anywhere else in the world. Includes both color and B&W photos and illustrations throughout.