Introduced species and abiotic factors affect longitudinal variation in small fish assemblages in the Wind River watershed, Wyoming

Journal of Freshwater Ecology
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Abstract

We assessed longitudinal variation in small fish assemblages in the Wind River watershed upstream from Boysen Reservoir, Wyoming and into the reservoir. Twenty-six species were found in the study area, and 12 of the species were believed to have been introduced since settlement by Europeans. Additions and losses of fish species occurred with downstream progression, especially the addition of introduced species. Introduced species increased from 25% of the total number of species in the upper-most river segment (31.5-35.3 km upstream from the reservoir), to 46% in the river segment immediately upstream from the reservoir, to 48% in the reservoir. The most abundant species in the riverine portion of the watershed was the introduced sand shiner (Notropis stramineus). The results suggest that cyprinid species introduced to the upstream watershed and Boysen Reservoir are influencing small fish assemblages upstream from the reservoir and may be impacting native fishes, particularly native cyprinids.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Introduced species and abiotic factors affect longitudinal variation in small fish assemblages in the Wind River watershed, Wyoming
Series title Journal of Freshwater Ecology
DOI 10.1080/02705060.2007.9665050
Volume 22
Issue 2
Year Published 2007
Language English
Publisher Taylor & Francis Online
Contributing office(s) Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Description 9 p.
First page 287
Last page 295
Country United States
State Wyoming
Other Geospatial Boysen Reservoir
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