Document Type
Thesis - Open Access
Award Date
2024
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department / School
Natural Resource Management
First Advisor
Alison Coulter
Abstract
Fisheries systems function at broad spatial and temporal scales. Fishes within these systems are often highly mobile and move to locate adequate habitat, to feed and reproduce. As individuals navigate their environment, they potentially cross regulatory boundaries (state or federal) and or encounter physical barriers such as dams. Regulatory boundaries may not physically impede fish movement, but they are visible to fisheries managers thus the fishes within them may be vulnerable to varying management and harvest regulations. Physical boundaries (e.g., dams) are also particularly problematic for highly mobile species in large river systems. In chapter two, I documented that apparent survival of tagged Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) in the Mississippi River varied by pool and was constant across time, regardless of what pool a fish was transitioning into or their direction of travel. There was a clear temporal pattern for detection probability in each pool that was greater during the spring and summer months and lower during the winter months and was positively related to the number of receivers in each pool. Simulations using transition probabilities from the top model revealed that fish accumulated in pools 15, 17, and 19. Our results show that individuals moved throughout our entire study area and likely beyond, thus crossing multiple jurisdictional and management boundaries and supporting the need for continued collaborative management. For chapter three, I characterized the movements of jaw-tagged Walleye (Sander vitreus) in Lake Oahe, SD where they are managed by both Dakotas. Lake Oahe is also highly variable in habitat due to the size of the reservoir. I determined that apparent survival, detection probability, and transition probability varied spatially through time. Transitions from ND to SD were greater than those in the opposite direction and survival was more variable in SD. These results suggest that collaborative management of Walleye in Oahe may be necessary. Understanding the movement ecology of fishes in large anthropogenically modified systems can allow managers to adapt their management strategies. Viewing these fish populations as metapopulations, a series of subpopulations with varying movement and survival rates, can help reveal links among jurisdictions and facilitate collaborative management.
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Paddlefish -- Ecology.
Walleye (Fish) -- Ecology.
Freshwater ecology.
Publisher
South Dakota State University
Recommended Citation
Bearden, Kaitlyn, "Movement Ecology of Paddlefish and Walleye Reveal the Importance of Continued Interjurisdictional Management in Riverine and Lacustrine Systems" (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1350.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd2/1350
Rights Statement
