Spatiotemporal Changes in the Imperiled and Diverse Mussel Assemblage of the Spring River in Response to Known and Emerging Pollutants
The Spring River of southeastern Kansas is one of the most species-rich for freshwater mussels in the state, as it contains 34/42 (81%) of Kansas’ remaining mussel species. The mussels of the Spring River are highly-imperiled, as 3 are federally-listed or proposed for listing and 16 are state-listed. Spring River mussels were historically imperiled by heavy metal pollution originating from the Tri-State Mining District, but metal concentrations have been decreasing. It is currently unknown however whether Spring River mussels have responded positively to this improving water quality since no widespread mussel surveys have occurred since 2003-2006. More localized surveys near the KS-MO border by Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) personnel indicated that mussel densities may be declining however, since mussel densities decreased by 95% at this site from 2014-2020. Spikes in toxic unionized ammonia concentrations coming from agricultural sources in the upstream watershed are one potential explanation for the recent observed decline in mussel densities, but frequent and widespread sampling for ammonia concentrations have not been completed. The spatial extent and cause of the Spring River mussel decline is presently unknown, but identifying these factors has important conservation implications given the large number of imperiled mussels species that occur in the Spring River. As such, the objectives of our proposed research are to evaluate spatiotemporal trends in density, richness, and occurrence of Spring River mussels in relation to known and emerging pollutants. Contemporary spatial patterns will be assessed by sampling mussels along the longitudinal gradient of the Spring River in Kansas across 10 sites during 2023-2025, while temporal patterns will be assessed by comparing contemporary data with historical data collected during 2003-2006. Toxic metals and unionized ammonia will be the major pollutants of focus, and we will take frequent and widespread samples for ammonia to better assess whether ammonia spikes are occurring in the Spring River. This project is funded by the Wildlife Fee Fund from the KDWP. Josh Holloway, who is a graduate teaching assistant at Pittsburg State University, is leading this project for his M.S. thesis research.
The Spring River of southeastern Kansas is one of the most species-rich for freshwater mussels in the state, as it contains 34/42 (81%) of Kansas’ remaining mussel species. The mussels of the Spring River are highly-imperiled, as 3 are federally-listed or proposed for listing and 16 are state-listed. Spring River mussels were historically imperiled by heavy metal pollution originating from the Tri-State Mining District, but metal concentrations have been decreasing. It is currently unknown however whether Spring River mussels have responded positively to this improving water quality since no widespread mussel surveys have occurred since 2003-2006. More localized surveys near the KS-MO border by Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) personnel indicated that mussel densities may be declining however, since mussel densities decreased by 95% at this site from 2014-2020. Spikes in toxic unionized ammonia concentrations coming from agricultural sources in the upstream watershed are one potential explanation for the recent observed decline in mussel densities, but frequent and widespread sampling for ammonia concentrations have not been completed. The spatial extent and cause of the Spring River mussel decline is presently unknown, but identifying these factors has important conservation implications given the large number of imperiled mussels species that occur in the Spring River. As such, the objectives of our proposed research are to evaluate spatiotemporal trends in density, richness, and occurrence of Spring River mussels in relation to known and emerging pollutants. Contemporary spatial patterns will be assessed by sampling mussels along the longitudinal gradient of the Spring River in Kansas across 10 sites during 2023-2025, while temporal patterns will be assessed by comparing contemporary data with historical data collected during 2003-2006. Toxic metals and unionized ammonia will be the major pollutants of focus, and we will take frequent and widespread samples for ammonia to better assess whether ammonia spikes are occurring in the Spring River. This project is funded by the Wildlife Fee Fund from the KDWP. Josh Holloway, who is a graduate teaching assistant at Pittsburg State University, is leading this project for his M.S. thesis research.
San Juan River Backwater Resource Availability Applied to Endangered Fish Management and Recovery
The federally-endangered Colorado Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) and Razorback Sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) are native to the San Juan River, but at present experience close to zero natural recruitment in this system. One potential explanation for this problem is a lack of high quality backwater habitats that function as nurseries for the young-of-year of these species. As such, we sought to compare the habitat quality of secondary channel versus island backwaters in a 55-mile stretch of the San Juan River in between Shiprock, NM and Montezuma Creek, UT during the critical post-spawning window of July-September. We've selected 20 sample sites (i.e., 10 secondary channel + 10 island backwaters) in our study reach and are quantifying environmental variables related to resource availability (e.g., chlorophyll-a concentration; macroinvertebrate density and biomass), physicochemical conditions (e.g., water temperature, turbidity, flow variation, mainstem connectivity) and biotic interactions (e.g., nonnative density and biomass), which we believe are important to the recruitment success of imperiled fishes. We collect this data by conducting 4-7 day rafting/camping trips on a pair of 16 x 8 foot inflatable rafts. This research has management implications, as the availability of secondary channel versus island backwaters can be manipulated via environmental flows releases from Navajo Dam. This project is funded via the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program, and will occur during 2021-2023. Blake Hansen, who is a graduate research assistant at Pittsburg State University, led this project for his M.S. thesis research.
Frequency and Extent of Hybridization between Nonnative Blackspotted Topminnow and Native Blackstripe Topminnow in the Spring River Subbasin.
The Blackspotted Topminnow (Fundulus olivaceus) is not native to the Spring River subbasin (SRS) of southeastern Kansas, southwestern Missouri, and northeastern Oklahoma. The Blackspotted Topminnow was first introduced to Shoal Creek (a major tributary of the Spring River) in Missouri by 1990, and since that time it has spread into Shoal Creek of Kansas and the Spring River below Empire Lake in Kansas and Oklahoma. Within the SRS of Kansas and Missouri, the Blackspotted Topminnow is known to hybridize with native Blackstripe Topminnow (Fundulus notatus). Furthermore, there is preliminary evidence that suggested Blackspotted Topminnow are displacing Blackstripe Topminnow in the portions of the SRS where they have invaded (King et al. 2021). Hybridization with and competition from Blackspotted Topminnow may thus be causing imperilment of the Blackstripe Topminnow in the SRS. However, it appears that Empire Lake is preventing the upstream spread of the Blackspotted Topminnow in the SRS, as a widespread survey of the SRS during 2017-2020 did not detect Blackspotted Topminnow above Empire Lake (King et al. 2021). Although, Blackspotted and Blackstripe Topminnow are notoriously difficult to distinguish from one another given their similar appearances, especially when hybridization is occurring; genetic techniques are necessary to reliably identify Blackspotted Topminnow, Blackstripe Topminnow, and their hybrids. As such, our research is investigating the contemporary extent of the Blackspotted Topminnow invasion in the SRS and identifying locations where it is hybridizing with Blackstripe Topminnow using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis at the CIRP and GPX loci. This project is funded by Pittsburg State University, and occurred during 2021-2022. Alexandra (Alex) King, who was a graduate teaching assistant at Pittsburg State University, led this project as part of her M.S. thesis research.
The Blackspotted Topminnow (Fundulus olivaceus) is not native to the Spring River subbasin (SRS) of southeastern Kansas, southwestern Missouri, and northeastern Oklahoma. The Blackspotted Topminnow was first introduced to Shoal Creek (a major tributary of the Spring River) in Missouri by 1990, and since that time it has spread into Shoal Creek of Kansas and the Spring River below Empire Lake in Kansas and Oklahoma. Within the SRS of Kansas and Missouri, the Blackspotted Topminnow is known to hybridize with native Blackstripe Topminnow (Fundulus notatus). Furthermore, there is preliminary evidence that suggested Blackspotted Topminnow are displacing Blackstripe Topminnow in the portions of the SRS where they have invaded (King et al. 2021). Hybridization with and competition from Blackspotted Topminnow may thus be causing imperilment of the Blackstripe Topminnow in the SRS. However, it appears that Empire Lake is preventing the upstream spread of the Blackspotted Topminnow in the SRS, as a widespread survey of the SRS during 2017-2020 did not detect Blackspotted Topminnow above Empire Lake (King et al. 2021). Although, Blackspotted and Blackstripe Topminnow are notoriously difficult to distinguish from one another given their similar appearances, especially when hybridization is occurring; genetic techniques are necessary to reliably identify Blackspotted Topminnow, Blackstripe Topminnow, and their hybrids. As such, our research is investigating the contemporary extent of the Blackspotted Topminnow invasion in the SRS and identifying locations where it is hybridizing with Blackstripe Topminnow using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis at the CIRP and GPX loci. This project is funded by Pittsburg State University, and occurred during 2021-2022. Alexandra (Alex) King, who was a graduate teaching assistant at Pittsburg State University, led this project as part of her M.S. thesis research.
Response of Riffle Fish Communities in the Spring River of Kansas to Metal Pollution Legislation and Reduction
The Spring River in southeastern Kansas historically received tributary inputs of cadmium, lead, and zinc from the Tri-State Mining District, but long-term reductions in these toxic metals have occurred. It is presently unknown how riffle fish communities have responded to this improving water quality, so the objective of our research was to quantify changes in community structure across 1963-1965, 1993-1995, and 2019-2021. Responses were quantified by measuring changes in a variety of community metrics among fishes categorized as intolerant, moderately-intolerant, moderately-tolerant, and tolerant of pollution. We did this for the entire Spring River, but also examined trends in the Spring River both above and below historical metal inputs from tributaries (i.e., Center Creek, Turkey Creek, and Shoal Creek). This project is funded by a state wildlife grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and occurred during 2019-2022. Alexandra (Alex) King, who was a graduate teaching assistant at Pittsburg State University, led this project as part of her M.S. thesis research.
The Spring River in southeastern Kansas historically received tributary inputs of cadmium, lead, and zinc from the Tri-State Mining District, but long-term reductions in these toxic metals have occurred. It is presently unknown how riffle fish communities have responded to this improving water quality, so the objective of our research was to quantify changes in community structure across 1963-1965, 1993-1995, and 2019-2021. Responses were quantified by measuring changes in a variety of community metrics among fishes categorized as intolerant, moderately-intolerant, moderately-tolerant, and tolerant of pollution. We did this for the entire Spring River, but also examined trends in the Spring River both above and below historical metal inputs from tributaries (i.e., Center Creek, Turkey Creek, and Shoal Creek). This project is funded by a state wildlife grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and occurred during 2019-2022. Alexandra (Alex) King, who was a graduate teaching assistant at Pittsburg State University, led this project as part of her M.S. thesis research.
Long-Term Change of the Stream Fish Communities at Prairie State Park, MO
Vokoun and Noltie (2000) sampled stream fish across seven sites on three streams located in Prairie State Park during 1999, including Fleck Creek, East Drywood Creek, and Second Nicholson Creek. Beginning in June 2021 we re-sampled those locations to examine how the fish community has changed during the last 22 years, and we plan to continue sampling those seven locations once a year into the foreseeable future to document long-term changes in fish communities.
Vokoun and Noltie (2000) sampled stream fish across seven sites on three streams located in Prairie State Park during 1999, including Fleck Creek, East Drywood Creek, and Second Nicholson Creek. Beginning in June 2021 we re-sampled those locations to examine how the fish community has changed during the last 22 years, and we plan to continue sampling those seven locations once a year into the foreseeable future to document long-term changes in fish communities.
Nonnative Virile Crayfish Distribution and Density in Secondary Channel and Island Backwaters of the San Juan River, NM, CO, and UT
The non-native Virile Crayfish (Faxonius virilis) has been observed throughout the Colorado River basin, where it has negative impacts on native fishes and macroinvertebrates. The San Juan River is a major tributary of the Colorado River where Virile Crayfish are present, although their distribution, abundance, and potential impacts there have yet to receive extensive study. The San Juan River hosts several imperiled fish species (e.g., Colorado Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius); Razorback Sucker (Xyrauchen texanus)) which may be impacted by Virile Crayfish, thus further information on this nonnative species is needed for effective conservation and management. The objective of our research was to quantify spatiotemporal variation in Virile Crayfish density in the San Juan River along an 89-river kilometer reach between Shiprock, NM and Montezuma Creek, UT. Within this reach we focused our sampling on secondary channel and island backwaters, as they are crucial nursery habitats for imperiled native fishes. This project will occur during 2021-2023. Michaela Fishback, who was a research technician at Pittsburg State University, is leading this project.