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Factors from multiple scales influence the distribution and abundance of an imperiled fish – mountain sucker in the Black Hills of South Dakota, USA

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Abstract

An understanding of the factors associated with the distribution of fishes is fundamental to stream ecology, and can be used to assess and prioritize conservation areas. Mountain sucker Catostomus platyrhynchus is generally stable across its range in Western North America, but recent studies have documented declines at finer spatial scales near the periphery of its range, including the Black Hills of South Dakota. Despite its wide-ranging distribution, little information exists on mountain sucker autecology or community dynamics. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hierarchical influence of physical and biological variables on the distribution and abundance of mountain sucker in streams of the Black Hills, South Dakota, USA. We evaluated the support for candidate models that incorporated multiple spatial scales and potential biotic interactions to model mountain sucker presence and abundance using an information theoretic approach. Mountain sucker presence was best explained by a combination of reach-scale habitat and fish assemblage variables, including a negative influence of trout abundance. Mountain sucker abundance increased with periphyton coverage, a food resource. These models increase understanding of mountain sucker ecology, can be used to assess and prioritize areas of conservation interest for this native fish in the Black Hills, and can identify management actions that will provide the most effective conservation strategies for this species.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this project was provided by State Wildlife Grant T2-2-R through South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks to K. Bertrand in the Department of Natural Resource Management at South Dakota State University (SDSU) and conducted with IACUC permit number 08-A038. Additional support was provided to K. Bertrand from the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station through Hatch funds SD00H300-09 and SD00R395-11. Study design and analysis was greatly aided J. Wilhite, S. Chipps, M. Brown, S. Whitlock, T. Levi, and fellow WFS graduate students at SDSU. Field work was provided by S. Lewis, J. Wilhite, J. Davis, M. Bucholz, C. Cudmore, and M. Barnes, K. Wintersteen, and the McNenny State Fish Hatchery crew. P. Tille, S. Chipps, M. Mayfield, and several anonymous reviewers provided insightful comments on a previous draft of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, SNP 138, Box 2140B, Brookings, SD, 57007, USA

    Luke D. Schultz, Katie N. Bertrand & Brian D.S. Graeb

  2. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, Oregon State University, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Luke D. Schultz

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  1. Luke D. Schultz
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Correspondence to Luke D. Schultz.

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Schultz, L.D., Bertrand, K.N. & Graeb, B.D. Factors from multiple scales influence the distribution and abundance of an imperiled fish – mountain sucker in the Black Hills of South Dakota, USA. Environ Biol Fish 99, 3–14 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-015-0449-6

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