Before It's Gone: Recommendations for Stream Prioritization of an Imperiled

Minnow Species

Michael J. Moore

Donald J. Orth

Virginia Tech University

A Truly Beautiful FISH

Clinch Dace

Laurel Dace

BlacksideDace

Species Approx. # of Populations/streams

Conservation Status

Tennessee Dace 62 Not Listed, S3, G3

Blackside Dace 49 Threatened

Laurel Dace 6 Endangered

Clinch Dace 18 Not Listed

How Rare is Rare?

Threats

Livestock/AgPredatorsWaste

Mining Barriers Bait

285 site surveys

Benchmark of 300 µS/cm proposed for Appalachian streams

Evans et al. 2014. JAWRA

Long-duration impacts on elevated dissolved ions

1400

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

0

- Construction --- Revegetation

Palmer and Hondula 2014. Environ. Sci. Tech.

Objectives

• Determine occupancy in Russell and Tazewell Counties, Virginia.

• Identify local habitat threats to population persistence.

• Develop a framework to quantitatively evaluate opportunities for prioritization restoration

“When are they going to stop the surveys, and rehabilitate our habitats?”

“Your guess is as good as mine!”

Study Area

Sampling Methodology

flow

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

Day 1

1-1

1-2

1-3

1-4

2-1

2-2

2-3

2-4

Day2

Sampling Methodology

1 2

Data Analysis

• Nichols et al. 2010 Multi-scale occupancy models (PRESENCE 7.5)

Explored additive occupancy covariates:

• Conductivity• Canopy cover• % watershed forested (deciduous and evergreen)• Substrate embeddedness• Watershed area

Data Analysis

Irreplaceability:

-Percentage of surveys collected-Estimated abundance-Connectedness-Length of stream occupied

Condition:

-% Forested-Presence of Centrarchids-% watershed mined-Road crossings-Conductivity-Canopy cover-%Fines-Landownership

1-5 scoring system for 12 variables, 13+2 populations

Conservation Action

Results- Occupancy

Detected at 13 of 70 sampled sites (0.19).Detection probability

Electrofishing: 0.65 (0.49-0.77)Trapping: 0.42 (0.28-0.56)

Occupancy Covariate

PredictedResponse

Observed Response

Conductivity - -

Deciduous Forest + +

Evergreen Forest + +

Embeddedness - +Watershed Area - -

2014-2015

White & Orth 2014 Amer. Midl. Nat.

Feasibility

Number of Landowners Average Acreage Owned

Conclusions

• Extreme rarity, 19-23%

• Electrofishing and minnow trapping both feasible

•Habitat conservation and restoration

•Outreach program

Acknowledgements

• Mike Pinder and VDGIF State Wildlife Grant from USFWS

• Eric Hallerman, Jamie Roberts, Dana Morin, Marcella Kelly, and Greg Anderson, Tim Lane.

• Hunter Hatcher, Skylar Wolf, Derek Wheaton, Zach Martin, Allison Mosely, Christina Bolton, and Zach Moran.