scholarly journals Geomorphological characteristics of the Wabash River, USA: Influence on fish assemblages

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff Robbins ◽  
Mark Pyron

<em>Abstract.</em>—The Patoka River drainage is a lowland-gradient watershed of the Wabash River lowlands in southwestern Indiana. During the late 18th century, the river was part of an extensive riparian floodplain wetland that connected the White River with the lower Wabash River. Through anthropogenic changes as a result of ditching, channelization, levee creation, coal extraction, and oil and gas exploration, the Patoka River drainage has been highly altered. These changes have resulted in a loss of sitespecific biological diversity and integrity, causing drainage-wide biological diversity decline. Extirpations in the watershed have resulted in the local loss of 12.7% of the fish fauna during the last century. The local extirpations of six species included central mudminnow <em>Umbra limi</em>, black redhorse <em>Moxostoma duquesnei</em>, brindled madtom <em>Noturus miurus</em>, bluebreast darter <em>Etheostoma camurum</em>, slenderhead darter <em>Percina phoxocephala</em>, and saddleback darter <em>P. vigil</em>. Black redhorse, bluebreast darter, slenderhead darter, and saddleback darter were only known from pre-1900, while brindled madtom and central mudminnow were known until the early 1940s. These species may have been rare to begin with in the Patoka River drainage, but since they are widespread elsewhere, it seems more probable that they disappeared as a result of the land-use changes. Sensitive species of darters and minnows have declined in abundance, but recent sampling has shown that they remain in the watershed at low abundance. Based on a probability sample, less than 12% of the channels represented reference least-disturbed conditions, while 61% exhibited degraded conditions.


2006 ◽  
Vol 51 (10) ◽  
pp. 1789-1797 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARK PYRON ◽  
THOMAS E. LAUER ◽  
JAMES R. GAMMON

<em>Abstract.</em>—The present ichthyofauna (1965–2001) of the Wabash River system is compared to that of three periods: presettlement through 1820, 1875–1900, and 1940– 1950. This second largest Ohio River tributary flows freely for 350 mi. However, its environment and watershed have been altered greatly from presettlement times; twothirds has been converted to agriculture, eliminating all prairies and most forests and wetlands. Canals, large and small dams, channelization, and effluents have extinguished 12 fish species, diminished some, and favored others. Thirteen of approximately 175 species are recent, including 3 aliens. Better municipal and industrial waste treatment has improved water quality, but excessive agricultural runoff remains detrimental to many fishes. Degraded habitats exacerbate these problems. Many sensitive species are today either absent or severely reduced in distribution and abundance compared to 50 years ago. Smallmouth bass <em>Micropterus dolomieu </em>has been replaced by largemouth bass <em>M. salmoides </em>or spotted bass <em>M. punctulatus, </em>and few visual piscivores occur except near reservoirs.


Copeia ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Mueller ◽  
Mark Pyron

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 432-441
Author(s):  
Yong Cao ◽  
Jerrod Parker ◽  
Tim Edison ◽  
John Epifanio

Abstract It is a challenge to adequately characterize the fish assemblages of large rivers because of their sizes and high spatial–temporal habitat heterogeneity. Multiple sampling methods are often needed, but their uses increase cost and present difficulty for data standardization. In this study, we examined how much new information central-channel electrofishing sampling could add to typical shoreline electrofishing in a large and relatively shallow river, the lower Wabash River, in the U.S. Midwest. We found that the two types of samples differed markedly in species composition, and each was strongly associated with a subset of species. Shoreline samples captured more fish individuals and species, and reached higher functional diversity, but central-channel samples often captured several large benthivore and migratory species such as Redhorse and Shovelnose Sturgeon. Central-channel electrofishing appears to be a quick and low-cost method to supplement shoreline sampling in monitoring and assessing large shallow rivers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 588 ◽  
pp. 179-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
BL Gilby ◽  
AD Olds ◽  
RM Connolly ◽  
PS Maxwell ◽  
CJ Henderson ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 592 ◽  
pp. 225-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Cruz-Acevedo ◽  
N Tolimieri ◽  
H Aguirre-Villaseñor

2020 ◽  
Vol 649 ◽  
pp. 125-140
Author(s):  
DS Goldsworthy ◽  
BJ Saunders ◽  
JRC Parker ◽  
ES Harvey

Bioregional categorisation of the Australian marine environment is essential to conserve and manage entire ecosystems, including the biota and associated habitats. It is important that these regions are optimally positioned to effectively plan for the protection of distinct assemblages. Recent climatic variation and changes to the marine environment in Southwest Australia (SWA) have resulted in shifts in species ranges and changes to the composition of marine assemblages. The goal of this study was to determine if the current bioregionalisation of SWA accurately represents the present distribution of shallow-water reef fishes across 2000 km of its subtropical and temperate coastline. Data was collected in 2015 using diver-operated underwater stereo-video surveys from 7 regions between Port Gregory (north of Geraldton) to the east of Esperance. This study indicated that (1) the shallow-water reef fish of SWA formed 4 distinct assemblages along the coast: one Midwestern, one Central and 2 Southern Assemblages; (2) differences between these fish assemblages were primarily driven by sea surface temperature, Ecklonia radiata cover, non-E. radiata (canopy) cover, understorey algae cover, reef type and reef height; and (3) each of the 4 assemblages were characterised by a high number of short-range Australian and Western Australian endemic species. The findings from this study suggest that 4, rather than the existing 3 bioregions would more effectively capture the shallow-water reef fish assemblage patterns, with boundaries having shifted southwards likely associated with ocean warming.


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