HR: 16:00h
AN: NB44D-03    [Abstracts]
TI: Distribution of Brook Trout and Their Food Sources in Meadow vs. Wooded Areas of Sierra Nevada Headwater Streams
AU: * Basile, N J
EM: nicholasbasile@gmail.com
AF: California State University, Fresno, Biology Department M/S SB73, Fresno, CA 93740 United States
AU: Blumenshine, S
EM: sblumens@csufresno.edu
AF: California State University, Fresno, Biology Department M/S SB73, Fresno, CA 93740 United States
AB: Stocked eastern brook trout are now well established in historically fishless, small headwater streams in the Sierra Nevada. Although non-native, brook trout have maintained healthy populations since stocking ended 60-80 years ago. Our primary research question was whether brook trout distribution and feeding ecology is influenced by variation in headwater stream habitats and food sources. Stream habitat characteristics and trout demographic data were collected during June and August 2004 from four forested and three meadow sites among five tributaries to Bull Creek in the Sierra Nevada. Both mean fish mass and total fish biomass were greater in forested versus meadow reaches. Macroinvertebrate drift rate did not differ between meadow versus wooded reaches, but were greater in June than August. However, despite higher fish biomass, trout in forests apparently selected prey from drift, whereas trout diets in meadows reflected availability in drift. The results of this research will ultimately be used in a larger, collaborative, whole-ecosystem study conducted by the USDA-Forest Service addressing how current forest management practices affect stream ecosystems.
DE: 9901 NABS Student Award - Basic Research
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly