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Upper Mississippi River (upper + mississippi_river)
Selected AbstractsInfluence of lateral gradients of hydrologic connectivity on trophic positions of fishes in the Upper Mississippi RiverFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2009KATHERINE A. ROACH Summary 1. Riverscapes consist of the main channel and lateral slackwater habitats along a gradient of hydrological connectivity from maximum connection in main channel habitats to minimum connection in backwaters. Spatiotemporal differences in water currents along this gradient produce dynamic habitat conditions that influence species diversity, population densities and trophic interactions of fishes. 2. We examined the importance of lateral connectivity gradients for food web dynamics in the Upper Mississippi River during spring (high flow, moderately low temperatures) and summer (low flow, higher temperatures). We used literature information and gut contents analyses to determine feeding guilds and stable isotope analysis to estimate mean trophic position of local fish assemblages. During June and August 2006, we collected over 1000 tissue samples from four habitats (main channel, secondary channels, tertiary channels and backwaters) distributed within four hydrologic connectivity gradients. 3. Mean trophic position differed among feeding guilds and seasons, with highest values in spring. Mean trophic position of fish assemblages, variability in trophic position and food chain length (maximum trophic position) of the two dominant piscivore species (Micropterus salmoides and M. dolomieu) in both seasons were significantly associated with habitat along the lateral connectivity gradient. Food chain length peaked in tertiary channels in both seasons, probably due to higher species diversity of prey at these habitats. We infer that food chain length and trophic position of fish assemblages were lower in backwater habitats in the summer mainly because of the use of alternative food sources in these habitats. 4. A greater number of conspecifics exhibited significant among-habitat variation in trophic position during the summer, indicating that low river stages can constrain fish movements in the Upper Mississippi River. 5. Results of this study should provide a better understanding of the fundamental structure of large river ecosystems and an improved basis for river rehabilitation and management through knowledge of the importance of lateral complexity in rivers. [source] Phylogeography of the northern hogsucker, Hypentelium nigricans (Teleostei: Cypriniformes): genetic evidence for the existence of the ancient Teays RiverJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 8 2003Peter B. Berendzen Abstract Aim, To assess the roles of dispersal and vicariance in shaping the present distribution and diversity within Hypentelium nigricans, the northern hogsucker (Teleostei: Cypriniformes). Location, Eastern United States. Methods, Parsimony analyses, Bayesian analyses, pairwise genetic divergence and mismatch plots are used to examine patterns of genetic variation across H. nigricans. Results, Species relationships within the genus Hypentelium were consistent with previous hypotheses. However, relationships between haplotypes within H. nigricans revealed two deeply divergent groups, a clade containing haplotypes from the New and Roanoke rivers (Atlantic Slope) plus Interior Highlands and upper Mississippi River and a clade containing haplotypes from the Eastern Highlands, previously glaciated regions of the Ohio and Wabash rivers, and the Amite and Homochitto rivers of south-western Mississippi. Main conclusions, The phylogenetic history of Hypentelium was shaped by old vicariant events associated with erosion of the Blue Ridge and separation of the Mobile and Mississippi river basins. Within H. nigricans two clades existed prior to the Pleistocene; a widespread clade in the pre-glacial Teays-Mississippi River system and a clade in Cumberland and Tennessee rivers. Pleistocene events fragmented the Teays-Mississippi fauna. Following the retreat of the glaciers H. nigricans dispersed northward into previously glaciated regions. These patterns are replicated in other clades of fishes and are consistent with some of the predictions of Mayden's (Systematic Zoology, 37, 329, 1988) pre-Pleistocene vicariance hypothesis. [source] Estimating population size and habitat associations of two federally endangered mussels in the St. Croix River, Minnesota and Wisconsin, USA,AQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 3 2010Daniel J. Hornbach Abstract 1.North America is a globally important centre of freshwater mussel biodiversity. Accurate population estimates and descriptions of critical habitat for endangered species of mussels are needed but are hindered by their patchy distribution and the dynamic nature of their habitat. Adaptive cluster sampling (ACS) was used to estimate population size and habitat associations of two federally endangered species, Higgins eye (Lampsilis higginsii) and winged mapleleaf (Quadrula fragosa), in the St. Croix River. 2.This river holds the largest known winged mapleleaf population in the upper Mississippi River and contains Essential Habitat Areas for Higgins eye. Winged mapleleaf density ranged from 0.008,0.020 individuals m,2 (coefficient of variation=50,66%), yielding an estimate of 13 000 winged mapleleaf in this reach of the river. Higgins eye density varied from 0.008,0.015 individuals m,2 (coefficient of variation=66,167%) giving an estimate of 14 400 individuals in this area. 3.Higgins eye and winged mapleleaf were associated with areas of the overall highest mussel density and species richness, suggesting these endangered species occur in ,premier' mussel habitat. There were no differences in many microhabitat factors for sites with and without either endangered species. Select hydraulic measures (such as shear velocity and shear stress) showed significant differences in areas with and without the winged mapleleaf but not for Higgins eye. Areas that are less depositional support dense and diverse mussel assemblages that include both endangered species, with winged mapleleaf having a narrower habitat range than Higgins eye. 4.This study suggests that ACS can provide statistically robust estimates of density with 2,3 times more efficiency than simple random sampling. ACS, however, was quite time consuming. This work confirmed that of others demonstrating that larger-scale hydraulic parameters might be better predictors of prime mussel habitat than fine-scaled microhabitat factors. Using hydraulic measures may allow improved identification of potentially critical mussel habitat. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||