G. P. Thiede

Evidence Linking Delayed Mortality of Snake River Salmon to Their Earlier Hydrosystem Experience

Abstract The numbers of Snake River salmon and steelhead Oncorhynchus spp. have substantially declined since the completion of the Columbia River hydrosystem. We used analytical approaches to identify management options for halting the decline of these stocks, such as removal of Snake River dams and improvements to the existing hydrosystem. The benefits these actions are predicted to have in terms of salmon recovery hinge on whether the mortality that takes place in the estuary and early in their ocean residence is related to earlier hydrosystem experience during downstream migration. Evidence from the literature demonstrates numerous mechanisms that would explain this delayed mortality in relation to a fishs experience passing through the hydrosystem. Spatial and temporal comparisons of stock performance provide indirect evidence of delayed mortality and evidence that delayed mortality is linked to hydrosystem experience. Recent mark–recapture data also provide evidence of differences in delayed mortali...

Quantification of the Vital Rates, Abundance, and Status of a Critical, Endemic Population of Bonneville Cutthroat Trout

Abstract Most subspecies of cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii are imperiled or extinct due to the combined effects of habitat degradation and interactions with exotic species. To quantify abundance and vital rates and evaluate trends, we selected a large population of Bonneville cutthroat trout O. clarkii utah from the Logan River of northern Utah, a river characterized by high-quality and connected habitat. Over a 5-year period, we completed a comprehensive population assessment, including depletion-based abundance estimates and a mark–recapture study (1,050 tagged fish) of site fidelity, growth, and survival. Population density exceeded 1,500 cutthroat trout/km at high-elevation sites; this is substantially higher than most other reported densities of inland, stream-type cutthroat trout. Fish demonstrated extremely high rates of site fidelity on average (92%; SE = 6%), and growth rates were also high (up to 0.50 g/d; mean = 0.09 g/d). Cormack–Jolly–Seber survival rates (fish ≥ 100 mm) increased with ...

Trophic relationships of nonnative brown trout, Salmo trutta, and native Bonneville cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii utah, in a northern Utah, USA river

Nonnative trout invasions have caused the widespread decline of cutthroat trout populations in western North America. In contrast to other nonnative salmonids, the role of nonnative brown trout in native cutthroat trout decline is poorly understood. Specifically, the level of ecological similarity that occurs between these species and the importance of other trophic mechanisms (e.g., predation) in their interactions are key uncertainties. We evaluated the trophic relationships of brown trout and cutthroat trout in a northern Utah river using a combination of diet and stable isotope analyses. We compared the dietary habits of these two species using multiple and complementary measures. Based on both stomach contents and δ13C signatures, we found that these species consumed a similar and opportunistic diet (i.e., they were nonselective in their foraging patterns). However, at most sizes, brown trout ingested larger prey—including fishes—and occupied a higher relative trophic position (i.e., δ15N) than cutthroat trout. Overall, these results demonstrate a high degree of dietary similarity and therefore strengthen earlier conclusions regarding interspecific competition between these two species. Our study, when considered alongside the work of others, suggests there is potential for predatory interactions between these species (i.e., brown trout preying on small cutthroat trout). We believe that future research on brown trout–cutthroat trout interactions should consider predatory effects in greater detail.

A Bioenergetics Approach to Modeling Striped Bass and Threadfin Shad Predator-Prey Dynamics in Lake Powell, Utah-Arizona

Abstract An understanding of the mechanisms driving the cyclic relationship between piscivorous sport fish and their food base is needed in systems where predator and prey are tightly coupled. To understand the dynamics between striped bass Morone saxatilis and threadfin shad Dorosoma petenense in Lake Powell, Utah-Arizona, we (1) synthesized and evaluated 20 years of historical data on temperature, diet, growth, and abundance of these fish, (2) collected similar data on a finer scale in 2003-2004, (3) used components of this data set to develop specific conversions between coarser historic data and present data, and (4) modeled striped bass and threadfin shad dynamics within a bioenergetics framework. We estimated the consumption of threadfin shad by age-0, subadult, and adult striped bass in Lake Powell from 1985 to 2003. During this period, threadfin shad abundance peaked at approximately 5- to 7-year intervals and striped bass growth, condition, and abundance corresponded closely to peaks in threadfin...

Earning their Stripes: The Potential of Tiger Trout and Other Salmonids as Biological Controls of Forage Fishes in a Western Reservoir

AbstractMaintaining a balance between predator and prey populations can be an ongoing challenge for fisheries managers, especially in managing artificial ecosystems such as reservoirs. In a high-elevation Utah reservoir, the unintentional introduction of the Utah Chub Gila atraria and its subsequent population expansion prompted managers to experimentally shift from exclusively stocking Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss to also stocking tiger trout (female Brown Trout Salmo trutta × male Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis) and Bonneville Cutthroat Trout O. clarkii utah (hereafter, Cutthroat Trout) as potential biological control agents. We measured a combination of diet, growth, temperature, and abundance and used bioenergetic simulations to quantify predator demand versus prey supply. Utah Chub were the predominant prey type for tiger trout, contributing up to 80% of the diet depending on the season. Utah Chub represented up to 70% of the total diet consumed by Cutthroat Trout. Although Utah Chub dominate...