A trial of two trouts: Comparing the impacts of rainbow and brown trout on a native galaxiid

Animal Conservation
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Abstract

Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and brown trout Salmo trutta are the world's two most widespread exotic fishes, dominate the fish communities of most cold-temperate waters in the southern hemisphere and are implicated in the decline and extirpation of native fish species. Here, we provide the first direct comparison of the impacts of rainbow and brown trout on populations of a native fish by quantifying three components of exotic species impact: range, abundance and effect. We surveyed 54 small streams on the island of Chilo?? in Chilean Patagonia and found that the rainbow trout has colonized significantly more streams and has a wider geographic range than brown trout. The two species had similar post-yearling abundances in allopatry and sympatry, and their abundances depended similarly on reach-level variation in the physical habitat. The species appeared to have dramatically different effects on native drift-feeding Aplochiton spp., which were virtually absent from streams invaded by brown trout but shared a broad sympatric range with rainbow trout. Within this range, the species' post-yearling abundances varied independently before and after controlling for variation in the physical habitat. In the north of the island, Aplochiton spp. inhabited streams uninvaded by exotic trouts. Our results provide a context for investigating the mechanisms responsible for apparent differences in rainbow and brown trout invasion biology and can help inform conservation strategies for native fishes in Chilo?? and elsewhere. ?? 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation ?? 2010 The Zoological Society of London.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title A trial of two trouts: Comparing the impacts of rainbow and brown trout on a native galaxiid
Series title Animal Conservation
DOI 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2010.00354.x
Volume 13
Issue 4
Year Published 2010
Language English
Contributing office(s) Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Animal Conservation
First page 399
Last page 410
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