SPOTTED GAR Lepisosteus oculatus DIETS IN THE UPPER BARATARIA
ESTUARY
A Thesis
Submitted to the Graduate Faculty
of Nicholls State University
in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Science in Marine and Environmental Biology
By
Taren Ashley Manley
B.A., Hiram College, 2008
Fall 2012
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the thesis entitled “Spotted gar Lepisosteus oculatus diets in
the upper Barataria Estuary” submitted for the award of Master of Science to Nicholls
State University is a record of authentic, original research conducted by Miss Taren
Ashley Manley under our supervision and guidance and that no part of this thesis has
been submitted for the award of any other degree, diploma, fellowship, or other similar
titles.
APPROVED:
Allyse Ferrara, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of
Biological Sciences
Committee Chair
Quenton Fontenot, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of
Biological Sciences
Committee Member
Gary LaFleur, Jr., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of
Biological Sciences
Committee Member
Aaron Pierce, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of
Biological Sciences
Committee Member
SIGNATURE:
DATE:
__________________________
_______________
__________________________
_______________
__________________________
_______________
__________________________
_______________
i
ABSTRACT
The upper Barataria Estuary (UBE) no longer receives an annual flood pulse due
to hydrologic modifications that have separated the estuary from the Mississippi River.
Separation of the UBE from the Mississippi River has reduced the lateral exchange
between the interior bayous and floodplain. Thus, food availability for opportunistic
feeders such as spotted gar Lepisosteus oculatus may be altered in the UBE as compared
to a functional large river floodplain. The purpose of this study was to quantify the
seasonal diets of spotted gar and to estimate the seasonal relative abundance of crayfish
in the UBE. Twenty spotted gar were collected monthly in spring (March-May), summer
(June-August), fall (September-November), and winter (December-February) 2011-2012
using 35 mm bar mesh gill nets that were deployed parallel to the bank and checked at
one hour intervals. For each spotted gar, total length (mm), standard length (mm), prepelvic girth (anterior to the pelvic fin; mm), and weight (g) were measured. Stomach
contents of each spotted gar were identified to the lowest possible taxon, and were
categorized as fish, crayfish, shrimp, amphibian, reptile, insect, detritus, unidentifiable, or
empty. Overall mean percent empty stomachs was 45.5 percent and differed among
seasons. Based on multivariate analysis of variance spotted gar diets differed among
spring, summer, fall, and winter. Fish were more abundant in the diets in spring and
summer than in the fall and winter. Insects were more abundant in fall diets than in the
summer, spring, and winter diets. The crayfish population was sampled at vegetated sites
either on the floodplain or where the floodplain merged with Bayou Chevreuil using Gee
minnow traps. Weekly crayfish catch per unit effort was calculated as the number of
crayfish collected per 15 Gee minnow traps baited with commercially available bait and
ii
deployed for 24 hours. All organisms were identified to species and grouped into eight
categories: insect, shrimp, crayfish, fish, leeches, amphibian, reptile, and spider. Each
crayfish was sexed, identified to species, weighed to the nearest gram; carapace length
was measured (mm), and total length was measured from rostrum to telson (mm). Based
on analysis of variance fish were more abundantly collected during the spring than in the
fall and winter, and insects were more abundant in the summer than in the winter. There
were more crayfish collected in the spring than in the winter. The abundance of crayfish
in the diet was similar for all four seasons. In other studies, crayfish were a major
component of spotted gar diets, although in this study fish and insects dominated the
spotted gar diet in the UBE. The lack of a predictable flood pulse may limit spotted gar
access to floodplain prey items in the UBE.
iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First, I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Allyse Ferrara, for all her help and
guidance she has given me during my time at Nicholls. I would like to give my sincerest
gratitude to the rest of my thesis committee: Dr. Quenton Fontenot, Dr. Gary LaFleur,
and Dr. Aaron Pierce for their help on this project. I would like to thank Nicholls State
University for the use of their vehicles, laboratory, and equipment.
Additionally I would like to thank my fellow graduate students at Nicholls State
University: Kent Bollfrass, Justin Duke, Daniel Davies, Bo Boudreaux, and Amanda
Playter for their help in either the lab and/or on the bayou. I would like to give a special
thanks to my partner in crime Emily Rombach, without her help the many hours on the
bayou and in the lab would not have been nearly as entertaining or productive, as well as
for helping me name all 108 of the crayfish caught during this study.
I would like to thank my parents and family for all of their love and support
throughout my life and particularly during this project. Lastly, I would like to give a
special thanks to my twin Rachelle Manley and my best friend Elizabeth Saunders, for
their love, support, and humor that distracted me when I was feeling overwhelmed and
homesick.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CERTIFICATE …………..…………………………………..……………........................i
ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………………………...ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………...…………………………iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………………………v
LIST OF FIGURES …………………………………………………...………………....vi
LIST OF TABLES …..………………………………………………………..................vii
INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………..........1
METHODS ..……………………………..…………………………………...................14
RESULTS ……………………………………………………………………………….18
DISCUSSION .…………………………………………………………………………..48
RECOMMENDATIONS ……………….……………………………………………….53
LITERATURE CITED ………………………………………………………………….57
APPENDIX I ………………..…..…………………………………………....................61
APPENDIX II ...…………………………………………………………………………68
APPENDIX III .................................................................................................................78
APPENDIX IV ...…………………………………….………………………………….81
APPENDIX V ...…………………………………….…………………………………..85
APPENDIX VI ..…………………………………….…………………………………..87
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ……………………….…………………………………..89
CURRICULUM VITAE .…………………………….…………………………………90
v
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1.
Location of Barataria Estuary in southern Louisiana. Black and grey
shaded area indicates the Barataria Estuary …………………...………....3
Figure 2.
Boundaries, major waterways, and some of the major highways (dashed
lines) of the upper Barataria Estuary .…………...………………………..4
Figure 3.
Spotted gar collected on 8 November 2011 from the Atchafalaya River
Basin, Louisiana ………………………………………………………….7
Figure 4.
Three crayfish species found in the upper Barataria Estuary ..…………...9
Figure 5.
Continuous solid line represents the water stage in the upper Barataria
Estuary on sample dates 14 March 2011 through 21 February 2012 .…..20
Figure 6.
Percent of empty stomachs for spotted gar collected from 14 March 2011
through 21 February 2012 …………………………………………........27
Figure 7.
The frequency of detritus, insect, reptile, amphibian, crayfish, shrimp, fish,
and unidentifiable items in the diets of spotted gar collected from 14
March 2011 to 21 February 2012 in the UBE ………………….……….28
Figure 8.
Mean (±SE) fish per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE ………………………………………………...…....29
Figure 9.
Mean (±SE) insect per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE …………………………………………………...…30
Figure 10.
Mean (±SE) shrimp per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE ...……………………………………………….…...31
Figure 11.
Mean (±SE) crayfish per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and
winter seasons in the UBE ……………...……..…………………..…….33
Figure 12.
Mean (±SE) amphibians per stomach for the spring, summer, fall, and
winter seasons in the UBE ………………………...………..…..……….34
Figure 13.
Mean (±SE) reptiles per stomach for the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons …………………………………….…..……………..…...…….35
Figure 14.
Mean (±SE) detritus per stomach for the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE …………………………………………..…...……..36
Figure 15.
Mean (±SE) unidentifiable items per stomach for the spring, summer, fall,
and winter seasons in the UBE ………………………………………….37
vi
Figure 16.
CPUE of crayfish caught from the upper Barataria Estuary from 8 March
2011 to 14 February 2012 ………………………………..…….……..…38
Figure 17.
Mean (±SE) fish per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE ……………………………………..……….....……40
Figure 18.
Mean (±SE) shrimp per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and
winter seasons in the UBE .…………………………..………….………41
Figure 19.
Mean (±SE) crayfish per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and
winter seasons in the UBE ..………………………..……………………42
Figure 20.
Mean (±SE) insect per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and
winter seasons in the UBE ..……………………..………………………43
Figure 21.
Mean (±SE) reptile per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and
winter seasons in the UBE ..…………………..………………………....44
Figure 22.
Mean (±SE) amphibian per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and
winter seasons in the UBE .…………………..………………………….45
Figure 23.
Mean (±SE) leech per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and
winter seasons in the UBE .………………..………………………….....46
Figure 24.
Mean (±SE) spider per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and
winter seasons in the UBE ………………..………….……………….....47
vii
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1.
Mean (±SE) and range (in parentheses), temperature (˚C), dissolved
oxygen (mg/L), specific conductance (uS), and Secchi depth (cm) for each
season in the upper Barataria Estuary, from 14 March 2011 to 21 February
2012. Superscript indicates Tukey groupings by season for each variable.
NM indicates if a variable was not measured ……………......................19
Table 2.
Total number of each species collected in the upper Barataria Estuary
using gill nets from 14 March 2012 to 21 February 2012 ………….......21
Table 3
Total number and mean (±SE) and range (in parentheses) total length
(TL), standard length (SL), pre-pelvic girth (PPG), and weight (WT) of
male (N = 143) and female (N = 119) spotted gar collected from 14 March
2011 to 21 February 2012 ………………………………………………22
Table 4.
Total number crayfish by species, mean (±SE) and range (in parentheses)
of total length (rostrum to telson; mm), carapace length (rostrum to the
end of carapace; mm), and weight (WT; g) of male and female crayfish
collected from 14 March 2011 to 21 February 2012 ..…………………..24
Table 5.
Species and number collected in the upper Barataria Estuary using
minnow traps from 14 March 2012 to 21 February 2012 …………........25
Table 6.
Diet items of spotted gar identified to the lowest possible taxon collected
from 14 March 2011 to 21 February 2012 in the UBE ..……….……….26
viii
INTRODUCTION
The flood pulse of large river ecosystems is the lateral exchange between the
floodplain and main river channel, which directly impacts biota on the floodplain and in
the river channel (Junk et al. 1989). The duration, timing, and depth of seasonal
floodplain inundation of large river ecosystems affects the structure and composition of
riverine habitat (Bahr and Hebrand 1976; Fredrickson and Heitmeyer 1988; Poff and
Allen 1995; Poff et al. 1997; Poff 2002), which plays an integral part in the life history of
many fishes’ strategies (Poff and Allen 1995), such as gizzard shad Dorosoma
cepedianum (Zeug et al. 2009), largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides (Raibley et al.
1997), and redear sunfish Lepomis microlophus (Dutterer et al. 2012). Many organisms
use the inundated floodplain for essential spawning and feeding grounds (Fredrickson
and Heitmeyer 1988; Poff and Allen 1995; Poff et al. 1997; Poff 2002; Zeug and
Winemiller 2008; Zeug et al. 2009).
The seasonal inundation is an important hydrologic factor that influences
diversity, water quality, and production of large river floodplain systems (Bahr and
Hebrand 1976; Junk et al. 1989; Poff and Allen 1995; Poff et al. 1997; Tockner et al.
2000; Poff 2002). The use of the floodplain by organisms and the inundation of the
floodplain creates a lateral exchange of nutrients and organic matter between the
floodplain and the main river channel (Junk et al. 1989; Bayley 1995; Poff et al. 1997;
Poff 2002). As the water level raises sediment and nutrients from upstream move and
settle onto the floodplain through distributaries and inter-distributaries. Organisms also
move onto the floodplain when the water level rises and use the decomposing vegetation
and organic matter found on the floodplain for spawning and feeding (Junk et al. 1989;
1
Bayley 1995; Estay 2008). Organisms have adapted to the predictability of floodplain
inundation, and any changes in the duration that the floodplain is inundated, when the
floodplain is inundated, and the water quality of the main river channel can lead to a
decrease the habitat availability and a reduction in primary and secondary production
(Bahr and Hebrand 1976; Junk et al. 1989; Bayley 1995; Estay 2008).
The upper Barataria Estuary (UBE) is part of the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary
System (Figure 1), and consists of bottomland hardwood forests, cypress-tupelo swamps,
and freshwater marshes (Bahr and Hebrand 1976; BTNEP 1995; Braud et al. 2006).
There are also bayous, lakes, canals, and periodically inundated wetland areas throughout
the UBE. The main water bodies in my study area of the UBE are Bayou Chevreuil,
Bayou Citamon, Grand Bayou, Lake Boeuf, and St. James Canal, all of which drain into
Lac des Allemands (Figure 2). Lac des Allemands is the main access points for marine
organisms to move from the lower reaches of the Barataria Estuary to the upper reaches
(Bahr and Hebrard 1976; Sklar and Conner 1979; BTNEP 1995; Inoue et al. 2008; Smith
2008).
The UBE is a historical distributary system of the Mississippi River that was once
part of the western-bank floodplain, and received an annual flood pulse. Levees
constructed along the Mississippi River to allow human development on the floodplain
have altered the floodplain hydrology and separated the floodplain from the main stem
river (BTNEP 1995). These modifications compromise the natural hydrology of this
system (Fredrickson and Reid 1990; Poff et al. 1997). Currently, changes in water levels
of the UBE floodplain are primarily due to local precipitation, thus causing inundation of
the floodplain to be out of synchronization with the natural river stage. Other causes of
2
N
Figure 1. Location of Barataria Estuary in southern Louisiana. Black and grey shaded
area indicates the Barataria Estuary. Grey shading indicates the upper Barataria Estuary.
Black area indicates the lower Barataria Estuary. Bar = 100 km.
3
N
Mississippi River
Bayou Lafourche
St. James
Canal
Bayou
Citamon
Bayou
Chevreuil
Lac des
Allemands
LA Hwy 1
LA Hwy 307
LA Hwy 20
Grand
Bayou
Bayou Boeuf
Lake
Boeuf
Figure 2. Boundaries, major waterways, and some of the major highways (dashed lines)
of the upper Barataria Estuary. Arrows indicate the three bayous where gar and crayfish
sampling occurred from 8 March 2011 to 21 February 2012. Bar = 7.7 km. (Modified
from Smith 2008.)
4
inundation, though relatively rare, are wind patterns and tides (USACE 2004).
Local precipitation irregularly inundating the floodplain and anthropogenic
alterations to the environment cause changes in a riverine systems natural flow regime
(Poff et al. 1997; Poff 2002). These changes can cause variation on the timing and
duration of inudation, affecting the water quality, habitat availability, lateral exchange of
nutrients, and the overall ecological integrity of the riverine system (Bahr and Hebrand
1976; Fredrickson and Heitmeyer 1988; Poff et al. 1997; Poff 2002). Lateral exchange
between the bayou and floodplain occurs only when the floodplain is inundated. With
the unpredictable pulsing that occurs in the UBE the duration that an area is inundated
becomes irregular instead of seasonal. This irregularity may cause primary and
secondary production to decrease on the floodplain (Junk et al. 1989; Bayley 1995; Poff
2002). A decrease in production on the floodplain could eventually decrease food
availability for opportunistic feeding fish species such as spotted gar, Lepisosteus
oculatus (Suttkus 1963; Bayley 1995; Poff 2002). A study by Balcome et al. (2005)
states when the floodplain is not accessible and waters are retained within channels, diets
of most opportunistic fish will consist primarily of aquatic food items, such as other fish
and larval forms of insects and amphibians, and a decrease in the number of terrestrial
organisms, such as five-lined skink Eumeces fasciatus and green anole Anolis
carolinensis. Only during floodplain inundation due to local precipitation should
terrestrial organisms become a major food source in spotted gar diets in the UBE
(Balcome et al. 2005).
The spotted gar is one of seven extant species of gar in the family Lepisosteidae.
The family Lepisosteidae is an ancient family that has a fossil record dating back
5
approximately 180 million years (Rayner 1941; Wiley 1976). Members of
Lepisostdeidae have ganoid scales that act like armor and protect the fish from predators.
Gar have physostomous swim bladders, which allow them to breathe atmospheric
oxygen, and allows gar to survive in hypoxic water (Potter 1925, 1927; Eddy 1957;
McCormack 1967; Renfro and Hill 1970; Hill et al. 1972; De Roth 1973).
Spotted gar range from the southern Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico and from
central Texas to western Florida (Douglas 1974). Spotted gar are frequently found in
lakes, bayous, and backwater floodplains (Goodyear 1966; Douglas 1974; Snedden et al.
1999; Fontenot et al. 2001; Bonvillain 2006; Davis 2006; Page and Burr 2011), and
prefer areas with thick vegetation or cover, such as fallen trees (Goodyear 1966). In
floodplain type water ways during the spring months spotted gar move into inundated
floodplains for spawning and feeding, and prefer to stay along shorelines of lakes and
bayous during fall and winter months, during periods of low water levels (Snedden et al.
1999). Adult spotted gar are brown to olive in coloring on their dorsal and upper lateral
regions with lighter shades on their lower lateral and ventral regions (Ross 2001; Gilbert
and Williams 2002). All fins of the spotted gar have spots (Figure 3; Ross 2001).
Spotted gar are distinct from other gar species by having large spots on their heads (Ross
2001).
Spotted gar are ambush predators. Gar are more active at night, and during the
day spotted gar typically remain stationary for several hours at a time (Snedden et al.
1999). While hunting, spotted gar will remain motionless, allowing prey to approach and
6
Figure 3. Spotted gar collected on 8 November 2011 from the Atchafalaya River Basin,
Louisiana.
7
may single out one individual. When prey is within a couple of centimeters and to the
side of the gar, the gar will quickly move its head laterally and grab the prey; swallowing
prey head first (Redmond 1964). Gar diets primarily consist of other fish, but may
include crustaceans, such as crayfish and crabs, and insects (Suttkus 1963; Goodyear
1967). In the Atchafalaya River Basin Snedden et al. (1999) found that 50% of the food
items in spotted gar were crayfish, and crayfish were the principal prey item found in
spotted gar in Texas (Bonham 1940). The Atchafalaya River Basin is connected to the
Mississippi River and functions as a large river floodplain system even though hydrologic
modifications have been made to reduce flooding of human settlements. With such a
large portion of Atchafalaya River Basin spotted gar diets consisting of crayfish, it can be
assumed that spotted gar in other distributaries of the Mississippi River, such as those of
the UBE, could have a similar diet composition.
Thirty-nine species of crayfish are found in Louisiana. The red swamp crayfish
Procambarus clarkii, the shrimp crayfish Orconectes lancifer, and the Cajun dwarf
crayfish Cambarellus shufeldtii are the most commonly collected crayfish species in the
UBE (Figure 4). Adults of all North American crustaceans, with the exception of
Pacifastacus spp., have two morphological forms: a breeding stage (Form I) and nonbreeding stage (Form II; Payne 1978; Pennak 1989; Walls 2009). Juvenile male crayfish
will molt into a Form I adult at the beginning of the spawning season, when they will
copulate with female crayfish and molt into a Form II adult. Form II adults can no longer
mate and will molt several times throughout the rest of the year, remaining in their
current stage. Form II males will then molt into the Form I stage during mating season to
mate and, depending on the species of crayfish, afterward, die. Some species will go
8
A
B
C
Figure 4. Three crayfish species found in the upper Barataria Estuary. A: Procambarus
clarkii. Bar = 2 cm; B: Orconectes lancifer. Bar = 1.5 cm; C: Cambarellus shufeldtii. Bar
= 1 cm.
9
through this molting cycle for several years (Payne 1978; Pennak 1989; Walls 2009).
Red swamp crayfish are the most common commercial crayfish species, one of
the most abundant crayfish in the world, and are the most widely dispersed crayfish
species. The red swamp crayfish naturally ranges from south central United States and
northern Mexico to the panhandle of Florida, but is now found as far north as Illinois and
Ohio and was introduced to the Pacific northwestern coast, the Atlantic eastern coast, and
Hawaii by humans. Additionally, red swamp crayfish have been introduced into twenty
countries and are found on every continent except Antarctica (Kilian et al. 2009; Walls
2009). P. clarkii have unique characteristics that facilitated its spread beyond the
historical range, such as the ability to withstand colder temperatures than what is found in
its natural range (Souty-Grosset et al. 2006). P. clarkii can be found in shallow muddy
waters such as ditches, ponds, overflow ponds of large streams, sloughs, swamps, bayous,
and muddy rivers, and are typically found in areas with vegetation or leaf matter (Walls
2009).
P. clarkii grow up to 12.5 cm in length (rostrum to telson), and are noted for their
vivid red coloring. Adult P. clarkii males have distinct black chelae and red tubercles
and can be found year round. Juvenile P. clarkii have a greenish blue tint on the
abdomen and carapace, and are most abundant during the late fall and early winter,
before molting into Form I adults by January. Females will remain in burrows, tunnels
dug when the water level recedes, until spring when the water table rises. Burrows are
found along stream beds and in dry backwaters and ponds. Females will leave the
burrows while the floodplain is inundated to molt and mate; returning to their burrows
with their eggs at the beginning of summer (Walls 2009). Though P. clarkii has the
10
ability to reproduce year round (Lindqvist and Huner 1999), they typically mate when the
floodplain is inundated.
Shrimp crayfish O. lancifer are found from eastern Texas to southeastern
Mississippi, and as far north as southern Illinois. O. lancifer is found throughout
Louisiana, but is more common in the southern, central, and eastern parishes (Walls
2009). O. lancifer can be found in mud or silt with variable amounts of vegetation, and is
most frequently found in bayous, slow-moving rivers, cypress swamps, and slow-moving
canals and streams (Walls 2009).
O. lancifer grow to roughly 7.5 cm in length and are either olive green or tan with
greenish-gray to brown blotches covering the carapace and abdomen. The most distinct
characteristic is the rostrum, which is deeply concave with the acumen making up half or
more of the total length of the rostrum (Figure 4; Walls 2009). Juvenile O. lancifer are
common from late spring to early summer before molting into adults. Adult male O.
lancifer are found year round, though Form I males are not often collected. Adult female
O. lancifer will burrow and carry their eggs throughout the winter (Black 1972; Walls
2009). Reproduction occurs from late August to November (Walls 2009).
Cajun dwarf crayfish C. shufeldtii are found from southeastern Texas to
southwestern Alabama and as far north as southeastern Missouri and southern Illinois.
This species is unevenly distributed throughout Louisiana, with populations appearing for
five to ten years at a time (Walls 2009). C. shufeldtii typically are found in shallow
muddy waters that contain vegetation or heavy layers of leaf litter (Walls 2009).
C. shufeldtii grow to 3.7 cm in length with two distinct color patterns: brownish
with two dark brown stripes running from the eyes to the telson or two rows of dark
11
brown spots running from the eyes to the telson (Figure 4). Both patterns are found in
both sexes. Both Form I males and females are common throughout the year.
Reproduction occurs twice a year, in winter and midsummer (Penn 1942; Black 1966;
Walls 2009).
Spotted gar diets primarily consist of crayfish in the Atchafalaya River Basin
(Snedden et al. 1999) and also in Texas (Bonham 1940), but with the lack of flood pulse
in the UBE, it is unknown if gar diets consist primarily of crayfish in the UBE. Diet
studies are typically used to understand the importance of predators on commercial
species, but have been used to study the ecological conditions which may influence
feeding (Goodyear 1967). I expected that examining gar diets would provide evidence of
whether the floodplain is accessible to aquatic organisms adapted to using a seasonal
flood pulse. If gar diets contain terrestrial and aquatic organisms that use the floodplain
for reproduction and feeding, such as crayfish, then there would be evidence that lateral
exchange between the floodplain and the main channel occurred. Examining water
quality and depth throughout the year helps provide evidence on the changes in prey
availability found on the floodplain and prey items found in spotted gar diets.
The goal of this study was to determine if spotted gar had access to the floodplain
by examination of the seasonal diets. It was expected that diets would differ seasonally,
and that crayfish and fish would be a major component of the spotted gar diet (Goodyear
1967, Snedden et al. 1999). The specific objectives of this project included the
following:
12
1.) Measure water level (m), dissolved oxygen (DO; mg/L), specific conductance
(µS), Secchi depth (cm), temperature (˚C), and salinity (ppt) of the upper
Barataria Estuary,
2.) Compare overall diet composition of spotted gar among spring, summer, fall,
and winter seasons in the upper Barataria Estuary,
3.) Compare abundance of each diet item categories of spotted gar among spring,
summer, fall, and winter seasons in the upper Barataria Estuary,
4.) Measure relative abundance of crayfish in the upper Barataria Estuary, and
compare abundance among spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons in the
upper Barataria Estuary, and
5.) Compare abundance of each prey item caught in minnow traps among spring,
summer, fall, and winter seasons in the upper Barataria Estuary.
13
METHODS
Field Methods
Water Quality and Depth:
Temperature (˚C), dissolved oxygen (mg/L), and salinity (ppt) were measured
with a hand held YSI 85 meter (Yellow Springs Instruments, Yellow Springs, OH) and
Secchi depth (cm) was measured. Relative water level (m) was measured with a staff
gauge at the intersection of Bayou Citamon, Bayou Chevreuil, and a man-made canel that
connects Grand Bayou and Bayou Chevreuil (Smith 2006). Temperature, dissolved
oxygen, and salinity were recorded for each sample date, except on 30 October 2011, due
to YSI malfunction. Relative water level was measured every sample date except for 8
March 2011, 8 August 2011, and 10 August 2011. Secchi depth was recorded from 24
July 2011 to 21 February 2012.
Spotted Gar Stomach Collection:
A minimum of twenty spotted gar were collected each month from March 2011 to
February 2012 from the upper Barataria Estuary using monofilament gill nets measuring
28.0 m long and 1.80 m deep, with bar mesh of 35.0 mm. Nets were deployed parallel to
the shoreline to allow for boat passage. Nets were set at peak feeding times for spotted
gar approximately three hours before sunset or within the first four hours after sunrise to
maintain consistency among samples (Redmond 1964; Snedden et al. 1999; Smith 2008).
Nets soaked until dark or for four hours. All nets were checked hourly to decrease
digestion of prey items. Each spotted gar was removed from gill nets, assigned a unique
T-bar tag identification number, and preserved on ice in the Bayousphere Research
14
Laboratory at Nicholls State University until processed within eight hours of capture
(Smith 2008; DiBenedetto 2009; Ianni 2011).
Crayfish Abundance:
From 14 March 2011 to 21 February 2012, fifteen Gee minnow traps were
deployed for 24 hours, four times a month. Traps were deployed near heavy vegetation
or leaf matter (Walls 2009) in areas where spotted gar could access the floodplain or
along the main channel when water level was low. Each trap was deployed at a different
site. Gee traps were conical and measured 22.9 cm by 44.5 cm with a mesh size of 0.64
cm. The double entrance of each trap was increased to 5.08 cm to allow a wide size
range of crayfish to enter the trap (Chris Bonvillain, LSU, personal communication).
Each trap was baited with no more than 150 g of Purina Southern Pride Crayfish Bait
(Chris Bonvillain, LSU, personal communication).
All organisms in each trap were identified to species while in the field and were
grouped into eight categories: insect, shrimp, crayfish, fish, leeches, amphibian, reptile,
and spider. If an organism could not be identified it was brought back to the
Bayousphere Research Laboratory to be identified within 24 hours of capture. All
crayfish were identified to species in the Bayousphere Research Laboratory within eight
hours of capture.
Laboratory Methods:
Total length (TL; mm), standard length (SL; mm), and pre-pelvic girth (mm) were
measured for each spotted gar using a flexible quilters tape. Spotted gar were weighed
15
(WT) using a top loading scale to the nearest gram. Each crayfish was sexed, measured
(mm) from rostrum to telson and from rostrum to the end of its carapace, and weighed to
the nearest gram.
Diet Analyses:
Spotted gar were dissected from vent to isthmus using tin snips to retrieve whole
stomachs. Whole stomachs were removed and placed into individual cotton bags
(Hubco, Hutchinson, KS) and preserved in labeled jars containing 75% ethanol (Keevin
et al. 2007). Stomach contents were examined using an illuminated magnification lamp
and a dissecting microscope. Contents were identified to the lowest possible taxon and
were grouped into eight categories: unknown, detritus, fish, amphibian, reptile, shrimp,
crayfish, and insect (Toole 1971; DiBenedetto 2009). Contents were photographed
within eight hours of preservation. The detritus category consisted of non-prey items that
spotted gar could not digest such as mud, silt, and vegetation. Items were designated as
unknown when they could not be identified according to the methods of Ianni (2011).
Statistical Analyses:
Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare mean water quality among
spring (March -May), summer (June-August), fall (September-November), and winter
(December-February; SAS 2003). A Chi-squared test was used to determine if percent
empty stomachs differed among the four seasons (SAS 2003). Multivariate analysis of
variance (Wilk’s Lambda) was used to determine if seasonal diets differed (SAS 2003).
ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s post hoc analysis when necessary, was used to compare
16
the abundance of each diet category (fish, crayfish, shrimp, amphibian, reptile, insect,
detritus, empty, and unidentifiable) among the four seasons (SAS 2003; Keevin et al.
2007; DiBenedetto 2009; Ianni 2011).
Catch per unit effort (CPUE) was determined for each sampling day by dividing
the number of crayfish captured by the number traps deployed.
Daily CPUE =
# of crayfish
# of traps
The mean CPUE of all traps was calculated as the total number crayfish captured
divided by the number of traps deployed times the total number of days the traps were
deployed.
Mean CPUE =
Total # of crayfish
Total # of traps
ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s post hoc analysis when necessary, was used to compare
the abundance of each trap category (insect, shrimp, crayfish, fish, leeches, amphibian,
reptile, and spider) among the four seasons (SAS 2003). All statistical analysis was
based on α = 0.05.
17
RESULTS
Field Data
Mean water temperature varied among seasons, with water temperatures highest
during the summer and lowest during the winter (Table 1). DO and specific conductance
varied among the seasons. DO was the higher in the winter than in the summer and fall
with DO being less than 2.0 mg/L during the summer and fall (Table 1). Specific
conductance was higher in the summer than in the spring, fall, and winter (Table 1).
Secchi depth was not measured from 13 March 2011 through 23 July 2011, and there was
no difference among the seasons. Water level fluctuated throughout the study, and with
the exception of March and September, water level rarely reached levels high enough to
inundate the surrounding floodplain during the study (Figure 5). The mean water level
was 0.55 m.
A total of 262 spotted gar were collected from 14 March 2011 to 21 February
2012, in the UBE. More than 20 gar were collected each month, with the exception of
December (N = 8) and January (N = 13) low water temperatures. In addition to spotted
gar 14 fish species were collected using gill nets (Table 2). In addition to the fish
collected, I also collected seven red eared/yellow eared sliders Trachemys scripta
elegans, six common snapping turtles Chelydra serpentina, two blue crab Callinectes
sapidus, and one diamondback water snake Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer. A total of 143
male (TL = 514 ± 2.43 mm; WT = 510 ± 7.43 g) and 119 female (TL = 566 ± 4.64 mm;
WT = 711 ± 23.2 g) spotted gar were collected (Table 3). The mean total length of males
was smaller than the mean total length of females. Total length ranged from 380 mm to
601 mm for males and 461 mm to 755 for females (Table 3).
18
Table 1. Mean (±SE) and range (in parentheses), temperature (˚C), dissolved oxygen
(mg/L), specific conductance (uS), and Secchi depth (cm) for each season in the
upper Barataria Estuary, from 14 March 2011 to 21 February 2012. Superscript
indicates Tukey groupings by season for each variable. NM indicates if a variable
was not measured.
Seasons
Parameter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
B
A
C
Temperature
23.8 ± 0.53
28.5 ± 0.74
19.5 ± 0.80
13.6 ± 0.58D
(20.3 – 27.7) (26.0–31.3) (13.1 –25.8)
(9.20- 19.0)
Dissolved Oxygen
Specific Conductance
Secchi Depth
2.19 ± 0.31AB 1.66 ± 0.25B
(0.03–4.79 ) (0.24–4.50)
221 ± 11.4B
(139–352 )
NM
301 ± 30.2A
(122–465)
39.3 ± 5.33
(13.0-75.6)
19
1.40 ± 0.19B
(0.16–3.56)
4.42 ± 1.38A
(1.10–29.5)
185 ± 8.19B
(126– 223)
47.4 ± 1.98
(29.0-74.6)
212 ± 8.03B
(102–280)
49.8 ± 3.23
(11.2-78.2)
Figure 5. Continuous solid line represents the water stage in the upper Barataria Estuary
on sample dates 14 March 2011 through 21 February 2012. The dashed line represents
water level necessary to inundate surrounding floodplain.
20
Table 2. Total number of each species collected in the upper Barataria Estuary using gill
nets from 14 March 2012 to 21 February 2012.
Common name
Scientific Name
N
Spotted Gar
Lepisosteus oculatus
262
Largemouth Bass
Micropterus salmoides
164
Gizzard Shad
Dorosoma cepedianum
89
Redear Sunfish
Lepomis microlophus
59
Blue Catfish
Ictalurus furcatus
39
Black Crappie
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
33
Yellow Bass
Morone mississippiensis
25
Warmouth
Chaenobryttus gulosus
22
Yellow Bullhead Catfish
Ameiurus natalis
21
Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
19
Striped Mullet
Mugil cephalus
18
Bowfin
Amia calva
11
White Crappie
Pomoxis annularis
5
Common Carp
Cyprinus carpio
3
Bluegill
Lepomis macrochirus
2
789*
Total
* indicates species other than fish added to total (see pg. 18)
21
Table 3. Total number and mean (±SE) and range (in parentheses) total
length (TL), standard length (SL), pre-pelvic girth (PPG), and weight (WT)
of male (N = 143) and female (N = 119) spotted gar collected from 14
March 2011 to 21 February 2012.
Spotted Gar
N
TL (mm)
SL (mm)
PPG (mm)
WT (g)
Male
143 515 ± 2.43 442 ± 2.21
161 ± 2.56 510 ± 7.43
(380-601)
(323-545)
(106-185) (167-760)
Female
119
566 ± 4.64
(461-755)
490 ± 4.06
(404-659)
22
180 ± 1.85 711 ± 23.2
(143-260) (310-1940)
One hundred and eight crayfish were collected from 7 March 2011 to 13 February 2012
using minnow traps. Red swamp crayfish (N = 58) and shrimp crayfish (N = 37) were
the most abundant species. Thirteen Cajun dwarf crayfish were collected (Table 4).
Twenty-eight additional species were collected using Gee minnow traps (Table 5).
Diet Data
Stomach contents were analyzed for all 262 spotted gar collected. Diets consisted
of various species of fish, shrimp, crayfish, insects, reptiles, amphibians, unknown items,
and detritus (Table 6). Stomachs containing at least one diet item were considered not
empty. The most common diet categories were fish (N = 137) and insects (N = 42). One
hundred and twelve spotted gar stomachs did not contain food items and the overall mean
percent of empty stomachs was 45.5%. The percent of empty stomachs varied by season,
and based on Chi square analyses, there was a difference in the percent of empty
stomachs among the seasons (Χ2 (df = 3, N = 4) = 4.0752, P = 0.0009; Figure 6). The largest
number of empty stomachs were found during the fall (N = 34) and the lowest number of
empty stomach were found in the spring (N = 23).
Based on multivariate analysis of variance, diet items were not similar among the
seasons (Wilk’s lamba = 0.4496; F= 5.34; P < 0.0001; Figure 7). During the spring,
spotted gar diets primarily consisted of more fish, than in the summer, fall, and winter (P
< 0.0001; Figure 8). Insects were the most abundant items found in gar diets in the fall,
but not in the spring, summer, and winter (P < 0.0001; Figure 9). There was no
difference in the amount of shrimp consumed among the seasons (P = 0.1620; Figure 10).
The amount of crayfish consumed did not differ among the seasons (P = 0.9437;
23
Table 4. Total number crayfish by species, mean (±SE) and range (in parentheses) of total
length (rostrum to telson; mm), carapace length (rostrum to the end of carapace; mm),
and weight (WT; g) of male and female crayfish collected from 14 March 2011 to 21
February 2012.
Species
Sex
N
Red swamp crayfish
M
33
Red swamp crayfish
F
26
Shrimp crayfish
M
16
Shrimp crayfish
F
20
Cajun dwarf crayfish
M
5
Cajun dwarf crayfish
F
7
Total Length
(mm)
70.0 ± 0.27
(40.0 – 90.0)
77.0 ± 0.41
(25.0 – 105)
61.1 ± 0.21
(40.0 – 71.0)
70.0 ± 0.46
(40.0 – 111)
18.8 ± 0.10
(15.0 – 20.0)
22.6 ± 0.20
(15.0 – 30.0)
24
Carapace Length
(mm)
32.6 ± 0.15
(20.0 – 43.0)
35.5 ± 0.22
(12.0 – 51.0)
30.9 ± 0.07
(27.0 – 38.0)
33.4 ± 0.24
(20.0 – 49.0)
8.50 ± 0.09
(7.00 – 10.0)
1.10 ± 0.10
(1.50 – 0.80)
WT (g)
8.32 ± 0.90
(1.00 – 19.0)
10.3 ± 1.12
(1.50 – 19.5)
4.31 ± 0.46
(1.00 – 7.50)
6.55 ± 1.01
(1.00 – 17.0)
0.17 ± 0.03
(0.08 – 0.24)
0.32 ± 0.07
(0.11 – 0.50)
Table 5. Species and number collected in the upper Barataria Estuary using minnow
traps from 14 March 2012 to 21 February 2012.
Common Name
Scientific Name
N
Western Mosquitofish
Gambusia affinis
537
Grass Shrimp
Palaemonetes vulgaris
506
Diving Beetle
Cybister fimbriolatus
89
Redear Sunfish
Lepomis microlophus
81
Warmouth
Chaenobryttus gulosus
75
Golden Topminnow
Fundulus chrysotus
60
Red Swamp Crayfish
Procambarus clarkia
58
Sailfin Molly
Poecilia latipinna
47
Black Crappie
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
45
Banded Pygmy Sunfish
Elassoma zonatum
40
Shrimp Crayfish
Orconectes lancifer
37
Water Scorpion
Ranatra brevicollis
29
Giant Water Bug
Belostoma flumineum
27
Dragon Fly *
Anisoptera
25
Leech
Hirudinea spp.
24
Red Eared/Yellow Eared Slider Trachemys scripta
21
Eastern Newt
Notophthalmus viridescens
14
Cajun Dwarf Crayfish
Cambarellus shufeldtii
13
Bullfrog
Lithobates catesbeianus
10
Damsel Fly *
Zygoptera
9
Bluegill
Lepomis macrochirus
5
Spotted Gar
Lepisosteus oculatus
5
Common Snapping Turtle
Chelydra serpentine
4
Three-toed Amphiuma
Amphiuma tridactylum
4
Yellow Bullhead Catfish
Ameiurus natalis
4
Eastern Toe-biter
Lethocerus griseus
3
Bronze/Green Frog
Rana clamitans
1
Bronze/Green Frog*
Rana clamitans
1
Brown Shrimp
Farfantepenaeus aztecus
1
Diamondback Water Snake
Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer
1
Six-spotted Fishing Spider
Dolomedes triton
1
Total
1,777
* indicates larval form.
25
Table 6. Diet items of spotted gar identified to the lowest possible taxon
collected from 14 March 2011 to 21 February 2012 in the UBE.
Seasons
Diet Item
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Fish
Moronidae
Morone mississippiensis
0
1
0
0
Poeciliidae
Gambusia affinis
47
23
4
3
Unidentifiable Fish
52
7
0
0
Insect
Anisoptera
0
0
0
2
Coleoptera
Cybister fimbriolatus
2
2
2
0
Ephemeroptera
0
1
0
0
Hemiptera
Belostoma flumineum
0
2
15
2
Lethocerus griseus
0
1
1
0
Lethocerus americanus
0
0
1
0
Corduliidae
0
0
2
0
Dytiscidae
0
0
3
0
Unidentifiable Insects
6
1
1
2
Shrimp
Palaemonidae
Palaemonetes vugaris
20
8
6
2
Crayfish
Cambaridae
Procambarus spp.
4
6
4
2
Amphibian
Ranidae
Lithobates spp.
1
3
10
0
Reptile
Scincidae
Eumeces fasciatus
0
1
0
0
Colubridae
Nerodia spp.
0
1
0
0
Polychrotidae
Anolis carolinensis
0
0
1
0
Unidentifiable Snake
0
0
0
1
Detritus
Unidentifiable
Empty Stomachs
Total Stomach Items
9
17
23
158
2
1
27
51
26
5
3
34
58
0
2
28
16
P = 0.0009
Figure 6. Percent of empty stomachs for spotted gar collected from 14 March 2011
through 21 February 2012. Numbers on top of bars indicates sample size. The dashed
line indicates the mean percent empty stomachs (45.5%). Numbers above columns
indicate the number of fish collected each season. * indicates difference between spring
and winter seasons.
27
158
51
58
16
Figure 7. The frequency of detritus, insect, reptile, amphibian, crayfish, shrimp, fish, and
unidentifiable items in the diets of spotted gar collected from 14 March 2011 to 21
February 2012 in the UBE. Numbers above the columns indicate the number of food
items found in gar diets each season.
28
Figure 8. Mean (±SE) fish per stomach for the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons in
the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.
29
Figure 9. Mean (±SE) insect per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons
in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.
30
Figure 10. Mean (±SE) shrimp per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE. There was no difference in the amount of shrimp consumed among
the seasons.
31
Figure 11). Amphibians were more abundant in spotted gar diets in the fall, than in the
spring and winter (P = 0.0013; Figure 12). No amphibians were found in spotted gar
diets in the winter. There was no difference in reptile consumption among the summer,
fall, and winter (P =0.5269; Figure 13). No reptiles were found in spotted gar diets
during the spring. There was no difference in the amount of detritus found in gar diets (P
= 0.0432; Figure 14). There was no difference in the amount of detrital material
consumed in the spring, summer, and fall seasons. No detritus was found in spotted gar
stomachs in the winter. There were more unidentifiable items found in gar diets in the
spring than in the summer, fall, and winter (P < 0.0001; Figure 15).
Crayfish Data and CPUE
A total of 108 crayfish were captured in the UBE with the mean CPUE of 0.15
crayfish/trap. Crayfish abundance increased in the late winter and early spring, peaking
in late spring, declined rapidly in the summer, and remained low during fall and early
winter (Figure 16). Crayfish CPUE peaked on 17 May 2012 (N = 16; CPUE = 1.07;
Appendix V). A total of 26 female (TL = 77.0 ± 0.41 mm; WT = 10.3 ± 1.12 g) and 33
male (TL = 70.0 ± 0.27 mm; WT = 8.32 ± 0.90 g) red swamp crayfish were collected
(Table 4). A total of 20 female (TL = 70.0 ± 0.46 mm; WT = 6.55 ± 1.01 g) and 16 male
(TL = 61.1 ± 0.21 mm; WT = 4.31 ± 0.46 g) shrimp crayfish were collected (Table 4). A
total of 7 female (TL = 22.6 ± 0.20 mm; WT = 0.32 ± 0.07 g) and 5 male (TL = 18.8 ±
0.10 mm; WT = 0.17 ± 0.03 g) Cajun dwarf crayfish were collected (Table 4).
32
Figure 11. Mean (±SE) crayfish per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE. There was no difference in the amount of crayfish consumed among
the seasons.
33
Figure 12. Mean (±SE) amphibians per stomach for the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings. No amphibians were
found in the diets in the winter.
34
Figure 13. Mean (±SE) reptiles per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE. There was no difference in the amount of reptiles found in spotted
gar diets in the summer, fall, and winter seasons. No reptiles were found in the diets in
the spring.
35
Figure 14. Mean (±SE) detrital items per stomach for the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.
36
Figure 15. Mean (±SE) unidentifiable items per stomach for the spring, summer, fall, and
winter seasons in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.
37
Figure 16. CPUE (±SE) of crayfish caught from the upper Barataria Estuary from 8
March 2011 to 14 February 2012. CPUE was calculated by dividing the number of
crayfish caught per sample day divided by the number of traps.
38
Trap contents consisted of various species of fish, shrimp, crayfish, insects,
reptiles, amphibians, leeches, and spider (Appendix VI). There were more fish collected
in the traps in the spring than in the fall and winter (P = 0.0004; Figure 17). Shrimp were
more abundant in the spring than in the fall and summer (P = 0.0035; Figure 18). There
were more crayfish collected during the spring than in the winter (P = 0.0669; Figure 19).
There was a greater abundance of insects collected in the summer than in the winter (P =
0.0177; Figure 20). There was no difference in the amount of reptiles collected among
the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons (P = 0.2682; Figure 21). There was no
difference in the amount of amphibians collected among the spring, summer, fall, and
winter seasons (P = 0.0630; Figure 22). There was no difference in the amount of leeches
collected in the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons (P = 0.1787; Figure 23). There
was no differences in the amount of spiders collected in the spring, summer, fall, and
winter seasons (P = 0.4155; Figure 24).
39
Figure 17. Mean (±SE) fish per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.
40
Figure 18. Mean (±SE) shrimp per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.
41
Figure 19. Mean (±SE) crayfish per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.
42
Figure 20. Mean (±SE) insect per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.
43
Figure 21. Mean (±SE) reptile per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE. There was no difference in the amount of reptiles collected from the
UBE in the summer, fall, and winter seasons.
44
Figure 22. Mean (±SE) amphibian per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and
winter seasons in the UBE. There was no difference in the amount of amphibians
collected from the UBE in the summer, fall, and winter seasons.
45
Figure 23. Mean (±SE) leech per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE. There was no difference in the amount of leeches collected from the
UBE in the summer, fall, and winter seasons.
46
Figure 24. Mean (±SE) spider per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter
seasons in the UBE. There was no difference in the amount of spiders collected from the
UBE in the summer, fall, and winter seasons. No spiders were collected in the spring,
fall, and winter.
47
DISCUSSION
Seasonal inundation of the floodplain plays an important role in life history
strategies of many fish species (Poff and Allen 1995), such as gizzard shad Dorosoma
cepedianum (Zeug et al. 2009), largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides (Raibley et al.
1997), and redear sunfish Lepomis microlophus (Dutterer et al. 2012) that live in large
rivers. Life cycles of many large river floodplain species evolved to take advantage of an
annual flood pulse, by using the spawning and feeding grounds created by floodplain
inundation (Fredrickson and Heitmeyer 1988; Poff and Allen 1995; Zeug and Winemiller
2008; Zeug et al. 2009). The UBE no longer receives a seasonal flood pulse, but since
being disconnected from the Mississippi River, inundation of the floodplain is due
primarily to local precipitation, and occasionally to wind patterns and tides. In this study
water level fluctuated irregularly, with the only recorded incidents of floodplain
inundation occurring on 14 March 2011 and 24 - 26 September 201l. This irregularity
indicates that the UBE does not follow a seasonal inundation pattern typical of large river
floodplain systems (Junk et al. 1989), and does not follow the high water rhythm of the
Mississippi (Bahr and Hebrand 1976).
In typical large river floodplain systems as the water level rises and the floodplain
is inundated terrestrial vegetation and organic matter decomposes (Bahr and Hebrand
1976; Junk et al. 1989; Bayley 1995; Poff et al. 1997; Poff 2002). The decomposing
vegetation and organic matter creates food for many aquatic organisms, such as crayfish
(Walls 2009), and releases nutrients into the water column. As the water level decreases
the nutrients become concentrated and stimulate primary production (Junk et al. 1989;
Bayley 1995; Estay 2008), which in turn stimulates secondary production (Junk et al.
48
1989; Bayley 1995). Decomposition rates increase during high water temperatures. An
increase in decomposition rate decreasing dissolved oxygen (DO) levels and produces an
increase in in the nutrients released in the water column, causing primary and then
secondary production to increase. As water temperature drops decomposition rates slow,
and DO levels increases. This study reflects this natural annual cycle even though the
water levels fluctuated irregularly and the overall DO was hypoxic for 55.3% of the
sample days (Table 1; Appendix IV). This change in water quality in a riverine system is
important for organisms that have adapted this annual process, and variation in water
quality may change important fish assemblages and habitat (Poff and Allen 1995; Poff et
al. 1997; Poff 2002).
In the UBE, spotted gar are abundant top-level predators. More than 60 gar were
collected per season for this study, with the exception of winter (N = 42) possibly due to
low water temperatures. There was considerable overlap in total length, standard length,
pre-pelvic girth, and weight between male and female spotted gar (Table 3). The mean
total length, standard length, pre-pelvic girth, and weight of female spotted gar was larger
than that of male spotted gar, which is typical for this species (Table 3; Love 2002; Smith
2008). The study found no evidence that the difference in size or weight between the
sexes had an effect on spotted gar diets because the same prey items were found in both
males and females; indicating that, regardless of sex, both genders were not limited in
their ability to catch prey.
The overall percent empty stomachs was 45.5%. The percent empty stomachs
found in this study was greater than a previous diet study by Goodyear (1967) in the
Biloxi Bay and the Mississippi sound, where 16.5% spotted gar stomachs were empty,
49
and in a study by Toole (1971) in eastern Texas, where the mean percent empty stomachs
was 34.0%. The difference in the percent of empty stomachs between this study and past
research could be due to the difference in habitat and food availability. Spotted gar are
opportunistic feeders, and their diets primarily consist of fish, but can include
crustaceans, such as crayfish and crabs, and insects (Suttkus 1963; Goodyear 1967; Toole
1971). In this study, based on multivariate analysis of variance, spotted gar diets differed
among seasons. The main component of spotted gar diets for the spring and summer
months was fish, while in the fall and winter the main diet component was aquatic
insects, which is consistent with what was found by Suttkus (1963), Goodyear (1967),
and Toole (1971).
During the spring and summer months the most abundant prey item collected in
the minnow traps was fish. This is due to the increase in water temperatures and
appropriate water conditions, such as depth and water quality, for many prey fish species
to use the surrounding habitat for spawning (Poff and Allen 1995), as stated above. Prey
fish species were not as abundant in the fall and in the winter. Though there were more
fish collected in the minnow traps during both the fall and winter months (Appendix VI)
gar diets consisted of insect during these seasons, even though insects were not as
abundant during these seasons. This was probably due to the decrease in DO (< 2 mg/L)
throughout the month of September from heavy rainfall. Most of the fish collected from
the minnow traps during September were dead, whereas the insects collected in the
minnow traps were alive. There were more crayfish collected in the minnow traps during
the spring, (mean CPUE = 0.31 crayfish/trap), than in the winter (mean CPUE = 0.07),
but the low overall population of crayfish (N = 108) collected supports why there was no
50
difference in the amount of crayfish consumed among the seasons, and why such a low
amount of crayfish were found in the diets throughout the year.
According to Balcome et al. (2005), during times when the floodplain is not
accessible and waters are retained within channels, diets of most opportunistic fishes will
consist primarily of aquatic organisms, and lack terrestrial organisms. Based on the low
amount of terrestrial organisms (N = 2) as well as the limited amount of crayfish (N = 16)
in spotted gar diets during times when the floodplain wasn’t accessible, spotted gar diets
consisted of aquatic organisms. Conversely, when the floodplain was accessible there
was only one known terrestrial organism, green anole Anolis carolinensis, and only two
of the sixteen crayfish were found in the spotted gar diets. Because there were only two
instances (March 2011 and September 2011) where the floodplain was inundated and the
low number of terrestrial organisms found in spotted gar diets, the spotted gar’s ability to
access the floodplain during this study was low. With floodplain inundation only
recorded twice during this study there was limited lateral exchange and a reduced use of
habitat occurring in the UBE. With unpredictable inundation, seasonal lateral exchange
between the bayou and floodplain no longer occurs and may cause primary and
secondary production to decrease on the floodplain (Junk et al. 1989; Bayley 1995; Poff
2002) in the UBE.
The Atchafalaya River Basin, though hydrologically modified, still experiences a
seasonal flood pulse due to its connection to the Mississippi River. Snedden et al. (1999)
found that in the Atchafalaya River Basin crayfish were the primary components of
spotted gar diets, comprising of 50 percent of the prey items. The Atchafalaya River and
the UBE are both historical distributaries of the Mississippi, but the Atchafalaya River
51
Basin experiences a seasonal flood pulse, unlike the UBE. With the UBE not receiving a
seasonal flood pulse, and is inundated primarily by local precipitation, it is unknown
what effects the lack of seasonal flood pulse has had on the spotted gar diet. This study
has shown that from March of 2011 through February of 2012, the diets of spotted gar in
the UBE consisted of fish and insects instead of crayfish, unlike the studies done by
Snedden et al. (1999) and Bonham (1940). When water levels are low, spotted gar would
be limited in accessing crayfish because of their inability to access the floodplain. This
was supported by the few crayfish consumed and the small number of crayfish collected
in this study.
Though there was variation among seasonal diets similar to what was described
by Snedden et al. (1999), spotted gar in the UBE minimally fed on crayfish. The lack of
seasonal pulsing may contribute to both the low consumption rate of crayfish, but also the
low population size of crayfish in the UBE. Hydrologic changes to the environment can
cause a disturbances in duration, timing, and depth of seasonal floodplain inundation of
large river ecosystems, which affects the structure and composition of riverine habitats
(Bahr and Hebrand 1976; Fredrickson and Heitmeyer 1988; Poff and Allen 1995; Poff et
al. 1997; Poff 2002), and affects the life history strategies of many fishes and
invertebrates (Poff and Allen 1995). Female red swamp crayfish come out of their
burrows to mate when the water table rises (Walls 2009). The rising of the water table
and inundation of the floodplain is an important environmental cue for this species. This
study showed that though there was a peak in crayfish abundance in the spring when the
floodplain was historically inundated, a relatively small crayfish population was found in
the UBE, with the peak in abundance of 16 crayfish caught on 17 May 2011. Irregularity
52
or variation in floodplain inundation causes changes in when flooding occurs and the
duration in which flooded habitat is available; causing a change in when and how long
habitat resources are accessible (Bahr and Hebrand 1976; Fredrickson and Heitmeyer
1988; Poff and Allen 1995; Poff et al. 1997; Poff 2002). My data suggests that there is a
relationship between the UBE floodplain being irregularly inundated and the small
population size of crayfish, which may have led to the lack of crayfish found spotted gar
diets and why so few crayfish were collected.
53
RECOMMENDATIONS
A study using radiotelemetry to monitor the movement of spotted gar would
provide important information on whether gar are able to access the floodplain. This
information would be useful in determining gar habitat use during periods of floodplain
inundation as well as their diel and seasonal movements in the UBE. This study coupled
with the continued monitoring of other top level predators’ diets, such as largemouth
bass, would also provide valuable information on the lateral exchange of nutrients in the
UBE.
I recommend that a population survey on the different species of crayfish found in
the UBE should be completed. There are several more species of crayfish, such as the
swamp dwarf crayfish Cambarellus puer, the digger crayfish Fallicambarus fodiens, and
the southern white river crayfish Procambarus zonangulus (Walls 2009), that should be
found on the floodplain of the UBE while it is inundated, but with the lack of floodplain
inundation it is uncertain if these species are still living in the area. The information that
the population survey would provide would garner a better understanding of how the
absence of a seasonal flood pulse could affect life history strategies of crayfish in this
area and terrestrial prey items of top level predators. Also, a comparative study should be
done on the differences of habitat between the Atchafalaya River Basin and the UBE,
particularly differences in the change in water level, duration of floodplain inundation,
and water quality and how those difference may affect the crayfish populations in those
areas.
I would also recommend the restoration of a seasonal flood pulse. Because this
estuary is impaired, I recommend hydrologically modifying the area to restore the
54
connection to the Mississippi River. This could be done at the headwaters of Bayou
Lafourche near Donaldsonville or by siphons lower in the system. This would allow the
UBE to act as a large river floodplain, like the Atchafalaya River Basin.
55
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60
APPENDIX I. The identification numbers, collection date, sex (F and M), total
length (TL; mm), standard length (SL; mm), pre-pelvic girth (PPG; mm), and
weight (WT; g) of spotted gar collected form 14 March 2011 to 21 February 2012.
Collection
ID #
Sex
TL
SL
PPG
WT
Date
2997
14 Mar 2011
F
490
421
153
427.5
3062
20 Mar 2011
F
564
488
172
662.0
20 Mar 2011
3063
F
479
416
157
431.0
20 Mar 2011
3064
F
641
560
204
981.0
20 Mar 2011
3065
F
617
535
182
800.5
20
Mar
2011
3066
F
545
484
167
593.5
21 Mar 2011
3068
F
592
510
192
783.5
21 Mar 2011
3071
F
550
469
190
707.5
26 Mar 2011
3074
F
512
442
163
448.0
26
Mar
2011
3668
F
576
495
175
642.5
26 Mar 2011
3671
F
504
438
159
439.0
26 Mar 2011
3673
F
654
567
208
1090
26 Mar 2011
3674
F
576
494
189
753.0
26
Mar
2011
3675
F
537
464
189
654.5
27 Mar 2011
3662
F
530
459
156
502.0
27 Mar 2011
3665
F
520
451
156
477.0
27 Mar 2011
3667
F
576
502
185
741.5
3655
3 Apr 2011
F
674
581
210
998.0
3657
3 Apr 2011
F
604
517
196
850.5
18 Apr 2011
3356
F
466
404
150
379.0
18 Apr 2011
3357
F
655
574
216
1886
18
Apr
2011
3359
F
563
481
192
748.0
18 Apr 2011
3361
F
461
429
159
465.0
18 Apr 2011
3362
F
545
471
177
638.0
19 Apr 2011
3352
F
609
516
195
897.0
19
Apr
2011
3354
F
510
454
170
554.0
19 Apr 2011
3355
F
593
510
188
812.5
3316
8 May 2011
F
574
500
190
761.0
9 May 2011
3318
F
529
450
166
539.0
9
May
2011
3319
F
611
517
209
897.0
9 May 2011
3320
F
601
518
192
823.5
3321
16 May 2011
F
620
533
195
951.0
18 May 2011
3479
F
492
427
168
481.0
18
May
2011
3481
F
548
471
166
580.5
18 May 2011
3483
F
545
471
180
642.0
3487
21 May 2011
F
553
484
175
636.5
22 May 2011
3488
F
552
468
170
589.5
22
May
2011
1362
3489
F
672
590
230
61
Continued
ID #
3492
3495
3496
3497
3423
3424
3425
3498
3422
3420
3421
3415
3418
3419
3414
3953
3954
3955
3957
3958
3959
3960
3973
3974
3975
3971
3473
3468
3470
3471
3851
3854
3855
3856
3858
3859
1784
1787
1797
1661
1796
Collection
Date
7 Jun 2011
17 Jun 2011
17 Jun 2011
17 Jun 2011
18 Jun 2011
18 Jun 2011
18 Jun 2011
18 Jun 2011
20 Jun 2011
26 Jun 2011
26 Jun 2011
27 Jun 2011
27 Jun 2011
27 Jun 2011
28 Jun 2011
23 Jul 2011
23 Jul 2011
23 Jul 2011
23 Jul 2011
23 Jul 2011
23 Jul 2011
23 Jul 2011
25 Jul 2011
25 Jul 2011
25 Jul 2011
28 Jul 2011
8 Aug 2011
10 Aug 2011
10 Aug 2011
10 Aug 2011
23 Aug 2011
30 Aug 2011
30 Aug 2011
30 Aug 2011
31 Aug 2011
31 Aug 2011
21 Sep 2011
21 Sep 2011
21 Sep 2011
24 Sep 2011
26 Sep 2011
Sex
TL
SL
PPG
WT
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
498
551
567
582
570
755
560
600
611
592
570
562
566
637
559
490
589
597
645
640
615
552
603
546
616
531
576
546
528
512
566
562
506
583
515
573
511
555
508
613
557
430
473
490
508
489
659
486
529
537
508
496
479
491
553
484
430
504
524
559
557
533
478
529
475
537
457
499
477
471
441
495
490
435
493
450
494
440
479
435
526
481
163
164
175
166
196
260
173
187
200
186
174
170
175
213
162
155
175
176
199
214
195
173
190
172
193
164
182
171
162
162
171
180
150
178
154
179
163
181
157
185
184
504.0
599.0
670.5
646.5
792.5
1940
614.0
821.5
939.5
792.5
653.0
630.5
665.0
1004
568.5
446.5
682.0
769.0
987.0
1118
858.0
604.0
858.5
603.5
857.5
536.0
779.5
607.0
565.0
533.0
638.0
707.5
441.0
703.5
503.5
660.5
514.5
634.5
476.5
811.5
701.0
62
Continued
ID #
3718
3719
3720
3715
1668
1669
1672
1673
3225
3215
3216
3212
3211
3208
3209
3738
3739
3732
3733
3734
3735
1163
1161
1159
1160
1157
1156
1155
3837
3838
3841
3848
3850
3842
3927
3929
3930
3933
3934
3937
2996
Collection
Date
27 Sep 2011
27 Sep 2011
27 Sep 2011
28 Sep 2011
19 Oct 2011
19 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
24 Oct 2011
24 Oct 2011
25 Oct 2011
30 Oct 2011
5 Nov 2011
5 Nov 2011
14 Nov 2011
14 Nov 2011
19 Nov 2011
19 Nov 2011
19 Nov 2011
19 Nov 2011
4 Dec 2011
12 Dec 2011
13 Dec 2011
13 Dec 2011
14 Dec 2011
7 Jan 2012
8 Jan 2012
10 Jan 2012
15 Jan 2012
15 Jan 2012
5 Feb 2012
5 Feb 2012
7 Feb 2012
12 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
14 Mar 2011
Sex
TL
SL
PPG
WT
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
M
545
649
565
565
596
500
500
550
571
564
534
500
603
632
613
532
478
512
505
639
558
636
631
580
522
531
560
600
591
541
545
501
493
542
615
603
620
612
538
501
477
470
562
481
487
523
426
432
467
491
485
459
431
520
551
524
465
413
445
435
554
483
561
546
497
454
468
486
521
514
464
465
436
429
469
535
526
534
530
459
433
408
168
203
170
179
193
150
158
175
168
177
166
157
205
209
198
164
144
159
154
203
182
204
197
185
172
165
180
187
216
172
175
151
149
167
205
209
204
221
167
143
140
607.5
995.5
619.5
688.5
804.0
408.0
476.0
638.0
632.0
664.5
538.5
475.5
950.0
1030
876.0
535.0
374.0
480.0
456.0
1004
674.0
1010
935.0
777.0
518.0
494.5
717.0
796.0
1050
593.0
621.0
406.0
310.0
568.0
926.0
940.0
944.0
1128
540.0
399.0
379.5
63
Continued
ID #
3067
3069
3072
3073
3075
3669
3670
3672
3661
3663
3666
3659
3660
3654
3656
3658
3358
3360
3351
3353
3376
3377
3378
3379
3315
3317
3322
3323
3324
3325
3476
3477
3478
3500
3480
3482
3484
3485
3486
3490
3491
Collection
Date
20 Mar 2011
21 Mar 2011
26 Mar 2011
26 Mar 2011
26 Mar 2011
26 Mar 2011
26 Mar 2011
26 Mar 2011
27 Mar 2011
27 Mar 2011
27 Mar 2011
30 Mar 2011
30 Mar 2011
3 Apr 2011
3 Apr 2011
3 Apr 2011
18 Apr 2011
18 Apr 2011
19 Apr 2011
19 Apr 2011
19 Apr 2011
19 Apr 2011
19 Apr 2011
19 Apr 2011
8 May 2011
9 May 2011
16 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
18 May 2011
18 May 2011
18 May 2011
21 May 2011
21 May 2011
7 Jun 2011
7 Jun 2011
Sex
TL
SL
PPG
WT
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
380
539
572
500
519
530
521
524
507
526
547
506
545
504
567
505
497
507
520
470
550
526
478
480
504
495
540
501
546
500
494
523
531
515
535
551
541
504
535
495
531
323
467
491
435
439
457
449
449
439
452
471
430
476
434
493
435
430
443
442
398
473
447
409
411
443
425
456
429
472
420
419
452
462
436
454
462
464
432
453
427
463
106
174
176
151
152
169
165
156
153
161
169
154
155
151
185
160
150
167
149
154
172
163
153
152
158
143
162
165
164
154
150
161
163
154
158
170
163
151
162
140
162
167.0
625.5
660.0
434.5
454.0
534.5
537.5
472.0
433.0
535.0
637.0
448.5
580.0
438.0
755.0
485.5
439.5
539.5
448.0
443.5
608.0
550.0
417.0
446.5
501.0
406.5
575.5
487.5
556.0
475.0
417.0
507.5
535.0
451.0
574.5
623.5
563.5
448.0
545.5
426.0
579.0
64
Continued
ID #
3493
3494
3416
3417
3409
3410
3411
3412
3413
3956
3968
3969
3970
3972
3966
3967
3963
3964
3965
3472
3474
3475
3962
3466
3467
3469
3852
3765
3766
3767
3768
3853
1785
1786
1799
1662
1663
1664
1665
1788
1789
Collection
Date
7 Jun 2011
17 Jun 2011
27 Jun 2011
27 Jun 2011
28 Jun 2011
28 Jun 2011
28 Jun 2011
28 Jun 2011
28 Jun 2011
23 Jul 2011
28 Jul 2011
28 Jul 2011
28 Jul 2011
28 Jul 2011
29 Jul 2011
29 Jul 2011
30 Jul 2011
30 Jul 2011
30 Jul 2011
8 Aug 2011
8 Aug 2011
8 Aug 2011
8 Aug 2011
10 Aug 2011
10 Aug 2011
10 Aug 2011
23 Aug 2011
27 Aug 2011
28 Aug 2011
28 Aug 2011
30 Aug 2011
30 Aug 2011
21 Sep 2011
21 Sep 2011
21 Sep 2011
24 Sep 2011
24 Sep 2011
24 Sep 2011
24 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
Sex
TL
SL
PPG
WT
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
517
536
531
539
544
516
531
515
458
523
547
507
545
476
526
483
490
491
497
515
517
486
532
496
516
478
485
491
536
511
539
514
496
474
473
542
484
514
522
527
496
443
450
463
455
470
441
456
448
389
439
469
441
471
400
452
406
420
415
421
441
446
417
454
422
445
411
414
426
459
441
450
444
430
408
413
470
411
444
500
450
432
165
163
165
160
169
164
162
159
145
164
165
155
154
153
152
148
149
151
142
155
159
150
157
156
155
150
145
144
118
159
159
168
153
148
141
173
155
150
168
168
160
535.5
584.0
581.5
534.5
547.5
525.5
549.0
493.0
365.0
542.0
585.5
482.0
551.5
416.5
482.0
421.0
431.5
447.0
454.5
486.0
536.0
444.5
524.0
472.0
503.0
412.0
420.0
436.0
680.0
504.0
515.5
557.5
446.5
397.0
382.0
627.5
445.0
500.5
543.0
589.0
507.5
65
Continued
ID #
1790
1791
1792
1793
1794
1795
3723
3724
3721
1666
1667
1670
1671
1674
1675
3392
3218
3219
3220
3221
3222
3223
3224
3217
3214
3210
3207
3743
3745
3746
3747
3737
3740
3741
3742
3731
3736
1164
1162
1158
1152
Collection
Date
25 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
26 Sep 2011
26 Sep 2011
27 Sep 2011
19 Oct 2011
19 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
24 Oct 2011
25 Oct 2011
5 Nov 2011
6 Nov 2011
13 Nov 2011
13 Nov 2011
13 Nov 2011
13 Nov 2011
14 Nov 2011
14 Nov 2011
14 Nov 2011
14 Nov 2011
19 Nov 2011
19 Nov 2011
4 Dec 2011
12 Dec 2011
14 Dec 2011
8 Jan 2012
Sex
TL
SL
PPG
WT
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
501
496
552
512
539
571
503
511
516
493
483
494
506
474
509
488
526
544
554
492
516
516
510
568
469
506
525
528
468
524
531
545
492
534
521
557
559
521
516
492
560
423
428
480
436
457
490
426
442
446
420
410
423
427
408
432
439
454
466
474
421
434
442
436
489
398
424
446
453
403
439
453
469
423
461
446
478
476
452
444
416
484
168
158
153
160
163
168
502
154
163
145
143
160
166
143
158
179
162
168
172
151
169
169
165
170
156
152
157
159
142
162
165
171
154
161
161
161
175
164
160
154
176
555.0
502.0
535.5
485.0
543.0
654.5
438.5
491.0
561.0
384.0
380.0
500.0
528.0
380.0
484.0
676.0
528.0
572.0
638.0
442.0
522.0
594.0
534.0
619.5
417.0
454.0
484.0
532.0
361.0
504.0
538.5
630.5
475.0
529.0
505.5
570.0
648.0
536.0
508.0
452.0
658.5
66
Continued
ID #
1153
1154
3782
1151
3836
3839
3840
3843
3844
3845
3846
3847
3849
3926
3928
3931
3932
3935
3936
Collection
Date
8 Jan 2012
8 Jan 2012
9 Jan 2012
10 Jan 2012
10 Jan 2012
15 Jan 2012
15 Jan 2012
5 Feb 2012
5 Feb 2012
5 Feb 2012
5 Feb 2012
5 Feb 2012
5 Feb 2012
7 Feb 2012
12 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
Sex
TL
SL
PPG
WT
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
544
521
455
522
480
510
507
534
551
568
527
525
468
563
470
515
542
514
601
461
442
385
449
423
431
438
460
483
485
545
436
393
482
405
442
451
440
524
163
164
142
166
147
156
161
163
172
165
158
163
146
173
150
178
168
152
179
535.5
528.5
314.0
546.0
400.0
468.5
490.5
576.0
664.0
650.0
486.0
512.0
294.0
664.0
386.0
658.0
581.5
470.5
759.5
67
APPENDIX II. Collecting date, ID number, and number of items found in stomachs collected for spotted gar in the upper Barataria
Estuary from 14 March 2011 to 21 February 2012.
Date
Number
Unidentifiable
Fish
Shrimp
Insect
Amphibian
Reptile
Crayfish
Detritus
13 Mar 2011
2996
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
13 Mar 2011
2997
0
8
0
0
0
0
1
0
20 Mar 2011
3067
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
20 Mar 2011
3066
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
20 Mar 2011
3065
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
20 Mar 2011
3064
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
20 Mar 2011
3063
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
20 Mar 2011
3062
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
21 Mar 2011
3068
0
3
1
0
0
0
0
1
21 Mar 2011
3069
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
21 Mar 2011
3071
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
26 Mar 2011
3674
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
26 Mar 2011
3072
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
26 Mar 2011
3675
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
26 Mar 2011
3073
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
26 Mar 2011
3074
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
1
26 Mar 2011
3075
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
1
26 Mar 2011
3670
0
4
1
0
0
0
0
0
26 Mar 2011
3671
0
0
5
0
0
0
0
0
26 Mar 2011
0
3669
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
26 Mar 2011
3668
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
26 Mar 2011
3672
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
26 Mar 2011
3673
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
27 Mar 2011
3662
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Continued
68
Date
27 Mar 2011
27 Mar 2011
27 Mar 2011
27 Mar 2011
27 Mar 2011
30 Mar 2011
30 Mar 2011
3 Apr 2011
3 Apr 2011
3 Apr 2011
3 Apr 2011
3 Apr 2011
18 Apr 2011
18 Apr 2011
18 Apr 2011
18 Apr 2011
18 Apr 2011
18 Apr 2011
18 Apr 2011
19 Apr 2011
19 Apr 2011
19 Apr 2011
19 Apr 2011
19 Apr 2011
19 Apr 2011
19 Apr 2011
19 Apr 2011
Number
3667
3666
3665
3661
3663
3659
3660
3658
3657
3656
3655
3654
3362
3361
3360
3359
3358
3357
3356
3352
3351
3355
3353
3379
3354
3376
3377
Unidentifiable
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Fish
1
0
5
0
0
2
0
5
0
0
2
2
1
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Shrimp
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Insect
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Amphibian
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
Reptile
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Crayfish
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Detritus
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Continued
69
Date
19 Apr 2011
8 May 2011
8 May 2011
9 May 2011
9 May 2011
9 May 2011
9 May 2011
16 May 2011
16 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
18 May 2011
18 May 2011
18 May 2011
18 May 2011
18 May 2011
18 May 2011
21 May 2011
21 May 2011
21 May 2011
22 May 2011
22 May 2011
Number
3378
3315
3316
3317
3318
3319
3320
3322
3321
3478
3477
3500
3476
3323
3324
3325
3479
3480
3481
3482
3483
3484
3485
3486
3487
3488
3489
Unidentifiable
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
Fish
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
9
0
0
0
13
0
2
1
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Shrimp
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Insect
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Amphibian
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Reptile
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Crayfish
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Detritus
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
Continued
70
Date
7 Jun 2011
7 Jun 2011
7 Jun 2011
7 Jun 2011
17 Jun 2011
17 Jun 2011
17 Jun 2011
17 Jun 2011
17 Jun 2011
18 Jun 2011
18 Jun 2011
18 Jun 2011
26 Jun 2011
26 Jun 2011
26 Jun 2011
27 Jun 2011
27 Jun 2011
27 Jun 2011
27 Jun 2011
27 Jun 2011
28 Jun 2011
28 Jun 2011
28 Jun 2011
28 Jun 2011
28 Jun 2011
28 Jun 2011
23 Jul 2011
Number
3490
3491
3492
3493
3494
3495
3496
3497
3498
3423
3424
3425
3421
3420
3422
3419
3417
3418
3416
3415
3410
3413
3409
3411
3412
3414
3953
Unidentifiable
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Fish
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
3
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
Shrimp
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Insect
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Amphibian
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Reptile
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Crayfish
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Detritus
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Continued
71
Date
23 Jul 2011
23 Jul 2011
23 Jul 2011
23 Jul 2011
23 Jul 2011
23 Jul 2011
23 Jul 2011
25 Jul 2011
25 Jul 2011
25 Jul 2011
28 Jul 2011
28 Jul 2011
28 Jul 2011
28 Jul 2011
29 Jul 2011
29 Jul 2011
29 Jul 2011
30 Jul 2011
30 Jul 2011
30 Jul 2011
8 Aug 2011
8 Aug 2011
8 Aug 2011
8 Aug 2011
8 Aug 2011
10 Aug 2011
10 Aug 2011
Number
3954
3955
3959
3960
3956
3957
3958
3973
3974
3975
3972
3971
3970
3969
3967
3968
3966
3965
3963
3964
3962
3472
3473
3474
3475
3471
3470
Unidentifiable
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Fish
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
4
0
1
1
0
Shrimp
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
Insect
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Amphibian
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Reptile
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Crayfish
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Detritus
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Continued
72
Date
10 Aug 2011
10 Aug 2011
10 Aug 2011
10 Aug 2011
23 Aug 2011
23 Aug 2011
23 Aug 2011
27 Aug 2011
28 Aug 2011
30 Aug 2011
30 Aug 2011
30 Aug 2011
30 Aug 2011
30 Aug 2011
31 Aug 2011
31 Aug 2011
21 Sep 2011
21 Sep 2011
21 Sep 2011
21 Sep 2011
21 Sep 2011
21 Sep 2011
24 Sep 2011
24 Sep 2011
24 Sep 2011
24 Sep 2011
24 Sep 2011
Number
3467
3466
3469
3468
3851
3852
3766
1765
3767
3768
3855
3856
3854
3853
3858
3859
1787
1784
1785
1799
1797
1786
1661
1662
1663
1665
1664
Unidentifiable
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Fish
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Shrimp
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
73
Insect
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
3
0
0
1
2
0
4
1
Amphibian
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Reptile
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
Crayfish
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
Detritus
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
Continued
Date
25 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
26 Sep 2011
26 Sep 2011
27 Sep 2011
27 Sep 2011
27 Sep 2011
27 Sep 2011
27 Sep 2011
28 Sep 2011
19 Oct 2011
19 Oct 2011
19 Oct 2011
19 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
Number
1788
1789
1790
1793
1792
1794
1791
1795
3724
3723
1796
3720
3718
3719
3721
3715
1666
1667
1668
1669
1670
1672
1673
1674
1671
1675
3392
Unidentifiable
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Fish
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
Shrimp
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Insect
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Amphibian
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Reptile
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Crayfish
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Detritus
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Continued
74
Date
22 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
24 Oct 2011
24 Oct 2011
24 Oct 2011
25 Oct 2011
25 Oct 2011
30 Oct 2011
5 Nov 2011
5 Nov 2011
5 Nov 2011
6 Nov 2011
13 Nov 2011
13 Nov 2011
13 Nov 2011
13 Nov 2011
14 Nov 2011
14 Nov 2011
14 Nov 2011
14 Nov 2011
14 Nov 2011
Number
3225
3220
3221
3222
3223
3224
3218
3219
3215
3216
3217
3212
3214
3211
3210
3209
3208
3207
3743
3745
3746
3747
3737
3738
3739
3740
3741
Unidentifiable
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Fish
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
Shrimp
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Insect
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Amphibian
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Reptile
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Crayfish
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Detritus
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Continued
75
Date
14 Nov 2011
19 Nov 2011
19 Nov 2011
19 Nov 2011
19 Nov 2011
19 Nov 2011
19 Nov 2011
4 Dec 2011
4 Dec 2011
12 Dec 2011
12 Dec 2011
13 Dec 2011
13 Dec 2011
14 Dec 2011
14 Dec 2011
7 Jan 2012
8 Jan 2012
8 Jan 2012
8 Jan 2012
8 Jan 2012
9 Jan 2012
10 Jan 2012
11 Jan 2012
11 Jan 2012
15 Jan 2012
15 Jan 2012
15 Jan 2012
Number
3742
3736
3735
3734
3733
3732
3731
1164
1163
1162
1161
1159
1160
1157
1158
1156
1155
1154
1153
1152
3782
1151
3836
3837
3838
3839
3840
Unidentifiable
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Fish
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Shrimp
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Insect
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Amphibian
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Reptile
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Crayfish
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Detritus
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Continued
76
Date
15 Jan 2012
5 Feb 2012
5 Feb 2012
5 Feb 2012
5 Feb 2012
5 Feb 2012
5 Feb 2012
5 Feb 2012
5 Feb 2012
7 Feb 2012
7 Feb 2012
12 Feb 2012
12 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
Number
3841
3843
3845
3844
3846
3848
3847
3849
3850
3926
3842
3927
3928
3930
3929
3931
3932
3934
3933
3935
3937
3936
Unidentifiable
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Fish
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Shrimp
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
77
Insect
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
Amphibian
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Reptile
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
Crayfish
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Detritus
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
APPENDIX III. Date of collection, species, sex (F and M), total
length (TL; cm), carapace length (CL; cm), and weight (WT; g) for
crayfish collected using minnow traps from 14 March 2011 to 21
February 2012. Periods indicate no data.
Date
Species
Sex
TL
CL
WT
13 Mar 2011
Red Swamp
F
.
.
.
27 Mar 2011
Red Swamp
F
5.30
2.70
3.50
27 Mar 2011
Red Swamp
F
8.40
.
14.5
30 Mar 2011
Red Swamp
F
9.20
4.50
13.5
4 Apr 2011
Red Swamp
F
10.5
4.90
16.5
7 May 2011
Red Swamp
F
7.10
.
8.50
8 May 2011
Red Swamp
F
8.60
4.30
10.0
8 May 2011
Red Swamp
F
7.90
3.00
9.00
8 May 2011
Red Swamp
F
4.20
1.60
1.50
8 May 2011
Red Swamp
F
9.60
4.10
19.5
9 May 2011
Red Swamp
F
8.60
4.00
10.0
9 May 2011
Red Swamp
F
9.00
3.90
10.0
9 May 2011
Red Swamp
F
9.20
3.90
12.0
9 May 2011
Red Swamp
F
5.60
2.10
4.00
17 May 2011
Red Swamp
F
8.50
3.80
10.5
17 May 2011
Red Swamp
F
9.60
4.80
19.0
7 Jun 2011
Red Swamp
F
10.2
4.50
18.0
7 Jun 2011
Red Swamp
F
8.30
4.20
12.0
16 Jun 2011
Red Swamp
F
8.10
4.10
12.5
17 Jun 2011
Red Swamp
F
4.50
1.20
2.00
26 Sep 2011
Red Swamp
F
9.10
4.30
15.0
30 Oct 2011
Red Swamp
F
2.50
1.40
2.00
13 Feb 2012
Red Swamp
F
5.90
3.00
5.00
13 Feb 2012
Red Swamp
F
9.20
5.10
17.0
13 Feb 2012
Red Swamp
F
6.10
3.00
4.50
13 Feb 2012
Red Swamp
F
5.20
2.70
3.00
14 Feb 2012
Red Swamp
F
9.70
4.20
16.0
13 Mar 2011
Shrimp
F
4.00
.
1.00
4 Apr 2011
Shrimp
F
11.1
4.90
10.5
7 May 2011
Shrimp
F
8.20
.
11.0
8 May 2011
Shrimp
F
7.40
.
5.00
17 May 2011
Shrimp
F
4.40
.
1.50
17 May 2011
Shrimp
F
8.30
.
9.50
17 May 2011
Shrimp
F
6.40
.
5.50
17 May 2011
Shrimp
F
4.50
.
2.00
7 Jun 2011
Shrimp
F
10.9
4.50
17.0
7 Jun 2011
Shrimp
F
6.20
2.10
4.50
7 Jun 2011
Shrimp
F
5.70
2.00
4.00
78
Continued
Date
8 Jun 2011
8 Jun 2011
8 Jun 2011
25 Jul 2011
27 Jul 2011
2 Aug 2011
28 Aug 2011
25 Sep 2011
13 Feb 2012
8 May 2011
25 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
26 Sep 2011
23 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
30 Oct 2011
30 Mar 2011
30 Mar 2011
7 May 2011
7 May 2011
8 May 2011
8 May 2011
8 May 2011
8 May 2011
9 May 2011
9 May 2011
9 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
7 Jun 2011
8 Jun 2011
27 Jul 2011
28 Jul 2011
2 Aug 2011
26 Sep 2011
26 Sep 2011
28 Sep 2011
24 Oct 2011
Species
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Cajun Dwarf
Cajun Dwarf
Cajun Dwarf
Cajun Dwarf
Cajun Dwarf
Cajun Dwarf
Cajun Dwarf
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Sex
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
79
TL
8.60
7.00
9.00
5.90
8.60
6.30
6.10
6.40
4.10
1.50
1.90
2.00
2.10
2.80
2.50
3.00
7.50
5.90
5.10
6.00
8.10
5.50
7.80
8.40
8.90
4.30
6.10
8.50
8.20
8.70
8.10
7.50
8.10
9.00
8.10
8.10
8.60
7.30
4.50
4.30
8.40
6.00
CL
4.90
2.40
4.30
2.70
3.90
3.20
3.10
3.40
2.00
.
0.90
0.80
0.90
1.30
1.20
1.50
.
.
2.70
.
4.30
2.30
4.00
4.30
4.30
2.00
3.10
.
.
4.30
.
.
.
3.30
4.00
4.00
3.80
3.40
2.10
2.00
4.20
2.90
WT
10.5
6.00
12.5
3.00
13.0
4.50
4.00
4.50
1.50
0.11
0.15
0.30
0.18
0.50
0.50
0.50
8.00
3.50
3.00
3.00
8.00
3.50
11.0
19.0
12.0
2.00
6.00
15.5
14.5
13.5
14.0
12.0
15.0
13.5
12.0
16.5
9.00
8.50
1.00
1.50
9.50
4.50
Continued
Date
24 Oct 2011
13 Nov 2011
4 Dec 2011
15 Dec 2011
10 Jan 2012
13 Feb 2012
13 Feb 2012
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
17 May 2011
16 Jun 2011
17 Jun 2011
25 Jul 2011
27 Jul 2011
26 Sep 2011
28 Sep 2011
24 Oct 2011
25 Oct 2011
30 Oct 2011
13 Nov 2011
14 Nov 2011
15 Dec 2011
4 Apr 2011
7 May 2011
7 May 2011
25 Sep 2011
8 Jan 2012
Species
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Red Swamp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp
Cajun Dwarf
Cajun Dwarf
Cajun Dwarf
Cajun Dwarf
Cajun Dwarf
Sex
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
80
TL
7.90
4.00
6.70
5.10
5.30
6.00
7.50
5.00
4.00
5.40
6.00
5.90
6.00
5.10
6.50
6.60
7.00
6.60
6.50
6.90
6.40
6.80
7.10
2.00
2.00
1.90
1.50
2.00
CL
3.90
2.00
3.50
2.50
2.30
3.00
3.40
.
.
.
.
2.80
3.00
2.70
3.20
3.00
3.40
3.00
2.90
3.10
3.00
3.20
3.80
.
.
.
0.70
1.00
WT
10.0
1.50
5.50
2.50
2.00
6.00
7.50
2.00
1.00
3.00
4.00
3.00
3.00
3.00
5.00
3.50
6.00
7.50
5.00
6.50
4.00
6.50
6.00
0.24
0.13
0.24
0.08
0.15
APPENDIX IV. Date, dissolved oxygen (DO; mg/L), specific conductance (Sp. Cond.; uS), salinity (ppt), water level (m), temperature
(˚C), and secchi depth (cm) readings for gill net sampling and minnow trap sampling in the upper Barataria Estuary from 14 March 2011
to 21 February 2012. Periods indicate no data.
Secchi
Date
DO
Sp. Cond.
Salinity
Gauge Staff
Temp
13 Mar 2011
.
139.3
0.1
0.82
20.3
.
20 Mar 2011
.
180.6
0.1
0.69
23.1
.
21 Mar 2011
0.03
180.1
0.1
0.67
22.4
.
26 Mar 2011
0.54
191.8
0.1
0.60
22.5
.
27 Mar 2011
0.47
199.6
0.1
0.60
24.2
.
30 Mar 2011
1.08
182.4
0.1
0.73
23.3
.
3 Apr 2011
0.83
158.2
0.1
0.63
22.8
.
4 Apr 2011
0.67
165.9
0.1
0.66
23.6
.
18 Apr 2011
1.37
196.0
0.1
0.55
23.2
.
19 Apr 2011
2.28
198.1
0.1
0.60
24.4
.
23 Apr 2011
2.33
221.5
0.1
0.67
26.4
.
24 Apr 2011
1.86
231.2
0.1
0.68
26.6
.
6 May 2011
2.82
252.2
0.1
0.50
22.9
.
7 May 2011
2.53
263.0
0.1
0.46
24.2
.
8 May 2011
2.51
271.0
0.1
0.51
24.5
.
9 May 2011
2.25
278.1
0.1
0.55
25.1
.
16 May 2011
4.79
256.5
0.1
0.42
25.6
.
17 May 2011
4.27
229.7
0.1
0.33
24.8
.
18 May 2011
3.01
219.7
0.1
0.35
22.7
.
21 May 2011
4.26
308.3
0.1
0.64
27.5
.
22 May 2011
3.78
352.4
0.2
0.67
27.7
.
.
6 Jun 2011
3.50
418.6
0.2
0.52
29.9
7 Jun 2011
.
1.60
437.6
0.2
0.54
28.0
Continued
81
Date
8 Jun 2011
15 Jun 2011
16 Jun 2011
17 Jun 2011
18 Jun 2011
21 Jun 2011
26 Jun 2011
27 Jun 2011
28 Jun 2011
23 Jul 2011
24 Jul 2011
25 Jul 2011
27 Jul 2011
28 Jul 2011
29 Jul 2011
30 Jul 2011
1 Aug 2011
2 Aug 2011
23 Aug 2011
24 Aug 2011
27 Aug 2011
28 Aug 2011
29 Aug 2011
30 Aug 2011
31 Aug 2011
21 Sep 2011
DO
4.33
4.23
2.50
1.86
2.49
4.50
2.21
2.87
1.71
3.04
1.27
2.37
0.76
0.96
0.51
0.54
0.48
0.42
0.24
0.50
1.17
1.61
0.70
0.67
0.58
0.29
Sp. Cond.
442.8
447.5
463.0
419.4
464.9
537.0
586.0
550.0
530.0
144.0
138.8
.
121.8
123.3
131.1
133.6
168.8
164.5
310.3
219.0
229.1
232.9
228.0
225.2
226.0
136.7
Salinity
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.1
3.9
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Gauge Staff
0.52
0.49
0.49
0.49
0.49
0.65
0.64
0.63
0.63
0.63
0.65
0.69
0.68
0.69
0.70
0.72
0.70
0.71
0.52
0.51
0.48
0.41
0.46
0.49
0.52
0.82
Temp
28.9
30.0
29.9
30.3
30.8
31.3
29.6
29.6
29.7
26.0
26.0
10.1
27.0
26.8
27.1
27.4
28.7
27.8
30.0
30.5
31.3
31.3
29.9
29.4
29.4
24.3
Secchi
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
21.5
26.7
13.0
15.0
20.5
26.5
29.5
30.5
39.0
43.8
46.0
56.0
74.0
75.6
71.7
37.5
Continued
82
Date
24 Sep 2011
25 Sep 2011
26 Sep 2011
27 Sep 2011
28 Sep 2011
19 Oct 2011
22 Oct 2011
23 Oct 2011
24 Oct 2011
25 Oct 2011
29 Oct 2011
30 Oct 2011
5 Nov 2011
6 Nov 2011
12 Nov 2011
13 Nov 2011
14 Nov 2011
15 Nov 2011
19 Nov 2011
20 Nov 2011
29 Nov 2011
3 Dec 2011
4 Dec 2011
12 Dec 2011
13 Dec 2011
14 Dec 2011
DO
0.27
0.70
0.39
0.36
0.16
1.55
1.89
1.61
1.20
1.37
2.90
.
3.56
2.50
2.07
1.95
1.53
1.28
1.38
1.05
1.29
1.90
1.76
2.87
3.00
3.10
Sp. Cond.
131.4
118.4
125.7
127.0
135.2
180.0
183.3
186.3
198.4
199.4
208.7
.
220.8
223.2
217.7
213.5
223.1
219.9
223.0
210.0
199.8
187.4
196.9
196.7
198.8
215.6
Salinity
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
.
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Gauge Staff
0.80
0.79
0.79
0.77
0.75
0.51
0.37
0.37
0.45
0.43
0.43
0.34
0.37
0.46
0.45
0.50
0.53
0.57
0.52
0.57
0.45
0.46
0.57
0.34
0.37
0.45
Temp
24.5
24.3
24.6
25.0
25.8
20.2
19.6
16.8
19.3
18.8
18.8
.
17.1
17.8
14.9
15.9
16.8
18.0
16.3
17.4
13.1
12.5
13.6
9.20
10.8
12.8
Secchi
34.1
29.0
33.5
45.2
46.7
70.8
52.7
58.6
49.0
42.0
51.5
40.4
43.0
41.7
44.6
42.3
47.0
46.4
60.5
51.1
74.6
69.6
50.6
52.0
78.2
51.8
Continued
83
Date
15 Dec 2011
7 Jan 2012
8 Jan 2012
9 Jan 2012
10 Jan 2012
11 Jan 2012
14 Jan 2012
15 Jan 2012
5 Feb 2012
6 Feb 2012
7 Feb 2012
12 Feb 2012
13 Feb 2012
14 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
DO
2.59
2.95
2.50
.
5.23
5.44
3.36
4.27
1.10
1.59
1.77
3.72
4.08
4.04
2.17
Sp. Cond.
222.6
215.9
224.1
227.3
280.0
275.0
221.3
212.9
233.9
234.4
217.1
200.9
186.0
197.8
102.1
Salinity
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Gauge Staff
0.51
0.42
0.46
0.52
0.57
0.52
0.26
0.26
0.64
0.54
0.48
0.34
0.27
0.41
0.73
84
Temp
13.6
13.8
15.1
15.3
15.4
15.0
11.9
11.6
19.0
18.4
17.4
12.5
10.7
12.9
11.2
Secchi
38.6
42.0
42.1
.
.
.
54.5
55.8
56.0
44.8
57.9
42.9
38.5
56.4
11.2
APPENDIX V. Date, total number of crayfish caught in 24
hours, CPUE, water level (m) on sample date, and level of water
needed to inundate the floodplain from 8 March 2011 to 14
February 2012. Periods indicate no data.
Date
N
CPUE
Staff Gage
Inundation
8 Mar 2011
0
0.000
.
0.793
0.793
13 Mar 2011
1
0.067
0.823
0.793
27 Mar 2011
2
0.133
0.604
0.793
30 Mar 2011
3
0.200
0.732
0.793
4 Apr 2011
3
0.133
0.658
0.793
19 Apr 2011
0
0.000
0.604
0.793
24 Apr 2011
0
0.000
0.677
0.793
7 May 2011
6
0.400
0.457
0.793
8 May 2011
10
0.667
0.512
0.793
9 May 2011
7
0.467
0.546
0.793
17 May 2011
16
1.067
0.329
0.793
7 Jun 2011
6
0.400
0.539
0.793
8 Jun 2011
4
0.267
0.521
0.793
16 Jun 2011
3
0.200
0.494
0.793
17 Jun 2011
2
0.133
0.494
0.793
25 Jul 2011
2
0.133
0.695
0.793
27 Jul 2011
3
0.200
0.677
0.793
28 Jul 2011
1
0.067
0.689
0.793
29 Jul 2011
0
0.000
0.701
0.793
2 Aug 2011
2
0.133
0.713
0.793
24 Aug 2011
0
0.000
0.506
0.793
28 Aug 2011
1
0.067
0.415
0.793
29 Aug 2011
0
0.000
0.457
0.793
25 Sep 2011
4
0.267
0.792
0.793
26 Sep 2011
3
0.200
0.792
0.793
27 Sep 2011
2
0.133
0.768
0.793
28 Sep 2011
2
0.133
0.750
0.793
23 Oct 2011
2
0.133
0.366
0.793
24 Oct 2011
2
0.200
0.451
0.793
25 Oct 2011
1
0.067
0.430
0.793
30 Oct 2011
3
0.200
0.335
0.793
6 Nov 2011
0
0.000
0.457
0.793
13 Nov 2011
2
0.133
0.500
0.793
14 Nov 2011
1
0.067
0.533
0.793
15 Nov 2011
0
0.000
0.573
0.793
4 Dec 2011
1
0.067
0.570
Continued
85
Date
13 Dec 2011
14 Dec 2011
15 Dec 2011
8 Jan 2012
9 Jan 2012
10 Jan 2012
11 Jan 2012
6 Feb 2012
7 Feb 2012
13 Feb 2012
14 Feb 2012
N
0
0
2
1
0
1
0
0
0
7
1
CPUE
0.000
0.000
0.133
0.067
0.000
0.067
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.467
0.067
86
Staff Gage
0.372
0.451
0.509
0.463
0.518
0.567
0.524
0.536
0.475
0.274
0.408
Inundation
0.793
0.793
0.793
0.793
0.793
0.793
0.793
0.793
0.793
0.793
0.793
APPENDIX VI. Collecting date and number of items found in Gee minnow traps collected form the upper
Barataria Estuary from 8 March 2011 to 14 February 2012.
Date
Fish
Insect
Shrimp
Crawfish
Reptile
Amphibian
Leeches Spider
8 Mar 2011
8
2
15
0
1
0
0
0
13 Mar 2011
11
6
32
1
1
6
2
0
27 Mar 2011
25
13
15
2
1
5
14
0
30 Mar 2011
8
0
37
3
1
1
1
0
4 Apr 2011
36
0
16
2
1
1
0
0
19 Apr 2011
63
2
9
0
0
0
0
0
24 Apr 2011
12
0
14
0
0
0
0
0
7 May 2011
114
5
16
6
0
0
0
0
8 May 2011
37
1
14
10
2
0
0
0
9 May 2011
26
0
2
7
1
0
0
0
17 May 2011
137
6
18
16
1
4
2
0
7 Jun 2011
45
3
5
6
0
0
0
0
8 Jun 2011
60
5
7
4
0
1
0
0
16 Jun 2011
56
7
14
3
0
0
0
0
17 Jun 2011
53
17
23
2
1
0
0
0
25 Jul 2011
4
1
4
2
0
0
0
0
27 Jul 2011
7
2
2
3
0
0
0
0
28 Jul 2011
0
1
4
1
0
0
0
0
29 Jul 2011
6
6
2
0
0
0
0
0
2 Aug 2011
22
9
1
2
0
1
2
0
24 Aug 2011
30
12
1
0
0
1
0
0
28 Aug 2011
22
12
0
1
1
0
0
0
29 Aug 2011
26
10
4
0
1
1
0
1
25 Sep 2011
1
4
0
4
0
2
1
0
1
26 Sep 2011
2
8
5
3
0
1
0
Continued
87
Date
27 Sep 2011
28 Sep 2011
23 Oct 2011
24 Oct 2011
25 Oct 2011
30 Oct 2011
6 Nov 2011
13 Nov 2011
14 Nov 2011
15 Nov 2011
4 Dec 2011
13 Dec 2011
14 Dec 2011
15 Dec 2011
8 Jan 2012
9 Jan 2012
10 Jan 2012
11 Jan 2012
6 Feb 2012
7 Feb 2012
13 Feb 2012
14 Feb 2012
Fish
1
2
16
8
7
6
3
4
1
3
1
6
2
1
3
1
2
2
5
5
6
3
Insect
6
7
4
3
0
2
4
2
0
0
1
10
4
1
4
1
0
0
0
1
0
5
Shrimp
1
0
26
5
1
7
8
12
2
4
8
10
6
8
12
8
3
15
35
38
13
25
Crawfish
2
2
2
3
1
3
0
2
1
0
1
0
0
2
1
0
1
0
0
0
7
1
88
Reptile
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
1
2
1
1
0
2
0
1
Amphibian
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
1
Leeches
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Spider
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Taren Manley was born on 17 October 1985 in Cleveland, Ohio. Taren graduated
from Kenston High School in June of 2004. She graduated from Hiram College 2008,
receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Biology and a minor in History.
Throughout her undergraduate education she traveled overseas in two travel-abroad
programs through Hiram College and one her own. After graduation she continued her
education for a year at Cleveland State University and worked part time in the greater
Cleveland area. In the fall of 2010 Taren enrolled at Nicholls State University in the
Marine and Environmental Biology Masters in Science program. In the future, Taren
plans to apply to a doctoral program in Marine Science sometime after graduation in
December 2012.
89
CURRICULUM VITAE
Taren Manley
18850 Quinn Road Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44023 · (440) 543-4134 · (440) 227-1127 ·
manleyta@alumni.hiram.edu
Current Address:
508 Harding Drive
Houma, LA 70364
EDUCATION
Nicholls State University
M.S. Marine and Environmental Biology- 12/2012
Thibodaux, Louisiana 70310
Thesis Title: Spotted Gar Lepisosteus
oculatus diets in the upper Barataria Estuary
Hours earned: 39
GPA: 3.57
Cleveland State University
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
College Coursework Completed - 5/2009
Hours earned: 19
GPA: 3.77
Hiram College
Hiram, Ohio 44234
B.A. Biology- 5/2008
Hours earned: 154
Minor: History
GPA: 3.37
SELECTED COURSEWORK
Marine and Environmental Biology
Marine and Environmental Regulation Law & Policy Workshop
Ecological Restoration
Applied Ecology
Advanced Oceanography
Aquatic Toxicology
Population Dynamics
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
August 2011 – May 2012: Teaching Assistant, Nicholls State University,
Department of Biological Sciences. Duties included teaching one lab per week,
preparing for labs, preparing and grading quizzes and assignments. Topics
included: scientific method, diffusion and osmosis, enzyme activity, localization
of respiration and glycolysis, photosynthesis, genetic transformation, Mendelian
genetics, animal development, population genetics, evolution and systematics.
90
Supervisor: Allyse Ferrara, Ph.D.; Associate Professor; (phone) 985/448-4736
August 2010 – May 2011: Teaching Assistant, Nicholls State University,
Department of Biological Sciences. Duties included assisting in three labs per
week, preparing for labs, and proctoring and grading exams.
Supervisor: Allyse Ferrara, Ph.D.; Associate Professor; (phone) 985/448-4736
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
August 2010 – May 2012: Assessed seasonal diets of spotted gar Lepisosteus
oculatus in the upper Barataria Estuary by sampling with gill nets, processing
collected fish, and quantifying stomach contents. Quantified crayfish abundance
in the upper Barataria Estuary using Gee minnow traps.
Supervisor: Allyse Ferrara, Ph.D.; Associate Professor; (phone) 985/448-4736
WORK EXPERIENCE
August 2010 – May 2012: Teaching Assistant, Nicholls State University,
Department of Biological Sciences. Duties included teaching introductory
biology, assisting in teaching introductory biology, preparing for labs, preparing
and grading quizzes and assignments.
Supervisor: Allyse Ferrara, Ph.D.; Associate Professor; phone 985/448-4736
May 2008 - July 2010: Laborer, Cleveland Ohio, General maintenance and
construction of low income housing in the greater Cleveland area, which includes:
rudimentary plumbing, painting, masonry, and landscaping. Basic knowledge of
the interview process of new tenants, and rent collection. This job has taught me
to work independently and has sharpened my problem solving skills.
Supervisor: Dawn Clemens; Business Owner; phone 216/214-3301
June 2005 - September 2005: Landscaper, Hiram Ohio The restoration of
historical landmark gardens including the removal of invasive plant species and
built historically accurate planting beds. Other responsibilities included general
care and maintenance of the historical garden and several additional campus
gardens.
Supervisor: Denny Taylor, Ph. D.; Professor of Biology; phone 330/569-5267
May 2004 – October 2004: Medical filing of all pertinent patient information,
duplicated patient files for legal use, and communicated with patient's legal team.
91
Supervisor: Timothy Nice, M.D.; Doctor of Orthopedics; phone 440/585-5258
INTERNSHIPS
February 2012 – April 2012: Barataria – Terrebonne National Estuary Program:
Clean Up Bayou Lafourche, Thibodaux, Louisiana. Assisting in the planning,
distribution, and set up of Clean Up Bayou Lafourche. Duties: creating and
distributing fliers, helping coordinate site captain meetings, creating Clean Up
data cards, organization and distribution of items used during event, collecting
volunteers, volunteer sign-in, and supervising volunteers during event.
Supervisor: Alma Robichaux; Education Coordinator; phone 985/447-0868
February 2007 – October 2007: American Polo Society, Cleveland, OH and
Southern Impact Research Center, Rockford, TN. Assessing the effects of high
velocity polo balls on equine metacarpus and the effectiveness of protective wraps
and boots for polo horses used during polo matches. Duties: Literature research
on equine tarsal injuries and product efficiency, assisting in testing products
during impact testing, and impact calculations.
Supervisor: Dr. Timothy Nice; Chair Member; phone 440/585-5258.
FIELD EXPERIENCE
Boat and trailer operation, gill net sampling, minnow trap sampling, seine
sampling, water quality monitoring (dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature,
specific conductance, Secchi disk depth), fish identification, some experience in
freshwater invertebrate identification, fish otolith removal, external fish tagging,
GPS (handheld).
Shoals Marine Laboratory - Collected, catalogued, and released limpets
Shoals Marine Laboratory- Participated in an ecological survey of tern habitats
Akumal Turtle Sanctuary- Akumal, Mexico. Observed nesting of green sea
turtles
Hoibox Island- Attended lecture on the preservation and protection of whale
sharks, snorkeled to observe feeding, and help monitor tagged and untagged
adolescents
LABORATORY EXPERIENCE
Fish otolith aging, some experience in freshwater invertebrate identification, some
experience in ELISA assay, and stomach content identification. Software skills:
92
Data management, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint,
some experience with SAS and Fish Analyses and Simulation Tools 2.0 (FAST).
CERTIFICATION
LA Defensive Driver
LA Boating Educating/Boating Safety
LA Ethics Training for Public Servants
PADI Certified Open Water Diver
SCIENTIFIC PRESENTATION
2012 Manley, T., A.M. Ferrara, and Q. Fontenot. Seasonal Diets of Spotted Gar
in the Upper Barataria Estuary. Nicholls State University, Research Week
Competition, Thibodaux, Louisiana (poster presentation).
2012 Manley, T., A.M. Ferrara, and Q. Fontenot. Seasonal Diets of Spotted Gar
in the Upper Barataria Estuary. Southern Division of the American Fisheries
Society, Biloxi, MS.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
International Study:
United Kingdom (England and Wales) - 1 semester study: Early American
Revolution 1750-1800, Creeps & Castles: Gothic Fiction, Murder & Mourning
Biomes of the World-1 semester study: Biomes of the World, Science &
Literature, Travel Writing- Traveled: Alaska, Hawaii, Thailand, India, Maldives,
U.A.E., Egypt, Turkey, Germany - Observed water and the effects of global
climate change in each of the world's biomes
Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt
93