Otolith chemistry as a fisheries management tool after flooding: The case of Missouri River gizzard shad

Abstract

Reduced river–floodplain connectivity can decrease fisheries production and cause ecological and socioeconomic consequences. In 2011, the largest flood on record in the Missouri River since 1898 nearly eliminated connectivity between an embayment (Hipple Lake) and Lake Sharpe, impeding movement of walleye (Sander vitreus) and a forage fish, gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum). Thus, we used otolith chemistry to quantify Hipple Lake's natal contribution to Lake Sharpe's gizzard shad population and forecast effects of connectivity loss on the reservoir's socioeconomically important walleye fishery. Fish were classified to natal habitats with 79–89% accuracy, with most gizzard shad (64%) hatching in floodplain habitats (i.e., embayments, tributaries, canals, and stilling basins). Hipple Lake contributed 12% of gizzard shad to Lake Sharpe, more than a tributary (4%) and embayment (0%) but less than a canal (27%) and stilling basin (21%). Hipple Lake (178 acres) covers 0.31% of Lake Sharpe (56,884 acres), so its natal contribution is 38 times what would be expected if contribution was linearly related to area. Sediment and water management to maintain connectivity between Lake Sharpe and Hipple Lake and other floodplain habitats is important for continued gizzard shad production and prey supply for the walleye fishery. Otolith chemistry facilitates assessment of gizzard shad natal contributions in different habitats, serving as a fisheries management tool to inform floodplain habitat protection and rehabilitation after floods.

Chemical signatures in fin spine edge of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) can serve as habitat markers of geographically distinct marine environments

“…Of the various biomineralized structures in fish, otoliths are considered the most robust indicator of fish life histories because they are metabolically inert and, once accreted, are not reabsorbed ( Casselman, 1990 ; Campana, 1999 ). Otoliths therefore permanently record lifetime chemical profiles ( Campana, 2001 ; Elsdon et al., 2008 ; Radigan et al., 2018 ). However, a growing body of evidence suggests that the internal structure and biomineralization process of otoliths should also be considered in chemical marker-related studies of fish life histories ( Pracheil et al., 2017 , 2019 ).…”

Evaluating 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios and Sr mass fractions in otoliths of different European freshwater fish species as fishery management tool in an Alpine foreland with limited geological variability

“…Questions that have been addressed by this method are e.g. the reconstruction of life histories of fish (Kennedy et al, 2002), the determination of natal origins and movement for designing spatially informed habitat conservation programs and harvest regulations (Carlson et al, 2016), the determination of contributions of different reproduction areas for an improved management and conservation of whole fish communities (Zeigler and Whitledge, 2010;Zeigler and Whitledge, 2011), the management of selected economically relevant fish species (Veinott and Porter, 2005;Walther et al, 2008;Radigan et al, 2018b) and the management of recreational fishery (Veinott et al, 2012) or of endangered fish species (Strohm et al, 2017). Furthermore, elemental and isotopic fingerprints in fish otoliths have been applied to assess the efficiency of ecological rehabilitation measures (Schaffler et al, 2015), the management of invasive species (Blair and Hicks, 2012;Norman and Whitledge, 2015), to identify source and date of introduction of fish from other sources (Munro et al, 2005), to discriminate between hatchery reared and stocked and naturally spawned fish in river systems (Coghlan et al, 2007;Zitek et al, 2010) and study natal homing (Engstedt et al, 2014).…”

First Insights Into the Growth and Population Structure of Cottoperca trigloides (Perciformes, Bovichtidae) From the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean

“…Otolith chemical composition has proven quite useful for managing and understanding the ecology of several marine and freshwater fish populations in recent years (Catalán et al, 2018;Radigan et al, 2018;Avigliano et al, 2019;Soeth et al, 2019). Otoliths are calcified structures, located in the inner ear of teleost 1 https://people.ohio.edu/eastman/ fish, that are composed mainly of aragonite (calcium carbonate, ∼96%) deposited in an acellular matrix (Campana, 1999).…”