Historical Changes in Large River Fish Assemblages of the Americas

2005 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Life Histories ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Freshwater Fishes ◽  
Large River ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Subtropical Climate ◽  
Kissimmee River ◽  
Native Fishes ◽  
Florida Platform

<em>Abstract.</em>—Recent decades have seen substantial changes in fish assemblages in rivers of peninsular Florida. The most striking change has involved the addition of nonnative fishes, including taxa from Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. I review recent and historical records of fishes occurring in the Kissimmee River basin (7,800 km<sup>2</sup>), a low-gradient drainage with 47 extant native fishes (one possibly the result of an early transplant), at least 7 foreign fishes (most of which are widely established), and a stocked hybrid. Kissimmee assemblages include fewer marine fishes than the nearby Peace and Caloosahatchee rivers, and fewer introduced foreign fishes than south Florida canals. Fish assemblages of the Kissimmee and other subtropical Florida rivers are dynamic, due to new introductions, range expansions of nonnative fishes already present, and periodic declines in nonnative fish populations during occasional harsh winters. The addition, dispersal, and abundance of nonnative fishes in the basin is linked to many factors, including habitat disturbance, a subtropical climate, and the fact that the basin is centrally located in a region where drainage boundaries are blurred and introductions of foreign fishes commonplace. The first appearance of foreign fishes in the basin coincided with the complete channelization of the Kissimmee River in the 1970s. Although not a causal factor, artificial waterways connecting the upper lakes and channelization of the Kissimmee River have facilitated dispersal. With one possible exception, there have been no basinwide losses of native fishes. When assessing change in peninsular Florida waters, extinction or extirpation of fishes appears to be a poor measure of impact. No endemic species are known from peninsular Florida (although some endemic subspecies have been noted). Most native freshwater fishes are themselves descended from recent invaders that reached the peninsula from the main continent. These invasions likely were associated with major fluctuations in sea level since the original mid-Oligocene emergence of the Florida Platform. As opportunistic invaders, most native freshwater fishes in peninsular Florida are resilient, widespread, and common. At this early stage, it is not possible to predict the long-term consequences caused by the introduction of foreign fishes. We know a few details about the unusual trophic roles and other aspects of the life histories of certain nonnatives. Still, the ecological outcome may take decades to unfold.

Historical Changes in Large River Fish Assemblages of the Americas

2005 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Fish Fauna ◽  
River System ◽  
Endangered Species Act ◽  
Large River ◽  
Main Stem ◽  
Lake Mead ◽  
Virgin River ◽  
Native Fishes

<em>Abstract.</em>—The Virgin–Moapa River system supports nine native fish species or subspecies, of which five are endemic. Woundfin <em>Plagopterus argentissimus </em>and Virgin River chub <em>Gila seminuda </em>are endemic to the main-stem Virgin River, whereas cooler and clearer tributaries are home to the Virgin spinedace <em>Lepidomeda mollispinis</em>. Moapa dace <em>Moapa coriacea </em>and Moapa White River springfish <em>Crenichthys baileyi moapae </em>are found in thermal springs that form the Moapa River, and Moapa speckled dace <em>Rhinichthys osculus moapae </em>is generally found below the springs in cooler waters. The agricultural heritage of the Virgin–Moapa River system resulted in numerous diversions that increased as municipal demands rose in recent years. In the early 1900s, trout were introduced into some of the cooler tributary streams, adversely affecting Virgin spinedace and other native species. The creation of Lake Mead in 1935 inundated the lower 80 km of the Virgin River and the lower 8 km of the Moapa River. Shortly thereafter, nonnative fishes invaded upstream from Lake Mead, and these species have continued to proliferate. Growing communities continue to compete for Virgin River water. These anthropogenic changes have reduced distribution and abundance of the native Virgin–Moapa River system fish fauna. The woundfin, Virgin River chub, and Moapa dace are listed as endangered, and the Virgin spinedace has been proposed for listing. In this paper we document how the abundance of these species has declined since the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Currently, there is no strong main-stem refugium for the Virgin River native fishes, tributary refugia continue to be shortened, and the Moapa River native fishes continue to be jeopardized. Recovery efforts for the listed and other native fishes, especially in the Virgin River, have monitored the declines, but have not implemented recovery actions effective in reversing them.

Historical Changes in Large River Fish Assemblages of the Americas

2005 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Fish Fauna ◽  
Large River ◽  
Gold Rush ◽  
Physical Habitat ◽  
San Joaquin River ◽  
The Status ◽  
Native Fishes

<em>Abstract.</em>—In this paper, we review information regarding the status of the native fishes of the combined Sacramento River and San Joaquin River drainages (hereinafter the “Sacramento–San Joaquin drainage”) and the factors associated with their declines. The Sacramento–San Joaquin drainage is the center of fish evolution in California, giving rise to 17 endemic species of a total native fish fauna of 28 species. Rapid changes in land use and water use beginning with the Gold Rush in the 1850s and continuing to the present have resulted in the extinction, extirpation, and reduction in range and abundance of the native fishes. Multiple factors are associated with the declines of native fishes, including habitat alteration and loss, water storage and diversion, flow alteration, water quality, and invasions of alien species. Although native fishes can be quite tolerant of stressful physical conditions, in some rivers of the drainage the physical habitat has been altered to the extent that it is now more suited for alien species. This interaction of environmental changes and invasions of alien species makes it difficult to predict the benefits of restoration efforts to native fishes. Possible effects of climate change on California’s aquatic habitats add additional complexity to restoration of native fishes. Unless protection and restoration of native fishes is explicitly considered in future water management decisions, declines are likely to continue.

Historical Changes in Large River Fish Assemblages of the Americas

2005 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
New Mexico ◽  
North America ◽  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Fish Fauna ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Large River ◽  
Freshwater Species ◽  
The World ◽  
Native Fishes

<em>Abstract.</em>—The Rio Grande is the fourth longest river in North America and the 22nd longest in the world. It begins as a cold headwater stream in Colorado, flows through New Mexico and Texas, where it becomes warm and turbid and finally empties into the Gulf of Mexico. The diversity of native fishes is high in the Rio Grande ranging from freshwater salmonids in its upper reaches to coastal forms in the lower reaches. Historically, about 40 primary freshwater species inhabited the waters of the Rio Grande. Like many rivers throughout North America, the native fish fauna of this river has been irrevocably altered. Species once present are now extinct, others are threatened or endangered, and the majority of the remaining native fishes are declining in both range and numbers. Today, 17 of the 40 primary native freshwater fishes have been either extirpated in part or throughout the Rio Grande drainage. This chapter examines the river, its fauna, and its current plight.

Integrating Image Computation in Undergraduate Level Data-Structure Education

1998 ◽  
Vol 12 (08) ◽  
pp. 1071-1080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudeep Sarkar ◽  
Dmitry Goldgof
Keyword(s):  
Image Processing ◽  
Image Analysis ◽  
Data Structure ◽  
Data Structures ◽  
Science Curriculum ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Real Life ◽  
South Florida ◽  
The University ◽  
Structure Education

There is a growing need for expertise both in image analysis and in software engineering. To date, these two areas have been taught separately in an undergraduate computer and information science curriculum. However, we have found that introduction to image analysis can be easily integrated in data-structure courses without detracting from the original goal of teaching data structures. Some of the image processing tasks offer a natural way to introduce basic data structures such as arrays, queues, stacks, trees and hash tables. Not only does this integrated strategy expose the students to image related manipulations at an early stage of the curriculum but it also imparts cohesiveness to the data-structure assignments and brings them closer to real life. In this paper we present a set of programming assignments that integrates undergraduate data-structure education with image processing tasks. These assignments can be incorporated in existing data-structure courses with low time and software overheads. We have used these assignment sets thrice: once in a 10-week duration data-structure course at the University of California, Santa Barbara and the other two times in 15-week duration courses at the University of South Florida, Tampa.

Identification of Nymphal Instars of Mecidea major Sailer and Mecidea minor Ruckes (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Mecideini) from the Southwestern and Central United States

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4958 (1) ◽  
pp. 479-488
Author(s):  
J. E. MCPHERSON ◽  
C. SCOTT BUNDY
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Immature Stages ◽  
Stink Bug ◽  
Laboratory Rearing ◽  
Central United States ◽  
Heteroptera Pentatomidae

The mecideine stink bug genus Mecidea is represented in America north of Mexico by three species: Mecidea major Sailor, Mecidea minor Ruckes, and Mecidea longula Stål. M. major and M. minor are widely distributed, occurring collectively from the Midwest to California. M. longula is known only from south Florida. The life histories of M. major and M. minor have been published including laboratory rearing from egg to adult and descriptions of the immature stages. However, no key has been developed for identification of the nymphs of these two species. Here, we present a key to the nymphs of these taxa to the species and instar levels. 

scholarly journals An Intermittent Stream Supports Extensive Spawning of Large‐River Native Fishes

2019 ◽  
Vol 148 (2) ◽  
pp. 426-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary E. Hooley‐Underwood ◽  
Summer B. Stevens ◽  
Nicholas R. Salinas ◽  
Kevin G. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Large River ◽  
Intermittent Stream ◽  
Native Fishes

scholarly journals Man-made habitats - hotspots of evolutionary game between grass, fungus and fly

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marlena Lembicz ◽  
Paweł Olejniczak ◽  
Ziemowit Olszanowski ◽  
Karolina Górzyńska ◽  
Adrian Leuchtmann
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Evolutionary Game ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Puccinellia Distans ◽  
New Man ◽  
Epichloë Typhina ◽  
Vegetative Season

Man-made habitats - hotspots of evolutionary game between grass, fungus and flyThe origin and effects of an evolutionary game between species from three different kingdoms (plants, fungi and animals) are presented. We provide scientific evidence that the interaction discovered in man-made habitats leads to an early stage of coevolution. The grassPuccinellia distanswas observed to rapidly spread in new man-made habitats, while at the same time, it was colonised by the fungusEpichloë typhina.The invasion of infected grasses is accompanied by alterations in life histories of both species:P. distansdeveloped features promoting long-distance spreading, whereasE. typhinachanged its life cycle by forming sexual structures for the second time, later in the vegetative season. This enables the fungus to make use of the late shoots of the grass for sexual reproduction, even though it cannot be completed because the vector of spermatia necessary for fertilisation, femaleBotanophilaflies, is not present at that time. This indicates that such uncoordinated evolutionary processes had taken place before interactions between organisms became so specialised that it is difficult to presume they were the result of natural selection. Moreover, these processes could have been initiated in man-made habitats that, in particular circumstances, can become coevolutionary hotspots.

Freshwater fishes of northern Australia

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4253 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
BRADLEY J. PUSEY ◽  
DAMIEN W. BURROWS ◽  
MARK J. KENNARD ◽  
COLTON N. PERNA ◽  
PETER J. UNMACK ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Spatial Arrangement ◽  
Freshwater Fishes ◽  
Ecological Condition ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Field Surveys ◽  
Freshwater Habitats

Northern Australia is biologically diverse and of national and global conservation signicance. Its ancient landscape contains the world’s largest area of savannah ecosystem in good ecological condition and its rivers are largely free-flowing. Agriculture, previously confined largely to open range-land grazing, is set to expand in extent and to focus much more on irrigated cropping and horticulture. Demands on the water resources of the region are thus, inevitably increasing. Reliable information is required to guide and inform development and help plan for a sustainable future for the region which includes healthy rivers that contain diverse fish assemblages. Based on a range of information sources, including the outcomes of recent and extensive new field surveys, this study maps the distribution of the 111 freshwater fishes (excluding elasmobranches) and 42 estuarine vagrants recorded from freshwater habitats of the region. We classify the habitat use and migratory biology of each species. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the diversity and distribution of fishes of the region within a standardised nomenclatural framework. In addition, we summarise the outcomes of recent phylogeographic and phylogenetic research using molecular technologies to identify where issues of taxonomy may need further scrutiny. The study provides an informed basis for further research on the spatial arrangement of biodiversity and its relationship to environmental factors (e.g. hydrology), conservation planning and phylogentic variation within individual taxa. 

Effects of Urbanization on Stream Ecosystems

2005 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Fish Assemblage ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Habitat Alterations ◽  
Intensity Index ◽  
Specialist Species

<em>Abstract.</em>—We examined fish assemblage responses to urban intensity gradients in two contrasting metropolitan areas: Birmingham, Alabama (BIR) and Boston, Massachusetts (BOS). Urbanization was quantified by using an urban intensity index (UII) that included multiple stream buffers and basin land uses, human population density, and road density variables. We evaluated fish assemblage responses by using species richness metrics and detrended correspondence analyses (DCA). Fish species richness metrics included total fish species richness, and percentages of endemic species richness, alien species, and fluvial specialist species. Fish species richness decreased significantly with increasing urbanization in BIR (<em>r </em>= –0.82, <EM>P </EM>= 0.001) and BOS (<em>r </em>= –0.48, <EM>P </EM>= 0.008). Percentages of endemic species richness decreased significantly with increasing urbanization only in BIR (<em>r </em>= – 0.71, <EM>P </EM>= 0.001), whereas percentages of fluvial specialist species decreased significantly with increasing urbanization only in BOS (<em>r </em>= –0.56, <EM>P </EM>= 0.002). Our DCA results for BIR indicate that highly urbanized fish assemblages are composed primarily of largescale stoneroller <em>Campostoma oligolepis</em>, largemouth bass <em>Micropterus salmoides</em>, and creek chub <em>Semotilus atromaculatus</em>, whereas the highly urbanized fish assemblages in BOS are dominated by yellow perch <em>Perca flavescens</em>, bluegill <em>Lepomis macrochirus</em>, yellow bullhead <em>Ameiurus natalis</em>, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed <em>L. gibbosus</em>, brown bullhead <em>A. nebulosus</em>, and redfin pickerel <em>Esox americanus</em>. Differences in fish assemblage responses to urbanization between the two areas appear to be related to differences in nutrient enrichment, habitat alterations, and invasive species. Because species richness can increase or decrease with increasing urbanization, a general response model is not applicable. Instead, response models based on species’ life histories, behavior, and autecologies offer greater potential for understanding fish assemblage responses to urbanization.

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