Julie E. Claussen

Selection for Vulnerability to Angling in Largemouth Bass

Abstract Although a great deal of effort has been expended to try to understand the consequences of fishing-induced selection by commercial fisheries, relatively little effort has been put into trying to understand the selective effects of recreational angling. We conducted a long-term selection experiment to assess the heritability of vulnerability to angling in largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides. Three successive generations of artificially selected largemouth bass were produced from a single experimental study population. Within each generation, individual adult largemouth bass were identified as having either high or low vulnerability to angling through a series of controlled catch-and-release angling trials. Individuals of each vulnerability group (high and low) were then selected from that population for breeding to produce the next generation. The response to selection for vulnerability to angling increased with each generation; that is, the magnitude of the difference between the high- and low-...

A Comparison of Bluegill Reproductive Strategies and Growth among Lakes with Different Fishing Intensities

Abstract Life history theory suggests that maturation schedules of male bluegill Lepomis macrochirus and the occurrence of alternative male reproductive strategies (i.e., parental or cuckolder) may contribute to the development and duration of undesirable bluegill population size structure (few fish larger than 150 mm). To investigate this relationship, we assessed parental male maturation schedules and relative abundance of cuckolders in six lakes subject to differing levels of fishing effort. Bluegills were collected by electrofishing shortly after the onset of the spawning season. Lakes with lower fishing effort had parental males that were older and larger at maturity than parental males in lakes with high fishing effort. Also, growth of parental males in lakes with low fishing effort was faster at older ages, and growth of immature males was faster than growth of cuckolders. Unlike other lakes, two of the three low-fishing-effort lakes had very few cuckolders. Our results indicate that intense fishin...

Evidence for heritable preferences for spawning habitat between two walleye populations

Abstract The basis of behavioral differences between populations of river- and lake-spawning walleye Stizostedion vitreum was evaluated. We used fish from one population that migrates up a river to spawn on gravel bars and from another that remains in a lake to spawn on rocky shoals as broodstock to produce genetically tagged fry of each stock. Offspring from these broodstocks were introduced into a system containing both habitats. When the stocked walleyes had reached sexual maturation 3 and 4 years later, adults in reproductive condition were collected throughout the impoundment–river system. Walleyes that were the offspring of broodstock from the river-spawning population were captured more frequently in lotic habitat well upstream from the impoundment, whereas offspring of the lake-spawning population were found more frequently in lake habitat. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that choice of spawning habitat has a heritable component: walleyes have a genetically based response to environm...

Effect of Population Size Structure on Reproductive Investment of Male Bluegill

Abstract Although a goal of fisheries management is to understand factors affecting the growth rate and size structure of exploited populations, the relation between growth rates and variation in reproductive behaviors in Lepomis species has received little attention. Allocation of energy to reproductive functions (e.g., gonadal maturation, gamete production, nesting and spawning activities, and brood defense) negatively affects growth rate and, ultimately, maximum body size. To assess how social factors influence energy allocation, we manipulated population size structure of male bluegills L. macrochirus in experimental ponds and evaluated individual reproductive behavior and testes development. We predicted that smaller parental males would invest less in reproduction in the presence of larger parental males than they would in their absence. Observations were consistent with this prediction; smaller parental males had smaller testes and nested less frequently in the presence of larger males than in thei...

Science Communication in a Digital Age: Social Media and the American Fisheries Society

ABSTRACT Social media platforms are effective tools used to help communicate and increase involvement in cultural, political, and scientific circles. In 2012, an ad hoc committee was established to explore online fisheries science communication and how social media platforms can be utilized by the American Fisheries Society (AFS). A survey was disseminated to all AFS units (chapters, sections, divisions) and student subunits to better understand the current use of social media within the AFS. A relatively high response rate (82%) provided some confidence in the survey results—namely, that nearly 69% or more of units and subunits used social media. Facebook was the dominant platform used (59%; all others < 15%) and almost exclusively (97%) for the purpose of communication. Education, outreach, and member recruitment were other reasons for social media use. Finally, whether units currently use social media or not at all, it was recommended that AFS-led workshops and assistance would increase the usefulness ...

Geographic Patterns in Genetic and Life History Variation in Pumpkinseed Populations from Four East-Central Ontario Watersheds

Abstract We examined the geographic distribution of biochemical genetic and life history characteristics of 16 populations of pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus within four east-central Ontario watersheds to determine (1) if populations within watersheds were more alike for either of these traits than populations among watersheds, (2) if the distribution of genetic and life history characteristics among watersheds coincided with each other, and (3) if the distribution of genetic and life history characteristics among watersheds showed some geographic pattern. Pumpkinseeds collected early in the reproductive season in the years 1990–1993 were assessed for reproductive maturity, gonadosomatic index (females only), and juvenile growth. Allele frequencies at six polymorphic loci were determined by protein electrophoresis. Cluster analysis based upon genetic distance coefficients showed three distinct groups, one containing populations from the Rideau River watershed, a second containing populations from the Crowe R...

An examination of gender differences in the American Fisheries Society peer-review process

This study investigated the possibility of gender differences in outcomes throughout the peer review process of American Fisheries Society (AFS) journals. For each manuscript submitted to four AFS journals between January 2003 and December 2010, we collated information regarding the gender and nationality of authors, gender of associate editor, gender of reviewers, reviewer recommendations, associate editors decision, and publication status of the manuscript. We used hierarchical linear modeling to test for differences in manuscript decision outcomes associated with author, reviewer, and associate editor gender. Gender differences were present at some but not every stage of the review process and were not equal among the four journals. Although there was a small gender difference in decision outcomes, we found no evidence of bias in editors’ and reviewers’ recommendations. Our results support the conclusion that the current single-blind review system does not result in bias against female authors within ...

Potential consequences of angling on nest-site fidelity in largemouth bass

Breeding site fidelity has evolved in many vertebrate taxa, suggesting both that site selection has an important influence on fitness potential and that the decision to reuse a nesting site is related to the individual’s prior nesting success at that location. For a species that provides parental care, such as the Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides, catch-and-release angling impacts individual nesting success and fitness through physiological disturbance and by removing the nest-guarding male from its brood, thereby allowing temporary access to eggs and hatchlings by brood predators. To assess the impact of catch-and-release angling on nest site fidelity, we compared the consequences of angling on individually marked (i.e., with passive integrated transponders) nest-guarding male Largemouth Bass in Ontario. An extremely high degree of nest site fidelity in year two was observed for males that were angled only once during year one (87% within 10 m of the previous year’s nest), 96.7% of which remained on the nest and completed parental care activities. There was significantly lower fidelity in year two, however, for males that were angled multiple times during year one (27% within 10m of the previous year’s nest), only 5.6% of which remained on the nest and completed parental care activities. This observed difference suggests that angling nesting bass may cause them to avoid previously used nest sites and instead search for alternative sites during future reproductive seasons. This human-induced impact on nest site choice may impact the future reproductive success of those Largemouth Bass.

Assessing the Long-Term Reproductive Contribution of Stocked Fish to Largemouth Bass Populations

AbstractWe evaluated the reproductive contribution of stocked Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides relative to resident populations. The reproductive contribution of stocked fish was determined using the MDH-B2* allele as a genetic tag for fingerlings stocked into five study lakes. We first determined the relative survival of stocked fish by calculating the proportion of adults (which were clipped at stocking) in the population and compared it with initial survival the first fall after stocking. Stocked fish relative survival to adulthood varied among the five study lakes and was lower than initial survival after stocking. Once these stocked fish were mature, it was possible to assess their reproductive contribution to each population by comparing the prestocking frequencies of the MDH-B2* allele with poststocking frequencies. Reproductive contribution of stocked fish was high in small lakes but relatively low in larger ones. Neither adult Largemouth Bass density nor prey density affected reproductive co...

Comment: Not all Biases are Created Equal—A Comment on the Snorkel Survey Bias Observed by Hessenauer et al. (2014)

Comment: Not all Biases are Created Equal—A Comment on the Snorkel Survey Bias Observed by Hessenauer et al. (2014) Jeffrey A. Stein, Julie E. Claussen, David P. Philipp & Steven J. Cooke a Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, 1816 South Oak Street, Champaign, Illinois 61820, USA b Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Institute of Environmental Science and Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada Published online: 24 Nov 2014.