Development of the Trout Trail of the Virginias

Abstract Despite the competitive advantage of trophy trout fishing venues in Virginia and West Virginia, there has historically been little cooperation between vendors. Our West Virginia University team worked with fishing-related tourism providers in the two states to gauge interest in developing a marketing cooperative for the industry. Over 30 tourism providers attended an initial exploratory meeting at Douthat State Park in Virginia and showed overwhelming support for developing a marketing cooperative to increase business and protect their investments in fish and fishing streams. This allied group included trophy trout fishing venues, guide services, lodges, and trout producers. Eight of the meeting participants, five from Virginia and three from West Virginia, agreed to start a cooperative marketing organization. Via electronic surveys (designed and administered using the Delphi process), the core members reached consensus on a name (Trout Trail of the Virginias or TTV), slogan, website address, membership benefits, and organizational structure

Induction and viability of tetraploids in brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis).

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) populations are threatened by introduction of invasive species, habitat loss, and habitat degradation in their native range; and are a problem invasive species in western Unites States and Canada, and in Europe. Stocking sterile triploids has been promoted as an approach to reduce negative effects of stocking of brook trout for recreational fishing on native fish populations. Crossing a tetraploid with a diploid is a method of triploid production that may help hatcheries meet demand. We induced tetraploidy in brook trout by application of 633 kg∙cm-2 of hydrostatic pressure for 8 minutes at 70-72.5% of the first cleavage interval. Yields of above 50% tetraploid progeny at hatching were readily achieved although few animals reached one year of age. We crossed a male tetraploid with female diploid fish and produced interploid-triploids with eyeing rates in excess of 50%, demonstrating male tetraploids are fertile and capable of siring triploid progeny. Female tetraploid fish were reared to 16 months post-hatching and possessed follicles in secondary vitellogenesis, suggesting tetraploid females are also fertile. Tetraploid induction rates in excess of 96% were achieved applying the same hydrostatic pressure treatment to zygotes of tetraploid x diploid crosses at 30 minutes post-fertilization.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Integrating acoustic telemetry into mark-recapture models to improve the precision of apparent survival and abundance estimates

Capture-mark-recapture models are useful tools for estimating demographic parameters but often result in low precision when recapture rates are low. Low recapture rates are typical in many study systems including fishing-based studies. Incorporating auxiliary data into the models can improve precision and in some cases enable parameter estimation. Here, we present a novel application of acoustic telemetry for the estimation of apparent survival and abundance within capture-mark-recapture analysis using open population models. Our case study is based on simultaneously collecting longline fishing and acoustic telemetry data for a large mobile apex predator, the broadnose sevengill shark (Notorhynchus cepedianus), at a coastal site in Tasmania, Australia. Cormack-Jolly-Seber models showed that longline data alone had very low recapture rates while acoustic telemetry data for the same time period resulted in at least tenfold higher recapture rates. The apparent survival estimates were similar for the two datasets but the acoustic telemetry data showed much greater precision and enabled apparent survival parameter estimation for one dataset, which was inestimable using fishing data alone. Combined acoustic telemetry and longline data were incorporated into Jolly-Seber models using a Monte Carlo simulation approach. Abundance estimates were comparable to those with longline data only; however, the inclusion of acoustic telemetry data increased precision in the estimates. We conclude that acoustic telemetry is a useful tool for incorporating in capture-mark-recapture studies in the marine environment. Future studies should consider the application of acoustic telemetry within this framework when setting up the study design and sampling program

Integrating acoustic telemetry into mark–recapture models to improve the precision of apparent survival and abundance estimates

Capture–mark–recapture models are useful tools for estimating demographic parameters but often result in low precision when recapture rates are low. Low recapture rates are typical in many study systems including fishing-based studies. Incorporating auxiliary data into the models can improve precision and in some cases enable parameter estimation. Here, we present a novel application of acoustic telemetry for the estimation of apparent survival and abundance within capture–mark–recapture analysis using open population models. Our case study is based on simultaneously collecting longline fishing and acoustic telemetry data for a large mobile apex predator, the broadnose sevengill shark (Notorhynchus cepedianus), at a coastal site in Tasmania, Australia. Cormack–Jolly–Seber models showed that longline data alone had very low recapture rates while acoustic telemetry data for the same time period resulted in at least tenfold higher recapture rates. The apparent survival estimates were similar for the two datasets but the acoustic telemetry data showed much greater precision and enabled apparent survival parameter estimation for one dataset, which was inestimable using fishing data alone. Combined acoustic telemetry and longline data were incorporated into Jolly–Seber models using a Monte Carlo simulation approach. Abundance estimates were comparable to those with longline data only; however, the inclusion of acoustic telemetry data increased precision in the estimates. We conclude that acoustic telemetry is a useful tool for incorporating in capture–mark–recapture studies in the marine environment. Future studies should consider the application of acoustic telemetry within this framework when setting up the study design and sampling program

Stream Chemistry and Forest Recovery Assessment and Prediction Modeling in Coal-Mine-Affected Watersheds in Kentucky, USA

Kentucky is one of the largest coal-producing states; surface coal mining has led to changes in natural land cover, soil loss, and water quality. This study explored relationships between actively mined and reclaimed areas, vegetation change, and water quality parameters. The study site evaluated 58 watersheds with Landsat-derived variables (reclamation age and percentage of mining, reclaimed forest, and reclaimed woods) as well as topographic variables (such as elevation, slope, drainage density, and infiltration). Water samples were collected in spring (n = 9), summer (n = 14), and fall (n = 58) 2017 to study changes in water quality variables (SO42−, alkalinity, conductivity, Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Al3+, and Fe2+, Fe3+) in response to changes in land cover. Pearson correlation analyses indicated that conductivity has strong to very strong relationships with water quality variables related to coal mining (except Al3+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Mn2+, elevation, slope, and drainage density) and land cover variables. In addition, separate regression analyses were performed, with conductivity values based on samples collected in the fall. First, conductivity responses to mining percentage, reclamation age and topographic variables were examined (adjusted R2 = 0.818, p 2 (adjusted R2 = 0.826, p p 2 value of 0.641. Results suggest that the quantity (area as a percentage) of reclaimed forests may be a predictor of the mining percentage and reclamation age. This study indicated that conductivity is a predictable water quality indicator that is highly associated with Coal-Mine-Related Stream Chemistry in areas where agriculture and urban development are limited. Water quality is not suitable for various purposes due to the presence of contaminants, especially in mined sites. These findings may help the scientific community and key state and federal agencies improve their understanding of water quality attributes in watersheds affected by coal mining, as well as refine land reclamation practices more effectively while such practices are in action

Operationalizing the telecoupling framework for migratory species using the spatial subsidies approach to examine ecosystem services provided by Mexican free-tailed bats

Drivers of environmental change in one location can have profound effects on ecosystem services and human well-being in distant locations, often across international borders. The telecoupling provides a conceptual framework for describing these interactions-for example, locations can be defined as sending areas (sources of flows of ecosystem services, energy, or information) or receiving areas (recipients of flows). However, the ability to quantify feedbacks between ecosystem change in one area and societal benefits in other areas requires analytical approaches. We use spatial subsidies-an approach developed to measure the degree to which a migratory species' ability to provide services in one location depends on habitat in another location-as an example of how telecoupling can be operationalized. Using the cotton pest control and ecotourism services of Mexican free-tailed bats as an example, we determined that of the 16 states in the United States and Mexico where the species resides, three states (Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado) are receiving areas, while the rest of the states are sending areas. In addition, the magnitude of spatial subsidy can be used as an indicator of the degree to which different locations are telecoupled to other locations. In this example, the Mexican free-tailed bat ecosystem services to cotton production and ecotourism in Texas and New Mexico are heavily dependent on winter habitat in four states in central and southern Mexico. In sum, spatial subsidies can be used to operationalize the telecoupling conceptual framework by identifying sending and receiving areas, and by indicating the degree to which locations are telecoupled to other locations.National Science Foundation [DEB-1118975, DEB-1518359]; U.S. Geological Survey's John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis working group, Animal Migration and Spatial Subsidies: Establishing a Framework for Conservation MarketsOpen Access Journal.This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Ecosystem service flows from a migratory species: Spatial subsidies of the northern pintail

Migratory species provide important benefits to society, but their cross-border conservation poses serious challenges. By quantifying the economic value of ecosystem services (ESs) provided across a species’ range and ecological data on a species’ habitat dependence, we estimate spatial subsidies—how different regions support ESs provided by a species across its range. We illustrate this method for migratory northern pintail ducks in North America. Pintails support over $101 million USD annually in recreational hunting and viewing and subsistence hunting in the U.S. and Canada. Pintail breeding regions provide nearly$30 million in subsidies to wintering regions, with the “Prairie Pothole” region supplying over $24 million in annual benefits to other regions. This information can be used to inform conservation funding allocation among migratory regions and nations on which the pintail depends. We thus illustrate a transferrable method to quantify migratory species-derived ESs and provide information to aid in their transboundary conservation

Improving spatio-temporal benefit transfers for pest control by generalist predators in cotton in the southwestern US

Given rapid changes in agricultural practice, it is critical to understand how alterations in ecological, technological, and economic conditions over time and space impact ecosystem services in agroecosystems. Here, we present a benefit transfer approach to quantify cotton pest-control services provided by a generalist predator, the Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana), in the southwestern United States. We show that pest-control estimates derived using (1) a compound spatial–temporal model – which incorporates spatial and temporal variability in crop pest-control service values – are likely to exhibit less error than those derived using (2) a simple-spatial model (i.e., a model that extrapolates values derived for one area directly, without adjustment, to other areas) or (3) a simple-temporal model (i.e., a model that extrapolates data from a few points in time over longer time periods). Using our compound spatial–temporal approach, the annualized pest-control value was $12.2 million, in contrast to an estimate of$70.1 million (5.7 times greater), obtained from the simple-spatial approach. Using estimates from one year (simple-temporal approach) revealed large value differences (0.4 times smaller to 2 times greater). Finally, we present a detailed protocol for valuing pest-control services, which can be used to develop robust pest-control transfer functions for generalist predators in agroecosystems.EDITED BY Neville Crossma