Resetting the Clock: How a Reconnection Event Reshaped Cove Fish Assemblages in a Nebraska Reservoir

Ruoss, Jenna; Mason, Brian E.; Wuellner, Melissa R.; Koupal, Keith D.

doi:10.1002/nafm.10797

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 75 publications

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“…1997; Dagel and Miranda 2012), and access to cove habitats has been linked to increases in species diversity (Ruoss et al. in press [this special section]). When littoral habitats are lost, fish assemblages across a reservoir may become homogenized due to a decrease in habitat complexity (Logez et al.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Habitat Availability in a Hydrodynamic Reservoir System

Schriener

Koupal

Wuellner

et al. 2022

N American J Fish Manag

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Habitats may become unavailable to fish in reservoirs at different water elevations. Coves are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss, as these peripheral zones may become isolated from the main reservoir. Quantifying habitat loss at different water elevation reductions and estimating the cost of replacing specific types of habitat or maintaining a target percentage of total habitat cover can help fisheries managers to plan for habitat restoration projects in reservoirs. We used side-scan sonar to estimate areas of rock, tree, and brush habitat in one cove within Harlan County Reservoir, Nebraska, and used quotes for materials, placement, and personnel from recent habitat restoration projects to estimate replacement and maintenance costs. Materials included riprap rock, cedar trees, and those needed to construct Georgia cubes. Overall, rock, brush, and trees covered a total of 2% of the cove at conservation pool. Rock habitat covered 10 times more area than brush and 100 times more area than trees. All habitats became unavailable when water elevation decreased by 3.5-4.0 m. The cost to replace each habitat type increased as water elevation decreased, and the total cost to replace all habitat at 3.5 m of elevation loss was US$390,000. The cost to maintain the original area of habitat available in the cove (2% of the total cove area) increased for each type of habitat but only until water elevation decreased by 2.5 m. At this point, the total cost to maintain similar habitat coverage was $219,000. Climatic variability may lead to greater oscillations of water elevations in reservoirs, making the vertical distribution of available habitat even more relevant to management planning. The findings of this study serve as an example for how managers can identify the vertical distribution of available habitats and estimate costs for habitat restorations.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Habitat Availability in a Hydrodynamic Reservoir System

Schriener

Koupal

Wuellner

et al. 2022

N American J Fish Manag

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“…2005; Zeug et al. 2005; Patton and Lyday 2008; Shoup and Wahl 2009; Gilbert and Pease 2019; Ruoss et al 2023) and ultimately may be relevant for maintaining species diversity in RREs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, in the Red River-Lake Texoma ecosystem, Texas-Oklahoma, many backwaters in the RRI have become isolated (Patton and Lyday 2008;Gilbert and Pease 2019). This successional process can result in the isolation of backwater habitats from reservoir and river channel habitats at normal and low reservoir water levels Patton and Lyday 2008;Ruoss et al 2023, this special section). Isolation appears to be a primary driver of fish assemblage composition in river and reservoir backwaters (Winemiller et al 2000;Zeug et al 2005;Patton and Lyday 2008;Shoup and Wahl 2009;Gilbert and Pease 2019;Ruoss et al 2023) and ultimately may be relevant for maintaining species diversity in RREs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Variability in the Fish Assemblage of a Large River–Reservoir Ecosystem

Smith

Buckmeier

Fleming

et al. 2022

N American J Fish Manag

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Physical and hydrologic connectivity among river-reservoir ecosystem (RRE) segments, including the river, riverreservoir interface (RRI), and reservoir, requires consideration of management at larger spatial scales. Multiple objectives (e.g., ecosystem function, sport fisheries, and maximizing fish diversity) seem well suited to this broad spatial scale; however, data limitations regarding the distribution of taxa within RREs currently hamper such an approach. We quantified the fish assemblage of the Trinity River-Lake Livingston ecosystem in Texas, USA, using a stratified approach to determine the contribution of individual segments to the overall fish assemblage. In general, fish assemblages varied along a continuum from the river to the reservoir; however, fish assemblages in several river backwaters did not follow this gradient, thus adding diversity to the overall RRE. Variability in fish assemblages among ecosystem segments was the result of both species composition and relative abundance. Species richness (N = 58 total) was highest in the river segment (N = 49) followed by the RRI (N = 46) and was much lower in the reservoir (N = 36). In contrast, average catch per standardized unit of sampling effort (all species combined) was greatest in the RRI, about 25% lower in the reservoir, and about 50% lower in the river. Across the ecosystem, 26 species (45%) were considered common, while 32 species (55%) were considered rare. Notably, species of conservation need were not always most abundant in river habitats, and species supporting recreational fisheries were not always most dominant in the reservoir. These findings suggest that the RRE can serve as an appropriate spatial scale for both conservation and recreational fishery management actions.Regulation of rivers through impoundment provides many benefits to humans (e.g., water supply, electricity, and recreation); however, alteration of these ecosystems has been detrimental to many native fish species, especially fluvial specialists (e.g.,

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“…In reservoirs that fluctuate in water elevation, water-level management can further reduce or increase the accessibility and amount of habitat available to fish and other aquatic organisms. Lateral disconnection of reservoir coves resulted in decreased fish species richness in a Nebraska reservoir (Ruoss et al 2022, this special section), and the cost to replace such habitat can be substantial (Schriener et al 2022, this special section). Reservoir drawdowns also reduced habitat volume available to coldwater fish in an Idaho reservoir as a result of temperature-oxygen squeeze (McLaren et al 2023, this special section).…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Lateral disconnection of reservoir coves resulted in decreased fish species richness in a Nebraska reservoir (Ruoss et al. 2022, this special section), and the cost to replace such habitat can be substantial (Schriener et al. 2022, this special section).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%