Life history of the Lahontan cutthroat trout, Salmo clarki henshawi, in Pyramid Lake, Nevada

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} The Pyramid Lake Lahontan cutthroat trout ( Salmo clarki henshawi ) population was sampled on a monthly basis from November 1975 through December 1977. A subsample of 676 trout, stratified by fish size and lake habitat, provided biological data. The entire population is presently derived from hatchery production, stocked at lengths of approximately 75 to 300 mm. Peak annulus formation occurs in March and April, followed by the period of maximum growth. Scale patterns illustrate a variable growing season. Maximum growth in length is in the first three years of life; after that males begin to grow faster than females. Males attained a greater age in our sample; i.e., the oldest male was seven years old compared to six years for females. The Pyramid Lake Lahontan cutthroat trout exhibit nearly isometric growth. The legal sport fishery removed 380 mm); other decimating factors are poorly understood. No evidence of the following diseases or pathogens was found in the Pyramid Lake population, presuming a carrier incidence of 2 percent at the 95 percent confidence level: infectious pancreatic necrosis, infectious hematopoietic necrosis, viral hemorrhagic septicema, bacterial kidney disease, enteric redmouth, furunculosis, whirling disease, blood fluke; however, 7 of 235 (≈3 percent) adults sampled at the Marble Bluff fishway were positive for furunculosis. Small trout feed primarily on zooplankton and benthic invertebrates; cutthroat trout >300 mm are piscivorous, feeding almost exclusively on tui chub ( Gila bicolor ). The spawning migration of Pyramid Lake cutthroat trout to the Marble Bluff egg taking facility in spring 1976 and 1977 peaked in April and May. Females mature at three or four years (352–484 mm), and males mature at two or three years (299–445 mm). Mean diameter of mature eggs is 4.51 mm; both ovum size and fecundity are a function of fish size. Fecundity ranges from 1241 to 7963 eggs, with a mean of 3815. Lahontan cutthroat trout comprise     

Contributions to the life history of Sacramento perch, Archoplites interruptus, in Pyramid Lake, Nevada

During a two-year period (1976&ndash;1977), 180 Sacramento perch ( Archoplites interruptus ) were sampled from Pyramid Lake, Nevada, on a monthly basis using several capture methods in all lake areas. Age and growth determinations of these fish were inconsistent with previous research on this species. Sacramento perch are entirely carnivorous, adults feeding primarily on tui chub ( Gila bicolor ). Fish accounted for 6 percent of the diet (by volume) of Sacramento perch less than 300 mm fork length, and 98 percent for those exceeding 300 mm. Amphipods, Odonata, and Chironomidae composed 6.3, 5.7, and 1.8 percent, respectively, of the stomach contents by volume for all sizes combined. Females spawned from June to August when water temperatures approached 20 C, and their gonad weight was about 6 percent of the total body weight. A sample of 20 female perch had a mean fecundity of 84,203 eggs. The mean diameter of mature eggs was 0.88 mm. Sacramento perch almost exclusively inhabit the littoral zone of Pyramid Lake. Activity, as indicated by net catches, was greatest during the warm months of May to October. Monthly catches were significantly correlated with temperature (r = 0.577, P < 0.01). No short-term changes in population abundances were observed during 1976&ndash;1977.     

Vertical distribution of adult fish in Pyramid Lake, Nevada

Inshore and limnetic vertical distribution of adult fish in Pyramid Lake, Nevada was determined from late spring to early fall 1977. The benthic (23 m) inshore area exhibited a relatively diverse composition of five species, while the inshore surface and offshore limnetic zones were composed of over 98 percent tui chubs ( Gila bicolor ). Vertical fish distribution was associated with temperature and zooplankton distribution.     

Reproductive biology of the tui chub, Gila bicolor, in Pyramid Lake, Nevada

Sex ratios for tui chubs ( Gila bicolor ), obtained from a sample of 3,384 fish, deviated significantly from the expected 1:1 ratio (chi - square, P 0.05). Spawning occurred from June to August, with estimated fecundities ranging from 6,110 to 68,933 ova. Females spawned after attaining a maximum (average) gonadal somatic index (GSI ― percent gonad weight/total body weight) of 9.1 percent and between surface water temperatures of 15.5 to 22.2 C. Males reached sexual maturity at age two, with most females maturing at age three. Consistent increases in fecundity were apparent with increasing length, weight, and age. Linear regressions between fork length and fecundity and weight and fecundity were highly significant (P     

Food of larval tui chubs, Gila bicolor, in Pyramid Lake, Nevada

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Four near-surface locations in Pyramid Lake, Nevada, were sampled for larval tui chubs ( Gila bicolor ) during summer and early fall 1979. Numbers of larvae collected were highest in mid-July. Zooplankton was the only food eaten throughout the survey; the cladoceran Moina hutchinsoni was the major species eaten at all locations. Another cladoceran, Diaphanosoma leuchtenbergianum, was also important to the diet of pelagic larvae, and the copepod Cyclops vernalis was eaten in significant quantities by nearshore fish. Changes in diet composition of larval tui chubs during summer corresponded to seasonal succession of zooplankton species in Pyramid Lake.     

Species composition and relative abundance of adult fish in Pyramid Lake, Nevada

Pyramid Lake fish populations were sampled with nets on a monthly basis from November 1975 through December 1977. Fish species were taken in the following order of numerical relative abundance: tui chub ( Gila bicolor ), Tahoe sucker ( Catostomus tahoensis ), Lahontan cutthroat trout ( Salmo clarki henshawi ) including cutthroat-rainbow hybrids, cui-ui ( Chasmistes cujus ), and Sacramento perch ( Archoplites interruptus ). Relative abundance estimates are discussed with respect to seasonal availability, spatial distribution of the fish, sampling bias of the fishing methods, and biomass of the fish. Recent temporal trends in the population structure of the lake are presented.     

The reproductive ecology of the Tahoe sucker, Catostomus tahoensis, in Pyramid Lake, Nevada

The Tahoe sucker spawns in Pyramid Lake from April to August at lake temperatures of 11.7 to 22.7 C. The spawning population is comprised of a large lake spawning group and a numerically smaller river running group. The river running group is smaller in length and was not considered during this study. The sex ratio of sampled suckers significantly favored the females. This is the result of the longer life of females and greater mortality of males during spawning. &nbsp; Pyramid Lake Tahoe suckers reach sexual maturity at two to three years of age; however, those in Lake Tahoe do not mature until four or five years of age. The size at sexual maturity is different in both populations, which suggests that size or rate of growth rather than age determines sexual maturity. &nbsp; The fecundity of Tahoe suckers is positively correlated with fork length, weight, and age. Additional analysis showed that a better correlation occurred between fish size (either length or net weight) and total ovary weight. We believe that fish size is primarily correlated with total reproductive tissue produced and secondarily with fecundity. A comparison of the Pyramid Lake population and the Lake Tahoe population demonstrated that size, not age, is the most important determinant of Tahoe sucker fecundity.     

Associations of Small Mammals Occurring in a Pluvial Lake Basin, Ruby Lake, Nevada

Ruby Lake is a highly mesic and vegetationally diverse pluvial lake basin of east central Nevada. Small mammal associations were examined in six plant communities at Ruby Lake using transects of live traps. Small mammal activity was recorded for these six habitats plus an additional three other specialized habitats. A total of 11 species of small mammals were trapped from the six habitat types; from the entire study area 26 species were trapped or observed. Two greasewood shrub habitats and a shadscale-spiny hopsage habitat held the highest number of trapped species, 6, 5, and 7, respectively. The mesic haymeadow and spring habitats, as well as the big sagebrush-antelope bitterbrush habitat held 4 trapped species each. Peromyscus maniculatus and Perognathus parvus made up 76% of the total captures and were found in all habitat types except marshlands. Eutamius minimus was found in four of the six habitat types, while Dipodomys ordii , Dipodomys microps , Perognathus parvus , and Microtus montanus were limited to specialized habitats. Mesic adapted, wetland species such as Mustela vison , Ondatra zibethicus , and Sorex vagrans possibly dispersed into Ruby Valley from the northeastern drainages and valleys during the late Pleistocene or Holocene.     

Primary productivity in meromictic Big Soda Lake, Nevada

In situ radiocarbon uptake measurements conducted at Big Soda Lake, Nevada, indicate that (i) bacterial photosynthesis comprises an important fraction (30 percent) of the lake's total primary production and (ii) bacterial chemosynthesis contributes significantly to organic particle production. The results of nutrient enrichment bioassay experiments support Hutchinson's prediction that availability of inorganic nitrogen, rather than phosphorus, limits primary production in the mixolimnion. Nutrient additions of NO 3 &ndash; N with Fe +3 most stimulated 14 C uptake.     

Orientation of zooplankton to the oxycline in Big Soda Lake, Nevada

Zooplankton in meromictic Big Soda Lake, Nevada, were sampled in October 1982 to determine species composition and vertical distribution relative to the oxycline. Moina hutchinsoni was most abundant in the epilimnion, but prior to migrating into the anoxic hypolimnion, it aggregated at the oxycline. Brachionus plicatilis was most abundant below the oxycline. Concentrations of Brachionus and Moina near the oxycline corresponded with peaks in bacterial productivity found by previous investigators. However, further investigation should be conducted to verify feeding by zooplankton primarily in the anoxic hypolimnion.     

Butterflies of the Toquima Range, Nevada: distribution, natural history, and comparison to the Toiyabe Range

Studies of Great Basin faunas can provide information for landscape-level adaptive management by federal agencies and shed light on potential effects of climate change in continental interior landscapes. To provide such information, we characterized the butterfly fauna of the Toquima Range, a mountain range in the heart of the Great Basin with topography typical of the region. We also compared the butterfly fauna of the Toquima Range to that of the adjacent Toiyabe Range, which is more topographically complex and species rich but less representative of the Great Basin on the whole. We explicitly addressed the effects of area and water availability on butterfly species richness. Butterfly species presence data were compiled for 14 canons and 1 peak in the Toquima Range. Data from 11 canyons that we inventoried systematically were amenable to statistical analysis. Eighty butterfly species (59 residents) have been recorded from the Toquima Range since 1935. By comparison, 99 species have been recorded from the Toiyabe Range. Mean canyon-level butterfly species richness was significantly lower in the Toquima Range than in the Toiyabe Range. This difference cannot be explained by differences in canyon size between mountain ranges. Within the Toquima Range water availability seems to have a dominant effect on butterfly species richness. Between mountain ranges species richness is influenced by interactions among areas, moisture, and topography. These data should assist managers in developing guidelines for conservation planning in the Great Basin.     

Observations on the reproduction and embryology of the Lahontan tui chub, Gila bicolor, in Walker Lake, Nevada

Various aspects of the reproduction and embryology of Walker Lake Lahontan tui chub, Gila bicolor , were investigated during the spring&ndash;summer period of 1976, 1977, and 1981. Tui chub were found to spawn in littoral regions of the lake beginning in late May or early June. Early in the season male chub substantially outnumbered females over the spawning grounds, with a normal 1:1 sex ratio gradually approached as the season progressed. The developmental period between fertilization to hatch-out was shortened by increases in water temperature. Selected stages of embryonic development are described from egg fertilization through post-hatch.     

Age, growth, and food habits of tui chub, Gila bicolor, in Walker Lake, Nevada

At Walker Lake, Nevada, tui chub were collected 1975&ndash;1977 for analysis of age, growth rate, and food habits. The fork length (FL) &ndash; scale radius (SR) relationship was linear and described by the equation FL = 4.44 + 3.17 (SR). Age I, II, III, and IV chub were 116, 176, 218, and 242 mm fork length, respectively. Maximum longevity was six years. The length weight relationship was defined by the log transformed linear equation log weight = - 4.65 + 2.93 (log FL). Chub collected from pelagic regions ate mostly zooplankton, whereas chub collected from littoral areas had a diet of zooplankton and benthic organisms. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;     

Status and life history notes on the native fishes of the Alvord Basin, Oregon and Nevada

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Three fishes, two species of Gila, and an undescribed subspecies of cutthroat trout, are endemic to the Alvord Basin. Historically, the Alvord cutthroat trout, Salmo clarki ssp., inhabited the larger creeks of the basin but has been extirpated in pure form because of introgression with introduced rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri. Gila boraxobius is restricted to the thermal waters of Borax Lake and its outflows in the northern part of the basin. This species is endangered because of alteration of its fragile habitat. The Alvord chub, G. alvordensis, is recorded from 16 localities throughout the basin, including springs, creeks, and reservoirs. Although G. alvordensis as a species is not in jeopardy, many populations are small and could be easily eliminated by habitat destruction or by the introduction of exotic fishes. Competition with exotic guppies, Poecilia reticulata, has extirpated the Thousand Creek Spring population of Alvord chubs. Both species of Gila are opportunistic omnivores, consuming primarily chironomids, microcrustaceans, and diatoms. The Borax Lake chub also consumed large numbers of terrestrial insects, but specialized feeding on molluscs was noted in the West Spring population of Alvord chubs. Borax Lake chubs spawn throughout the year; however, most spawning occurs in early spring. Borax Lake chubs mature at a small size, occasionally less than 30 mm standard length, and seldom live more than one year. Alvord chubs are typically much larger than the Borax Lake species and live at least into their fifth year.     

Additional records of Coleoptera collected at the Nevada Test Site, Mercury, Nevada

Thirty - nine species of Coleoptera not previously reported for the Nevada Test Site are listed.     

Long-term fire history in Great Basin sagebrush reconstructed from macroscopic charcoal in spring sediments, Newark Valley, Nevada

We use macroscopic charcoal analysis to reconstruct fire history in sagebrush ( Artemisia tridentata var. wyomingensis and A. tridentata var. tridentate ), in Newark Valley, Nevada. We analyzed charcoal at continuous 1-cm intervals (～7-127 years), and pollen at 2- to 10-cm intervals (～70-263 years) in a core spanning the last 5500 cal yr BP (calendar years before present). A charcoal peak in the historic period was associated with a >1400-ha fire dated to 1986 that burned in the watershed. We reconstructed the prehistoric fire history by inferring fires from similar charcoal peaks that were significantly greater than the background charcoal accumulation. Our results suggest the fire regime is climate and fuel driven. During periods of wetter climate, sagebrush increased and fires were more abundant, and during extended dry periods when sagebrush decreased, fires were less frequent. Our method does not allow calculation of a fire-return interval; however, our results support models that estimate a mean fire-return interval of up to a century in Artemisia tridentata var. wyomingensis . The charcoal record indicates that fires have increased within the historic period. This contrasts with pinyon/juniper studies that indicate an expansion of woodland associated with fewer fires in the historic period. We suggest that in the central Great Basin, a regime of frequent fires in sagebrush that limits woodland expansion is true for the sagebrush-woodland ecotone, but in sagebrush-dominated valleys with lower fuel loads, fires have always been less frequent. Protecting sagebrush-dominated valleys from frequent fire would appear to be consistent with the prehistoric fire regime.     

Tamarix aphylla : a newly invasive tree in southern Nevada

In the southwestern United States, the nonnative athel pine ( Tamarix aphylla ) was presumed to be sterile and therefore not as likely to spread as its widely distributed, nonnative congener, T. ramosissima . However, at Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LMNRA) in southern Nevada, populations of T. aphylla have recently spread beyond their limited pre-1990 distribution and now form extensive monospecific stands. Over a 3-year period, we quantified seed production and germination from 60 T. aphylla trees at LMNRA. The annual mean seed production period was 50.6 days, and the mean potential germination (under laboratory conditions) was 22%, indicating that T. aphylla trees at LMNRA are capable of sexual reproduction in southern Nevada. No seeds germinated in field experiments, apparently because of high soil salt levels. However, seedling regeneration is becoming increasingly common at LMNRA. Tamarix aphylla trees occupied a distinct zone along the shoreline of Lake Mead, above T. ramosissima in elevation and below native Larrea tridentata communities, suggesting either competitive exclusion or differential resource utilization. The T. aphylla zone tended to have the highest mean values for total vegetation cover, leaf litter depth, soil salinity, soil moisture, pH, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and soil organic matter. The capacity for sexual reproduction of this alien plant, combined with a suite of characteristics shared with the invasive T. ramosissima (e.g., drought tolerance and copious saline leaf litter), makes T. aphylla a potentially invasive species along the shores of LMNRA and other mesic areas in the desert Southwest.     

Status of Spea stagnalis Cope (1875), Spea intermontanus Cope (1889), and a systematic review of Spea hammondii Baird (1839) (Amphibia: Anura)

In this report emphasis is placed on the dorsal skull characters of the genus Spea and the three species, bombifrons , hammondii , and intermontana . Spea hammondii is a polytypic species with at least three subspecies, hammondii , multiplicatus , and stagnalis , each of which is described and the distribution indicated. Drawings and photographs of skulls are provided for each species, with hammondii and intermontana receiving special consideration.     

Western diamondback rattlesnake in southern Nevada: a correction and comments

Reports of the occurrence of Crotalus atrox Baird & Girard from Nevada are reviewed. There is no evidence to support the occurrence of this species in Nevada.