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Sunday, January 19
 

8:00am CST

Conference Registration Desk Open
Sunday January 19, 2025 8:00am - 6:00pm CST
TBA
Sunday January 19, 2025 8:00am - 6:00pm CST
TBA

9:00am CST

W-04: An Overview of Structured Decision Making for Natural Resources
Sunday January 19, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
W-04: An Overview of Structured Decision Making for Natural Resources
Pre-registration and additional fees are required for participation. Sign up will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis via the online registration form.

HALF DAY AM- 9AM-12PM
Fee: Student - $10; Professional $20
Contact: Brielle Thompson, Postdoc fellow, University of Missouri, brielle.thompson@missouri.edu
Co-Organizer: Mike Colvin, US Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Overview:
Fish and wildlife management involves making difficult decisions concerning natural resource problems. Familiar natural resource problems may include decisions on how many acres of land must be protected, how an endangered species should be reintroduced, whether an agency should conduct more monitoring of an invasive species, etc. The field of decision analysis offers tools such as Structured Decision Making (SDM) to help frame, structure, and identify solutions for such problems. Various Federal and State fish and wildlife agencies are increasingly using SDM to ensure a streamlined, fair, unbiased, and organized decision-making process. This workshop will provide an introduction to SDM and its key components: framing the natural resource management problem; articulating objectives; developing management actions and alternatives; using forecasting tools to evaluate the consequences, or outcomes, of alternatives; and using tradeoff methods to identify management alternatives when decisions involve multiple competing objectives. Throughout the workshop the instructors will provide real world case study examples and offer opportunities for participatory discussion. The workshop will end with a hands-on protype experience of a SDM process.

Intended Audience: Students and Professionals; beginner to advanced material covered
Sunday January 19, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  Pre-Conference Workshop

9:00am CST

W-05: Guerilla-Style, Know-Nothing Software Development Using ChatGPT
Sunday January 19, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
W-05: Guerilla-style, know-nothing software development using ChatGPT
Pre-registration and additional fees are required for participation. Sign up will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis via the online registration form.

HALF DAY AM- 9AM-12PM
Fee: $20 (Additional cost of $20 for attendees to obtain their own ChatGPT account prior to the conference)
Contact: Keith Hurley, Fish and Wildlife Specialist, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, keith.hurley@nebraska.gov

Overview:
Does IT restrictions make small-scale, one-off app development impossible for you? Is the lack of financial resources for software solutions that you have at your disposal blocking your workflow and productivity? We’re all just trying to Get Stuff Done but often it seems like we spend precious time fighting the technology-based hurdles in our way. Gorilla-programming is a philosophy with a few concepts: use readily available and free/low-cost tools, keep things in-house and in your control, and avoid the flashy while aiming for the functional.

The rise of ChatGPT and it’s family of large-language model AI siblings has given us the ability to create computer code without being trained computer developers. During this workshop, we will use ChatGPT along with tools and software you already have on your laptop to create three utility and data-entry applications. We will show you the general process and workflow to create functional software applications that work across devices and operating systems - no coding experience or previous computer development skills are needed! When you return to work after the conference, you’ll be ready to use gorilla-warfare to clear those technology hurdles and GSD.

Intended Audience: Audience: biologists, researchers, anyone working with computers and data on the job. Level of difficulty: beginner (must be able to do basic computer tasks like create a folder and file, open web browser, etc). All levels (students through professionals) would benefit from the workshop - the intent being to provide a new skillset immediately applicable to most any position.
Sunday January 19, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  Pre-Conference Workshop

9:00am CST

Benefits Declaration Workshop (Invitation Only)
Sunday January 19, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm CST
TBA
Co-Organizers:
Caleb O'Brien, Missouri Department of Conservation
Kiandra Rajala, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Ben Beardmore, Wisconsin DNR
Lorisa Smith, Missouri Department of Conservation
Sarah Walker, Colorado State University
Tara Teel, Colorado State University
Mike Manfredo, Colorado State University

Overview:
The purpose of a Benefits Declaration is to identify the diversity of benefits that flow from people's engagement with wildlife and provide a tool to guide more inclusive and effective management for people, wildlife, and habitat. The Benefits Declaration approach stems from the America's Wildlife Values study which highlighted the need for agency adaptation to engage and develop programs and services that resonate with broader constituencies. The workshop was piloted in 2023 at the international Pathways in Human Dimensions conference.

This Benefits Declaration Workshop will be hosted by MAFWA Directors, the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Conservation Social Science/Human Dimensions technical working committee and the Midwest Landscape Initiative. Attendees will be selected by agency directors and leadership within regional NGOs and academic partners. The workshop will provide a regional template that can be implemented within state and community contexts and will help orient future relevancy-focused inquiry across the Midwest region.

For Questions contact: Elizabeth “Ellie” Prentice, Terrestrial Habitat and Social Science Unit Supervisor
Office: (573) 815-7900 ext. 2929; Ellie.Prentice@mdc.mo.gov
Sunday January 19, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm CST
TBA

9:00am CST

W-01: Introduction to Map Making in R
Sunday January 19, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm CST
TBA
W-01: Introduction to Map Making in R
Pre-registration and additional fees are required for participation.  Sign up will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis via the online registration form. 

FULL DAY - SUNDAY; 9AM - 5PM (lunch on own)

Fee: Student -$30; Professional - $60 

Contact: Shaley Valentine, Post Doctoral Researcher, Ohio State University, shaleyvalentine@gmail.com

Overview:
This workshop will introduce participants to fundamentals of creating static and interactive maps using R statistical software. We will focus on the process of wrangling spatial data, integrating spatial data into maps, and mapping aesthetics. We will use the dplyr package to learn the process of wrangling spatial data as well as Tmap and Leaflet to create both static and dynamic maps. These packages use formatting that is consistent across the Tidyverse and the functions are relatively user friendly because they read as explanatory text. The benefit of using R or other coding languages for creating maps is that the workflow is reproduceable and easily altered for future project iterations. We will use fisheries and wildlife spatial datasets to maximize applicability of material to participants.
Writing code in any language takes practice, so this workshop is meant to learn the coding process while thinking about the data wrangling needs to produce maps. Using this process, the goal of this workshop is for participants to increase their proficiency in coding and be able to apply the material to their own projects in the future. To achieve this goal, the workshop is set-up as modules that include walkthrough explanations and guided examples followed by independent or team exercises applying the walk-through code to new data. Each module and exercise will build off previous modules to reinforce material. Participants must bring a laptop with R and RStudio (free software) already downloaded. Participants should have some experience with R or another coding language such as Python and understand basic applications of spatial data.

Intended Audience: This workshop is intended for students and professionals who have some experience using R or other coding language such as Python and some familiarity with spatial data applications.
Sunday January 19, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  Pre-Conference Workshop

9:00am CST

W-02: Promoting Resilient Fish and Wildlife Populations through Disease Investigations
Sunday January 19, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm CST
TBA
W-02: Promoting Resilient Fish and Wildlife Populations through Disease Investigations
Pre-registration and additional fees are required for participation. Sign up will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis via the online registration form.

FULL DAY - SUNDAY; 9AM - 5PM (lunch on own)
Fee: Student - $10; Professional $40
Contact: Tricia Fry, Fish and Wildlife Health Coordinator, Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, tfry.mafwa@gmail.com
Co-Organizers: Deb Hudman, MDC; Ellen Hayes, SEAFWA/SCWDS; Tricia Fry, MAFWA

Overview:
Understanding and monitoring wildlife diseases helps wildlife managers make informed decisions about conservation strategies, population control, and habitat management. Training and adherence to established protocols can significantly enhance the outcomes of wildlife disease management efforts. This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of the following key aspects of a wildlife disease event: disease discovery, incident evaluation, biosafety, sample collection and submission for diagnostic testing, and incident management. The workshop will incorporate case studies of fish and wildlife disease outbreaks to provide real-world context and enhance learning by illustrating key concepts and practices. The workshop will conclude by examining how adopting a One Health integrative strategy enhances the effectiveness of monitoring, surveillance, and management of wildlife diseases, benefiting public health and biodiversity.

Intended Audience: Students and Professionals interested in wildlife heath
Sunday January 19, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  Pre-Conference Workshop

9:00am CST

W-03: Traditional Age Structured Fish Population Modeling and Simulation
Sunday January 19, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm CST
TBA
W-03: Traditional Age Structured Fish Population Modeling and Simulation
Pre-registration and additional fees are required for participation. Sign up will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis via the online registration form.

FULL DAY - SUNDAY; 9AM - 5PM (lunch on own)
Fee: $60
Contact: Hae Kim, Research Associate, Applied Fisheries Management Lab, haekim@missouristate.edu
Co-Organizers: Quinton E. Phelps, Applied Fisheries Management Lab, Missouri State University; Jeffery W. Slipke, US Army Corp. of Engineers; Michael S. Allen, Nature Coast Biological Station, University of Florida

Overview:
This course is intended to provide management biologists with a tool for analyzing and simulating fish populations. We will be using an age-structured approach that incorporates the dynamic rate functions. These approaches will allow managers to simulate population level responses to exploitation and potentially diagnose growth and recruitment overfishing.

We will cover basic population dynamics and methods of quantifying these rates. These rates will be incorporated into an age-structured model. Participants will construct this model in Excel using similar approaches in developing Fishery Analysis and Modeling Software (FAMS). Various fish populations, regulations, and management objectives will be covered through examples.

Students are encouraged to participate. While specific examples will be provided, participants are encouraged to bring their own data.

Intended Audience: Students and Professionals; intermediate level
Sunday January 19, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  Pre-Conference Workshop

12:00pm CST

Speaker Ready Room Open
Sunday January 19, 2025 12:00pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
Sunday January 19, 2025 12:00pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  For Speakers

1:00pm CST

W-06: Playing with Privilege: Unpacking Privilege & Power in the Outdoors
Sunday January 19, 2025 1:00pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
W-06: Playing with Privilege: Unpacking Privilege & Power in the Outdoors
Pre-registration and additional fees are required for participation. Sign up will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis via the online registration form.

HALF DAY PM - 1PM-5PM
Fee: $10
Contact: Amy Bousman, Education Specialist, Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks, amy.bousman@ks.gov
Co-organizer: Andrea Jones Klein - MN Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife - R3 Partnership Coordinator

Overview:
When it comes to identifying barriers to participation in the outdoors, the realization of inequity amongst underserved & non-traditional communities is often cumbersome & uncomfortable. In a new twist to diffuse the heavier aspects of equity engagement efforts, the co-organizers of this workshop will support attendees in unpacking some of the lesser-known barriers to accessing the outdoors through playful interaction & brave conversations.
Aspects of this workshop will include movement-based methods to address concepts of equity and inclusion in R3. The final hour of this workshop will offer a whole group debriefing space to discuss revelations or difficulties that arose during the workshop. From there, smaller breakout spaces for people who prefer smaller group conversations, or conversations geared toward specific populations will be available.

Intended Audience: Students and Professionals; beginner & intermediate, but all could benefit & are welcome. Notetaking supplies encouraged.
Sunday January 19, 2025 1:00pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  Pre-Conference Workshop

1:00pm CST

W-07: Public Land and Natural Resource Policy in North America
Sunday January 19, 2025 1:00pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
W-07: Public Land and Natural Resource Policy in North America
Pre-registration and additional fees are required for participation.  Sign up will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis via the online registration form. 

HALF DAY PM - 1PM-5PM
Fee: $25 
Contact: Gary Potts, Past President, IL DNR  (Retired) & The Wildlife Society, gary.potts@sbcglobal.net
Workshop sponsored by the North Central Section of The Wildlife Society.

Overview:
This workshop provides information for developing an understanding of the derivation, principles, and processes for a wide variety of recreational and natural resource management policies concerning public land management.  This is accomplished by providing a broad overview of policy issues related to historical and current recreational and natural resource management.
Course/Learning objectives
  • Understand history of North American conservation and how it has shaped the development of natural resource and recreation policies.
  • Understand roles of science, policy, and politics in developing and implementing outdoor recreation and natural resource policies.
  • Understand how economics and markets affect outdoor recreation and natural resource policy processes.
  • Understanding of the processes of policy development and implementation for recreation and natural resource management.
  • Understand roles and responsibilities of various agencies in developing and implementing recreation and natural resource management policies.
  • Develop an understanding of the complexities of recreation and natural resource policy by examining real-life examples of past and current policy issues. 
Intended Audience: Students and Professionals; intermediate level
Sunday January 19, 2025 1:00pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  Pre-Conference Workshop

1:00pm CST

W-08: Wildlife Capture Techniques
Sunday January 19, 2025 1:00pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
W-08: Wildlife Capture Techniques
Pre-registration and additional fees are required for participation. Sign up will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis via the online registration form.

HALF DAY PM - 1PM-5PM
Fee: $10
Contact: David Hoffman, Natural Resource Tech, IA DNR, David.Hoffman@dnr.iowa.gov

Overview:
The workshop would cover varies wildlife techniques from capturing waterfowl, pheasants, trumpeter swans, otters, bobcats, gray fox, sandhill cranes and whitetail deer. It would cover past and proven techniques as well as some new out of the box ideas to spark new innovative ideas. Techniques from bait traps, to leg snares, to camera traps and everything in between.

Intended Audience: Students and Professionals; Beginner to advanced levels covered. The workshop would allow flexibility to meet the needs of the audience level attending
Sunday January 19, 2025 1:00pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  Pre-Conference Workshop

1:00pm CST

Exhibitor Set-up
Sunday January 19, 2025 1:00pm - 6:00pm CST
TBA
Sunday January 19, 2025 1:00pm - 6:00pm CST
TBA

2:00pm CST

Salmonid Technical Committee Winter Business Meeting
Sunday January 19, 2025 2:00pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
Speakers
MS

Mike Siepker

Fisheries Supervisor, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Sunday January 19, 2025 2:00pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  Committee Meeting

4:00pm CST

Joint Winter Business Meeting of the Centrarchid, Esocid, and Walleye Technical Committees
Sunday January 19, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm CST
TBA
Moderators
JG

Jason Gostiaux

Fisheries Biologist, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Sunday January 19, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm CST
TBA
  Committee Meeting

5:00pm CST

Student Icebreaker Meet & Greet
Sunday January 19, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm CST
TBA
Sunday January 19, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm CST
TBA
  Student Event

6:00pm CST

Welcome Networking Social
Sunday January 19, 2025 6:00pm - 9:00pm CST
TBA
Sunday January 19, 2025 6:00pm - 9:00pm CST
TBA
  Featured Event
 
Monday, January 20
 

7:00am CST

Continental Breakast with Exhibitors
Monday January 20, 2025 7:00am - 8:30am CST
TBA
Monday January 20, 2025 7:00am - 8:30am CST
TBA
  Meal/Social Event

7:00am CST

Trade Show Open
Monday January 20, 2025 7:00am - 5:00pm CST
TBA
Monday January 20, 2025 7:00am - 5:00pm CST
TBA

7:00am CST

Speaker Ready Room Open
Monday January 20, 2025 7:00am - 5:00pm CST
TBA
Monday January 20, 2025 7:00am - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  For Speakers

7:00am CST

Conference Registration Desk Open
Monday January 20, 2025 7:00am - 6:00pm CST
TBA
Monday January 20, 2025 7:00am - 6:00pm CST
TBA

8:00am CST

Plenary Session 1
Monday January 20, 2025 8:00am - 10:05am CST
TBA
Monday January 20, 2025 8:00am - 10:05am CST
TBA
  Featured Event

10:05am CST

Coffee Break
Monday January 20, 2025 10:05am - 10:30am CST
TBA
Monday January 20, 2025 10:05am - 10:30am CST
TBA
  Coffee Break

10:30am CST

Annual Membership Meeting – North Central Section of The Wildlife Society
Monday January 20, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
Moderators
avatar for Jeremy Holtz

Jeremy Holtz

Wildlife biologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Monday January 20, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  Committee Meeting

10:30am CST

North Central Division AFS Business Meeting
Monday January 20, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
Speakers
DI

Daniel Isermann

Unit Leader, USGS-Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
Monday January 20, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  Committee Meeting

12:00pm CST

Lunch On Your Own
Monday January 20, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm CST
TBA
Monday January 20, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm CST
TBA

12:00pm CST

Student & Professional Networking Luncheon (pre-registration required)
Monday January 20, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm CST
TBA
Monday January 20, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm CST
TBA
  Meal/Social Event

1:00pm CST

Conservation philanthropy...it's not just about special events
Monday January 20, 2025 1:00pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
Many conservation foundations focus on special events to provide funding for their agencies. Is this the best way to utilize your time? During this roundtable discussion, we'll explore with foundation executives and conservation leaders creative and strategic opportunities to fund projects and programming through annual giving, major and planned gifts, foundations and government funding. We will look at individuals, businesses, foundations, NGOs, and government models that have worked and can be used to make your fundraising operation more successful and support your most important conservation programs.

Agenda
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. : Update from Midwest participants of fundraising and programming successes in 2024 into 2025.
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.: Fundraising for conservation programs.
  • Special Events
  • Annual Giving
  • Major and planned gifts
  • Foundations
  • Cause related fundraising
  • local Government
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Funding of Programs
  • Capital Campaigns
Models:
  • Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation: Capital Campaign for Johnny Morris Institute for Fisheries, Wetlands, and Aquatic Systems.
  • Midway Foundation and Arkansas Impact Fund.
  • University of Memphis/Arkansas State University Groundwater Partnership.
  • Missouri Mitigation Programs: Stream Stewardship Trust Fund and Bat Habitat Program.
  • Tennessee's model for Capital Projects for Higher Education: S-3: Students, Supporters, State.
  • Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries, Parks, Marine Foundation Heritage 100 program.
Speakers
KR

Kevin Roper

President, Kevin Roper Consulting
Monday January 20, 2025 1:00pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  Committee Meeting

1:00pm CST

Lake and Reservoir Management Committee Meeting
Monday January 20, 2025 1:00pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
Moderators
WR

Will Radigan

PhD Student, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Monday January 20, 2025 1:00pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  Committee Meeting

1:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Effects of Flow Variation on Recruitment in a Central Missouri Stream Fish Assemblage
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Connor S. Church, University of Missouri School of Natural Resources; Allison A. Pease, University of Missouri School of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: In the Central U.S., we are experiencing more frequent extreme high-flow events (floods) in many stream systems associated with climate change. Large swaths of the globe are expected to experience wetter conditions with more frequent, high-magnitude precipitation events in the future. Our objectives were to determine if the effects of extreme flows on fish recruitment are predictable based on life history traits, and to learn how extreme flows affect habitat characteristics and food availability for age-0 fishes. To provide these data, we sampled age-0 fishes by seining in Richland Creek and a side channel of the Lamine River in central Missouri 2023-2024. Each site was surveyed twice monthly from May-September. To characterize food resource availability and quality in relation to flows across the season, we sampled benthic macroinvertebrates using dip net sweeps, and we collected zooplankton using a plankton trap. In 2023, a year with an exceptionally dry spring followed by one summer flood, abundance of age-0 native fishes was low in the Lamine River side channel compared to Richland Creek, Western Mosquitofish, an opportunistic species, predominated in 2023. In 2024, two spring floods occurred, along with multiple rain events during the spring and early summer that allowed floodplain and side channel access to spawning fishes and age-0 individuals. Age-0 individuals of periodic species such as longnose gar, bigmouth buffalo, and skipjack herring were only detected in 2024. Aquatic invertebrate diversity and abundance were higher in 2023 than in 2024. Our research will help address how timing, frequency, and magnitude of flow events affect recruitment in stream fish assemblages.
Speakers
CC

Connor Church

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Missouri
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquatic Ecology

1:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Identifying Walleye and Lake Whitefish Spawning Habitat to Inform Habitat Improvements for Lake Sturgeon in the Lower Fox River below De Pere Dam
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Braden Lensing, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Daniel Dembkowski, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Joshua Raabe, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Jason Breegemann, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Daniel Isermann, U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

ABSTRACT: Previous research indicates that lake sturgeon Acipenser fluvescens recruitment is limited in the Lower Fox River below De Pere Dam. Habitat enhancements in the form of an offshore reef have been proposed to potentially improve the recruitment of lake sturgeon. However, identifying spawning habitats for other species could help to ensure that restoration efforts for lake sturgeon do not result in loss of spawning habitat for other species. The Lower Fox River supports spawning runs of walleye Sander vitreus and lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis, both of which support important fisheries in southern Green Bay. Our objectives are to 1) describe spatial variation in walleye and lake whitefish egg densities in the LFR below De Pere Dam to inform placement of the lake sturgeon spawning reef; 2) determine if spatial variation in egg densities are related to a suite of environmental variables (e.g., flow, depth, and substrate), 3) determine if spatial distributions of eggs are similar for walleye and lake whitefish, and 4) describe the timing (e.g., start, peak, end, and duration) of walleye and lake whitefish spawning. Heat maps generated from relative egg densities illustrate the spatial distribution of walleye and lake whitefish egg densities and reveal significant overlap in egg deposition between the two species, as well as notable overlap with three of four proposed reef locations. The 2023 lake whitefish spawning period spanned 14 days, beginning on November 8 and concluding around November 21. In contrast, the 2024 walleye spawning season lasted 38 days, commencing on March 18 and ending about April 25.
Speakers
BL

Braden Lensing

Graduate Research Assistant, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit University of Wisconsin Stevens Point
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Walleye

1:40pm CST

Wildlife Track: 'On The Road Again' Native Species Seeding By Midwestern DOTs and Potential Improvements
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Wesley Bollinger, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

ABSTRACT: As road development continues to fragment native landscapes and stifle wildlife movement, there has been increased attention towards maintaining and restoring ecosystem services and habitat connectivity around roadways. Increased use of native plants along roadways can reduce overall maintenance costs, bolster ecosystem services, and broaden migration corridors for numerous species, including birds and pollinators like the Monarch Butterfly.

State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) play a critical role in the balance between development and natural area conservation given their road creation efforts and maintenance of their sizeable land holdings. As most midwestern state DOTs employ native species in their roadside seeding specifications, I provide an overview of these seeding efforts, giving particular attention to states like Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois that include many diverse native seed mixes. I will also present preliminary results from surveys of Illinois and Indiana DOT native seed plots from the last 17 years. This presentation illustrates beneficial techniques for seeding in heavily disturbed, invaded landscapes and provides insight into which native species best establish and persist in these conditions.
Speakers
WB

Wesley Bollinger

Masters Candidate, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Habitat Management and Restoration

1:40pm CST

Wildlife Track: Low population densities of Missouri brown tarantulas (Aphonopelma hentzi) in Missouri glades.
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Becky Hansis-O'Neill, University of Missouri - St. Louis
Aimee Dunlap, University of Missouri - St. Louis

ABSTRACT: Aphonopelma hentzi has not been a species of concern for arachnologists in North America. Researchers report high densities at their field sites in the states of Colorado (CO) and Texas (TX) with no major conservation concerns. Central Missouri (MO) represents the most northern and easterly range edge for A. hentzi where they are primarily found in native glade grasslands. We have conducted a population assessment on three such glades over the past two years and discovered very low population densities compared to other researcher sites around the USA. Glades in central MO may represent habitat islands within the edge of A. hentzi’s range. Additionally, MO glades have been degraded over time by changing fire regimes and disturbance by hobby herpetologists. Our research aims to assess these populations over time in terms of density, preferred habitat, genetic health, and effects of disturbance. These tarantulas may be at risk due to a confluence of factors such as range edge effects, illegal collecting, habitat fragmentation, or other unknowns like pesticide exposure or disease. These factors may be causing low population densities, creating an Allee effect where these subpopulations may not easily recover. Small predator biodiversity is likely important for bottom-up maintenance of native vegetation via control of grazing invertebrates like orthopterans. This paper presentation will cover our current work on this project and future directions.
Speakers
BH

Becky Hansis-O'Neill

PhD Candidate, University of Missouri - St. Louis
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Invertebrate Ecology

1:40pm CST

S-01: Audubon’s bird conservation strategy on the Mississippi River
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Dale Gentry, Director of Conservation, Audubon Upper Mississippi River; Brent Newman, Program Director - Mississippi River Water Initiative, National Audubon Society

ABSTRACT: Riparian and floodplain forest habitats of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) are the backbone of the Mississippi Flyway which serves as a major aerial highway for 60% of North America's bird species. The incredibly diverse ecosystems associated with the Mississippi River have been altered by agriculture, the impoundment of the river in locks and dams, levees, pollution, and climate change, which have reduced the quantity and quality of habitat for migrant and breeding birds. Audubon’s Mississippi River Initiative is a focused effort engaging and working alongside private and public land managers to mitigate these factors that are negatively influencing habitat and water quality by encouraging and guiding bird-friendly habitat management strategies that retain and enhance forest and grasslands cover in the UMR flyway. Audubon’s Mississippi River Initiative emphasizes science, habitat restoration, and policy approaches. 1) We are implementing and supporting avian monitoring and research efforts along the river to fill critical science gaps and develop habitat restoration strategies that align with science-based management and adaptation plans. 2) We are partnering with federal, state, and private land managers and stakeholders to restore and enhance bottomland and upland forests. We are also enhancing water quality by expanding and improving the management of perennial grass pastures in the Mississippi River watershed through Audubon’s Conservation Ranching initiative. Finally, 3) we are pursuing policy solutions that will lead to a healthy and resilient environment for priority bird species and human communities. Audubon works from the halls of Congress and river management teams to local city councils to achieve policies and funding implementation in alignment with our watershed goals. Through these three action steps, Audubon is seeking a more resilient and ecologically vibrant future for the Mississippi River.
Speakers
DG

Dale Gentry

Director of Conservation, Audubon - Upper Mississippi River
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  S-01: Flight of Discovery: Bird Research & Monitoring within the Mississippi Flyway

1:40pm CST

S-02: Climbing the Ladder Towards Aquatic Connectivity for Stream Fishes in Eastern South Dakota
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Evan Spencer, GRA South Dakota State University, Dr. Christopher Cheek, Assistant Professor South Dakota State University

ABSTRACT: Stream channel fragmentation constrains the movement of stream fishes, thereby reducing access to critical habitats. Stream-road crossings are prevalent throughout the United States and have the potential to fragment aquatic ecosystems. Tube culverts, where streams pass under the road through metal pipes, are particularly concerning for stream connectivity. Undersized, aging, or inappropriately installed culverts can develop vertical drops at the outflow due to high velocities and stream bed scouring. This condition, known as perching, can function as a barrier preventing the upstream movement of fishes. Due to the prevalence of culverts in stream networks, novel solutions are needed that rapidly address fish passage at perched culverts. In this study, we assessed a low-cost Denil-type fish ladder designed to integrate with tube culverts and mitigate stream fragmentation caused by tube culverts. Specific objectives are to (1) quantify the impact road crossings have on the movement of small-bodied fishes, (2) demonstrate the long-term and short-term efficacy of experimental fish ladders in facilitating fish passage through tube culverts, (3) determine passage rates among different swimming guilds of stream fishes in Eastern South Dakota. For this, eight stream road crossings we selected in the Big Sioux, Vermillion, and Minnesota River watersheds. A before-after-control impact design was adopted to evaluate the effectiveness of fish ladders on the movement of fishes through tube culverts. In the summer of 2023-2024, over 6000 small-bodied stream fishes comprised of 22 species were captured and implanted with Biomark 8mm PIT (passive integrated transponder) tags. Capture-recapture data was collected using PIT telemetry. In the Spring-Summer 2024, experimental fish ladders were installed at perched tube culverts and fish passage was evaluated using capture-recapture methodologies to model multi-state detection, survival, and transition probability.
Speakers
ES

Evan Spencer

Graduate Research Assistant, South Dakota State University - Natural Resource Management
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  S-02: Connecting the Dots: Addressing Aquatic Habitat Fragmentation Across the Midwest

1:40pm CST

S-03: CWD: Strengthening Public Involvement: Iowa’s Multifaceted Approach to CWD Outreach and Management
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Catherine Cummings, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach & Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Adam Janke, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach; Tyler Harms, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Jace Elliott, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Rachel Ruden, Iowa Department of Natural Resources & Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

ABSTRACT: As Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) continues to pose a significant threat to Iowa’s white–tailed deer populations, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach are committed to developing innovative outreach programs to enhance awareness and foster collaboration. With an increasing number of counties detecting CWD, our efforts focus on educating hunters, landowners, and the public on best practices for hunting and processing, while actively involving them in disease management. Key initiatives include 1) the Chronic Wasting Disease Ambassador Program, which empowers local stakeholders to serve as educators within their communities; 2) public meetings that facilitate direct communication between DNR staff, hunters, and landowners; 3) the integration of CWD education into youth and adult hunter education programs; 4) the development of county CWD resource guides tailored to each county; and 5) CWD incentive hunts in core disease hotspots to provide hunters with landowner access for additional deer harvest in the late season. Through these initiatives, the Iowa DNR and ISU Extension aim to not only share critical information, but also inspire proactive community participation in managing the spread of CWD. By fostering open dialogue and collaborative engagement, we seek to create a well-informed, adaptive, and responsive network of Iowans–hunters, landowners, and conservationists–equipped to tackle the challenges of CWD and contribute to the disease’s long-term management.

Speakers
avatar for Catherine Cummings

Catherine Cummings

Chronic Wasting Disease Outreach Specialist, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Catherine is currently in a joint role with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and Iowa Department of Natural Resources to serve as a Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Outreach Specialist. She delivers presentations about CWD mitigation and management to relevant stakeholder... Read More →
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  S-03: CWD: A Wicked Challenge

1:40pm CST

S-04: Historical Perspectives on Trout Management in Missouri
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Mike Kruse, Missouri Fly Fishing Guide

ABSTRACT: Salmonid fishes are not native to Missouri or any portion of the Ozarks, likely due to the region’s southerly latitude, low elevation and resulting scarcity of cold streams. The first salmonids were introduced in Missouri in 1878 when Pacific salmon were released. In the decades that followed, a number of species of trout, salmon and grayling were indiscriminately stocked throughout the state. Most releases were into waters unsuitable for tout and only a few populations of rainbow trout were established in springs or spring-influenced areas that maintained cold water temperatures throughout the summer. By 1937, when the Missouri Department of Conservation was established, trout hatcheries had been built near a number of large springs. Trout stocking was restricted to springs or stream sections adjacent to spring inflows that were suitable for trout survival. Hatchery production, and resultant stocking, gradually increased and created a demand for trout fishing and trout harvest. In the 1970s, the first restrictive harvest regulations were established. Initially, these restrictions applied to populations containing mostly hatchery trout, but later, to populations of naturally-reproducing trout. In 2003, the Missouri Conservation Commission approved a comprehensive trout management plan that resulted in hatchery expansions, habitat assessments, a statewide trout angler survey and a review of management approaches. Today, about 300 miles of Missouri streams are considered suitable for “coldwater sport fishery” and about half are actively managed for trout fishing by the Missouri Department of Conservation. The fisheries vary from intensively stocked “put and take” areas, to streams managed exclusively for naturally-reproducing rainbow trout. An important trout fishery is also found in Lake Taneycomo, a “tailwater” below Table Rock Lake. Seasonal trout fisheries, mostly in small municipal impoundments, have increased in number in recent decades.
Speakers
avatar for Mike Kruse

Mike Kruse

Head Guide, Missouri Fly Fishing Guide (missouriflyfishingguide.com)
I'm a retired biologist, administrator and university instructor and now a fly fishing guide in the Missouri Ozarks. 
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 1)

1:40pm CST

S-05: Fishers & Farmers Partnership: Energizing Healthy Farms & Fish Habitats Through Neighbor Connections
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Ben Lubinski, Illinois Dept of Natural Resources - Fisheries; Heidi Keuler, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Jodi Whittier, University of Missouri - Columbia

ABSTRACT:  Locally led, neighbor to neighbor soil health and watershed groups are driving landscape scale change across the Upper Mississippi River Basin. Fishers & Farmers Partnership (FFP) funded their first farmer-led committee project in the Bourbeuse/Meramec Watershed in eastern Missouri in 2009-2010 and has awarded over 60 projects throughout the Upper Mississippi River Basin. FFP has learned and grown with landowner groups in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin, and has been a catalyst to drive innovative projects such as the Fishers & Farmers workshops for farmer-led groups. Each year FFP awards National Fish Habitat Partnership funds to engage landowners; improve farms and fish habitat; address root causes of watershed problems; and support communications, monitoring, and science that aligns with FFP's strategic plan. FFP works with local farmers and organizations in a bottom-up versus top-down approach to address specific agriculture-related problems more effectively. FFP communication efforts help farmers and organizations share knowledge and experiences, explore resources, and become energized and inspired by their neighbors.
Speakers
BL

Ben Lubinski

Fisheries, IL Dept of Natural Resources
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  S-05: Working Lands & Resilient Streams: The Power of Partnering with Landowners

1:40pm CST

S-06: Prairie Reconstruction: Prairie Fork CA Case Study and Lessons Learned
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Chris Newbold, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT:  The Missouri Department of Conservation conducted a 700 + acre prairie reconstruction project at Prairie Fork Conservation Area in east-central Missouri from 2004-2019. This long-term reconstruction project provided an opportunity to use a chronosequence approach to assess the success of two reconstruction methods in emulating local, reference remnant prairie plant communities. We compared broadcast dormant seeding following two types of site preparation, agricultural cropping (Crop) or herbicide control in existing grass assemblages (Grass), and remnant communities. The Crop site preparation method resulted in a rapid increase in richness shortly following seeding. Although more similar to remnant assemblages initially, the Grass method took longer for mean coefficient of conservatism and floristic quality index to approach conditions of the reference communities. However, neither method resulted in plant community compositions that converged with the reference through time. Further, indicator species analysis identified a diverse assemblage of species lacking from the reconstructed prairies. This information is important for land managers in the development of adaptive management strategies during active reconstruction. We also provide some ‘lessons learned’ over the course of the 15-year reconstruction project that could be useful to other prairie managers.
Speakers
CN

Chris Newbold

District Supervisor, The North Central Section of The Wildlife Society
Monday January 20, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  S-06: Restoring and Reconstructing Endangered Ecosystems in Missouri: Case Studies of Prairie/Savanna/Woodland and Wetland Natural Communities

2:00pm CST

Fisheries Track: Diet and Niche Overlap of Blue Catfish and Resident Reservoir Sportfishes to Inform Stocking Decisions
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jacob L Bentley, The Ohio State University; Stuart A Ludsin, The Ohio State University

ABSTRACT: The intentional introduction of nonnative predators to generate novel fisheries, while common, has the potential to threaten existing fisheries through numerous mechanisms such as competition and predation. Similarly, stocking success could be hampered by these same mechanisms, highlighting the need to understand habitat use and niche overlap among biota. In Ohio reservoirs, Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) has been stocked since 2010 to create novel trophy fisheries. However, the potential exists that the success of Blue Catfish will either threaten the success of existing fisheries or threaten the success of the stocking program if niche overlap among species is high. To assess niche overlap and the potential for competition among stocked Blue Catfish, native predators (e.g., Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus; Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides), and stocked saugeye (Sander canadensis x S. vitreus), we analyzed the diets and stable isotope ratios (nitrogen, carbon, and sulphur) of muscle tissue from fish collected during spring, summer, and fall of 2021-2023 in two Ohio reservoirs: one stocked with Blue Catfish (Hoover Reservoir) and one not stocked with Blue Catfish (Alum Creek Lake). We hypothesized that niche overlap would be highest between catfish species, with Largemouth Bass and saugeye also overlapping. Our hypothesis was only partially supported. Results show niche partitioning between Blue Catfish and all other species. Blue Catfish consumed more and larger fish prey (e.g., large-bodied Gizzard Shad) relative to all other species, with Channel Catfish feeding mostly on aquatic insect larvae (e.g., chironomids). By contrast, Largemouth Bass and saugeye primarily fed on smaller-bodied Gizzard Shad than Blue Catfish, with their diets being similar as expected. In addition to quantifying niche envelopes for these species, we discuss how our findings, and stable isotopes in general, can be used to help inform stocking decision-making in reservoir ecosystems.
Speakers
JB

Jacob Bentley

Master's Student, The Ohio State University
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquatic Ecology

2:00pm CST

Fisheries Track: Identifying Spawning Sites and Fidelity of Ogaa (walleye Sander Vitreus): Implications for Fishery Stewardship
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kayla Lenz, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission; Aaron Shultz, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission; Adam Ray, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission; Carl Klimah, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

ABSTRACT: Mille Lacs Lake located in the 1837 Ceded Territory in central Minnesota offers a unique site for assessing the movement of fish throughout a large temperate lake. The relative shallowness of the lake and resultant lack of a thermocline allows ogaawag (walleye Sander vitreus) to forage throughout the lake, thus maximizing their range. Ogaawag , have been impacted by the many changes happening in this system over the past several decades, resulting in a variable but overall decreasing population between 1980 and 2016, when the population seems to have plateaued. This decrease has largely been attributed to a decrease in annual recruitment from hatching to age-2, but the root cause of that recruitment problem is yet unclear. In other large lake systems, ogaawag frequently display spawning site fidelity, making them especially reliant on a relatively small spawning area. Disturbances and changes in these areas may decrease overall reproduction and decrease fry survival. Identifying and protecting these critical sites may maintain annual recruitment of Mille Lacs ogaawag. The purpose of this study was to identify ogaawag spawning sites across years, characterize habitat type, and quantify spawning site fidelity of adult ogaawag in Mille Lacs Lake. Here we examine the movements of 70 tagged adult ogaawag during the spawning periods of 2019, 2020, and 2021 to determine the proportion of ogaawag that display spawning site fidelity and which areas of the lake were “hotspots” for spawning. Using an acoustic telemetry array, we examine the relationships between sex, length, detection depth, average residence time at each receiver, and spawning site fidelity to establish patterns of behavior among ogaawag. We found that ogaawag in Mille Lacs display spawning site fidelity at high rates (96%) and identified areas with rocky and/or hard substrate, lots of wind/wave action, and that are near undeveloped shoreline to be hotspots of ogaawag activity during the spawning season. We also observed what is likely an occurrence of skipped spawning in a female ogaa. Findings from this study should be used to create new stewardship plans to protect in-lake, shoreline, and upland habitats near spawning aggregation sites in Mille Lacs Lake. These approaches may be applicable to other large lake ecosystems.
Speakers
KL

Kayla Lenz

Fisheries Research LTE, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Walleye

2:00pm CST

Wildlife Track: Effects of Landscape Characteristics on Occurrence and Density of Native Bumblebee Species. Fort Riley. Kansas
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Cassidy Lathrom, Kansas State University; Dave Haukos, United States Geological Survey; Caroline Skidmore, Kansas State University; Brian Monser, Fort Riley Environmental Division; Derek Moon, Fort Riley Environmental Division

ABSTRACT: We assessed the influence of management actions on the occurrence and density of native bumblebee populations in the Great Plains region. Occurrence, density, and distribution of native bumblebees (Bombus spp.) were assessed relative to landscape characteristics and environmental conditions (e.g., fire, haying, mechanical and herbicide control of invading trees and herbaceous plants) on Fort Riley, Kansas. Multi-scale assessments were used to estimate distribution and density of species-specific Bombus at landscape and unit scales across accessible areas of the study area. Unit scales were categorized by dominant cover type (e.g., natural prairie, go-back land, woodland, cultivated/crop land, water, burned, and hayed). Distance sampling was used to estimate distribution and density of species-specific Bombus at landscape scales across accessible areas of the study area. Site locations within predetermined unit scales were selected using randomized surveys resulting in 151, 500-m transects. We conducted sampling during early summer (May and June) and late summer (July and August). Location of all bumblebees observed along the transect were recorded using a Trimble GPS unit. Package Distance in Program R was used to estimate density of Bombus spp. across Fort Riley, within certain cover types, and by management action. Data were comprised of six species including American (B. pensylvanicus), Southern Plains (B. fraternus), Black and Gold (B. auricomus), Common Eastern (B. impatiens), Brown-Belted (B. griseocollis), and Two Spotted (B. bimaculatus). We estimated 1.30 Bombus/ha (CV = 0.184) and 1.40 Bombus/ha (CV = 0.122) during 2022 and 2023, respectively. These data are the first known estimates of Bombus density in tallgrass prairie and serve as a baseline for future assessments.
Speakers
CL

Cassidy Lathrom

Graduate Research Assistant, Kansas State University
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Invertebrate Ecology

2:00pm CST

Wildlife Track: Mastering the Flames: An overview of prescribed burning training for students and early career professionals
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Craig Maier, Tallgrass Prairie and Oak Savanna Fire Science Consortium; Carol Baldwin, Great Plains Fire Science Exchange

ABSTRACT: Prescribed burning is critical to managing many wildlife habitats in North America, and the need for trained individuals is growing due to greater investment in wildfire risk mitigation and prescribed fire. Often students and early career professionals would like to add prescribed burning to their skill set, but are unaware of the training opportunities available or which would be most suitable for their career path. Prescribed burn training can occur through academic classes, online and in-person training for federal certification, state Extension trainings with and without certification, prescribed burning cooperatives and associations, and other opportunities. An overview of training requirements and types of trainings available can help wildlife managers meet personal and career goals. Examples of incorporating training into institutional settings will provide models for those looking to begin offering trainings at the college level.
Speakers
avatar for Craig Maier

Craig Maier

Coordinator, Tallgrass Prairie and Oak Savanna Fire Science Consortium
I work across the Upper Midwest to strengthen connections between researchers and land managers. Grad students and PIs - we have a working list of research needs, literature review needs, and fire ecology methods. Land managers - we have a library of short summaries of research (emphasizing... Read More →
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Habitat Management and Restoration

2:00pm CST

S-01: Bottomland Forest Birds along the Upper Mississippi River
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Tara Hohman, Audubon Upper Mississippi River; Dale Gentry, Audubon Upper Mississippi River; Nicole Michels, National Audubon Society

ABSTRACT: Floodplain forests of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) provide critical habitat for a diverse avian community. Yet dozens of bird species that use these forests are listed as priority species and/or Species of Greatest Conservation Need by state and national agencies. These same agencies outline the desire to further define best management practices to conserve floodplain forest birds through their full annual cycle. Our 10 years of research on bottomland forest bird species along the UMR has resulted in the initial development of priority areas for birds within this landscape, as well as habitat associations between birds and the habitat characteristics they select for. This presentation discusses these findings and reviews the different and similar needs of focal species and species diversity in different stretches of this region. Towards the end of this presentation, we will also discuss the next steps to this work and goals for the future.
Speakers
TH

Tara Hohman

Conservation Science Manager, Audubon Upper Mississippi River
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  S-01: Flight of Discovery: Bird Research & Monitoring within the Mississippi Flyway

2:00pm CST

S-02: Fish Freeways: How Rock Ramps are Assisting Prairie Stream Fish Movement
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: *Seth Callahan, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, 302 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building, Columbia, MO 65211, bscnh9@missouri.edu
*Presenting author

Jacob Westhoff, U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, 302 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, westhoffj@missouri.edu

Brett Perkins, The Nature Conservancy, Dunn Ranch Prairie, 16970 W 150th St, Hatfield, MO 64458, brett.perkins@tnc.org


ABSTRACT: Human-made structures such as box culverts and similar road crossings can cause habitat fragmentation within stream networks and require remediation for effective aquatic organism passage. There is increasing interest in restoring habitat connectivity and aquatic organism passage for conservation purposes, along with assessing project effectiveness. Two, low- gradient rock ramps were installed in the forks of Little Creek in Harrison County, Missouri in 2022 to protect existing infrastructure and restore natural aquatic organism passage to over eight kilometers of headwater stream. These first order prairie streams had been eroded by head cutting to the base of each of the box culverts resulting in greater than one meter of drop on the downstream side of each culvert. Installation of the rock ramps at a natural grade sought to restore stream connectivity and allow for aquatic organism passage. We tagged multiple fish species downstream of each rock ramp using passive integrated responder (PIT) and visual implanted elastomer (VIE) tags in the spring of 2024 and used submersible PIT antennas and seining to detect fish movement. We determined that both rock ramps have allowed for fish passage of multiple fish species, including an experimental population of Topeka Shiners. We detected 14.5% of all PIT tagged fish successfully using the rock ramps to move upstream in the first two months of data collection. Three VIE tagged fish were recaptured upstream of the box culverts with seine nets. Our preliminary results highlight effective methods for monitoring aquatic organism passage in prairie streams and the ecological benefits of restored stream connectivity in fragmented habitats.
Speakers
SC

Seth Callahan

PhD Research Assistant, University of Missouri
2nd year PhD student at Mizzou studying beaver dam analogues as tools for stream restoration in the context of stream morphology, fish communities, and fish passage.
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  S-02: Connecting the Dots: Addressing Aquatic Habitat Fragmentation Across the Midwest

2:00pm CST

S-03: CWD: Identifying the Motivations and Barriers of Landowners to Participating in Targeted Removal to Manage Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Missouri
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jason Isabelle, Missouri Department of Conservation; Jasmine Batten, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Phil Seng, DJ Case & Associates; Matt Harlow, DJ Case & Associates; Rachel Menale, DJ Case & Associates


ABSTRACT: Since first detecting chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the free-ranging white-tailed deer population in 2012, the Missouri Department of Conservation has implemented targeted removal to slow disease spread. Targeted removal is one of few interventions with evidence of efficacy yet is often met with resistance and lack of stakeholder support. As such, identifying the motivations and barriers of landowners to participating in targeted removal is key to addressing participation deficiencies and fostering landowner engagement in CWD management. We conducted 12 focus group meetings in Missouri during 2022 with landowners who owned property near where CWD has been detected. Motivations for participating in targeted removal included a sense of civic responsibility to people and/or the deer population, additional hunting opportunity, food, convenience of the removal program, and positive feelings about contributing to CWD management. Barriers or deterrents to participation included misunderstanding about CWD and the objectives of targeted removal, perception of low deer density, reluctance to relinquish what landowners felt was management control of their land during targeted removal, distain for targeted removal methods (e.g., night shooting, baiting), and objections about when targeted removal occurred (i.e., winter, after deer season). Landowner participation in targeted removal could likely be increased by communicating more effectively about CWD and the objectives of targeted removal to combat misinformation, providing additional opportunity during the regular deer season enabling hunters to play a more active role in disease management at that time of year, considering changes to targeted removal methodology (e.g., not field dressing deer on site), and working to align targeted removal goals with landowner deer management goals when possible.
Speakers
JI

Jason Isabelle

Cervid Program Supervisor, Missouri Department of Conservation
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  S-03: CWD: A Wicked Challenge

2:00pm CST

S-04: Trout Streams of the Northern Ozarks: Overview of Missouri's Ribbon Areas
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Blake Stephens, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: The cool springs of the Missouri Ozarks support dozens of riverine trout fisheries across the southern half of the state. These introduced fisheries provide year-round angling opportunity unique from the trout parks that produce these fish. Missouri’s trout management areas consist of three categories, the blue, red and white ribbon areas, each with a different management approach, stocking regime (if any) and regulations. This presentation references the twenty management areas that encapsulate Missouri’s ribbon system and the history of river trout management since the state’s first trout plan adoption in 2003. Management challenges and successes associated with these stream segments will be discussed as well including some examples of specific projects and programs that have moved Missouri’s riverine trout program from surviving to thriving.
Speakers
BS

Blake Stephens

Fisheries Biologist, Missouri Department of Conservation
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 1)

2:00pm CST

S-05: Partnering with Private Landowners on Forest Management for Water Quality
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jen Wahls, Landscape Connections LLC, Minnesota Forest Resources Council Southeast Landscape Committee and Winona La Crescent Local Forestry Team

ABSTRACT: The landscape of Southeastern Minnesota is a mosaic of steep woodlands, cropland, pasture, and coldwater streams. Ninety-five percent of land is in private ownership. Private landowners are integral to conservation work; however, they are often left out of planning efforts. The Southeast Landscape Plan and the Winona La Crecent Comprehensive Watershed Plan guide conservation work in this geography. The Local Forestry Team (LFT), a pilot for MN launched on in early 2024, is made up of professionals representing MN Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, consulting foresters, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Board of Water & Soil Resources, industry, private landowners and non-governmental organizations who work locally and collaboratively. The LFT plans, coordinates, and implements forestry conservation work with private landowners, building on previous efforts by many partners. By coordinating programs and resources with many partners and through building relationships at the community level, the Local Forestry Team effectively and efficiently serves private landowners interested in conservation and forestry work. The LFT launched the ReInvest in Minnesota Blufflands program, a pilot that was developed overtime by local professionals with input from private landowners. The conservation easement program reflects landowner interest and fits the geography we work in. This presentation will detail each component of this critical work that benefits a wide range of resources including water quality, important upland and in-stream habitat.
Speakers
JW

Jennifer Wahls

Winona La Crescent Local Forestry Team Coordinator, Landscape Connections LLC (private sector)
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  S-05: Working Lands & Resilient Streams: The Power of Partnering with Landowners

2:00pm CST

S-06: Woodland Management for Biodiversity at Shaw Nature Reserve
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:

ABSTRACT: Shaw Nature Reserve has been tinkering with landscape-scale woodland management for biodiversity since the 1980s, using local manager-based institutional knowledge as well as site-specific scientific studies to back up their methods. We present insights and findings from management of woodlands and savannas, with a focus on the combination of 1) invasive species control, 2) prescribed fire, and 3) native herbaceous species re-introductions using locally-sourced seed.
Speakers
CM

Calvin Maginel

Ecological Resource Scientist, Shaw Nature Reserve
Monday January 20, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  S-06: Restoring and Reconstructing Endangered Ecosystems in Missouri: Case Studies of Prairie/Savanna/Woodland and Wetland Natural Communities

2:20pm CST

Fisheries Track: Evaluating the influence of climate change on walleye and largemouth bass consumption rates in a northern Wisconsin lake
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jeston Hassler, South Dakota State University; Maxwel Wilkinson, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Quinnlan Smith, University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Limnology; Joseph Mrnak, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-Escanaba Lake Research Station/University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Limnology

ABSTRACT: In recent decades, some lakes in the Ceded Territory of Wisconsin (approximate northern third of the state) have experienced increasing largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides abundance coupled with declining walleye Sander vitreus abundance. These shifts in abundance have become of management concern, as largemouth bass have been hypothesized to negatively influence walleye populations through potential competitive or predatory interactions. Yet, a mechanistic understanding of these ecological interactions remains relatively unknown. As climate change continues to alter thermal habitat in northern Wisconsin lakes, understanding how warming water temperatures may influence largemouth bass and walleye interactions, specifically their consumption rates of prey items, could assist in the future management of the two species. Thus, our objectives in this study were to 1) calculate diet overlap and consumption rates of common prey items for largemouth bass and walleye in a northern Wisconsin lake and 2) simulate consumption rates of largemouth bass and walleye in predicted climate change scenarios. Our study site, Little John Lake located in Vilas Co., Wisconsin, contains a naturally recruiting walleye population and fish assemblage similar to many other northern Wisconsin lakes. We intensively sampled diets of largemouth bass and walleye in Little John Lake from May-October in 2024 and took a bioenergetics approach to estimate and simulate consumption rates of these species under climate-change scenarios. Increased rates of consumption were apparent for both species, notably of yellow perch Perca flavescens and Lepomis spp., yet walleye consumption rates slowed when water temperature began reaching their thermal tolerance. Understanding how largemouth bass and walleye consumption rates may differ under climate-change scenarios may give valuable insight into future interactions between these species in northern Wisconsin lakes.
Speakers
JH

Jeston Hassler

Undergraduate Student, South Dakota State University
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Walleye

2:20pm CST

Fisheries Track: Zooplankton in the Upper Mississippi River System
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Molly Sobotka;
Jessica Fulgoni;
Ashley Johnson;
Alex Bell


ABSTRACT: Zooplankton link microbial primary producers to larger consumers (primarily fish) in aquatic food webs. Despite their importance, assessment of zooplankton populations in large rivers is rare, especially across large spatial scales and during the winter. We collected zooplankton alongside summer, fall, and winter water quality sampling events in the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program’s Long Term Resource Monitoring element key reaches during 2019 and 2020. We used generalized additive models to assess the relationships between measures of zooplankton abundance and local and site level habitat variables. Zooplankton abundance was strongly tied to measures of productivity (chlorophyll) and water clarity (suspended solids), but the strength and shape of these relationships was not the same between seasons. Abundance of crustacean zooplankton was greatest during the winter however we did not find a significant relationship between abundance and chlorophyll during that season. Crustacean density and biomass were negatively associated with the presence of invasive carps and positively associated with abundant aquatic plants.
Speakers
MS

Molly Sobotka

Resource Staff Scientist, Missouri Dept of Conservation
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquatic Ecology

2:20pm CST

Wildlife Track: PHASE: Pollinator Habitat Aligned with Solar Energy
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Alison Little, University of Illinois Chicago

ABSTRACT: The solar industry is responding to demand for a clean energy future. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) forecasts that the solar industry is expected to nearly triple cumulative solar deployment by 2028. At the same time, insect pollinators are in decline throughout North America. Species and habitat losses are resulting in listing consideration and petitions for once-common species like monarch butterflies and several bumble bee species. Co-located pollinator vegetation at solar facilities is recognized as an opportunity to support habitat needed by declining insect populations.

How can large-scale projects incorporate pollinator plantings at solar facilities? What ecological and performance benefits can be realized from pollinator plantings? How do developers and owners weigh the costs and challenges of maintaining pollinator vegetation and determine the effects it has on power generation, community acceptance, and operations? The Pollinator Habitat Aligned with Solar Energy (PHASE) project is a four-year research project that aims to answer these questions and better support the solar industry in successfully implementing co-located plantings. This project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office.

In collaboration with industry and technical professionals, the PHASE team has developed methodology to evaluate the impacts of plantings on both biodiversity and facility operations. This includes the diversity of plant and insect communities, pollinator services being provided by the site, and the effects of pollinator vegetation on panel temperature and efficiency. The PHASE team has used this data to develop a newly finalized toolset designed to support solar industry decision-making on pollinator vegetation. The four tools include a Pollinator Planting Implementation Manual, a Cost Comparison Tool, a Seed Selection Tool, and Habitat Assessment Module Guidance.

In this presentation, attendees will learn about brief research updates on solar pollinator plantings, learn where to access the PHASE toolset, and the tool applications.
Speakers
AL

Alison Little

Partner Coordinator - Conservation Agreements, University of Illinois Chicago, Energy Resources Center
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Habitat Management and Restoration

2:20pm CST

Wildlife Track: The relationship between butterfly diversity and canopy cover management across 25 years in Midwestern oak savannas
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Joseph B. Deas, U.S. Geological Survey, Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station;
Desi Robertson-Thompson, U.S. Geological Survey, Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center;
Ralph Grundel, U.S. Geological Survey, Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station

ABSTRACT:  Oak savannas are among the most imperiled habitats worldwide, characterized by their unique structure and biodiversity. These ecosystems have experienced significant decline due to habitat conversion and altered disturbance regimes. To understand the impact of these changes on butterfly diversity, we conducted extensive surveys in 1998/1999 and 2023 across 17-25 sites in Midwestern oak savannas, representing a gradient of canopy cover. Our study aimed to assess butterfly abundance and species composition, alongside additional environmental variables that might influence the relationship between butterfly diversity and canopy cover. We collected data on various environmental factors, including flower abundance, composition, and fire frequency, to determine their predictive value for butterfly presence/absence and to identify key environmental predictors. By comparing data from different time periods, we evaluated how the relationship between butterfly diversity and canopy cover has changed and whether these patterns were influenced by temporal or spatial changes in environmental conditions. Preliminary analyses suggest that the relationship between canopy cover and species richness is influenced by the frequency of historic fires, plant diversity, and local climate. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering multiple environmental factors when assessing biodiversity in oak savannas and highlight the need for ongoing conservation efforts to preserve these critical habitats.
Speakers
JD

Joseph Deas

Biologist, USGS
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Invertebrate Ecology

2:20pm CST

S-01: Breeding bird community in the Mississippi River floodplain forest: Two Decades of change
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Michael Wellik, US Geological Survey; Eileen Kirsch, US Geological Survey; Ryan Burner, US Geological Survey

ABSTRACT: Forested floodplains along the upper Mississippi River are important for breeding birds but are shaped by human use of the surrounding lands and especially by the construction of the lock and dam system in the 1940’s to control water levels. These forests are continuing to change because of higher water levels, maturing forests, and invasive species. We looked at potential changes in the avian community in forests by comparing bird species richness and species’ relative abundance and frequency of occurrence between data collected from 1994-1997 and 2015-2019. Point counts were conducted in three stretches of river at sites where there has been no direct forest management since the 1940’s. The same sites were sampled in several years during both time periods, using point counts with the same spatial scale and duration. The sites in the 1990’s were sampled once per year by a single observer, whereas in the 2010’s they were sampled multiple times by multiple observers each year. To account for this difference in yearly sampling effort we bootstrapped the 2010’s data, creating a distribution to compare to the yearly one-survey one-observer method used in the 1990’s. In this timeframe there was a slight decline in species richness for each of the three river stretches. Across all three stretches some species have declined in frequency of occurrence, such as the American Redstart, whereas others increased, like the Prothonotary Warbler. Examining bird community trends over decades, even with slightly different sampling methods, may benefit avian and habitat management.
Speakers
MW

Mike Wellik

Biologist, USGS
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  S-01: Flight of Discovery: Bird Research & Monitoring within the Mississippi Flyway

2:20pm CST

S-02: Beyond barriers: Fish communities in a recovering tributary of Lake Erie
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Matthew R. Acre, U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center; James J. Roberts, U.S. Geological Survey, Lake Erie Biological Station; Dustin W. Broaddus, U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center; Ryan J. Trimbath, U.S. National Parks Service, Cuyahoga Valley National Park; Curt P. Wagner, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife; Ramsey A. S. Langford, Summit Metro Parks; Eric Waits, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development; Daniel J. Sullivan, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development; Marc A. Mills, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development; Nick Barkowski, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; David M. Walters, U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center

ABSTRACT: Fragmented aquatic systems are ubiquitous across the globe. Dams and other water control structures represent significant barriers to fish passage. In many countries, these structures represent ageing infrastructure which no longer serve their original function prompting an accelerated dam removal period. In the U.S., nearly 1200 dams have been removed in the last two decades. Dam removals serve multiple functions such as securing public safety by removing failing infrastructure, defragmenting riverscapes, and restoring the natural aesthetics of the river. Additionally, removals offer an opportunity to inform conservation science and community recovery in reconnected systems. The Cuyahoga River, infamous for catching fire and one of the driving forces that established the Environmental Protection Agency, has undergone several dam removals since 2006. One of the last remaining dams, constructed in 1913, is slated to be fully removed by 2026. To empirically assess fish community response to current and future restoration efforts we established 12 sites on the Cuyahoga River. We electrofished each site four times annually from 2022 to 2024 following methods of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA). OEPA data was consistently collected on a 5- to 7-year cycle throughout the river and enabled us to directly compare historical assemblages (1987-2017) to more contemporary periods (2022-present). At the time of writing, we have collected over 20,000 fish and representing 60 species. We used ordination analyses, Bray-Curtis distances, and trajectory analyses to link disturbance events with community changes. The best predictor of community changes were dam removals followed by environmental variables such as river discharge. Other community metrics (diversity and richness) and trajectory analysis suggests communities downstream of the Gorge Dam, and with direct access to Lake Erie, are in a dynamic state. These baseline community data are critical to evaluate effectiveness of small and large restoration projects such as dam removals.
Speakers
MA

Matthew Acre

Research Fisheries Biologist, USGS
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  S-02: Connecting the Dots: Addressing Aquatic Habitat Fragmentation Across the Midwest

2:20pm CST

S-03: CWD: Exploring Landowners’ Support for CWD Management in Illinois
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Eric M. Walberg, Illinois Natural History Survey; Brent D. Williams, Illinois Natural History Survey; Lauren J. Stephens, Illinois Natural History Survey; Craig A. Miller, Illinois Natural History Survey

ABSTRACT:  Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible neurological disease that is fatal to deer species and has significant environmental, cultural, and economic impacts. Numerous studies have examined support for CWD management among hunters and public, though few have examined landowners’ perspective on CWD management. Understanding Illinois landowners’ beliefs about CWD is important as 97% of land in Illinois is privately owned and landowners’ participation is necessary for CWD management to be effective. We examined the impact of hunting participation on landowners’ beliefs about CWD management, perceived risk from CWD, and trust in the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to manage CWD. During 2024, a mail-based questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 5,000 landowners who own a contiguous property of 50 or more acres in Illinois. We received 1,524 questionnaires for a 32% response rate. Most landowners (59%) were not deer hunters, and most respondents (89%) earned an income from the private property that they own. Most (79%) landowners thought there was slight or no risk of becoming ill from CWD, though hunters perceived a significantly higher risk from CWD than non-hunters (t = -3.03, p = 0.002). Landowners were most concerned with the impact of CWD on the health of the deer population in Illinois and CWD spreading throughout the entire deer herd in Illinois, though non-hunters were significantly less concerned about the impacts of CWD than hunters. Landowners trusted the IDNR to manage CWD in Illinois and there was no significant difference between hunters and non-hunters. Landowners believed that the IDNR’s management actions have been somewhat effective, and there was no significant difference in beliefs between hunters and non-hunters except regarding use of sharpshooting to supplement hunting (t = 2.00, p = .046). Our research suggests hunting participation impacts landowners’ beliefs about the impacts of CWD and support for some management actions in Illinois.
Speakers
avatar for Eric Walberg

Eric Walberg

Human Dimensions Research Coordinator, Illinois Natural History Survey
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  S-03: CWD: A Wicked Challenge

2:20pm CST

S-04: The Meramec River Brown Trout Dilemma - a Case Study of a Missouri Ozark Stream's Salmonid Management
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jen Girondo, MO Dept of Conservation

ABSTRACT: The Meramec River in eastern Missouri is a north-flowing Ozark stream that has a section that is heavily influenced by ground-water contributions from a major spring, which provides limited salmonid habitat. In the riverine section which is fed by both spring branch and Ozark stream discharges, Brown Trout were introduced, a put-grow-and-take fishery was established, and has been enjoyed by anglers since the 1980s. Brown trout annual survival post-stocking has declined in recent years and several management strategies have been adjusted trying to regain some of the fisheries' previous success. Efforts have included adjusting rearing and stocking strategies, movement and mortality investigations, and ongoing water temperature evaluations. The issues facing this fishery are many, and climate change appears to be threatening its limit habitat. This presentation will provide an overview of past research efforts, results, and future management direction for this unique type of salmonid habitat.


Speakers
JG

Jen Girondo

Fisheries Management Biologist, DEPT OF CONSERVATION
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 1)

2:20pm CST

S-05: The Power of Partnerships in Advancing Coldwater Conservation
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Michael Siepker, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT:  In northeast Iowa, there are numerous opportunities for aquatic conservation, particularly with over 500 miles of streams that provide habitat for coldwater aquatic communities. Many of these streams are located on private property and could greatly benefit from improvements to riparian and instream habitats. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) collaborates with landowners, conservation groups, and other government agencies to enhance public fishing access to coldwater streams through voluntary agreements or easement acquisitions. Additionally, efforts are made to protect and enhance water quality and stream habitat by establishing conservation easements along streams, reshaping streambanks to reduce pollutants entering the streams, and installing instream habitat for fishes. Each opportunity necessitates a unique approach to secure funding, develop the work plan, and successfully execute the project. Since 2019, the Iowa DNR has effectively partnered with various stakeholders and invested about $4 million into Iowa coldwater conservation efforts.
Speakers
MS

Mike Siepker

Fisheries Supervisor, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  S-05: Working Lands & Resilient Streams: The Power of Partnering with Landowners

2:20pm CST

S-06:Monitoring the Ecological Response to Restoration Treatments in the Missouri Pine-Oak Woodlands Restoration Project of the Mark Twain National Forest
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Elizabeth Yohe, U.S. Forest Service - Eastern Region; Kyle Steele, U.S. Forest Service - Mark Twain National Forest; Mike Leahy, Missouri Department of Conservation; Brian Davidson, U.S. Forest Service - Mark Twain National Forest; Rebecca Landewe, U.S. Forest Service - Mark Twain National Forest; Jason Stevens, U.S. Forest Service - Eastern Region; Greg Nowacki, U.S. Forest Service - Eastern Region

ABSTRACT: The Missouri Pine-Oak Woodlands Restoration Project (MOPWR) on the Mark Twain National Forest (MTNF) is one of 17 currently funded projects across the country supported by the U.S. Forest Service Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project (CFLRP). The project aims to restore mixed shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata)-oak (Quercus spp.) woodlands that have historically dominated this landscape. Alongside other methods, the Community Health Index (CHI) assessment was utilized to monitor restoration progress and results in this landscape. Our monitoring data suggests that we are moving selected restoration units toward more ecological functionality. However, uncertainty remains as to whether or not reference conditions are attainable, given modern-day concerns and obstacles.
Speakers
EY

Elizabeth Yohe

Ecologist, US Forest Service
Monday January 20, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  S-06: Restoring and Reconstructing Endangered Ecosystems in Missouri: Case Studies of Prairie/Savanna/Woodland and Wetland Natural Communities

2:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: First occurrence of American Brook Lamprey (Lethenteron appendix) in the Cuyahoga River, OH
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Zane McAdams, U.S. Geological Survey; Dustin Broaddus, U.S. Geological Survey; Ryan Trimbath, U.S. National Parks Service; Eric Waits, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Marc Mills, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Alexander V. Catalano, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Matthew R. Acre, U.S. Geological Survey

ABSTRACT: The Cuyahoga River watershed was designated as an Area of Concern by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1987. Of the original nine Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs), five remain, three of which address water quality, fish population status, and habitat availability. The American Brook Lamprey (Lethenteron appendix; ABL), is a non-parasitic, cold-water species sensitive to habitat degradation and considered an indicator species– presence reflects good habitat quality while absence suggests poor habitat quality. Though widely distributed, population status assessed at the HUC-8 watershed scale are highly variable depending on local conditions. Since 1984, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) has consistently monitored the Cuyahoga River as part of their standardized sampling to document all fish biodiversity in the river. The first ABL occurrence in the watershed was recorded in 2000 in Salt Run, a cold-water tributary located at river kilometer (rkm) 49 within Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Since then, sporadic occurrences have been documented in Salt Run and Dickerson Run, both cold-water tributaries. In 2023, we recorded the first ABL ammocoete, confirmed through genetic analysis, in the mainstem Cuyahoga River near the confluence with a cold-water tributary at rkm 43. We developed a standardized backpack electrofishing sampling protocol in 2024 to explore potential habitat in the mainstem that may be suitable for the species near cold-water tributaries, including the two known ABL tributaries. We discovered the species at one new location, Columbia Run (rkm 41.2), not represented in historical samples. Two specimens were collected at various metamorphic stages suggesting that recruitment has been occurring near Columbia Run. These findings suggest expansive restoration efforts such as, but not limited to, dam removals appear to be resulting in range expansion of ABL, including into the mainstem of the Cuyahoga River.
Speakers
ZM

Zane McAdams

Biological Science Technician, United States Geological Survey
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquatic Ecology

2:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Movement of Walleye and Sauger assessed using acoustic telemetry in Lewis and Clark Lake, a Missouri River reservoir
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  William J. Radigan, University of Nebraska; Dr. Mark Pegg, University of Nebraska; Christopher Longhenry, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, Dr. Cameron Goble, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas; Dr. Kevin Pope, United States Geological Survey—Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

ABSTRACT:  Walleye Sander vitreus and Sauger Sander canadensis are both socioeconomically important sportfish species in Lewis and Clark Lake, an interjurisdictionally managed mainstem Missouri River reservoir fishery. Adult Walleye (n=136) and adult Sauger (n=82) movement patterns were assessed from March 2021 to September 2024 among four management zones corresponding roughly to quarters of Lewis and Clark Lake using acoustic telemetry. We used a multistate live-dead model approach to assess survival, detection, and movement probabilities. Walleye survival probabilities (mean 85%) varied over time. Detection (mean 81%) and movement (mean 14%) probabilities varied by zone. Sauger detection probabilities varied by zone (mean 58%), and transition probabilities varied by sex, with female Sauger more likely (mean 14%) to transition among zones than male Sauger (mean 6%). Approximately 34-44% of all Walleye and Sauger were site residents, moving less than 10 km from their tagging location over the study duration. Non-site resident male and female Sauger utilized 44-47 km of the reservoir. Female Walleye utilized more of the reservoir (58 km) than male Walleye (45 km). Walleye tagged near Fort Randall Dam utilized more of the reservoir (69-72 km) than Walleye tagged elsewhere (47 km). Exploitation estimates were derived from angler-reported tags and entrainment estimates were based on detections recorded on receivers placed downstream of Gavins Point Dam. Annual exploitation (0-19%) and entrainment (0-5%) are considerable sources of loss for adult Walleye and adult Sauger in Lewis and Clark Lake. Examination of Walleye and Sauger movement patterns and sources of loss enables fisheries managers to focus management on areas identified to be important for spawning and validates the appropriateness of maintaining current harvest regulations.
Speakers
WR

Will Radigan

PhD Student, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Walleye

2:40pm CST

Wildlife Track: Monitoring tarantulas in Missouri glades: Conservation of a charismatic arachnid.
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Becky Hansis-O'Neill, University of Missouri - St. Louis; Aimee Sue Dunlap, University of Missouri - St. Louis

ABSTRACT: The tarantula, Aphonopelma hentzi has not been a species of concern for arachnologists in North America. In Missouri, A. hentzi tend to inhabit glade habitats. Glades have been affected by changing fire regimes resulting in the proliferation of red cedar in some areas. Red cedar contributes to habitat degradation, making glades less favorable for glade specialist species. Small predators like lizards, and possibly arachnids, can reduce damage to native plants by controlling herbivorous insect populations. The effects of tarantulas on ecosystems they inhabit has not been well studied but they may be important for controlling herbivorous insects. Therefore, tarantulas may be important for maintaining glade habitats in addition to their intrinsic and cultural value. In three central Missouri glades, we have found A. hentzi populations that appear to be much smaller than we expected given population densities in other parts of North America. Partnering with the Missouri Department of Conservation, we have monitored these populations for the past three summers and will be adding new sites in the coming field season to understand if small populations are a widespread phenomenon in Missouri glades. We believe these tarantula populations are likely at risk from habitat fragmentation and degradation, edge of range effects, and illegal collecting. In addition to population monitoring, we have been working on monitoring habitat disturbance, natural history, population genetics, and wild tarantula welfare.
Speakers
BH

Becky Hansis-O'Neill

PhD Candidate, University of Missouri - St. Louis
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Invertebrate Ecology

2:40pm CST

Wildlife Track: Protecting Remnant Prairies and Grassland Reconstruction/Restoration Success Across Missouri.
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jerod Huebner, Missouri Prairie Foundation

ABSTRACT: Highlight recent remnant prairie acquisitions by MPF. In the last 9 years, MPF has increased its landholdings from 21 sites ~2500 acres to 35 sites totaling over 4500 acres. Much of this is high quality remnant prairie with adjacent reconstructions and restorations. MPF has targeted rare prairie types most recently, acquiring one loess hill prairie and three sand prairies.
Speakers
JH

Jerod Huebner

Director of Prairie Management, Missouri Prairie Foundation
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Habitat Management and Restoration

2:40pm CST

S-01: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Autonomous Recording Units for Detecting Upper Mississippi River Migratory Landbirds
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Nicole Michel, National Audubon Society; Jennifer Fuller, National Audubon Society; Dale Gentry, National Audubon Society; Michael Worland, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: The use of autonomous recording units (ARUs) is rapidly growing in the field of avian monitoring. While in-person surveys are often limited by the availability of trained observers and survey duration, ARUs enable researchers to control survey timing and drastically increase sampling frequency and duration. This improves the probability of detecting species and accurately assessing characteristics such as species richness or individual species occupancy. However, until recently, ARU recordings were manually processed by human listeners, which is inefficient and highly time-consuming. Today, numerous publicly available classifiers exist to expedite this process, but these classifiers still require human-assisted validation to confirm whether they can accurately detect species of interest. We performed a pilot study examining the effectiveness of a popular classifier, BirdNET Analyzer, for detecting 24 different migratory landbird species at the Riverbend Nature Center in Fairbault, MN. Three ARUs were deployed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources May 11th through May 31st, 2023, for four hours after sunrise. ARU recordings were analyzed using BirdNET Analyzer, with up to 100 random samples per species extracted and validated manually in Raven Lite software as either true or false detections. We then identified species-specific confidence thresholds where we were 90-95% confident detections were true positives using a logistic regression. We detected 21 of 24 migratory landbird species, and identified 14 species-specific thresholds for migratory landbirds in Minnesota. Overall, we found that BirdNET Analyzer with human validation was highly effective for remotely monitoring avian species in this region. These findings provide valuable insight for monitoring migratory landbirds in the Upper Mississippi River, as well as for designing effective ARU study designs for a variety of seasons and habitats.
Speakers
NM

Nicole Michel

Director of Quantitative Science, National Audubon Society
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  S-01: Flight of Discovery: Bird Research & Monitoring within the Mississippi Flyway

2:40pm CST

S-02: Moxostoma Migratory Movements during Restoration Efforts in the Cuyahoga River, OH
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Sophia M. Bonjour, U.S. Geological Survey; Cody G. Bowden, U.S. Geological Survey; Allison A. Pease, University of Missouri; Marc A. Mills, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; David M. Walters, U.S. Geological Survey; Ryan J. Trimbath, U.S. National Parks Service; Curtis Wagner, Ohio Department of Natural Resources; Ramsey Langford, Summit Metro Parks; Matthew R. Acre, U.S. Geological Survey

ABSTRACT: Habitat fragmentation poses a significant threat to migratory species, particularly when compounded with additional environmental stressors. The Gorge Dam, located in the Cuyahoga River Area of Concern as designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is scheduled for removal in the coming years. Dam and associated contaminated sediment removal is a part of ongoing restoration efforts aimed at improving water quality, enhancing fish habitat, and facilitating fish passage. These efforts follow the removal of five other dams along the Cuyahoga River. In this study, we used acoustic and radio telemetry to examine the seasonal movements of two migratory redhorse sucker species from 2023 to 2024). Silver Redhorse (Moxostoma anisurum) remained within the Cuyahoga River year-round, moving upstream an average of 28.8 km from March to April to an area between the historic Brecksville Dam (removed in 2020) and the Gorge Dam. In contrast, all seven Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma macrolepidotum) tagged in the river during 2023 migrated from the river into Lake Erie between May and July, moving a minimum of 60 km away from the river and averaging 19 km per day at emigration. Five Shorthead Redhorse returned to the Cuyahoga River between February and April 2024, with most fish moving more than 4 km upstream of the historic Brecksville Dam. Telemetry data provide support that fish are moving into areas reconnected by dam removals in the Cuyahoga River and reveal long-range migration patterns between the river and Lake Erie by Shorthead Redhorse.
Speakers
SB

Sophia Bonjour

Fish Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  S-02: Connecting the Dots: Addressing Aquatic Habitat Fragmentation Across the Midwest

2:40pm CST

S-03: CWD: Decoding CWD Testing
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Sherri Russell, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Surveillance for Chronic Wasting Disease requires testing for the disease. The landscape of test options includes diagnostic tests, regulatory tests and experimental tests. Various tissue types, live and post- mortem tissue options further added to the complexity of the subject. This presentation will present an organized and comprehensive look at testing options and explain the limitations and strengths of the various choices. The presentation will be aimed at providing information to logically understand the tradeoffs between the test platforms and provide information in a way that is accessible to a wide audience of managers.
Speakers
SR

Sherri Russell

Science Branch Chief, Missouri Department of Conservation
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  S-03: CWD: A Wicked Challenge

2:40pm CST

S-04: Bennett Spring State Fish Hatchery Renovations
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Ben Havens

ABSTRACT: Bennett Spring State Fish Hatchery in Lebanon, Missouri, is undergoing a significant multi-year renovation, funded and approved unanimously by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Commission. This project aims to modernize the hatchery, which has been vital for trout production for over a century, by enhancing infrastructure such as a new water intake structure, raceway reconstruction, and water quality improvements. Despite temporary disruptions in fish production, fishing will continue with trout supplied from other hatcheries in the MDC Coldwater system. This renovation not only supports local recreation and tourism but also contributes to the economy, with over 140,000 anglers visiting annually, generating an estimated $187 million in economic impact. The project reflects MDC's commitment to preserving outdoor traditions and ensuring future generations can enjoy fishing at Bennett Spring State Park.
Speakers
BH

Ben Havens

Bennett Spring Hatchery Manager, MO Dept. of Conservation
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 1)

2:40pm CST

S-05: Conservation Counts: Building Urban and Rural Partnerships to Address Stream Biological Impairments
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Josh Balk. Iowa Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: For 20 years now, the Dry Run Creek Watershed Improvement Project in Cedar Falls, Iowa has worked to implement beneficial conservation practices throughout its diverse landscape. These efforts are to address local water quality issues, including a stream biological impairment (both diversity and quantity of benthic macroinvertebrates and fish populations). Primarily targeting urban stormwater runoff with connected impervious surfaces as well as stream sedimentation from soil erosion, this has created partnership opportunities with landowners from many different walks of life. Through these efforts, measurable progress is being made in the overall health of the watershed. Scopes have expanded to integrate community volunteers, climate mitigation practices, habitat improvement, and more. This presentation will focus on the accomplishments of the watershed project, the challenges along the way, plans for the future, as well as actionable steps that can be replicated elsewhere to achieve similar goals.
Speakers
avatar for Josh Balk

Josh Balk

Watershed and Source Water Protection Coordinator, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
I am a Watershed and Source Water Coordinator with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. For the last 10 years, my primary focus has been on helping to address local water quality issues in the Cedar Falls, Iowa area through the Dry Run Creek Watershed Improvement Project. This... Read More →
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  S-05: Working Lands & Resilient Streams: The Power of Partnering with Landowners

2:40pm CST

S-06: Fire effects on plant communities in Ozark woodlands and glades
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Carolyn A. Stephen, Missouri Department of Natural Resources; Jamie H. Ladner, National Park Service; Dan G. Drees, National Park Service; Lauren L. Sullivan, Michigan State University

ABSTRACT: This abstract was previously published in the journal Fire Ecology.
Citation: Stephen, C.A., Drees, D.G., Ladner, J.H., Sullivan, L.L. Fire effects on plant communities in Ozark woodlands and glades. Fire Ecology 20, 70 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42408-024-00299-3
Background: Decades of fire suppression caused drastic changes to community structure and composition across ecosystems, including in Ozark woodlands in Missouri, United States. Reintroducing fire can restore ground flora by reducing midstory tree density, increasing ground layer light, and reducing leaf litter accumulation, but we lack a clear understanding of how these effects vary across time and space. We investigated the effects of repeated prescribed fire on ground flora species richness, floristic quality, abundance, community composition, and stand structure over 20 years in a landscape matrix of dry-mesic woodlands, dry woodlands, and glades using data collected from the Ozark National Scenic Riverways Fire Effects Monitoring program in the Current River Watershed in the Missouri Ozarks.
Results: We found that fire plays a key role in driving community structure and dynamics across community types, although with varying levels of intensity. Herbaceous species richness, abundance, and floristic quality index increased across all community types, while mean coefficient of conservatism decreased. Abundance and floristic quality effects were stronger in drier sites. Community composition changed with successive burns, resulting in several indicator species for post burn treatments. The density of midstory trees declined across community types with repeated fire. The number of burns significantly affected overstory tree density overall, but overstory tree density only declined in dry woodlands and glades and not in dry-mesic woodlands.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that landscape fire shapes plant community structure and dynamics. Specifically, these findings show that fire effects vary among community types and suggest that land managers should consider landscape heterogeneity in fire application for restoration. Separate community types imbedded in the same landscape may respond to fire differently. Understanding repeated fire effects over several decades across multiple community types is critical to informing fire-driven woodland restoration across landscape scales.
Speakers
CS

Carrie Stephen

Natural Resource Ecologist, Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Monday January 20, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  S-06: Restoring and Reconstructing Endangered Ecosystems in Missouri: Case Studies of Prairie/Savanna/Woodland and Wetland Natural Communities

3:00pm CST

Coffee Break
Monday January 20, 2025 3:00pm - 3:20pm CST
TBA
Monday January 20, 2025 3:00pm - 3:20pm CST
TBA
  Coffee Break

3:20pm CST

Fisheries Track: Environmental changes lead to reduced Walleye production in Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Thomas S. Jones, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Mark Luehring, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Council
Heidi Rantala, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
John M. Hoenig, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences
Patrick J. Schmalz, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Abundance of Walleye in Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota, has decreased since the 1990s. Two important environmental changes likely contributed to these declines. First, water clarity increased abruptly in the mid-1990s and increased clarity continues through the present day. Second, zebra mussels and spiny waterflea invaded in the late 2000’s, leading to a 90% reduction in zooplankton. Efforts to rebuild the stock through low harvest since 2013 have met with limited success. This study used multiple approaches to compare Walleye productivity changes associated with three time periods (pre-water clarity, post-water clarity, and post-invasive species). First, we estimated annual harvestable surpluses by summing Walleye fishing mortality and the resultant change in population size estimated from statistical catch-at-age models. These data were fit to surplus production models making various assumptions about the shape of the sustainable yield curve. Second, we estimated total annual Walleye production using an instantaneous growth model. All models showed reduced production after each ecological event. Recognition of reduced productivity may have ramifications for future Walleye management in Mille Lacs Lake.
Speakers
TJ

Tom Jones

Treaty Coordinator, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Walleye

3:20pm CST

Fisheries Track: Spatial and temporal resource use of the Upper Mississippi River
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Shaley Valentine, Aquatic Ecology Lab, Ohio State University

ABSTRACT: River theory suggests predictable changes in biological resource availability occurs when the river’s physical structure shifts. However, little empirical evidence exists to know if river theories can predict shifts in resource use along environmental gradients and better understand the macrosystem structuring of difficult to study large rivers. Here, I quantified the prey and habitat use of eight native species across space and time using trace element, stable isotope, and diet analyses in the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS). The UMRS varies in its physical structure from homogenous and complex in the upper reaches to (Pools 4, 8, 13) to physically simple and disparate in the lower reaches (Pool 26, the Open River reach, and the La Grange Pool of the Illinois River), and I expected the resource use of fishes to follow this complexity pattern. At the smallest scale, diets of predatory fishes were homogenous in the physically similar upper reaches. At a seasonal scale, contrary to expectations, resource use breadth increased and isotopic overlap decreased from upstream to downstream. And at life-long scales, fish more often originated from tributaries and other river reaches than the mainstem river moving downstream. Combined, these data suggest that the physical environment of the UMRS affects the habitat and prey use of native fishes. These results follow different riverine theories depending on scale: physically homogenous reaches exhibited similar resource use (Serial Discontinuity Concept) and physically disparate research exhibited stark contrasts in resource use (River Continuum Concept or Riverine Ecosystem Synthesis). Regarding macrosystem structuring, these stark differences suggest the upper and lower reaches of the UMRS have different ecosystem structures and functions and that management of this system should occur at both local and system-wide scales.
Speakers
avatar for Shaley Valentine

Shaley Valentine

Post Doctoral Researcher, Ohio State University
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquatic Ecology

3:20pm CST

Wildlife Track: Habitat Features and the Presence of Coyotes Cause the Greatest Shifts in Mammal Diel Activity
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Nathan J. Proudman, Illinois Natural History Survey at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Maximilian L. Allen, Illinois Natural History Survey at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

ABSTRACT: The ability of animals to plasticly adjust their diel activity has important implications for their persistence and the structure of food webs. While many studies have examined diel activity in mammals, few have compared multiple abiotic, biotic, and anthropogenic variables to determine what factors have the strongest effects on sympatric species within a system. Understanding the bounds of variation in behavior is vital to accurately determine the effects of environmental stressors on the diel activity of wildlife. We quantified shifts in diel activity among nine sympatric mammal species using camera traps across Illinois. We found biotic variables to be responsible for the greatest average shifts in diel activity across all mammal species (Δ=16.8%). Domestic cats (Felis catus; Δ=25.7%), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes; Δ=25.2%), bobcats (Lynx rufus; Δ=20.7%), and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis; Δ=19.3%) exhibited the most behavioral plasticity of our focal species, suggesting contrasting behavioral strategies to the variables we tested. Decreased diurnal activity in more open habitat types by multiple species likely reflects the anthropogenic fear effects in the human-dominated landscape of Illinois, while urban environments may act as spatio-temporal refuges from coyotes (Canis latrans) for subordinate mesocarnivores. Our study shows that a broad range of factors contribute to variation in mammal diel activity, which can in turn affect the predatory and competitive pressures among sympatric species, with the potential for cascading effects across multiple trophic levels. Our study provides a robust baseline for the diel variation in mammal activity, allowing for more accurate assessments of their behavior.
Speakers
NP

Nathan Proudman

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Mammal Ecology and Management

3:20pm CST

Wildlife Track: The Role of Extralimital Exploration in Avian Range Expansion
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Wendy Dorman, University of Illinios Urbana Champaign
Michael P. Ward, University of Illinios Urbana Champaign
Kirk Stodola, Illinois Natural History Survey

ABSTRACT: While many studies state that they expect birds in North America to shift their ranges north, little attention has been paid to which species will move and the mechanism by which ranges shift. Extralimital occurrences involve individuals occurring outside of their species’ core breeding distribution. The probability of extralimital occurrences may be used to infer the potential of a species to expand their range, while the location of extralimital occurrences could indicate potential areas where the range may expand. Combining eBird data, spatial modeling, and pattern analysis, I investigated range plasticity via extralimital occurrences of migrants north of their breeding distributions in the Midwest. Using dynamic occupancy modeling we predicted the likelihood of a given species to expand its range into particular areas and examined the relationship between predicted colonization and realized range shifts. We will discuss the potential for these metrics to be incorporated into an index of range plasticity.
Speakers
WD

Wendy Dorman

PhD Student, University of Illinois
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Avian Ecology and Management

3:20pm CST

S-01: A framework to facilitate habitat conservation for marsh birds in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Michael Monfils, Michigan Natural Features Inventory; Rachael Pierce, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Kaitlin Barnes, Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Stephanie Bielke, Great Lakes Audubon; Dani Fegan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Auriel Fournier, Illinois Natural History Survey; Erin Giese, University of Wisconsin – Green Bay; Doug Gorby, Upper Mississippi/Great Lakes Joint Venture; Andrew Hinickle, Great Lakes Audubon; Kristin Malone, SUNY Brockport; Kali Rush, Ducks Unlimited; Brendan Shirkey, Winous Point Marsh Conservancy; Ben Williams, Illinois Department of Natural Resources


ABSTRACT: Secretive marsh birds, such as grebes, rails, and bitterns, have received increased attention from the conservation community in recent decades due to declining populations, resulting in several species being identified as endangered and threatened at state levels and species of greatest conservation need in state wildlife action plans. Despite increased concern for these species, conservation activities targeting secretive marsh birds has been limited in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. To meet objectives for these species identified in regional and state conservation plans, greater communication, coordination, and collaboration among partners is needed to overcome barriers hindering marsh bird habitat conservation. With support from the Upper Mississippi / Great Lakes Joint Venture, a group of partners began work in early 2023 to create a framework that would provide the information and tools needed to deliver increased conservation activity for marsh birds. We will describe the process used to develop the framework and give an overview of the resulting vision, mission, goals, objectives, and strategies. We will also provide details on our plans for implementation, highlight current activities, and describe opportunities for people to get involved.
Speakers
MM

Michael Monfils

Director, MIchigan Natural Features Inventory
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  S-01: Flight of Discovery: Bird Research & Monitoring within the Mississippi Flyway

3:20pm CST

S-02: Can We Have Our Cake and Eat It to? Retrofitting an Aging Urban Dam for Multiuse, Including Recreation and Fish Passage.
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Don Pereira, HDR Inc.; Cory Gieseke, HDR Inc.; Joe Dvorak, HDR Inc.; Riley Adams, Calibre Engineering; Ben Nelson, City of Anoka; Chris Lord, Anoka Soil and Water Conservation District; Martin Weber, HDR Inc.


ABSTRACT: The Rum River in Minnesota is a tributary to the Mississippi River. It flows out of Mille Lacs Lake and joins the Mississippi River approximately 20 miles upstream of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. The Rum River is a significant coolwater ecosystem and is included in the State of Minnesota’s Wild, Scenic, and Recreational River Program. A wooden dam on the Rum River was initially constructed in 1853 to provide power for the early timber industry. After several modifications, the concrete dam today only provides for flood control and a summer recreational pool. The City of Anoka is now evaluating large scale reconstruction/modification and retrofitting to accommodate multiple uses and visions for the community. Candidate uses include hydroelectric power, a lock system for recreational boaters, a whitewater park, fish passage, and safety upgrades. We applied a water allocation model to determine the optimal combination of uses based on the amount of water available throughout the year. Our initial design work indicates that fish passage, a boat lock, and a whitewater park may be feasible. A comprehensive, multi-use system will serve many benefits, and a modernized, gentrified dam will be a key focal point for the local community.
Speakers
DP

Donald Pereira

Senior Fisheries Biologist, HDR Inc.
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  S-02: Connecting the Dots: Addressing Aquatic Habitat Fragmentation Across the Midwest

3:20pm CST

S-03: CWD: Where Have All the Deer gone?
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Tricia L. Fry, Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; Michael Tonkovich, Ohio Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Conserving natural resources requires attention to the insults that aim to decrease biodiversity, spread disease, and affect an ecological community. One of these may be the white-tailed deer. When deer populations grow unchecked, they can have significant negative effects on biodiversity. Blossey et al. 2024, suggests that deer management responsibilities in the U.S. should move from state to federal oversight, as states lack the authority to address the broader spectrum of threats posed by burgeoning deer populations including human health and commercial interests, to mention a few. While we do agree with most of the author’s views on the threats that deer pose to forest ecosystems, the connections with human health, the ever-growing human-deer conflict interface, we believe that deer management is much too nuanced for federal oversight. Moreover, states have successfully managed deer for decades and are poised to continue that role, even as new challenges, that require innovative solutions, arise. As agencies struggle with declining hunter numbers, unchecked deer herd growth, increasing CWD distribution, and a growing list of conflicts, hunters are enjoying near unprecedented success rates and harvest opportunities. This sets the stage for a showdown between competing interests. We offer a perspective on the role agencies have in responding to CWD, deer management, and importantly, conservation goals of a more diverse suite of constituents. This is likely to require altering current systems and thinking outside the box to achieve management and conservation goals. Using a systems approach, we propose that agencies can tackle CWD and deer management using assets and expertise within their agencies and looking at deer management from a one health lens.
Speakers
TF

Tricia Fry

Fish and Wildlife Health Coordinator, Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  S-03: CWD: A Wicked Challenge

3:20pm CST

S-04: Insights into Missouri's Urban Winter Trout Program
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: John Schulte, Missouri Department of Conservation; Andrew Glen, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Missouri’s Urban Winter Trout Program (WTP) successfully provides close-to-home trout angling opportunities for residence of urban population centers near Kansas City (KC), Springfield, and St. Louis (STL). The WTP stockings have been administered and funded by the Missouri Department of Conservation, which stocks community and agency-owned lakes across Missouri’s major metropolitan spaces. This talk provides a brief overview of the MO WTP, including stocking efforts, and recent insights into the region’s urban trout recent angler opinion and demographic surveys.

Community partner WTP lakes are stocked exclusively through the Community Assistance Program (CAP) which is a contractual agreement through which MDC agrees to monitor, stock, and maintain fish populations within the enrolled lakes. MDC’s WTP annually stocks 46 community lakes, November through February, with over 100,000 Rainbow Trout (RBT) and Brown Trout (BT) averaging a minimum 304-mm. Trout are primarily raised and distributed by state-agency owned cold-water hatcheries at Shepherd of the Hills, Montauk, Bennet Springs.

Continued interest in MO’s WTP has again been demonstrated by urban anglers from across the state through the recent WTP angler participation survey. During 2023 MDC conducted a preliminary trout angler survey on 8 urban trout lakes in three regions (KC, Central, STL) to better understand angler usage, demographics, and inform recruitment efforts. Survey results from across participating regions showed most cooperating anglers; consumed what fish they caught, preferred traveling < 20 miles to trout fish, and KC anglers strongly supported expansion of trout angling opportunities. The survey inversely showed a clear need for better survey accommodations for non-English and ESL speaking anglers in future efforts.

However, there is still a clear need for expanded insight into agency efforts and the processes that benefit and are supported by the WTP, as to help better inform program reach and service to urban residents and underserved communities.
Speakers
JS

John Schulte

Fisheries Biologist, Missouri Department of Conservation
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 1)

3:20pm CST

S-05: Growing Relationships for Increasing Wetland Practice Adoption to Improve Downstream Water Quality
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jill Kostel, PhD, Water Resources Program Director, The Wetlands Initiative; Jean McGuire, Field Outreach Specialist, The Wetlands Initiative; Jason Bleich, Private Lands Biologist, USFWS – Partners of Fish & Wildlife Program

ABSTRACT: The Wetlands Initiative’s Smart Wetlands program focuses on empowering farmers and agricultural communities to voluntarily reduce their nutrient loss into local drainageways and streams through the implementation of tile-treatment wetlands. To be effective at scale for water quality improvement, tile-treatment wetlands must one day become routine practice across the Midwest. Unfortunately, the adoption of this practice has been slow due to several challenges: lack of familiarity with the practice and its suitability for their farm, high up-front cost of implementation, and absence of a clear/direct incentive for the farmer or landowner in terms of productivity or profitability. To overcome these barriers, the Smart Wetlands team has been developing both targeted individual and advisor outreach approaches and strategic partnerships with both conservation peers and ag-sector organizations to reach a range of audiences. Our collaborative, data-driven outreach strategies provide a model that can be replicated in tile-drained areas across the Midwest to increase adoption of wetland practices and other edge-of-field practices for cleaner water.
Tile-treatment wetlands typically are located at the intersection of subsurface drainage and land at the edge of row-crop fields, where they provide a natural long-term and effective solution to the critical issue of ag nutrient runoff, which impairs waterways and harms fish habitat. Typically, these wetlands are located on less-profitable farmland acres; however, the adjacent unfarmable landscape may provide additional site opportunities. The adjacent landowners can improve downstream water quality, while the wetlands provide enhanced wildlife habitat for recreational activities.
A case study from north-central Illinois, outreach strategies, and management tools will be presented for conservation outreach professionals and technical experts who implement practices that address water quality and natural habitat resource concerns. The case study will focus on a tile-treatment wetland constructed on land next to a row-crop field. The project design focused on improving water quality while creating wildlife habitat for hunting and dog training. To accomplish this project, we created a collaborative community of wetland conservation professionals, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, and the Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association. The talk will outline how these partnerships came together to successfully build both a tile-treatment wetland and a restored wetland for the landowners and to host three individual outreach and education events at the site in 2022.
Speakers
JK

Jill Kostel

Water Resources Program Director, Wetlands Initiative
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  S-05: Working Lands & Resilient Streams: The Power of Partnering with Landowners

3:20pm CST

S-06: Burn with Care – Challenges and Considerations for Replicating Historic Fire in Missouri State Parks
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Ron Colatskie, Missouri State Parks

ABSTRACT: Following decades of focused fire suppression efforts in the early to mid-20th century, prescribed fire as a landscape management tool faced heated controversy as the concept and its application in Missouri landscapes developed in the 1980’s. By the 1990’s, prescribed fire became a common and accepted practice to maintain fire-adapted natural communities to the benefit of their associated flora and fauna. Missouri State Parks took a leading role in applying prescribed fire to a variety of natural communities statewide and now maintains over 42,000 acres within a burn rotation with nearly 10,000 acres burned annually throughout Missouri State Park lands. Contemporarily, prescribed fire in is again under a microscope as some within the greater conservation community have shared concerns regarding potential negative impacts from prescribed fire to natural communities. Primary questions include burn seasonality, application methods and where fire is applied. This brief discussion will explore steps Missouri State Parks staff are taking and challenges they are encountering to best replicate historic fire processes for the benefit of flora and wildlife in Missouri State Park landscapes. Additionally, preliminary findings from recent research and monitoring efforts to address potential negative fire impacts will be shared.
Speakers
RC

Ron Colatskie

Natural Resource Ecologist, Missouri State Parks
Monday January 20, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  S-06: Restoring and Reconstructing Endangered Ecosystems in Missouri: Case Studies of Prairie/Savanna/Woodland and Wetland Natural Communities

3:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Evaluating the distribution of fish community production in northern Wisconsin lakes with different walleye recruitment histories
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Maxwel Wilkinson, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point; Stephanie Shaw, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Escanaba Lake Research Station; Joseph Mrnak, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Escanaba Lake Research Station and University of Wisconsin - Madison, Center for Limnology; Greg Sass, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Escanaba Lake Research Station; Daniel Dembkowski, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point; Daniel Isermann, U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

ABSTRACT: The Ceded Territory of Wisconsin is a lake-rich region that supports important tribal subsistence and recreational fisheries for multiple species. Recently, declines in walleye Sander vitreus production and recruitment, coupled with increases in centrarchid abundance (e.g., largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and bluegill Lepomis macrochirus) have created challenges for managers in terms of maintaining desired fish community structure amidst changing environmental conditions and angler preferences. Competitive and predatory interactions between centrarchid species and walleye have been hypothesized to influence walleye natural recruitment, notably in small lakes (
Speakers
MW

Maxwel Wilkinson

Graduate Research Assistant, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Walleye

3:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Macroinvertebrate Assemblages Using Live Freshwater Mussels as Habitat
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Madison Dunlap, Central Michigan University Biology Department and Institute for Great Lakes Research; Daelyn Woolnough, Central Michigan University Biology Department and Institute for Great Lakes Research

ABSTRACT: Unionids (i.e., native freshwater mussels) provide essential ecosystem services to other benthic macroinvertebrates by concentrating nutrients as well as stabilizing substrate. Research has indicated that different unionid species may contribute unequally to ecosystem services which may be particularly important to epizoic macroinvertebrates living on live unionids. This research sought to understand what ecosystem factors or unionid traits contribute to structuring the epizoic assemblage and how epizoic assemblages relate to the larger benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage. Metadata was collected from unionid surveys between 2015-2023 from across the Chippewa River, Michigan USA. Macroinvertebrate and epizoite data, as well as additional data to fill in data gaps from metadata analyses, were collected during the summer of 2024 at 12 Chippewa River sites. Questions we ask include: 1) What macroinvertebrate assemblages are using live unionids as habitat, 2) Do different traits of unionid shells (e.g., smooth, bumpy, size) contribute to different epizoic assemblages and, 3) How does the epizoic assemblage on unionids compare to traditional D-net macroinvertebrate assemblages? This study considered 5 species of unionids. Analyses is ongoing but will include a comparison of epizoite and benthic macroinvertebrate data across biotic and environmental factors, a prediction of the epizoite density and species richness of epizoite macroinvertebrates based on unionid host traits, and a comparison of epizoic assemblage metrics. Overall, we predict that macroinvertebrate epizoic assemblage will differ from the surrounding benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage and will be structured based on unionid traits. Results give insight into how changes in unionid assemblages, like species extinction and declines, may impact ecosystem services and how data on benthic macroinvertebrates can inform this research. This work is the first to quantify epizoic organisms across multiple species of unionid hosts and compare epizoic macroinvertebrate assemblage to the surrounding macroinvertebrate assemblage.
Speakers
MD

Madison Dunlap

Graduate Student, Central Michigan University
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquatic Ecology

3:40pm CST

Wildlife Track: Investigating the effects of habitat on the distribution and abundance of Chuck-will’s-widows (Antrostomus carolinensis) in central Texas, their diet across space and time, and insect availability and preference.
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:

ABSTRACT: Chuck-will's-widows are a declining crepuscular nightjar that breeds across eastern North America. They are among the largest nightjars, primarily sustaining themselves on insects. Despite their overall decline, their presence at Fort Cavazos during breeding seasons appears consistent and widespread. However, limited research has been conducted on this species at Fort Cavazos, prompting an investigation into their distribution and habitat preferences. To address this gap, fieldwork has been undertaken utilizing various methodologies. Point counts, microhabitat measurements, and GIS LiDAR technology have been used to find the reasons behind their presence at Fort Cavazos. Despite the base being subject to constant disturbance, fragmentation, and localized droughts, Chuck-will's-widows persist in the area, suggesting potential habitat suitability amidst challenging conditions. Data collected from two field seasons (Spring 2023 and 2024) along with four years of point count data (Spring 2021-2024) will be analyzed to discern patterns in their distribution and habitat preferences. Additionally, insect availability in the habitat of Chuck-will's-widow is being assessed through insect traps, aiming to correlate their presence with specific insect populations. By examining habitat characteristics, insect availability, and the species' distribution patterns, this research seeks to determine whether Chuck-will's-widows exhibit preferences for particular habitats or specific insect prey. An analysis of CWWI diet is also being conducted through metabarcoding fecal samples to be able to compare insect availability with chosen prey. Such insights are critical for understanding the factors influencing their presence at Fort Cavazos and for informing conservation strategies to mitigate the decline of this species in other areas.
Speakers
ST
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlfe : Avian Ecology and Management

3:40pm CST

Wildlife Track: Space use and habitat selection of a recolonized bobcat population
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Ellen M. Audia, Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Katherine M. Buckman, Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Brent S. Pease, Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Clayton K. Nielsen, Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

ABSTRACT: Bobcats (Lynx rufus) in the midwestern U.S. experienced dramatic population declines throughout the 1900s due to overharvest and agricultural expansion. Increased protection allowed bobcats to recolonize the agriculturally dominated, fragmented landscape of north-central Illinois, where they are likely using and selecting habitat differently than bobcats in less fragmented landscapes. We evaluated home range size, second order (i.e., home range) habitat selection, and dispersal of 28 bobcats in north-central Illinois during 2022-2024. Mean annual home range size of males was 166.1 ± 99.2 km2 (SD throughout, n = 11) and larger (P = 0.01) than that of females (89.5 ± 119.4 km2, n = 8). Mean annual home range size of juveniles was 273.5 ± 125.3 km2 (n = 4) and larger (P < 0.01) than that of adults (96.6 ± 75.3 km2, n = 15). Home range sizes were similar (P = 0.4) between the kitten-rearing (138.1 ± 155.1 km2, n = 14) and breeding seasons (111.0 ± 102.5 km2, n = 18). Consistent with previous research, bobcats selected for forest cover over other land cover types; locations closer to forest edges, streams, and waterbodies; and locations farther from roads. Mean dispersal distance of 7 juveniles was 65.9 ± 42.4 km and similar to other midwestern populations, with 4 males and 1 female dispersing north, and 2 males dispersing southeast. Home range size differences between sexes, ages, and seasons were generally consistent with other studies; however, home ranges were larger than those of other populations suggesting bobcat space requirements may be greater in this fragmented landscape. The selection of forest cover and locations closer to forest edges and streams indicates that riparian forests along the Illinois river provide important habitat for bobcats and may have helped facilitate their recolonization of this region.
Speakers
EA

Ellen Audia

Graduate Assistant, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Mammal Ecology and Management

3:40pm CST

S-01: Sora and Virginia Rail Migratory Timing and Stopover Duration in the Illinois River Valley
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Auriel Fournier, Forbes Biological Station–Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;
Chad Cremer, Forbes Biological Station–Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;
Nicole Pietrunti, Forbes Biological Station–Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;
Mike Avara, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Havana, Illinois, 62644
Therin Bradshaw, Forbes Biological Station–Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;
Chelsea Kross, Forbes Biological Station–Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;
Andrew Gilbert, Forbes Biological Station–Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;
Joshua Osborn, Forbes Biological Station–Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;
Mike Ward, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign


ABSTRACT: Public wetlands within the midwestern US are managed for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent species, providing habitat for migratory wetland bird species provides the additional challenge of creating the needed habitat at the needed time. While a body of literature is available about the migratory timing of waterfowl and shorebirds other marsh birds remain a data gap. Rallids (Family Rallidae) are members of a larger group of marsh birds, which includes game and non-game species that use a variety of emergent wetlands. Sora and Virginia rail are the most abundant game species among Rallids found in the Midwest. Uncertainty remains about the stopover duration, migratory decisions, and migratory paths of both species in spring and fall migration. Our objectives were to determine the spring and fall migratory timing, stopover duration and migratory pathways of Sora and Virginia Rail.
Speakers
AF

Auriel Fournier

Director, Forbes Biological Station
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  S-01: Flight of Discovery: Bird Research & Monitoring within the Mississippi Flyway

3:40pm CST

S-02: Utilizing the USFWS National Fish Passage Coordination Map and the SARP National Aquatic Barrier Inventory and Prioritization Tool to Assess Stream Connectivity Across the Western Great Plains
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jacob Zona, South Dakota State University; Tait Ronningen, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Christopher Cheek, South Dakota State University; Stephanie Webster, South Dakota State University

ABSTRACT: Habitat fragmentation is one of the most pressing issues in conservation biology. Restricting the movement of organisms can limit access to critical habitats during different life history stages, reduce population sizes, decrease genetic connectivity, and ultimately disrupt community structure. There has been a tremendous amount of research and management focused on the impact of large dams on aquatic ecosystems, particularly anadromous fishes. However, the removal or remediation of these structures is often socially unfeasible or financially restrictive. Work focusing on smaller, more abundant barriers to aquatic organism passage (e.g. culverts, low-head dams) has increased in recent years. Considering the wide geographic scope of this issue and the enormous number of potential barriers, careful consideration needs to be taken on where best to focus limited financial resources. As more stakeholders begin working in watershed connectivity, coordination between partners becomes increasingly important. Multiple resources available to managers have been recently developed to aid in this prioritization and coordination. We utilized the USFWS National Fish Passage Coordination Map and the SARP National Aquatic Barrier Inventory and Prioritization Tool to help us more effectively assess stream connectivity across the western Great Plains in partnership with the BLM. Using the NFPCM we prioritized 38 HUC10 watersheds across Eastern Montana based on percent BLM ownership, SGCN fish species richness, amount of stream habitat, and coverage by previous barrier survey projects. We also used the NFPCM combined with other GIS tools to identify, categorize, and prioritize potential barriers within each watershed prior to field surveys. Between July and September 2024, 329 potential barriers were assessed using the Stream Crossing Survey and the Dam and Diversions Survey through SARP. Each survey was uploaded to the NABI where managers can now use the prioritization tool to determine best candidates for remediation based on their specific connectivity goals.
Speakers
JZ

Jacob Zona

Research Associate, South Dakota State University
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  S-02: Connecting the Dots: Addressing Aquatic Habitat Fragmentation Across the Midwest

3:40pm CST

S-03: CWD: CWD Hunter Harvest Initiative
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Hudman Deborah, MDC; Jason Isabelle, MDC; Aaron Hildreth, MDC

ABSTRACT: Management of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is critical to slow the spread of the disease and to protect Missouri’s white-tailed deer population. However, enacting the management is expensive, very demanding of staffing resources, and controversial with some members of the public.

As CWD expands in Missouri, it strains resources needed to manage the disease and necessitates the exploration of new management alternatives. The Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) CWD Hunter Harvest Initiative aims to increase deer harvest during the regular hunting season in select areas where CWD has been found to reduce or eliminate the need to conduct post-season targeted removal efforts which are very labor intensive. Engaging local stakeholders in the initiative aims to enhance efficiencies and promote sustainable management of CWD.

The CWD Hunter Harvest Initiative is being piloted in four CWD Core Areas, defined as areas within roughly two miles of a CWD-positive detection. For each core area, a deer harvest goal was established and provided to landowners with property in the core area. Public meetings were held with core area landowners. A public facing website and dashboard were created to allow landowners and hunters to track progress towards the harvest goal.

To count towards the harvest goal, hunters must have had the deer sampled for CWD at a voluntary sampling location or by depositing the deer head in a designated freezer. Landowners were notified if the removal goal was met in a core area. If the goal was not met, post-season targeted removal was conducted.

Speakers
DH

Deborah Hudman

Wildlife Health Program Supervisor, Missouri Department of Conservation
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  S-03: CWD: A Wicked Challenge

3:40pm CST

S-04: Evaluating Brown Trout strains stocked into Spring River, Arkansas
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Joseph E. Kaiser, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission; Christy Graham, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

ABSTRACT: The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) primarily stock two strains of Brown Trout Salmo trutta into Arkansas’ trout fisheries. Those strains include the Plymouth Rock and Crawford strains, which were considered average regarding hatchery and post-stocking performance according to historic evaluations conducted for the USFWS’s Strain Registry. In 2021, we began a contemporary evaluation of both strains on the Spring River trout fishery located in north-central Arkansas. The evaluation coincides with current strategies used for managing Brown Trout on Spring River which include annually stocking approximately 10,000, 229-mm fish and regulating harvest with a daily limit of one fish over 356 mm. From 2021 to 2024, we uniquely marked all Brown Trout stocked in Spring River (2021-22 = Crawford; 2023-24 = Plymouth Rock). We collected and tagged Brown Trout seasonally (every 3-5 months) beginning in June 2021 to track growth and survival rates of each strain. We also collected data on seasonal diets, water temperatures, and Rainbow Trout stocking rates to incorporate into the current evaluation.
Speakers
JK

Joseph Kaiser

Trout Management Biologist, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 1)

3:40pm CST

S-05: Scars to Shiners. Iowa's Private-Public Partnership to Save the Endangered Topeka Shiner through Oxbow Restorations.
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Brandon Iddings, Iowa Soybean Association

ABSTRACT: Showcase Iowa's unique partnership between public-private organizations and private landowners/farmers to recover the endangered Topeka Shiner. The Iowa Soybean Association, The Nature Conservancy, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of Agriculture, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and private landowners have been restoring oxbows since 2001 benefiting water quality, and wildlife habitats. With hundreds of restorations completed statewide to create new habitat.
Crop commodity groups are helping push conservation in Iowa and having huge success working with diverse partners. Demonstrate voluntary efforts of landowners and identify how farmer driven outreach can reduce your outreach efforts while growing your projects. Show the benefits to the farmers/landowners as well as the fish and wildlife in these ecosystems.
Speakers
BI

Brandon Iddings

Conservation Services Manager, Iowa Soybean Association
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  S-05: Working Lands & Resilient Streams: The Power of Partnering with Landowners

3:40pm CST

S-06: Native bee response to woodland and glade restoration on Missouri’s state parks
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Ken McCarty, Missouri State Parks (retired)

ABSTRACT:  Native Ozark woodland- and glade dominated landscapes easily support 30 to 40 percent of Missouri’s native plant species at even a single site, including large numbers of conservative species. Their plant-dense, season-long floral progressions potentially support equally robust and diverse bee communities. Forty years of conservation effort protecting remnants, applying fire, and managing woody density or composition has yielded impressive examples and many designated Missouri Natural Areas. Intensive surveys since 2016 have explored bee diversity and bee community characteristics across 17 such sites within Missouri’s state parks. This presentation summarizes the findings, to emphasize the important role remnant native ecosystems play as reservoirs of bee biodiversity, and benchmarks that may help pollinator conservation efforts in more developed or altered contemporary environments.
Speakers
KM

Ken McCarty

Director, Natural Resources Program, Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Monday January 20, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  S-06: Restoring and Reconstructing Endangered Ecosystems in Missouri: Case Studies of Prairie/Savanna/Woodland and Wetland Natural Communities

4:00pm CST

Fisheries Track: Evaluation of otolith and eye lens chemistry for identifying stocked Walleye
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Joshua Fluur, Southern Illinois University; Gregory Whitledge, Southern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: Walleye (Sander vitreus) is a popular sportfish whose populations are often supported by maintenance or supplemental stocking, with most fish stocked as fry, fingerlings, or advanced fingerlings. Evaluation of stocking efficacy is important to inform decisions regarding fish stocking rates and sizes and allocating hatchery fish to locations where maintenance or supplemental stocking is most needed. Several types of artificial tags or marks can potentially be used to identify stocked fish, but many have various drawbacks. Natural chemical markers in otoliths or eye lenses offer several advantages compared to conventional tags or marks and can be used to identify stocked fish when differences between hatchery-reared and wild fish are present. However, the accuracy of these approaches for identifying Walleye stocked at either fry or fingerling sizes has not been evaluated. Thus, the objectives of this study are to assess identification accuracy for Walleye stocked as fry or fingerlings using otolith microchemistry and eye lens stable isotope analysis. Known stocked fish and fish moved between chemically distinct locations to simulate stocking were obtained from several sources. Results to date indicate that otolith microchemistry can identify Walleye stocked as fingerlings with high accuracy and that the source hatchery signature can be detected in fish stocked as early as three days post-hatch. Results of this study will provide guidance regarding applications of otolith and eye lens chemistry techniques to assess contributions of stocking and natural reproduction to Walleye populations and relative efficacy of stocking fish at varied sizes.
Speakers
JF

Joshua Fluur

Graduate Assistant, Southern Illinois University - Carbondale
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Walleye

4:00pm CST

Fisheries Track: Spectaclecase Mussel Detection in the Upper Mississippi River Using eDNA
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Tariq Tajjioui, U.S. Geological Survey; Daniel Kelner, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Stephen F. Spear, U.S. Geological Survey; Diane L. Waller, U.S. Geological Survey; Trevor W. Cyphers, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Joseph W. Jordan, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Christopher M. Merkes, U.S. Geological Survey; Colin C. Moratz, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Theresa M. Schreier, U.S. Geological Survey; Bernard E. Sietman, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Sarah A. Douglass, Illinois Natural History Survey

ABSTRACT: The Spectaclecase mussel (Cumberlandia monodonta) is an endangered freshwater species native to the large rivers of the Mississippi River basin in the Midwest and Southeast United States. To support the conservation of Spectaclecase populations, organizations such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are implementing habitat restoration initiatives along the upper Mississippi River (UMR). However, there are few known populations of Spectaclecase in the UMR, and gathering more occurrence data is crucial for effective restoration efforts. Traditional diving methods are typically used for surveying Spectaclecase, but this species’ preference for sheltered habitats, such as large interstitial spaces and crevices, makes these methods risky, costly, and time-consuming. Environmental DNA (eDNA) presents a promising alternative for monitoring aquatic species, although freshwater mussels often yield low detection rates. A quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay for Spectaclecase has previously been developed to detect known populations. Our study aimed to build on this foundation by conducting eDNA surveys throughout the UMR to assess detection rates and locate unknown populations. Between 2020 and 2024, we collected eDNA samples from over 250 sites across 23 pools in the UMR. DNA from the samples was extracted and analyzed using the established Spectaclecase eDNA marker. We also performed dive surveys at any new positive eDNA detection site to confirm the presence of this species. Our findings indicate that eDNA can successfully identify previously unknown populations of Spectaclecase, although locations with documented populations of Spectaclecase sometimes failed to produce positive eDNA detections. Dive surveys revealed that even weak positive eDNA detections were sufficient to locate Spectaclecase mussels. This research highlights the effectiveness of eDNA as a monitoring tool for this endangered species while also addressing the challenges of detecting declining mussel populations in expansive river systems.
Speakers
TT

Tariq Tajjioui

Geneticist, U.S. Geological Survey
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquatic Ecology

4:00pm CST

Wildlife Track: Habitat Selection of Gray Foxes in Southern Illinois
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Nadine Pershyn, Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Clay Nielsen, Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Nicole Gorman, Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Abby Weber, Southern Illinois University Carbondale; and Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

ABSTRACT: Gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) populations have declined throughout the midwestern U.S. without clear causation. Despite this decline, until recently minimal research has been conducted in the region to gain insight into the ecological needs of a vulnerable population. We evaluated gray fox second order habitat selection to determine which habitats are best suited to supporting gray foxes in southern Illinois and similar landscapes throughout the region. Gray foxes were trapped during November-March 2022-2024 using padded foothold traps and fitted with GPS collars programmed to take locations every 2 hr. Using more than 11,000 GPS locations from 10 gray foxes (5 ad F, 4 ad M, 1 ju M), we used a 2nd order resource selection function (RSF) to analyze habitat selection relative to vegetation cover (e.g., forest, grassland, crop, shrub, barren), distance to forest-grassland edges, distance to forest-crop edges, human development, distance to secondary roads, and elevation. We also investigated the impact of relative probability of use (RPU) across the landscape of coyotes (Canis latrans) and bobcats (Lynx rufus), using GPS locations also collected across southern Illinois. Gray foxes selected most strongly for developed areas, grasslands, and forest, and preferred areas closer to forest-grassland edge and farther from forest-crop edges and secondary roads. Our results support previous research that shows interspersed forest and grassland is important gray fox habitat. Gray foxes avoided areas with high coyote RPU but were not impacted by bobcat RPU. Coyotes are intraguild predators of gray foxes, and may contribute to mortality, which could be why gray foxes avoided them. Bobcats have similar habitat requirements and prey as gray foxes, which could explain the lack of response. Our study provides novel insight into habitat selection of a species of concern and sheds light on intraguild carnivore interactions.
Speakers
NP

Nadine Pershyn

Graduate Research Assistant, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Mammal Ecology and Management

4:00pm CST

Wildlife Track: Integrated dynamic occupancy models reveal declines in gamebird distributions in Illinois and sampling bias in eBird data
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Lauren C. Scopel, Illinois Natural History Survey; T.J. Benson, Illinois Natural History Survey; Maximilian L. Allen, Illinois Natural History Survey; Kirk W. Stodola, Illinois Natural History Survey

ABSTRACT: Wildlife face increasing threats from a variety of anthropogenic sources, yet wildlife research, monitoring, and conservation funding is increasingly at risk. Wildlife managers thus face pressure to become more efficient, reducing time available for long-term survey efforts. One potential way to complement existing surveys is the use of publicly available federal or citizen science data. We integrated data from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), and eBird to analyze the distribution of Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) and Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) in Illinois between 2010-2022. We used dynamic occupancy models and Bayesian methods to track long-term changes for each species, while also examining potential bias in sampling design for each survey type. Bobwhite and pheasant occupancy declined over the 13-year period and were negatively associated with urban land cover. Of the three surveys, IDNR had the greatest detection rates for both species, whereas eBird detection rates were lowest, especially for bobwhite. eBird data, unlike the other data sources, also showed a bias in sampling effort, where users preferentially surveyed urban and wetland areas relative to their occurrence in the state. Our results indicate that intensive monitoring should continue for gamebirds in Illinois, given their ongoing declines. BBS and eBird data can complement high-quality IDNR data, but eBird data especially need additional treatment during analysis to ensure more accurate occupancy estimates.
Speakers
LS

Lauren Scopel

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Illinois Natural History Survey
I am a postdoctoral research associate at the Illinois Natural History Survey (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign).  I currently study the population dynamics of furbearers in Illinois using Bayesian methods.  My past research has been in seabird population and community... Read More →
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Avian Ecology and Management

4:00pm CST

S-01: Monitoring grassland bird populations in Missouri & beyond
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Ethan Duke and Dana Ripper, Missouri River Bird Observatory

ABSTRACT: As this audience is aware, the precipitous long-term decline in grassland-obligate bird populations continues largely unabated. We will discuss 12 years of monitoring data from Missouri and surrounding states, how these data can be applied to management action, and how current technology can be employed for real-time analysis and data-sharing. We will also discuss practical suggestions for effectively deploying resources to grassland bird conservation.
Speakers
avatar for Dana Ripper

Dana Ripper

Director, Missouri River Bird Observatory
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  S-01: Flight of Discovery: Bird Research & Monitoring within the Mississippi Flyway

4:00pm CST

S-02: Connecting Freshwater Resilience and Barrier Prioritization
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Mary Khoury, The Nature Conservancy; Erik Martin, The Nature Conservancy; Mark Anderson, The Nature Conservancy; Arlene Olivero, The Nature Conservancy; Analie Barnett, The Nature Conservancy.

ABSTRACT: Over the last century, the ecological integrity of most streams and lakes has declined, and now climate change is altering historic precipitation and temperature patterns, further impacting freshwater environments. In response, The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Center for Resilient Conservation Science engaged 60 colleagues over three years to assess river networks in the conterminous United States (CONUS) for resilience to climate change (Anderson et al. 2024). Freshwater resilience is the ability of a freshwater system to sustain biodiversity even as it responds to a changing climate. An integral component of freshwater resilience is aquatic connectivity. Large, diverse, and connected river networks in good ecological condition and with ample, unaltered water are expected to be more resilient because they provide many ways for freshwater species to adapt to changing conditions. TNC’s freshwater resilience analysis results are designed to assist practitioners working to protect or restore freshwater habitats. Available through the Resilient River Explorer (maps.tnc.org/resilientrivers), the two main products are: 1. Freshwater Resilience, a map and spatial database that scores every subwatershed in CONUS for climate resilience and provides users with the component values used to calculate resilience; and 2. the Freshwater Resilient and Connected Network (FRCN), which identifies a representative network of rivers, streams, and wetlands that, if conserved, could potentially sustain the freshwater diversity of CONUS under a changing climate. This presentation will highlight the key components of TNC’s freshwater resilience analysis, introduce the Resilient River Explorer (RRE) web tool and discuss its complementarity with the National Aquatic Barrier Inventory and Prioritization tool (https://aquaticbarriers.org/). While each web tool serves distinct purposes, the two can be used together to inform aquatic connectivity restoration activities that will increase the resilience of freshwater systems.
Speakers
avatar for Mary Khoury

Mary Khoury

Freshwater Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy
Regional freshwater planning and ecological integrity assessment.
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  S-02: Connecting the Dots: Addressing Aquatic Habitat Fragmentation Across the Midwest

4:00pm CST

S-03: CWD: Calculating the Cost of CWD: A Minnesota Approach
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: [presenting] Elizabeth Rasmussen, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; 5463 W Broadway Ave, Forest Lake, MN 55025;
elizabeth.rasmussen@state.mn.us; 651-302-5042

Kelsie LaSharr, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 5463 W Broadway Ave, Forest Lake, MN 55025; kelsie.lasharr@state.mn.us

Michelle Carstensen, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; 5463 W Broadway Ave, Forest Lake, MN 55025; michelle.carstensen@state.mn.us;

Erik Hildebrand, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; 5463 W Broadway Ave, Forest Lake, MN 55025; erik.hildebrand@state.mn.us

ABSTRACT: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has conducted Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) since 2002. Since 2016 different surveillance approaches have been implemented, each with varying costs, benefits, trade-offs, and lessons learned. In this presentation I will detail how we calculate a Cost Per Sample for both voluntary and mandatory sampling frameworks, and how this has factored into determining the “sweet spot” of our current surveillance approach. As the disease continues to affect more areas and resources are stretched, having a Cost Per Sample metric gives us the ability to assess staffing, management, and confidence in disease detection against the bottom line.
Speakers
ER

Elizabeth Rasmussen

Wildlife Health Biologist, MNDNR
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  S-03: CWD: A Wicked Challenge

4:00pm CST

S-04: Evaluation of the Effects of a Slot Length Limit and Stocking Changes for Rainbow and Brown Trout in Lake Taneycomo, Missouri
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Shane Bush, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Lake Taneycomo was built in 1913 and is Missouri's oldest hydroelectric reservoir. The lake is riverine in nature, 22 miles in length and encompasses 2,080 surface acres. Prior to 1958, Lake Taneycomo supported one of Missouri's best warm-water fisheries. This changed in 1958 when Table Rock Dam, located in the headwater of Lake Taneycomo, began discharging cold hypolimnetic water into Lake Taneycomo. The discharge of cold water changed Lake Taneycomo into a cold-water environment, providing optimal conditions for trout. Rainbow trout were first stocked into Lake Taneycomo in 1958 and brown trout were first stocked in 1980. By the late 1960s, largely through the introduction of Gammarus pseudolimnaeus, rainbow trout were exhibiting growth rates up to 0.7 inch per month. Large rainbow trout were abundant, and the lake quickly earned a national reputation for producing trophy rainbow trout. By 1986, the G. pseudolimnaeus population had declined by approximately 90% and few rainbow trout larger than stocking size were present. This prompted an extensive 8-year study by MDC that led to regulation changes in 1997. These regulations have had a positive impact on both electrofishing and angler catch rates, as well as size structure of rainbow trout lakewide since they were implemented. At present day, 560,000 rainbow trout and 15,000 brown trout are stocked into the lake annually, making Lake Taneycomo Missouri's largest and most popular trout fishery. Additional work is currently being conducted to evaluate stockings of a new strain of brown trout into the lake, including triploid brown trout which resulted in two new state record brown trout being caught in 2019.
Speakers
SB

Shane Bush

Fisheries Biologist, Missouri Department of Conservation
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 1)

4:00pm CST

S-05: Insights, Community Development, and Other Benefits of the Watershed Leaders Network
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Beth Baranski - Jo Daviess County, Illinois

ABSTRACT: Residents in the farthest northwest corner of Illinois are using shared learning combined with cooperative and voluntary problem solving to address local water resource management issues. A long-term, volunteer-based effort has been used to establish working relationships between individuals and entities impacting water resources in the county. The collaborative efforts between scientists, local non-profits and a farmer-led group have resulted in a project design that serves as a scalable model for addressing water resource management issues.

Jo Daviess County is located in the "Driftless Area." Bypassed by ice-age glaciers, the rugged landscape is characterized by erosional valleys that have been cut down through this karst terrain. In the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, agriculture is cited as the primary source of nutrients lost to the Mississippi River. The complex hydrogeology and steep slopes in this area make attempts to understand and address run-off and nutrient loss issues difficult. However, much work has been done to establish the character and function of the hydrogeology and to quantify the anthropomorphic impact on both surface and ground water quality.

Inspired and supported by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services Watershed Leaders Network/Fishers and Farmers Partnership, a farmer-led group was formed in the Galena area to work on water resource management issues. There has been a movement in the agricultural community to pursue the resolution of water quality issues, but it seems clear that the best conversations take place on this topic when "soil health" is the focus. The potential environmental benefits have increased dramatically, and improved dialogue has resulted in many unanticipated social benefits.
Speakers
BB

Beth Baranski

Jo Daviess County Soil & Water Health Coalition
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  S-05: Working Lands & Resilient Streams: The Power of Partnering with Landowners

4:00pm CST

S-06: Renovating Duck Creek CA: An Integrated Approach
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Frank Nelson, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: The wetlands in southeastern Missouri have a long history of alteration. Since the 1950’s, Duck Creek Conservation Area has been managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation to provide wetland habitat for waterfowl and other wetland dependent species within this altered landscape. Over time our philosophy of wetland management, the implications of infrastructure design, and the interaction of natural features has evolved. Based on a hydrogeomorphic assessment of the larger Mingo basin surrounding Duck Creek we identified the four following objectives to renovate the aging wetland management area: 1) restore natural water flow patterns where possible, 2) mimic natural water regimes, 3) restore natural vegetation communities, and 4) accommodate public uses that are consistent with resource objectives. A multi-disciplined team of biologists and engineers used a basin wide digital elevation model, aerial photos, and field observations to examine the landscape features and identify opportunities to restore wetland system processes to achieve these objectives. These steps have reduced several chronic management challenges, increased the wetland habitat diversity, and enhanced the wetland function of the area. Following construction, we've been able to document the responses of both aquatic and avian communities through the annual cycle and periods of flood connectivity. The collaborative approach and incorporation of system processes into the renovation have benefited Duck Creek Conservation Area.
Speakers
FN

Frank Nelson

Wetland Ecologist, Missouri Dept. of Conservation
Monday January 20, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  S-06: Restoring and Reconstructing Endangered Ecosystems in Missouri: Case Studies of Prairie/Savanna/Woodland and Wetland Natural Communities

4:20pm CST

Fisheries Track: Addressing the Data Need to Manage Future Change in Fisheries
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Maddy Siller, South Dakota State University; David Coulter, South Dakota State University; Steven Chipps, U.S. Geological Survey; Mark Kaemingk, University of North Dakota; Taufique Mahmood, University of North Dakota; Matthew Maldonado, University of North Dakota; Michaela Neal, University of North Dakota; Ayon Saha, University of North Dakota; Alison Coulter, South Dakota State University

ABSTRACT: Many studies have documented a corresponding shift in fish communities caused by a changing climate. This poses potential problems for managers in the Northern Glaciated Plains where fishing generates millions of dollars annually for local and state economies, and cool-water fish like Walleye are extremely popular. The Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework is a new tool for responding to environmental changes due to climate change in ecosystems where there are elevated levels of uncertainty and variability. The RAD framework allows managers to determine if it is most advantageous to a) Resist the change by working to maintain the current ecosystem, b) Accept the changing ecosystem, or c) Direct the change to shape the ecosystem into a new one that achieves the manager’s goals. For this tool to be used, relationships between current habitat characteristics and fish communities need to be determined. Potential changes in fish communities can then be assessed using predicted future environmental conditions due to climate change. Our objective was to classify North and South Dakota lake fish assemblages based on environmental conditions using a multivariant regression tree (MRT). To create this MRT, we examined current environmental conditions including surface area, fetch, shoreline development index, water temperature, watershed area, and watershed land use. Future research will incorporate predicted environmental change to examine shifts in fish communities. The results of this study could guide managers in determining a) which lakes may be most at risk for experiencing changing fish communities, b) which RAD strategy could be best suited for each lake, and c) identify which lakes could be prioritized for ecosystem management (e.g., species and location of fish stocking, habitat renovations) to maintain angler satisfaction.
Speakers
MS

Madalyn Siller

Graduate Research Assistant, South Dakota State University
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquatic Ecology

4:20pm CST

Fisheries Track: Mille Lacs Lake Walleye: Changes in Body Condition Over Time in Relation to Biotic and Environmental Changes
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Levi Suchla, University of Minnesota; Lynn Waterhouse, University of Minnesota/U.S. Geological Survey

ABSTRACT: Mille Lacs Lake is an economically, recreationally, and culturally significant fishery, with Walleye being one of the the main targets for anglers. Over the past 30+ years, numerous biotic and abiotic changes have occurred within the lake and have had an impact on the fishery. This project aims to explore what factors have had the biggest influence on the body condition of walleye, understand the impact of some aquatic invasive species that are present in the lake, and determine the trends and shifts in walleye body condition and growth over time in relation to changing conditions.
Speakers
LS

Levi Suchla

M.S. Graduate Research Assistant, University of Minnesota
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Walleye

4:20pm CST

Wildlife Track: Using the Motus Wildlife Tracking System to fill knowledge gaps for priority Neotropical migratory birds in the Midwest and beyond
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Sarah W. Kendrick, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Nicholas J. Bayly, SELVA: Investigación para la Conservación en el Neotropico; Ernesto M. Carman, SELVA; María de la Paz Irola-Angulo, SELVA; Yuly Caideco-Ortiz, SELVA; Stuart Mackenzie, Birds Canada

ABSTRACT: Many migratory landbird species are in steep decline and research to co-produced research to identify limiting factors and address threats across the full annual cycle for targeted recovery remains vital. Funding conservation efforts and research is another challenge for many that requires thinking outside the box. Recent tracking projects across the Western Hemisphere with international bird-conservation partners have been crowdfunded by Missouri birding organizations. Funding support was matched by state and federal agencies to fill knowledge gaps for declining songbird species of conservation concern across the Midwest and eastern U.S., including Golden-winged Warbler and Wood Thrush. Motus-tracking projects have allowed for new data on migration timing and departure dates, migratory routes, and survival at different periods of the full annual cycle. The Range-wide Wood Thrush Motus-tracking Project has engaged over 60 partners across 25 U.S. states and 7 countries via state agencies and international partners, resulting in the largest Motus-tagging project to date across the species’ full annual range. By utilizing the Motus network and leveraging funding and collaboration through partner projects including non-traditional, or often overlooked, audiences, we can build a stronger study design, ownership of the work, greater probability of conservation actions using the findings, and sense of community across the hemisphere for our shared migratory birds.
Speakers
SK

Sarah Kendrick

Migratory Bird Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Avian Ecology and Management

4:20pm CST

Wildlife Track: When, where, and how prey pair antipredator behaviors to natural and anthropogenic mortality risks
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Michael E. Egan, Southern Illinois University; Abigail M. Weber, Southern Illinois University; Nicole T. Gorman, Southern Illinois University; Michael W. Eichholz, Southern Illinois University; Daniel Skinner, Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Peter E. Schlichting, Illinois Department of Natural Resources; and Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Southern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: Behavioral responses of prey to predation risk have ecological impacts that can be as great as the direct mortality mediated through behaviors including behavioral state changes and spatial avoidance. Theory suggests that prey choose between these behaviors by pairing responses to risks based on the hunting mode of the prey (hunting mode hypothesis), but prey may ignore hunting mode to prioritize responding to the most lethal predators (lethality hypothesis). Furthermore, prey may respond to the spatial distribution of these risks (risky places hypothesis) or respond only during the periods of highest risk (risky times hypothesis).We test these hypotheses using data from 40 female and 29 male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and two mesopredators (coyotes, Canis latrans and bobcats, Lynx rufus) fitted with GPS collars and human sources of mortality (hunting, roads, human modification).We used hidden Markov models (HMM) to determine whether each covariate impacted the probability of transitioning between behavioral states and step selection functions (SSF) to determine whether deer spatially avoided each covariate. Additionally, we evaluated whether these patterns varied daily and seasonally. Generally, deer changed behavioral state in response to both mesopredators, consistently shifting to slower movement states, but avoided human modification. Spatial responses to human modification varied depending on the time of day. Deer selected for human modification during daylight hours but avoided human modification during the crepuscular and nighttime periods. Space use was most strongly related to more lethal humans, providing support for the lethality hypothesis. Despite prioritizing humans, mesopredators impacted deer behavioral state, suggesting that mesopredators still have important impacts on prey behavior. Finally, temporal patterns of avoidance align with other studies that indicate avoidance of predators is time-dependent while further highlighting the complex push-pull relationship of human modified areas on wildlife.
Speakers
ME

Michael Egan

Postdoctoral Researcher, Southern Illinois University
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Mammal Ecology and Management

4:20pm CST

S-01: An Assessment of Avian and Vegetation Communities on Agricultural Conservation Easement Wetlands in Eastern South Dakota
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Katherine Millman, South Dakota State University, Department of Natural Resource Management; Mercedes Batalla, South Dakota State University, Department of Natural Resource Management; Steve R. Chipps, U.S. Geological Survey, South Dakota Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit; Joshua D. Stafford, U.S. Geological Survey, South Dakota Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit

ABSTRACT: The USDA-NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) works with private landowners to conserve and restore wetlands to provide ecosystem services, including wildlife habitat. We selected 50 wetlands in southeastern South Dakota to survey and quantify avian and vegetation characteristics during 2023 and 2024. Of these sites, 30 were enrolled in ACEP, and the remainder were federal and state properties that served as minimally-disturbed comparative sites (n = 10), and sites heavily influenced by nearby agriculture (n = 10). At each site we sampled herbaceous vegetation, trees, and avifauna. Vegetation was sampled by measuring species richness and cover in 15 quadrats (1 m2) sampled across three vegetation zones (wet meadow, marsh, and open water). We recorded the number, species, and diameter at breast height (cm) of all tree species within 100 m of wetland bank-full boundaries. We used point counts to quantify avian abundance and diversity during four time periods, spring migration (mid-May), summer breeding season (June/July), fall migration (late-August/ mid-September), and winter (early October). Point counts included 3 10-minute surveys at each wetland, with points spaced ≥200 m apart. Vegetation diversity was generally low (e.g., species richness
Speakers
KM

Katherine Millman

Graduate Research Assistant, South Dakota State University
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  S-01: Flight of Discovery: Bird Research & Monitoring within the Mississippi Flyway

4:20pm CST

S-02: Facilitated Discussion - Developing an Aquatic Connectivity Team: An example from the Missouri Stream Connectivity Partnership.
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Eric Rahm, Stream Biologist, Missouri Dept of Conservation

ABSTRACT: We will highlight the Missouri Stream Connectivity Partnership (MO SCP) and other conectivity teams throughout the Southeastern United States. We will share resourecs avaliable from American Rivers and the Southeast Aquatic Resource Partnership (SARP).
Speakers
avatar for Eric Rahm

Eric Rahm

Stream Biologist, Missouri Department of Conservation
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  S-02: Connecting the Dots: Addressing Aquatic Habitat Fragmentation Across the Midwest

4:20pm CST

S-03: CWD: Post-Season Targeted Removal Efforts are Worth the Work to Manage CWD
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Aaron Hildreth, Missouri Department of Conservation; Jason Isabelle, Missouri Department of Conservation; Deb Hudman, Missouri Department of Conservation; Sherri Russell, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Aggressive management of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is critical to slow the spread of the disease and protect Missouri’s white-tailed deer population. Post-season targeted removal, while controversial with some members of the public and expensive in terms of staff and financial resources, is effective at slowing the spread of the disease.

From January 16 through March 15, after the close of the deer hunting season, Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) staff work closely with cooperating landowners to remove additional deer within CWD Core Areas (Core). A Core includes the positive section/land grant along with a 2-section buffer.

Through the voluntary participation of landowners in Cores, 4,658 deer were removed across 33 Cores encompassing roughly 2,450 square miles in 2024. These efforts resulted in the removal of 51 CWD-positive deer and lowered deer density in these localized areas to slow the spread of CWD. Landowners removed nearly 1,600 (34%) of the total and MDC and USDA Wildlife Services staff removed the remainder. Starting in 2024, we established removal goals for each Core. The removal goal was met in 20 of the 33 Cores and at least 75% of the removal goal was met in 25 of the 33 Cores where targeted removal occurred in 2024.

A total of 572 free-ranging CWD positive deer have been detected in Missouri since 2012. Of those CWD positive deer, 213 (37%) have been removed during targeted removal while only accounting for 8% of the total deer sampled. MDC’s approach to aggressively manage CWD is intentional and is necessary to conserve Missouri’s deer and elk populations. This past year, over 80% of Missouri’s CWD positive counties had less than 1% of samples test positive. This low infection rate is a result of MDC working with landowners and partners to aggressively manage the disease through targeted removal.
Speakers
AH

Aaron Hildreth

Cervid Biologist, Missouri Department of Conservation
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  S-03: CWD: A Wicked Challenge

4:20pm CST

S-04: From Rod to Research and Resilience: How Anglers Enhance Fisheries Research and Management in Minnesota Waters of Lake Superior
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Nick Peterson, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Community science has proven to be a remarkable tool for fisheries research and management in Minnesota waters of Lake Superior. The Minnesota DNR initiated three cooperative research projects that utilize volunteer anglers to collect samples from economically and ecologically important salmonids (steelhead Rainbow Trout, Coaster Brook Trout, Brown Trout, and salmon) to better understand the genetics and feeding ecology of the Lake Superior fish community. Angler collected samples increased the number, as well as spatial and temporal extents, of tissues and diet items for analyses. This effort provided novel insights into population genetics and feeding habits of multiple species, with significantly less resources (time and monetary commitments) from the state. Public education and outreach from these projects strengthened relationships between Minnesota DNR and fisheries stakeholders and improved public support for proposed changes to Rainbow Trout hatchery production, stocking, and management in Minnesota waters of Lake Superior. I will explore the processes and partnerships essential for implementing these projects, the valuable insights gained from involving anglers, and the critical role these programs have played in enhancing the resilience of fisheries in Minnesota Waters of Lake Superior.
Speakers
NP

Nick Peterson

Fisheries Specialist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 1)

4:20pm CST

S-05: Engaging Private Landowners through Conservation Marketing Shoal Creek Woodlands for Wildlife Case-History
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Rob Pulliam, The Nature Conservancy - Missouri

ABSTRACT: The goal of the presentation is to share with participants how our team used concepts from commercial and social marketing to create what we call Conservation Marketing. As a working definition, Conservation Marketing is a planning, communication, and implementation process designed to deliver value for targeted customers through conservation products and services they desire and trust that benefits the biological, habitat, and socio-economic needs of a community in priority landscapes. By using a facilitated Conservation Marketing planning process, Shoal Creek Woodlands for Wildlife (SCWW) representative landowners developed their vision and mission statements; identified and prioritized their natural resource issues; helped determine solutions to their issues; and ultimately approved their marketing action plan. To date, hundreds of Best-Management-Practices have been implemented by private landowners and millions of dollars have flowed into the SCWW geography. In 2022, SCWW was recognized by the National Fish Habitat Initiative as a “10 Waters to Watch”.
Speakers
RP

Rob Pulliam

Nature-Based Solutions Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy - Missouri
Monday January 20, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  S-05: Working Lands & Resilient Streams: The Power of Partnering with Landowners

4:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Assessing Habitat Quality Changes for Cool- and Warm-Water Fishes
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Maddy Siller, South Dakota State University; David Coulter, South Dakota State University; Kaden Ball, South Dakota State University; Mark Kaemink, University of North Dakota; Taufique Mahmood, University of North Dakota; Matthew Maldonado, University of North Dakota; Michaela Neal, University of North Dakota; Ayon Saha, University of North Dakota; Alison Coulter, South Dakota State UNiversity

ABSTRACT: It is known that temperature impacts fish growth and that the influences of temperature on growth depends on the thermal optima of a particular species. This means that the extent of climate change impacts on growth and, ultimately, body length and body weight may vary by species. Additionally, understanding how latitudinal temperature variation influences fish growth may inform planning and management decisions for the future. This is due to climate change potentially producing similar differences to what is already observed with latitudinal variation within species. A common method of assessing fish growth is with well-established bioenergetics equations. However, using bioenergetics equations requires knowledge on food availability. When potential food is unknown, scope for growth (max possible growth at a given temp) can be used to assess potential growth and compare across species, locations, and times. Our goal is to determine how habitat quality for multiple cool and warmwater fishes has changed historically (past 40 years) throughout their distribution. In order to do this, we will (1) quantify how scope for growth and therefore habitat quality has changed in the past 40 years for lakes within species’ ranges, (2) compare how habitat quality has changed across latitude, and (3) compare how habitat quality has changed across species with different thermal optimum temperatures for consumption. Understanding which species have already experienced changes in habitat quality can inform future management under climate change. Additionally, this will reveal what species may be the most resilient to warming temperatures and which may need more support/management.
Speakers
MS

Madalyn Siller

Graduate Research Assistant, South Dakota State University
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquatic Ecology

4:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Evaluating Data-limited Population Assessment Tools for Walleye
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Caleb J. Branam, Michigan State University; Holly S. Embke, Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey; Chris L. Cahill, Michigan State University

ABSTRACT: A key challenge in inland fisheries is assessing numerous lakes across vast landscapes within an agency’s jurisdiction given limited resources. To reconcile this, a variety of data-limited methods have been developed to assess the status of inland fish populations. However, these tools often do not explicitly address the potential for population dynamics, or they make strong assumptions that a given population or stock is at equilibrium. Furthermore, these assessment tools are rarely simulation tested in inland fishery settings to determine their efficacy. Without knowing how these methods perform when confronted with simulated dynamics where truth is known, the effectiveness of such tools remains uncertain. Our objective was to evaluate how commonly used assessment methods for Walleye Sander vitreus performed when tested against simulated data. To achieve this, we developed an age-structured simulation model for Walleye and then evaluated the performance of the following commonly used assessment methods: mark-recapture, catch per unit effort as an index of relative abundance, size-structure indices as an index for population status, and production-based dynamics as an index of population status. This presentation will lay out the research plan for our study, present initial results for at least one assessment method, and touch briefly on the implications of potential results.
Speakers
CB

Caleb Branam

Graduate Research Assistant, Michigan State University
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Walleye

4:40pm CST

Wildlife Track: Creating a state-space model to assess the population status of fishers (Pekania pennanti) in Michigan's Upper Peninsula)
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Justin J. Remmers, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Sarah Mayhew, Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Kirk Stodola, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Maximilian L. Allen, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

ABSTRACT: Furbearer management plans often rely on population models to estimate the abundance and demographic trends of managed species. Fishers (Pekania pennanti), a medium-sized carnivore distributed across Canada and the northern United States, experienced population declines, extirpations, and range contractions in the early 1900s due to habitat loss, predator control, and overharvest by trappers. After being granted legal protections, fisher populations have expanded and recolonized parts of their historic range, enabling some states to allow limited harvest of the species. In particular, Michigan has had limited harvest of fishers in the Upper Peninsula for 30 years; however, the current abundance of fishers is unknown. To address this, we are developing a state-space model using age-at-harvest data to assess the current population status of fishers in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (93,600 km2). We are investigating the influence of different sex- and age-specific life history traits (i.e., harvest season survival, non-harvest season, mean litter size) to determine how these traits affect the overall population size and where effort should be placed to increase precision of estimates. This work will be useful in predicting population changes and informing future harvest management of fishers. Based on preliminary analysis of current age-at-harvest data, juvenile fishers appear to be more susceptible to harvest and exhibit lower annual survival rates compared to adults. Given that female fishers undergo delayed implantation and will not give birth until their second year, high levels of juvenile and yearling harvest may be more impactful on fisher demographics, especially when compared to other furbearing species.
Speakers
JR

Justin Remmers

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Illinois Natural History Survey
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Mammal Ecology and Management

4:40pm CST

Wildlife Track: Expansion of Motus in Missouri and the Midwest: examples of local and large scale Motus tracking
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kristen M. Heath-Acre, Sarah W. Kendrick, Nicholas J. Bayly

ABSTRACT: The Motus Wildlife Tracking System is an international, collaborative network of automated telemetry towers that help track the movements of wildlife for conservation research. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) established its first Motus receiver in 2018; since then, MDC has expanded its network to 40 stations across the state and plans to grow further. The initial goal was to create “digital fences” statewide to capture large scale movements of tagged migratory birds to fill knowledge gaps in the full annual cycles of birds of conservation concern. In the past 5 years, the Missouri Motus Network has detected 48 species of birds and has become a leader for Motus in the Midwest and the Mississippi Flyway. The Missouri Department of Conservation has also established partnerships with state, federal, and non-governmental agencies as well as international partners to tag, track, and investigate the survival, movements, migration timing, and stopover habitat of several species of migratory birds that breed or migrate through Missouri annually, including the rapidly declining Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea). Investigation into Cerulean Warbler winter survival and habitat use has revealed that Cerulean Warblers make within season winter movements, have differing habitat preference between males and females, and have relatively high overwinter survival. These data can be used to direct further research and inform full life cycle models. In addition to monitoring movements at regional and hemispheric scales, MDC has leveraged the Motus network to track and analyze local movements and survival of a reintroduced population of Brown-headed Nuthatches (Sitta pusilla) in the Missouri Ozark Highlands. Results from these analyses can help conservation partners better target management actions to protect and reverse declines of at-risk species at both local and hemispheric scales.
Speakers
KH

Kristen Heath-Acre

State Ornithologist, Missouri Deparment of Conservation
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Avian Ecology and Management

4:40pm CST

S-01: Owl and Nightjar Monitoring in Iowa
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Anna Buckardt Thomas, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Riggs Wilson, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Current state-wide bird monitoring programs in Iowa focus on diurnal species, and many data gaps exist in our understanding of nocturnal birds. Five owls and three nightjars are considered Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the state's Wildlife Action Plan, making the group a priority for monitoring and targeted habitat management. Since 2016, Iowa DNR staff have surveyed four nocturnal MOON (Monitoring Of Owls and Nightjars) routes twice each breeding season. This data collection has been in coordination with a similar citizen-science monitoring effort in Illinois, led by the Illinois Natural History Survey . That Iowa dataset is now reaching an age where it may soon be possible to detect changes in species population trends, but the data is geographically limited, and likely does not represent state-wide trends for these species. Over this time, high annual variation has been apparent for nightjars, with as few as 3 and as many as 21 Chuck-will's-widows detected on a single route, and as few as 53 and as many as 146 individuals detected in a given year across all four routes, for example. The number of owl detections however, have been much more consistent through time. In an effort to learn more about these nocturnal species on a state-wide scale, we increased monitoring efforts in 2024 to include14 routes within our Bird Conservation Areas (BCAs), and will continue to add routes again in 2025, with a goals of conducting MOON surveys all 23 of our BCAs. Our current information sets a base line for nocturnal bird populations in Iowa and has the potential to link species occupancy and abundance to habitat characteristics and management strategies into the future. The goal of this monitoring is to inform management of our BCAs to help maintain and increase populations of these declining species.
Speakers
AB

Anna Buckardt Thomas

Avian Ecologist, Iowa Department Of Natural Resources
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  S-01: Flight of Discovery: Bird Research & Monitoring within the Mississippi Flyway

4:40pm CST

S-03: CWD: Facilitated Discussion
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:

ABSTRACT:
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  S-03: CWD: A Wicked Challenge

4:40pm CST

S-04: Community ecology in a bottle: Leveraging eDNA metabarcoding data to predict occupancy of co-occurring salmonids and gill lice ectoparasites
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Sasha Tetzlaff, US Army ERDC-CERL; Aron Katz, US Army ERDC-CERL; Mark Johnson, US Army ERDC-CERL; Jinelle Sperry, US Army ERDC-CERL

ABSTRACT: Detecting environmental DNA (eDNA) of numerous organisms from the same samples has been revolutionized by metabarcoding. However, utilizing the vast amounts of data generated from metabarcoding to predict occupancy probabilities for co-occurring salmonids and their parasites is currently rare. Using established vertebrate and invert metabarcoding assays on replicate stream water samples collected on Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, we assessed ecological correlates of occurrence for eDNA of native brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), its major ectoparasite (gill lice, Salmincola edwardsii), and non-native brown trout (Salmo trutta). Gill lice DNA occupancy was positively associated with brook trout biomass determined via electrofishing conducted near eDNA sampling sites, suggesting gill lice occupancy is dependent on host density. Leveraging site-specific molecular operational taxonomic units identified from metabarcoding, DNA occupancy of trout and gill lice was often positively predicted by species richness of aquatic insect orders trout commonly feed on, which are also environmental quality indicators. Thus, high-quality habitats that environmentally sensitive salmonids and their primary prey rely on may promote higher fish occupancy rates, further facilitating the spread of fish parasites. We suggest our methodological framework could be broadly implemented to enhance understanding of factors impacting distributions of co-occurring salmonids and their parasites to support management and conservation efforts.
Speakers
ST

Sasha Tetzlaff

Research Biologist, US Army ERDC-CERL
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 1)

4:40pm CST

S-05: The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Aquatic Life Monitoring Project in the Illinois River and Kaskaskia River basins, Illinois
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Sarah Molinaro, Illinois Natural History Survey at University of Illinois;
Kristen Ragusa, Illinois Natural History Survey at University of Illinois;
William Nixon, Illinois Natural History Survey at University of Illinois;
Yong Cao, Illinois Natural History Survey at University of Illinois

ABSTRACT: The Illinois Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a partnership between the US Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA), Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), and the county Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) that aims to reduce sediment and nutrient runoff, improve water quality, and create and enhance critical habitat for fish and wildlife populations on private lands in the Illinois River and Kaskaskia River basins. In exchange for voluntarily removing frequently flooded and environmentally sensitive cropland from production, landowners receive compensation to implement conservation practices that support the goals of CREP. Since CREP was established in the Illinois River (1998) and Kaskaskia River (2010) basins, 1,324 parcels totaling 90,000 acres have been enrolled into conservation practices. Biennially, the CREP Aquatic Life Monitoring Project conducts wadeable stream surveys at fixed stream sites to monitor progress towards CREP’s aquatic life goal and evaluate how CREP affects stream habitat, fish communities, and benthic macroinvertebrate communities. In this talk, I will present a summary of conservation practices implemented by CREP and initial CREP Aquatic Life Monitoring Project results. I will also discuss next steps for the CREP Aquatic Life Monitoring Project and lessons learned working with private landowners.
Speakers
SM

Sarah Molinaro

Assistant Research Scientist, Stream Ecology, Illinois Natural History Survey at University of Illinois
Monday January 20, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  S-05: Working Lands & Resilient Streams: The Power of Partnering with Landowners

5:00pm CST

S-05: The Nature Conservancy at Dog Tooth Bend
Monday January 20, 2025 5:00pm - 5:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Tharran Hobson, The Nature Conservancy; Shelly Morris, The Nature Conservancy

ABSTRACT: The Nature Conservancy with partners began exploring options for landowners in the 17,000 acre floodplain site known locally as Dog Tooth Bend on the Mississippi River in Illinois. Increased flooding in the area has made agriculture almost impossible and changed the landscape. With partners TNC is implementing restoration measures as natural infrastructure to mitigate flood impacts locally and beyond.
Speakers
TH

Tharran Hobson

Southern Illinois Program Director, The Nature Conservancy
Monday January 20, 2025 5:00pm - 5:20pm CST
TBA
  S-05: Working Lands & Resilient Streams: The Power of Partnering with Landowners

5:00pm CST

Invasive Species Technical Committee Information and Interest Meeting
Monday January 20, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm CST
TBA
Speakers
avatar for Hannah Mulligan

Hannah Mulligan

Graduate Research Assistant, South Dakota State University
LZ

Logan Zebro

Graduate Research Assistant, South Dakota State University
Monday January 20, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm CST
TBA
  Committee Meeting

5:30pm CST

Michigan State University Fisheries and Wildlife Alumni and Friends Social
Monday January 20, 2025 5:30pm - 7:30pm CST
TBA
Monday January 20, 2025 5:30pm - 7:30pm CST
TBA

6:00pm CST

Offsite Dinner and Social ($)
Monday January 20, 2025 6:00pm - 9:00pm CST
Anheuser-Busch Brewery
Join us for a delicious Dinner Event at the iconic Anheuser-Busch Brewery! Savor a mouthwatering barbecue feast as you soak up the lively biergarten atmosphere. And if that wasn't enough, you'll even have the chance to meet one of the world-famous Clydesdales - the majestic Budweiser mascots! This is an event you won't want to miss. So grab your friends, raise a glass, and get ready for an unforgettable evening of good food, great beer, and even better company.
Monday January 20, 2025 6:00pm - 9:00pm CST
Anheuser-Busch Brewery 1127 Pestalozzi Street , St Louis, Missouri 63118
  Featured Event
 
Tuesday, January 21
 

7:00am CST

Continental Breakast with Exhibitors
Tuesday January 21, 2025 7:00am - 8:30am CST
TBA
Tuesday January 21, 2025 7:00am - 8:30am CST
TBA
  Meal/Social Event

7:00am CST

Speaker Ready Room Open
Tuesday January 21, 2025 7:00am - 5:00pm CST
TBA
Tuesday January 21, 2025 7:00am - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  For Speakers

7:00am CST

Conference Registration Desk Open
Tuesday January 21, 2025 7:00am - 6:00pm CST
TBA
Tuesday January 21, 2025 7:00am - 6:00pm CST
TBA

8:00am CST

Plenary Session 2
Tuesday January 21, 2025 8:00am - 10:05am CST
TBA
Tuesday January 21, 2025 8:00am - 10:05am CST
TBA
  Featured Event

10:05am CST

Coffee Break
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:05am - 10:20am CST
TBA
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:05am - 10:20am CST
TBA
  Coffee Break

10:20am CST

Fisheries Track: Apples and Oranges? Using radio and acoustic telemetry to evaluate restoration success.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Seth J. Fopma, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Suitable overwintering habitat is considered to be a limiting factor for Centrarchids in the Upper Mississippi River (UMR). Lock and dam construction in the 1930’s greatly increased total aquatic area of the UMR and provided deep backwater areas favorable to Centrarchid populations; however, sediment deposition has reduced the quantity and quality of deep water habitats presumably limiting overwinter survival. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program (UMRR) initiated a Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Project (HREP) project on Pool 12 of the UMR in 2013. Project objectives included the development of approximately 63 acres of suitable overwintering habitat in four backwater lakes found throughout Pool 12 where insufficient overwintering habitat was thought to limit Centrarchid survival. Habitat restoration in Tippy Lake occurred during 2017 with the goal of increasing the availability of habitat suitable for overwinter survival. Pre-project telemetry efforts utilized radio telemetry during the winter of 2014-2015 to estimate habitat utilization distribution of crappie (n = 50). Telemetry efforts resumed during the winter of 2023/2024 to assess crappie habitat utilization post-project. Relatively recent advances in acoustic telemetry technologies offered researchers the opportunity to compare telemetry methods during the post-project evaluation. Radio (n = 20) and acoustic (n = 20) tags were implanted into crappie November 15-16, 2023 and fish were tracked through the first week of June 2024. Habitat utilization distributions pre and post-project were similar when evaluated using data generated from radio telemetry efforts but differed from estimates calculated using acoustic telemetry data.
Speakers
SF

Seth Fopma

Natural Resource Technician, Iowa DNR
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Techniques/Population Dynamics

10:20am CST

Fisheries Track: Determination and Comparison of Morphometrics and Meristics Used to Identify River and Shorthead Redhorse
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Devon C. Oliver, MNDNR; Loren Miller, MNDNR; Anthony Sindt, MNDNR; Cristian Hernandez, University of Minnesota

ABSTRACT: Redhorse species face a diverse array of impacts and conservation issues but often remain overlooked relative to their sportfish counterparts. Furthermore, they often lack constituency groups that advocate for their conservation. River Redhorse is a member of the Catostomidae family that have experienced reductions in abundance and range over the last century and are listed as critically imperiled in Kansas, New York, Louisiana, and Florida, imperiled in Wisconsin, Michigan, Virginia, and North Carolina, and vulnerable in Illinois, Indiana, West Virginia, Mississippi, and Georgia; additionally, they are listed as a species of special concern in Canada. Furthermore, like many potentially imperiled or vulnerable catostomid species, River Redhorse suffers from a paucity of demographic and life history information. Additionally, for River Redhorse, there is some ambiguity as to which morphological characteristics should be used to positively identify them relative to Shorthead and Greater Redhorse, which must be addressed first. Morphometrics and meristics used to determine species id can be highly variable, require harvest of the specimen, subjective, or are inconsistent in their determination across metrics both within and across different source material. To address this knowledge gap and to provide clarity in species identification for biologists and conservation hobbyists this study, 1) evaluated and compared morphometrics and meristics used to positively identify River Redhorse relative to Shorthead and Greater Redhorse, 2) determined useful morphometrics and meristics for identification of the three redhorse species within Minnesota based on genetically confirmed specimens.
Speakers
DO

Devon Oliver

Fisheries Scientist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: River/Stream/Habitat

10:20am CST

Wildlife Track: Influence of Raccoon (Procyon lotor) Abundance on Prevalence of Raccoon Roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) in Northern Illinois
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Ashley G. McDonald, Southern Illinois University; Jennifer R. Schultze, Southern Illinois University; Clayton K. Nielsen, Southern Illinois University; F. Agustin Jimenez, Southern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: Zoonoses are attributed to approximately 75% of emerging infectious diseases. Contraction of zoonotic infections is linked to urbanization, as land development increases the probability of human interaction with wildlife. Omnivorous animals such as raccoons thrive in urban settings due to the abundance of anthropogenic resources such as food and shelter. Racoons are the definitive host of zoonotic pathogens, including the heteroxenous raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis); raccoon synanthropic habits bring these pathogens near human dwellings. The goal of this study is to assess the influence of raccoon abundance on the prevalence of raccoon roundworm in 5 study areas in northern Illinois representing a rural-urban gradient. Raccoons (n=287) were captured and removed from sites by collaborators during April-June 2022-2024. Upon necropsy, intestinal tracts were examined to determine raccoon roundworm prevalence. Capture per unit effort (CPUE), a measure of wildlife population abundance, was calculated as the number of raccoons captured per 100 nights of capture effort at each site. A logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship between raccoon abundance and raccoon roundworm prevalence. Raccoon roundworm prevalence decreased with increased raccoon abundance (X2=4.37, P=0.036). Counterintuitively, our findings suggest that disease risk decreases with increasing raccoon abundance, which implies that population reduction of raccoons in areas of high abundance might be an ineffective tool to reduce the risk of roundworm infection to the human population. Land-use can also impact parasite prevalence, as the availability of anthropogenic resources can influence raccoon population dynamics. Future analyses examining the relationship between land-use, raccoon roundworm prevalence, and raccoon abundance might provide a better understanding of the influence of population demographics on raccoon roundworm prevalence.
Speakers
AM

Ashley McDonald

PhD Candidate/Research Assistant, Southern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Wildlife Health and Disease/Threatened and Endangered Species

10:20am CST

Wildlife Track: Response of White-tailed Deer Movement to Exurban Mountain Bike Trails
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Tadao Kishimoto, Southern Illinois University; Michael Egan, Southern Illinois University; Michael Eichholz, Southern Illinois University; Peter Schlichting, Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Daniel Skinner, Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Southern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: Human activity can impact wildlife behavior by altering habitat conditions, increasing stress or predation risk, and disrupting natural patterns of movement, foraging, and reproduction. We investigated the impact of non-consumptive recreational activities, specifically mountain biking, on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) space-use in an exurban forest setting in southern Illinois. Using GPS collar data from 37 individual deer collected before and after trail installation, we assessed whether newly introduced mountain bike trails altered key movement metrics: home range size, core area size, and speed.
Home range and core area sizes were estimated using autocorrelated kernel density estimation (AKDE), and scale-insensitive speed estimates were calculated using a continuous-time speed and distance (CTSD) method. Home range size, core area size, and speed estimates were fit to linear mixed-effects models with sex as a covariate and individuals as random intercepts. We found no significant change in home range or core area size following trail installation. We found significant changes in speed for both males and females after trail installation, however, changes were independent of their overlap status with the trails, suggesting the changes were not due to trail installation.
These findings contrast with existing literature suggesting human disturbance typically affects wildlife movement. The low frequency of recreational activity and partial habituation to humans may explain the lack of significant behavioral change. This study demonstrates the value of long-term monitoring and underscores the need for further research in areas with heavier recreational use to inform management practices that mitigate the impact of outdoor recreation on wildlife populations.
Speakers
TK

Tadao Kishimoto

Researcher 1, SIUC - Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Mammal Ecology and Management

10:20am CST

S-04: Salmonid diets in Minnesota streams with waterfalls, nuisance algae, and extreme hydrology
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Heidi M. Rantala, MN Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Research; Nick Peterson, MN Department of Natural Resources, Lake Superior Fisheries; David R. Burge, St. Croix Watershed Research Station, Science Museum of Minnesota

ABSTRACT: Minnesota tributaries to Lake Superior are unique systems with glacial relict fish communities, including Brook Trout (BKT). Fish habitat in these streams is vulnerable to change, given the sensitivity of the systems. With limited groundwater inputs, hydrology is driven by precipitation and snow melt, and the streams lack buffering capacity to warming temperatures. Stream conditions are favorable to the mat-forming diatom, Didymosphenia geminata, which was detected in multiple of the northern-most streams along the Minnesota shoreline since 2018. Here, we present analyses of diets from BKT, naturalized Rainbow Trout, and several other fish species in four North Shore streams from three seasons in 2023. Fish diets were sampled from resident and migratory individuals, both young-of-year and older fish, from above (BKT only) and below natural barriers between Lake Superior and upland waters. Additionally, two of the four streams had prolific, localized Didymosphenia mats during the sampling period. As expected, we observed spatial and temporal variability in the both the diet items and amount of prey through the sampling season, as well along a stream reach. These data provide baseline information for managers to increase understanding of the ecology and status of these populations in Minnesota waters.
Speakers
HR

Heidi Rantala

Research Scientist, Minnesota DNR
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 2)

10:20am CST

S-07:Cooperative Inter-Agency Management of Invasive Carps in the United States
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Greg Conover, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MICRA Coordinator

ABSTRACT: The Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force approved the national Management and Control Plan for Bighead, Black, Grass, and Silver Carps in the United States (National Plan) for implementation in 2007. The Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee (ICRCC), a partnership of state, provincial, and U.S. and Canadian federal agencies and other stakeholders, has coordinated the development and implementation of an annual Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework (now called an Invasive Carp Action Plan) to prevent the introduction and establishment of invasive carp populations in the Great Lakes since 2010. Many of these projects are implemented in the uppermost 175 miles of the Illinois River and the Chicago Area Waterway System. In 2014, the United States Congress charged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to work in coordination with the Secretary of the Army, the Director of the National Park Service, and the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey to lead a multiagency effort to slow, and eventually eliminate, the spread of invasive carp in the Ohio River Sub-Basin and the Upper Mississippi River Sub-Basin. In FY20, this Congressional direction was substantially expanded to be inclusive of the entire Mississippi River Basin. The USFWS works closely with the Mississippi Interstate Cooperative Resource Association (MICRA) to facilitate collaborative implementation of the National Plan in the Mississippi River Basin. The MICRA member agencies and their federal partners formed sub-basin invasive carp partnerships to develop and implement Invasive Carp Control Strategy Frameworks to step-down implementation of the National Plan in the Lower Mississippi River Sub-Basin (including Arkansas-Red-White Sub-Basin), Missouri River Sub-Basin, Ohio River Sub-Basin (including Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers Sub-Basin), and the Upper Mississippi River Sub-Basin. The sub-basin invasive carp partnerships provide for collaborative implementation of the regional Frameworks throughout the Mississippi River Basin.
Speakers
GC

Greg Conover

MICRA CoordinatornLarge Rivers Coordination Office, USFWS
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond (PART 1

10:20am CST

S-08: Welcome to the MidwestPARC Symposium
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Melissa B Youngquist, John G. Shedd Aquarium

ABSTRACT: This opening talk will welcome attendees to the Midwest PARC symposium and provide an overview of Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) and the midwestern regional group, Midwest PARC.
Speakers
MY

Melissa Youngquist

Research Biologist, Shedd Aquarium
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

10:20am CST

S-09: Welcome, overview of the MAFWA CSS/HD group
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS:

ABSTRACT:
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest

10:20am CST

S-10: Shifting Perspectives: The Role of Aquatic Plants in the Future of Fisheries and Angling
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Steven Bardin, Pro Lake Management/ Major League Fishing

ABSTRACT: Aquatic plant management is no longer exclusively targeted at reactive control. Instead, aquatic plants are considered beneficial habitats impacting the survival, recruitment, foraging success, and growth of fishes while sequestering excess nutrients. These emerging techniques are supported by anglers and strengthened with technological advances.
Speakers
SB

Steven Bardin

Fisheries Biologist, Pro Lake Management LLC/ Major League Fishing
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

10:20am CST

S-11: Evaluating the Slenderwrist Burrowing Crayfish, Fallicambarus petilicarpus, for Endangered Species Act listing
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Caitlin Bloomer, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Joel Corush, Illinois Natural History Survey; Mark Davis, Illinois Natural History Survey; Maxwell Hartman, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

ABSTRACT: The Slenderwrist Burrowing Crayfish, Fallicambarus petilicarpus, is a short-range endemic restricted to the Ouachita River drainage in south-central Arkansas and northern Louisiana. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently evaluating this species for listing as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Since 2021, teams of inter-agency biologists have been collecting data on this species to inform the listing decision. We used species distribution modeling to identify habitat associations and estimate the total available habitat within the known range of this species. We used Restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) to establish effective population size and estimate genetic differentiation between populations. Here we will present an overview of our data collection and how our results support the listing of this species under the ESA. We will also highlight the major data gaps that still exist and how we plan to address them through future field studies.
Speakers
avatar for Caitlin Bloomer

Caitlin Bloomer

Teaching Assistant Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

10:20am CST

S-12: Not Just Ducks...Reframing Wetland Conservation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Frank Nelson, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Biodiversity loss, food insecurity, and climate change are inherently connected challenges. These threats and their potential solutions have both global and local significance. For example, wetlands, which are one of the most productive and biodiverse habitats, have been drastically reduced worldwide. This same food system that has contributed to wetland loss is itself quite fragile, as 75% of global food is dependent on only 12 crops and five animals. Without natural buffers, like wetlands, commodities within floodplains are at risk of natural hazards as the frequency and severity of droughts and floods are increasing worldwide. Finding solutions that are more resilient requires greater integration of social and ecological systems.

Zooming into the Midwest, the states like Ohio, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri, have similarly lost the majority of their historic wetlands through agricultural conversion and urban development. The focal point to preserve what is left and make strides in wetland restoration for the past 90 years has been centered around concern for waterfowl populations and the tradition of hunting. Although progress has been made, this focus isn’t enough to offset on-going alterations, continuing pressures, and remaining separation of land and water.

Native wetland flora and fauna have deep cultural histories around the world and even here in the Midwest. Future wetland conservation cannot just occur in remote public places but must also be integrated into lived spaces. What if rather than just providing wildlife habitat, wetland management encapsulated the tending of water gardens? Perhaps by reframing our connections to wetlands, acknowledging overlooked histories, and including underserved communities we can identify new opportunities where diverse food systems, flood resiliency, and biodiversity can be better intertwined int the future. This presentation will introduce the idea of viewing wetlands as working water gardens rather than just marshes for waterfowl.
Speakers
FN

Frank Nelson

Wetland Ecologist, Missouri Dept. of Conservation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-12: Not Just for Ducks…Reframing Marshes as Working Water Gardens

10:20am CST

Initial Meeting: Bottomland Forests for Birds Manual (Invitation Only)
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
Speakers
TH

Tara Hohman

Conservation Science Manager, Audubon Upper Mississippi River
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:20am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  Committee Meeting

10:40am CST

Fisheries Track: Enhancing the science of age estimation: the creation of fishage.org
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Mark Pegg, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Victoria Davis, University of Georgia; Martin Hamel, University of Georgia; Dave Buckmeier (retired), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department ; and Jeff Koch, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

ABSTRACT: Accurate determination of fish age from hard structures is a cornerstone of informing fisheries conservation and management. Further, the need to validate age estimates from calcified structures is commonly identified by scientists faced with the task of age estimation. Appeals for ensuring accuracy of age estimates have been pervasive in recent times, but unfortunately, natural resource agencies charged with managing stocks do not possess resources to build large collections of structures from known-age fish. To circumvent these challenges, we set out to develop a publicly available, web-based repository of digital images of known-age reference structures for North American freshwater fishes. In spring of 2023, we began collecting reference structures (e.g., otoliths, spines, fin rays, etc.) containing annual or daily age confirmation. At website launch (August 2024), calcified structures of known-age fish have been processed and imaged for five freshwater species: Largemouth Bass, American Shad, Muskellunge, Striped Bass, Channel Catfish, and Lake Sturgeon with over 500 images available for public reference. Images have been uploaded onto our new website, www.fishage.org, and will continuously be updated to include additional species, featuring metadata (e.g., source of structure, preparation method), multiple age classes and geographical data. metadata (e.g., source of structure, preparation method) and new structures.  We envision this application being used for training new personnel, quality control, and to advance the science of age estimation.
Speakers
MP

Mark Pegg

Professer, University of Nebraska
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Techniques/Population Dynamics

10:40am CST

Fisheries Track: Using GPS and Side Scan Sonar Data to Track Yearly Electrofishing Path Variation and Fish Community Assemblages
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Drew Holloway, Muncie Bureau of Water Quality

ABSTRACT: Technology and standardization in electrofishing has come a long way over the years. For this presentation I will be using two of these technologies to help guide future sampling efforts for the Bureau of Water Quality in Muncie, IN. In 2022, we purchased the Smith-Root Apex electrofishing box to replace our outdated and heavily bandaged GPP Electofisher. Now, our historical monitoring stations could be GPS tracked and digitally recorded allowing us to see how yearly variation could affect our electrofishing results. Having previously recorded Side Scan Sonar (SSS) for these same historical sites it gave us the opportunity to not only see if habitats sampled are representative to the species found at each site but if a change in path also changed our fish community diversity. Three years of single pass electrofishing data will be presented from 10 randomly selected West Fork White River sites. The associated habitats will be represented based on SSS categories from previous works done by the Bureau of Water Quality.
Speakers
avatar for Drew Holloway

Drew Holloway

Fisheries Biologist, Bureau of Water Quality
The North Central Division of The American Fisheries Society is comprised of 13 chapters representing 16 states and provinces. The mission of Divisions within the American Fisheries Society is to advance Society goals by coordinating and complementing Chapter activities related to... Read More →
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: River/Stream/Habitat

10:40am CST

Wildlife Track: Temporal Dynamics and Potential Niche Separation Amongst Carnivores: A Decadal Analysis
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Max R. Larreur, Southern Illinois University; Clayton K. Nielsen, Southern Illinois University; Damon B. Lesmeister, USDA Forest Service, Oregon State University; Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Southern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: Broad ecological changes can alter species' temporal activity, thereby impacting interspecific interactions. Temporal niche separation promotes coexistence, causing species to adjust activity patterns to avoid direct competition. Although studying carnivore species offers a unique perspective into the stability of their temporal activity and niche, few analyses have been conducted over long-term periods in areas experiencing conspecific population changes. We quantified species-specific and pairwise temporal activity patterns, using kernel density analysis overlap, for 6 native (i.e., bobcat, coyote, gray fox, red fox, striped skunk, and raccoon) and 2 non-native (i.e., domestic dog and cat) carnivore species along with their diel niche between decades. We used camera trap data collected January – April 2008 – 2010 (n = 1,118 camera locations) and January – April 2022 – 2024 (n = 1,325 camera locations) across 16,058-km2 of southern Illinois to identify potential changes in temporal overlap or niche separation between decades. Species-specific activity overlap was high (range = 0.81 - 0.95) between decades, however, activity patterns of striped skunk, raccoon, and domestic dogs were different. Both past and contemporary pairwise comparisons had 6 activity patterns indicating potential avoidance between larger-bodied and smaller-bodied guild members, and 7 activity patterns indicating potential avoidance between native and non-native carnivore species. However, 7 novel pairwise activity patterns have experienced significant changes from the past, 3 between natives and 4 between natives and non-natives. The diel niche of bobcat, gray fox, red fox, and striped skunk indicated minor changes in their diel activity potentially in response to larger-bodied coyote and domestic dog spatial presence throughout the study area. Larger-bodied carnivore species may be altering activity patterns of smaller-bodied members, thereby decreasing competition and negative interspecific interactions. Our results emphasize the importance of considering alterations to activity overlap and potential niche separation amongst carnivores with high resource overlap and propensity for interspecific interactions.
Speakers
ML

Max Larreur

PhD Student, Southern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Mammal Ecology and Management

10:40am CST

Wildlife Track: The power of bats: evaluating protected bats during energy project planning
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Brittany R. Schweiger, HDR Engineering, Inc

ABSTRACT: Four of the seven federally listed bat species in the U.S. occur in the north-central region, and two of the remaining seven are being evaluated for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Regulations at the state and federal level often require consultation to assess the impacts to these species before development occurs. In the energy sector, development is rapidly occurring—from power line upgrades to utility-scale solar. In the U.S., there are over 15,000 miles of power lines throughout the country and, in 2023, solar accounted for 55 percent of new electricity-generation capacity. The electric grid infrastructure is aging and, as the population grows and the demand for reliable, clean energy increases, upgrades to transmission systems and additions of utility-scale solar generation are needed. While energy is essential to society, it can have impacts to protected bat species, including the removal of habitat. Therefore, energy projects must understand how bats can influence projects and how to evaluate impacts to bats as a result of construction activities accurately and appropriately during the planning phase. This presentation will highlight species threats, current regulations, the latest species survey guidelines, issues encountered, conservation measures, approaches toward impact minimization, and lessons learned with respect to solar and energy development in many areas of the north-central region. This presentation will be valuable for developers, consultants, regulators, and those interested in the intersection of energy projects and protected species.
Speakers
BS

Brittany Schweiger

Environmental Scientist, HDR Engineering, Inc.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Wildlife Health and Disease/Threatened and Endangered Species

10:40am CST

S-04: Evaluating Lake-Run Brown Trout in Saginaw Bay Using Acoustic Telemetry
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  April Simmons, MI Department of Natural Resources; Jeffrey Jolley, PhD, MI Department of Natural Resources; Christopher Vandergoot, PhD, Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observation System

ABSTRACT:  Angler reports have indicated a recent increase in lake-run Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) catches in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. This observation has garnered interest because Lake Huron stocking efforts ended in 2011 due to poor recruitment, but stocking has been maintained in some upstream tributary reaches. Genetic analysis of lake-run fish suggest fish observed in Saginaw Bay likely originated from ongoing stockings in the Rifle River. We will present the May 2024 pilot study phase results of an acoustic telemetry study scheduled to begin in spring 2025. The study aims to identify the source, strain, and migration patterns of lake-run Brown Trout, as well as assess their growth. This research may provide insights into future Brown Trout management strategies in the Great Lakes to benefit both river and lake anglers.
Speakers
avatar for April Simmons

April Simmons

Fisheries Management Biologist, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 2)

10:40am CST

S-07: Developing a framework to inform early detection efforts of the next carp invasion in the Missouri River Basin
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Brielle Thompson, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Missouri;
Mike Colvin, US Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center;
Craig Paukert, US Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit;
Sara Reynolds, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Missouri

ABSTRACT: Numerous species of invasive carp are currently established in the Missouri River Basin, causing natural resource managers to grapple with complex decisions involving how to best monitor and manage invasions. A new invasive carp species, the Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio), is established in the Canadian Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan in waterways that provide a potential invasion pathway to the Missouri River. Prussian carp are a concern because they spread rapidly, reproduce asexually, and compete with native fish species for food and habitat. Given the risk of invasion into the Missouri River, US natural resource managers will likely need to develop early detection programs. A framework to track the Prussian carp distribution and project the spread of Prussian carp in Canadian waters is needed to inform allocation of early detection efforts in the US. We developed a dynamic multistate occupancy model that can use data from varying sources to estimate the annual distribution. The model also accounts for hydrologic and other connections among management units to project Prussian carp spread. We evaluated alternative spatial-temporal early detection plans with varying data stream combinations, including anticipated monitoring data such as eDNA data, detection/non-detection data, and presence only data. We compared alternative monitoring plans across varying levels of monitoring effort (i.e., the number of riverine management units monitored, and the types and combinations of data collected) to rank alternative Prussian carp monitoring plans. The modeling framework we developed can be applied to a variety of aquatic invasive species to inform distribution, evaluate monitoring programs within invaded areas, project spread, and inform the development of early detection programs.
Speakers
BT

Brielle Thompson

Postdoc fellow, University of Missouri
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

10:40am CST

S-08: Conservation of Missouri’s State Endangered Amphibian and Reptile Species
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jeffrey T. Briggler, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Missouri is home for 117 native species of amphibians and reptiles with 33 considered species of conservation concern. Six species of conservation concern (i.e., Hellbenders, Western Chicken Turtles, Blanding’s Turtles, Yellow Mud Turtles, Mississippi Green Watersnakes, and Massasaugas) are listed as state endangered. These species occur in a variety of habitats (e.g., upland and bottomland grasslands, Ozark Highlands rivers and streams, bottomland, forested swamps, etc.). Most of these species have declined due to loss of terrestrial and wetland habitats throughout Missouri. Considerable effort has been devoted to the management and recovery of many of these species for decades. An overview of their status and conservation efforts will be presented with other interesting highlights.
Speakers
JB

Jeff Briggler

State Herpetologist, Missouri Department of Conservation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

10:40am CST

S-09: Engaging Non-traditional Audiences Through Relevancy Messaging (Formal Title: AFWA Relevancy Communication Toolkit Update)
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Matt Harlow, DJ Case & Associates; Holly Mauslein, DJ Case & Associates; Tanna Wagner, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

ABSTRACT: A lot of effort has been put into making state fish and wildlife agencies more relevant to broader audiences. To this end, AFWA’s Education, Outreach and Diversity Committee created the National Conservation Outreach Strategy in 2018. This strategy provided a toolkit that enabled each state fish and wildlife agency to increase awareness of its role in protecting and conserving wildlife. In 2019, the “Making It Last” campaign was pilot-tested to help learn how to best “tell the state story” to boost relevancy with the public, followed by a second phase to fine-tune and further test the initiative. However, states’ limited budgets and uncertainty regarding the campaign’s effectiveness reduced the number of states able to implement and evaluate the campaign. With the relevancy topic becoming more critical every year, the need existed to field a rebranded and tested campaign accompanied by improved toolkit materials and evaluations.
With four participating state agencies from Kansas, Vermont, South Carolina, and California, this project advances the public case for why fish and wildlife agencies matter across the nation. This third phase focused on engaging more states by rebranding away from the “Making It Last” theme to a more directly relevant brand and messaging content. These new resources were developed using public testing via focus groups, best practices, and lessons learned in previous phases of this campaign. We focused on updating and upgrading the story of state-based conservation through messaging and materials designed to resonate better with the public and agency staff.
The result is a campaign that more state agencies can utilize to increase public awareness and support, especially among audiences not traditionally engaged in conservation or fish and wildlife-based recreation.
Speakers
HH

Hiroto Hayashi

Engagement Strategist/Project Manager, DJ Case & Associates
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest

10:40am CST

S-10: Aquatic Vegetation Management Challenges and Opportunities
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Nate Long, Aquatic Control

ABSTRACT: Aquatic vegetation management challenges and opportunities and how we move forward. An overview of tools (herbicide) available for aquatic plant management to resource managers stressing the need for management in systems with an overabundance of plants. A look into challenges facing resource managers when deciding to manage either native or non native aquatic plants for fish populations. Lastly, what opportunities aquatic plant management can provide a fishery.
Speakers
NL

Nate Long

Executive Vice President, Aquatic Control, Inc.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

10:40am CST

S-11: Insights from Multi-locus DNA Sequence Data into Species Boundaries within Hobbseus Crayfishes (Decapoda: Cambaridae)
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Patrick F. Allison Jr., University of Mississippi;
Corey G. Dunn, U.S. Geological Survey, North Carolina Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit; North Carolina State University;
Susan B. Adams, USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Center for Bottomland Hardwoods Research;
Jesse W. Breinholt, LGC RAPiD Genomics;
Kenneth A. Sterling, USDA Forest Service;
Devin M. Raburn, North Carolina Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit; North Carolina State University;
Zanethia C. Barnett, USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Center for Bottomland Hardwoods Research;
Ryan C. Garrick, University of Mississippi

ABSTRACT: Recent advancements in morphological data collection and molecular phylogenetics have resulted in numerous updates to crayfish taxonomy. However, there are still problematic taxa among these decapods. The genus Hobbseus is one such group, as the morphological characters traditionally used for species identification can provide ambiguous diagnoses. Given that some Hobbseus species have been petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act, this uncertainty is particularly concerning, as it inhibits implementation of effective conservation strategies. We reassess the taxonomy of Hobbseus using an integrative approach to species delimitation that combines morphological and molecular data. We include four complementary datasets: 1) traditional morphometrics; 2) geometric morphometrics; 3) single-locus mitochondrial DNA sequences; and 4) multi-locus hybrid enrichment single copy nuclear DNA sequences. Here, we provide preliminary results from analyses of the DNA sequence datasets.
Speakers
PA

Patrick Allison Jr.

PhD Candidate, University of Mississippi
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

10:40am CST

S-12: Tribal Wisdom on Nibi and Wetlands; Manoomin and the Circle of Life
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:30am CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Kathleen Smith, Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission

ABSTRACT:  Wetlands hold immense importance for the Ojibwe people, particularly in relation to nibi (water), connects all orders of creation and manoomin (wild rice), which is central to their culture and spirituality. Manoomin, native to the Great Lakes region, is more than just a food source; it is a sacred entity deeply intertwined with the identity, traditions, and sustenance of the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) people.
According to Anishinaabe oral tradition, their ancestors were guided by a prophecy to find “the place where food grows on water,” leading them to the Great Lakes region where manoomin flourishes. The term “manoomin” translates to “good berry,” reflecting its esteemed status. Harvesting manoomin is a ceremonial act, performed using traditional methods that have been passed down through generations. This process involves using canoes and wooden sticks to gently knock the rice into the boat, ensuring the sustainability of the rice beds.
The Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) plays a crucial role in preserving and promoting the cultural and ecological significance of manoomin. GLIFWC collaborates with member tribes to protect manoomin habitats, advocate for sustainable harvesting practices, and conduct research to support the health of wild rice beds.
Wetlands are essential to the growth and sustainability of manoomin. These ecosystems provide important food and medicines. Wetlands also support a diverse group of plant and animal species, contributing to the overall health and resilience of the environment. The Anishinaabe view wetlands as sacred spaces, integral to their cultural and spiritual practices.
Manoomin is integral to various cultural practices and ceremonies. It is offered in spiritual rituals, feasts, and funerals, symbolizing a connection to the land and the ancestors. The preservation of wetlands is thus not only an environmental concern but also a cultural and spiritual imperative for the Ojibwe people.
Speakers
avatar for Kathleen Smith

Kathleen Smith

Manoomin Ganawendang, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission
Kathleen Smith is an enrolled tribal member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She is presently in a new position in the Division of Biological Services at the Great Lake Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC), in northern Wisconsin... Read More →
Tuesday January 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:30am CST
TBA
  S-12: Not Just for Ducks…Reframing Marshes as Working Water Gardens

11:00am CST

Fisheries Track: A Wide Net: Identifying Habitat Across Species and Age Groups of Fish for a Holistic View of the Ecosystem
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kayla Lenz, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission; Douglass Keiser, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission; Aaron Shultz, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission; Adam Ray, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission; Mark Luehring, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission

ABSTRACT: The Anishinaabe worldview teaches us that all things that western society considers to be “resources” are, in fact, living beings that take care of one another as well as us humans. As human disturbances and climate change (Aanji-bimaadiziimagak o'ow aki; loosely, “a changing world”) alter the habitat of the creatures that care for us, we have a responsibility to, in turn, do what we can to help them. The Minocqua Chain of Lakes in the 1842 Ceded Territory in northern Wisconsin are among the most popular destinations for boating and angling in the state. For Minocqua Chain ogaa (walleye Sander vitreus), poor recruitment to the year-1 age class (likely due to a combination of factors) has resulted in a decrease in adult abundance over time. Observations of age-0 and age-1 walleye have been decreasing for years, reaching an all time low in the mid 2000’s. In an effort to alleviate this decrease, the Minocqua chain of lakes have been stocked annually with thousands of fingerling ogaawag since 2013. However, management and population recovery efforts are rarely effective if the focus is placed solely on the species of interest. As part of a holistic approach to assess the effects of changing ecosystems on the Minocqua Chain, we identified juvenile habitat for several fish species in two lakes in this system: Minocqua and Kawaguesaga Lakes. This was accomplished via snorkeling and electrofishing surveys of the two lakes to locate, map, and characterize juvenile fish habitat across all observable species. “Juvenile habitat” included hatching, feeding, and nursery habitat for age-0 and age-1 fish of any species. These surveys identified hotspots of juvenile fish activity that may be critical to protecting aquatic life of all types in the Minocqua Chain. Juvenile fish were observed to occupy about 12.87 km (48.1%) of Minocqua’s shoreline and 11.24 km (63.5%) of Kawaguesaga’s shoreline. While there were strong territorial boundaries between the ranges of juvenile predator species in Minocqua, they were more likely to cohabitate in Kawaguesaga. In both lakes, juvenile fish of all species were likely to be concentrated in areas of the lakes with little to no shoreline development. The results of these surveys may be used to inform fisheries stewardship/management plans, designate critical habitat for these species, and improve shoreline and up land use policies for this beloved waterway.
Speakers
KL

Kayla Lenz

Fisheries Research LTE, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Techniques/Population Dynamics

11:00am CST

Fisheries Track: Big River Bluegill: How and why bluegill population dynamics vary along a large river gradient
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kristen Bouska, U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center; Levi Solomon, Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois River Biological Station; Andy Bartels, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Jim Lamer, Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois River Biological Station; Hae Kim, Missouri State University; Quinton Phelps, Missouri State University

ABSTRACT: Vital rates (i.e., recruitment, growth, and mortality) are the processes responsible for changes in abundance and biomass of a population through time. Knowledge of vital rates and the factors that contribute to interannual variability in vital rates can provide critical information in determining why fish population abundances increase or decrease across time and space. Between 2018 and 2020, over 2,500 individual Bluegill were collected from five study reaches on the Upper Mississippi River and one study reach on the Illinois River. Together these study reaches span nearly 1500 river kilometers and 7 degrees of latitude and represent gradients such as temperature, discharge, and clarity. From the collected individuals, otoliths were extracted, and ages were estimated. Hierarchical growth models were used to estimate growth model parameters and mean-length-at-age for each species and study reach. Logistic regression was used to estimate average age and length at maturity. Study reach-specific age-length keys were created to assign ages to unaged fish collected during standardized sampling and used to estimate indices of recruitment, stock and annual mortality. We first investigated patterns in growth, maturity, recruitment, and mortality across study reaches. Next, we sought to understand the relative contribution of stock density, habitat availability, temperature gradients, and disturbance dynamics on population dynamics. With this presentation, we aim to improve our understanding of how and why bluegill populations vary across these two large rivers and plan to extend our analyses to several other species of interest.
Speakers
KB

Kristen Bouska

Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: River/Stream/Habitat

11:00am CST

Wildlife Track: Bobcat Survival Across North America: A Meta-Analysis Approach
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Katherine M. Buckman, Ellen M. Audia, Brent S. Pease, Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, and Clayton K. Nielsen

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

ABSTRACT: Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are a focal species for carnivore management and research. Although bobcat survival has been studied extensively throughout much of their North-American range, it can be difficult to identify the broader conclusions of such studies based on study-specific factors, such as sample size, harvest status, and study length. We conducted a meta-analysis to estimate mean bobcat survival across the U.S. to document trends, identify knowledge gaps, and inform future study designs. We identified 18 studies across 15 U.S. states conducted during 1985–2023 that reported a single estimate of annual bobcat survival (i.e., effect size) and a corresponding variance (i.e., weight). We assigned an “exploitation level” to each study based on whether the study area and/or adjacent lands were open to bobcat harvest (i.e., zero = no harvest permitted within or outside the study area; indirect = no harvest permitted within the study area but permitted outside the study area; direct = harvest permitted within and outside the study area). Bobcat survival estimates ranged from 0.19–0.93, with a mean annual survival of 0.75 (95% CI = 0.69–0.81). Heterogeneity in reported survival rates was not significantly different across years (Q = 3.29, P = 0.06), however survival rates appeared to increase slightly between 1985–2000 and reported estimates after 2001 were >0.68 (n = 9 studies). The mean number of days monitoring individual survival (range = 188–870 days, n = 12 studies), and the relative exploitation level accounted for 99.98% of heterogeneity in survival rates across studies (Q = 27.13, P
Speakers
KB

Katherine Buckman

Graduate Assistant, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Mammal Ecology and Management

11:00am CST

Wildlife Track: Widespread pesticide exposure and plant damage in natural areas in Illinois
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Thomas J. Benson, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Tara A. Beveroth, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Claire A. Johnson, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Edward P. Price, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Timothy A. Rye, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Emily J. Lain, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Brian M. Charles, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and David N. Zaya, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

ABSTRACT: Starting in the second half of the 20th century, agricultural intensification increasingly involved the use of chemicals for pest control. The development of numerous synthetic pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides, led to widespread use and, in some cases, recognition of widespread non-target effects on organisms. Unfortunately, our understanding of the potential effects of these pesticides on non-target organisms generally lags behind their widespread adoption, as does our understanding of the extent to which these chemicals travel beyond the agricultural fields in which they’re applied and end up in natural areas. In 2023, we set out to examine the extent of plant damage consistent with non-target herbicide exposure as well as to quantify concentrations of pesticides from plant tissue and soil from natural areas throughout Illinois. We sampled >180 sites in Illinois 2 times during the growing season of 2023 and found at least moderate damage to plants at almost all sites, with >50% of sites having severe damage and oak species most frequently affected. We found pesticides in nearly all natural areas, with 40 different chemicals detected, primarily from plant tissues. Herbicides were found in the greatest concentrations, with Atrazine and 2,4-D most common, and Dicamba relatively rare. Later in the season, fungicides and insecticides were more commonly detected. The amount of row-crop agriculture in the surrounding kilometer predicted leaf-tissue concentrations of pesticides and severity of plant injury. The longer-term effects of this exposure and plant injury are unknown, as are the effects on insects and insectivorous birds. Given that oaks were the most frequently observed with plant damage, and the disproportionate importance of this group for caterpillars and the migrating and breeding birds that consume them, more work is needed to explore these implications.
Speakers
TB

T.J. Benson

Principal Research Scientist, Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Wildlife Health and Disease/Threatened and Endangered Species

11:00am CST

S-04: Salmonid Movement and Habitat Use in Warming North Shore Tributaries to Lake Superior
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Dylan K. Undlin, UW-Stevens Point; Justin A. VanDeHey, UW-Stevens Point; Joshua K. Raabe, UW-Stevens Point; Nick R. Peterson, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Salmonids represent an ecologically, culturally, and economically important fishery in Lake Superior and its tributaries. However, current fluvial conditions and climate projections forecast significant reductions in cold-water habitats in these systems. Salmonids such as native Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis, and non-native Steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss depend on these volatile tributaries for at least a portion of their life. Therefore, our research aims to 1) identify critical habitat (i.e. thermal refugia) for resident and migratory Salmonids across two watersheds, and 2) determine if movements of Salmonids are related to water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and discharge. Salmonid movement was investigated in the Knife and Stewart River watersheds using 16 stationary Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) arrays and active radio telemetry techniques. Data loggers measuring water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and discharge were dispersed across watersheds, and stratified among sub watersheds and natural habitat breaks. To date, we have PIT tagged 1100 wild Salmonids and implanted 15 radio transmitters. Preliminary results suggest Salmonids sought headwater tributaries with groundwater influence and overhead cover during periods of warmer air temperatures. Salmonids used precipitation events and cold fronts as windows for movements during times of low flows and relatively warmer water. Water temperature profiles in the lower reaches of the Knife River periodically surpassed the lethal threshold for Brook Trout, indicating an ephemeral thermal barrier between tributary headwaters and Lake Superior. More data are currently being collected to further assess movement and habitat use in these riverscapes to inform management and restoration efforts.
Speakers
DU

Dylan Undlin

Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 2)

11:00am CST

S-07: Assessing Variation in Habitat Quality to Inform Preventative Management of Invasive Species
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Brenden Elwer, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University; Alison Coulter, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University; Zachary Feiner, Office of Applied Science, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Science Operations Center and Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin-Madison; David Coulter, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University

ABSTRACT:  Preventative monitoring is an important tool for managing invasive species. Monitoring programs can detect invasions soon after introductions, allowing for rapid response actions that lead to successful containment or eradication. Individuals likely congregate in areas of highest habitat quality, so understanding how habitat quality changes through space and time can be useful for invasive species management by ensuring sampling and response efforts target locations where new invaders are likely to be present. For this work we assessed spatial and temporal trends in habitat quality for Silver Carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, in currently uninvaded lakes, rivers, and wetlands in eastern North and South Dakota. We did so by calculating water temperature, water velocity, phytoplankton density, and zooplankton density from observed monthly sampling across 30 m x 30 m grid cells in each water body. Observations were then used in bioenergetics models that calculated growth rate potential, an index of habitat quality, that we compared through space and time. Developing our understanding of how high-quality habitat patches for Silver Carp shift over time enables more effective monitoring and preventative action planning for resource managers.
Speakers
BE

Brenden Elwer

Graduate Research Assistant, South Dakota State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

11:00am CST

S-08: Conservation Initiatives of the Saint Louis Zoo's Herpetology Department
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Justin M. Elden, Saint Louis Zoo

ABSTRACT: The Saint Louis Zoo has a longstanding commitment to both in situ and ex situ conservation efforts for reptiles and amphibians across the globe. From the highlands of Western Asia to the streams of the Ozarks, the Zoo takes pride in being a conservation-focused institution. This presentation provides an overview of the Zoo's Herpetology department conservation initiatives, highlighting both local and international projects, with a focus on their in situ and ex situ contributions to the preservation of vital species.
Speakers
JE

Justin Elden

Curator, Herpetology & Aquatics, Saint Louis Zoo
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

11:00am CST

S-09: Improving Dialogues in Multi-stakeholder Settings: an Experiment
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kristin F. Hurst, Southern Illinois University; Zachary M. Hurst, Playa Lakes Joint Venture

ABSTRACT: Addressing complex conservation challenges frequently requires collaboration between stakeholders who hold disparate and sometimes incompatible views. To advance solutions, stakeholders need a common understanding of the scope of the problem and other stakeholder’s positions related to it. This requires that they be receptive to information that may not align with their pre-existing positions. We experimentally tested a strategy to foster such receptivity by evaluating the effect of a behavioral intervention on perspective-taking and empathy. Participants (N = 223) who previously expressed opposition to a transition to renewable energy were randomly assigned to write a short, morally grounded essay either in favor of (intervention) or in opposition to (control) a shift to renewable energy. We expected that writing a morally grounded essay in favor of one’s opposing stance would increase perspective-taking, empathy, and support of the energy transition. We found a main effect on support and empathy but not perspective-taking. We also hypothesized that empathy would mediate the relationship between essay writing and support. We tested a serial mediation model where writing a counter-attitudinal essay would result in increased empathy and support, which then results in an intention to act. While we found a significant indirect effect of essay writing on behavioral intention, mediated by support, there was no evidence that empathy helped to explain this relationship. Given the relatively simple intervention and its potential to be easily incorporated into group settings, we suggest that its use may help lay the foundation for a more productive discussion. Future research can help understand the mechanism by which this occurs and its impact on the likelihood of reaching agreements.
Speakers
KH

Kristin Hurst

Assistant Professor, Southern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest

11:00am CST

S-10: Fisheries Response to Lake Restoration Projects in Northwest Iowa Natural Lakes
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Michael Hawkins, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Lake restoration projects in Iowa focus on improved water quality, nutrient management, and habitat restoration. Many of the management actions taken during these projects focus on long-term improvements and stability, but some actions can produce an immediate impact, shifting a lake between turbid and clear water stable states. This shift can have dramatic impacts on aquatic plant densities and diversity. This shift in aquatic plant communities can then trigger a rapid shift in the fish community. These changes have positive ecological impacts and improve fishing opportunities, but this rapid shift in lake biology may present challenges for some users. The methods for lake restoration on three northwest Iowa natural lakes will be discussed along with the impacts on plant and fish communities. Challenges associated with public perception and invasive species will also be presented.
Speakers
MH

Michael Hawkins

Fisheries Management Biologist, Iowa DNR
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

11:00am CST

S-11: Conservation and Taxonomic Status of the Spiny Scale Crayfish, with an emphasis on Kentucky Populations
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: ZAchary J. Loughman, West Liberty University; Parker Hildreth, Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency; Jonathan D. Eisenhour, Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves; Eric Ng, West Liberty University, Kaleb Norris, West Liberty University; Kathryn Schulz, West Liberty University; Michael C. Compton, Office of Kentucky Nature Preserve.

ABSTRACT: Cambarus jezerinaci, the Spiny Scale Crayfish, is a small headwater species endemic to the central Appalachians of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. Recently C. jezerinaci was petitioned for federal listing, resulting in the need for a Species Status Assessment (SSA). With the exception of C. jezerinaci description, limited surveys have been completed for this taxa. Cambarus jezerinaci has an interesting distribution in Kentucky, with populations known to occur prior to survey efforts in the South Fork of the Kentucky River basin, as well as the Upper Cumberland watershed. In the summer of 2022, a weeklong survey effort procured new C. jezerinaci locations in the Middle Fork of the Kentucky River, as well as the Upper Cumberland. Genetic samples were taken on all animals captured and analyzed with 2 COI genes. Results of this work indicated that multiple lineages existed for C. jezerinaci in Kentucky that differ genetically from type populations, warranting more dedicated work. In the summer of 2024, in accordance with the Kentucky Crayfish Blitz as well as the WLU Crayfish Laboratory, 306 sites were sampled across the entirety of the Kentucky Fork basins, as well as the Upper Cumberland watersheds. Cambarus cf. jezerianci was procured from 28.2% of sites sampled. Genetic samples were acquired from all specimens and will be analyzed using RADSeq methods. Future work will focus on elucidating the conservation genetics and taxonomic standing of C. jezerinaci to support the completion of the SSA.
Speakers
ZL

Zachary Loughman

Professor, West Liberty University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

11:20am CST

Fisheries Track: Long-Term Angling for Black Bass During the Spawning Season Reduces Nest Defense and Responsiveness to Lures
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Justin Lombardo, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Cory D. Suski, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; David P. Philipp, Fisheries Conservation Foundation; Joel Zhang, Carleton University; Joseph Parkos, Illinois Natural History Survey; Steven J. Cooke, Carleton University; Jeffrey A. Stein, Illinois Natural History Survey

ABSTRACT: Spring fishing for spawning black bass is a controversial topic. The aggressive behaviors exhibited by nesting males increases their susceptibility to angling, and should a nesting bass be removed by an angler, all offspring in that nest can be consumed by predators. Over time, this has potential to negatively impact populations, which may suggest the need for regulatory protection for nesting males. Unfortunately, long-term studies that track changes in black bass populations due to angling during the spawn have not been conducted, precluding our ability to make definitive conclusions about the impact on populations. The objective of this study was to quantify how reproductive and behavioral characteristics of spawning black bass in lakes Charleston and Opinicon in southern Ontario have changed due to angling pressure over a 32-year period compared with two control populations that have not received angling pressure. For this, nesting surveys were conducted during two sampling periods by snorkeling along the littoral zone in all four lakes to observe the mating success of nesting males. After snorkeling, nests were angled with 15 standardized casts to quantify susceptibility to angling. Results show that, from the 1990s to 2020s, there was no significant change in mating success in any of the studied lakes. The percentage of strikes on the first cast, however, significantly decreased in smallmouth bass in lakes Charleston and Opinicon, with no significant decreases in the control lakes. Similarly, in lakes Charleston and Opinicon, the percentage of strikes on any cast decreased in largemouth bass, with no significant changes in the control lakes. Results suggest that fisheries induced evolution may be negatively influencing black bass behavior and eroding their response to angling. Results will be further discussed in the context of protected areas to mitigate the consequences of angling.
Speakers
JL

Justin Lombardo

Research Assistant, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Techniques/Population Dynamics

11:20am CST

Fisheries Track: Microplastic Abundance in Fish Species with Differing Feeding Habits in a Large Midwestern River
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Michael Louison, Mckendree University

ABSTRACT: Microplastics have emerged as a major contaminant of concern in a host of ecosystems, including freshwater systems. Previous work has documented the abundance of microplastics in the bodies of various organisms, finding that aspects of an animal’s niche (feeding habits, habitat choice, etc.) may influence exposure to microplastic contamination. To further our understanding of microplastic abundance in freshwater systems, we conducted a survey of freshwater fish taken from the lower Kaskaskia River in Southern Illinois, USA. The first sampling site (done via direct current boat electrofishing) was stationed directly below the Carlyle Lake dam (a heavily used recreational site with abundant pollution from litter) with two additional downstream sites also sampled. Five species of fish (flathead catfish Pylodictis olivaris, freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunniens, smallmouth buffalo Ictiobus bubalus, white crappie Pomoxis annularis, and gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum) of differing feeding ecologies were sampled, dissected, and subsequently examined for microplastics both visually (examinations of gills and stomach contents under microscope) and chemically (analysis of nanoplastic concentration in muscle tissue). Results revealed differences in microplastic load between fish species and between sites, as well as differences in measures of contamination using visual and chemical methods. Our results add to the present knowledge of microplastic abundance in organisms, and specifically how feeding type and proximity to sources of human pollution may impact microplastic abundance in freshwater fish.
Speakers
avatar for Michael Louison

Michael Louison

Assistant Professor of Biology, McKendree University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: River/Stream/Habitat

11:20am CST

Wildlife Track: Forest Management Impacts on Bat Health: Insights from Northeast Missouri Conservation Areas
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Katie Fitzgerald, Marcus Jorgensen, Diana Hews, Cory Suski, and Joy O’Keefe

ABSTRACT: Forest management practices aim to improve natural landscapes and provide critical habitat, but their effects on wildlife health are not well understood. This study used non-invasive techniques to quantify health by measuring hair cortisol, a stress hormone, and body mass, in four common bat species in northeastern Missouri. We sampled across three non-managed forests and three managed forests, where small-scale treatments such as girdling, thinning, and prescribed burns were applied. Sampling occurred before and after the application of these treatments, which were implemented in 2022 (sampling 2019-2023). Post-treatment, Indiana bats from managed forests had significantly lower cortisol than those from non-managed forests, while evening bats and Indiana bats from managed forests also had greater body mass. Post-treatment, adult male red bats exhibited higher cortisol levels than pre-treatment, regardless of forest type. For big brown bats, body mass and cortisol levels were similar across all sample years and forest types. These results suggest that small scale forest management could help reduce stress levels and increase body mass, particularly for smaller bat species such as Indiana bats and evening bats, by creating favorable foraging conditions and reducing competition. Overall, our study suggests that hair cortisol and body condition offer a non-invasive method to evaluate the impacts of habitat alterations on wildlife and provide valuable insights into how forest management practices impact bat health.
Speakers
KF

Katie Fitzgerald

PhD student researcher, University of Illinois
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Wildlife Health and Disease/Threatened and Endangered Species

11:20am CST

Wildlife Track: Rodents in an Urban Forest: Exploring Small Mammal Ecology and the Impact of Restoration 
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Samantha Dennis, Stephen Blake, Saint Louis University; Stella Uiterwaal, Elizabeth Carlen, Washington University; Zachary Reyes, Saint Louis University, Sabrina Hardy, Purdue University

ABSTRACT: Urban expansion in the Midwest poses significant challenges to wildlife habitats vital to supporting biodiversity. As cities grow, green spaces within urban environments can become important habitat refugia for numerous species. Urban parks often provide mosaics of semi-natural habitats in a matrix of high human use areas within which some native wildlife species may persist. In the midwestern US, the conservation value of urban parks for small mammal communities is poorly understood. We studied the abundance and diversity of small rodent populations in iconic Forest Park, St. Louis, in which habitat restoration has been underway for a decade. We hypothesized that small mammal abundance and diversity would be correlated with restoration effort. Over three months in summer 2024, we used live trapping methods to capture rodents and survey tree and understory vegetation across the restoration gradient of the park. We identified captured mammals to species and sex, collected morphometric data and collected hair and scat samples to characterize diets through stable isotope analysis. We completed 1,646 traps nights capturing 94 individuals. Rodent diversity was extremely low; ninety of the individuals captured were Peromyscus spp. (Deer mice), two Sciurus carolinensis (Eastern gray squirrel), one Tamias striatus (Eastern chipmunk), and 1 Didelphis virginiana (Virginia opossum). Our results showed that older restoration sections with the highest plant density and diversity supported a greater abundance of rodents than younger restoration sections with correspondingly lower plant density and diversity. While restoration duration was correlated with the abundance of small native rodents, it had no effect on rodent diversity. We speculate this may be due to dispersal limitation through the cityscape. Effective restoration management is essential to ensure that the wildlife inhabiting these areas is not only surviving but thriving, providing insights for enhancing biodiversity a long-term sustainability in urban green spaces. 
Speakers
SD

Samantha Dennis

Graduate Student/Reseacher, Saint Louis University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Mammal Ecology and Management

11:20am CST

S-04: Assessment of Invasive and Nuisance species in a Nebraska Reservoir Managed as a Trout Fishery
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Alexandria Keiler-Klein, University of Nebraska at Kearney; Melissa Wuellner, University of Nebraska at Kearney; Keith Koupal, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and University of Nebraska at Kearney

ABSTRACT:  Nuisance and invasive species can, directly and indirectly, affect sport fisheries, but few agencies target these fishes in annual standard surveys. Understanding when and how to sample nuisance and invasive species is important to understanding their abundance and size structures. Determining optimal assessment techniques can provide management insight into interventions to address the impacts of nuisance and invasive fish abundance on salmonid species. The objective of this study was to determine which gear and time of year could be used to assess populations of invasive (Common Carp Cyprinus carpio) and/or nuisance (White sucker Catostomus commersonii) species in one Nebraska reservoir. Experimental gill nets, modified fyke nets, and nighttime boat electrofishing were employed at nine locations across Lake Ogallala monthly from April through September 2023. All individuals of the two species were enumerated and measured for total length (mm). This information was used to calculate catch per unit effort (CPUE), the coefficient of variation around CPUE, and a measure of length variability (Shannon-Weiner diversity based on 10-mm length bins) for each gear, month, and species. Additionally, we calculated the measurement of operational effort. Measurements were ranked across gears for each month and summed. The smallest ranks were used to identify the best gear and month for sampling each species. Preliminary results indicate electrofishing captures the best length diversity and operational effort for Common Carp and White Sucker in June and May respectively. CPUE for White Suckers and Common Carp was highest in April and July fyke netting respectively. Lastly, variability in CPUE was lowest with Common Carp July electrofishing and White Suckers May gill netting. The results from this study can be used by other states and provinces addressing similar and other nuisance and invasive species assessments to allow for more proactive, rather than reactive, management interventions to support salmonid fisheries.
Speakers
AK

Alexandria Keiler-Klein

Graduate Student, University of Nebraska at Kearney
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 2)

11:20am CST

S-07:The Commercial Bait Dealer Program in Kansas: Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations and Inspections
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Michael Parr, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; Chris Steffen, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

ABSTRACT: The transportation of aquatic invasive species (AIS) is often facilitated intentionally or unintentionally through anthropogenic activities. The commercial bait trade represents one potential pathway for AIS introductions as non-target bait species, or contaminates, can be accidently sold to anglers who may release the species while fishing or as excess bait. In order to prevent AIS introductions in the bait trade, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) developed a multifaceted commercial fish bait dealer program that encompasses both regulatory control, education, and outreach programs. Beginning in 2012, several regulations have been enacted or amended that have changed the use of bait, including commercial and wild-caught bait. These regulations have limited the allowable bait species and harvest locations, increased record-keeping and importation requirements, and changed how KDWP permits and regulates individuals involved in the commercial fish bait industry. Without direct oversight, both AIS and diseases can spread quickly with bait. Therefore, KDWP conducts annual inspections of permitted bait retailers to ensure all requirements are being met and aims to improve the retailer’s awareness of AIS issues and baitfish regulations. Most anglers who use live bait purchase it from retail bait shops, presenting a great opportunity for retailers to provide anglers with information regarding AIS awareness and prevention. Thus, during these inspections KDWP provides education and outreach materials to the bait dealers to ensure they have the resources available to educate those anglers. These inspections also give bait dealers the opportunity to have face-to-face interactions with KDWP staff and has helped them develop a positive relationship with the agency.
Speakers
MP

Michael Parr

Aquatic Invasive Species Biologist, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

11:20am CST

S-08: The Return of Alligator Snapping Turtles to Their Former Range in Kansas
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: J. DAREN RIEDLE1, DAY B. LIGON2, AND TREVOR STARKS1
1Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
2Missouri State University


ABSTRACT: The Neosho and Verdigris rivers were once major corridors for movement of Alligator Snapping Turtles between Oklahoma and Kansas. Historic harvest and the proliferation of impoundments in both states resulted in highly fragmented and reduced populations. Alligator Snapping Turtles have long been considered extirpated from Kansas. The last known living Alligator Snapping Turtle in Kansas was outfitted with transmitters and released in 1991 and has not been located since 1992. A series of surveys were conducted in Kansas from 2016-2020, but no individuals were captured. In concert with these survey efforts a Programmatic Agreement, which includes a Safe Harbor Agreement and Candidate Conservation Agreement, that allows our agency to enter into agreements with private landowners. Using habitat information collected during survey work several interested landowners with adequate habitat were identified and agreed to come on as signatories to our programmatic agreement. In Fall of 2024, forty, 6–10-year-old head-started turtles were released on a Segment of the Neosho River in eastern Kansas. An additional 60 turtles will be released in Spring 2025. The initial 40 turtles will be monitored via ultrasonic and radio-telemetry. Depending on the success of the initial releases, future releases will be planned for the Verdigris River drainage.
Speakers
DR

Daren Riedle

Wildlife Diversity Coordinator, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

11:20am CST

S-09: Bees, Butterflies, and Busting Silos: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pollinator Conservation Social Network Analysis
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Shannon Westlake, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Kiandra Rajala, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Patrick Bixler, The University of Texas at Austin; Nicole Alt, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT: Innovation in conservation is required to move from surviving to thriving. As exemplified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Center for Pollinator Conservation (Center), social science innovations can enhance efficacy and resiliency. The Center is a multi-agency science and collaboration hub tasked with helping direct conservation actions that can reverse declining pollinator population trends in a connected and collaborative way. To meet those tasks and recognize and shed light on previous and ongoing USFWS pollinator conservation efforts, we developed and conducted a social network analysis study.

To build knowledge of the existing network and help inform evidence-based decisions to increase efficacy of pollinator conservation efforts, the Center launched a study across the USFWS in Fall 2023. From 1,599 USFWS respondents: 49.9% had never participated in USFWS pollinator conservation efforts); 16.3% previously worked on efforts but do not currently; and 33.8% who currently work on USFWS pollinator conservation efforts. Across these participant categories, our results indicated strong interest in new or re-engagement in pollinator conservation needs or efforts, and a primary scope of work at the local scale (i.e., within one state). Informing how the Center can share information and resources, we learned that emails and targeted meetings are the preferred pollinator communication methods across all three participant categories.

Initial results provide insight into connections across USFWS and external partners and identify key “bridgers” in priority pollinator conservation topics (e.g., conservation planning, partnership coordination, pesticides). These results will not only facilitate easier geographic connections but can also support silo busting efforts across USFWS and with external partners approach in a collaborative approach pollinator conservation. By better understanding relationships and knowledge flows, we can more effectively accelerate knowledge flows and reduce bottlenecks, create connections, leverage support, and adapt strategies to allow for learning and innovation towards a thriving conservation future.
Speakers
avatar for Kiandra Rajala

Kiandra Rajala

Regional Social Scientist, US Fish & Wildlife Service
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest

11:20am CST

S-10: Why I'm establishing aquatic plants, and you should too!
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Nick Kramer, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

ABSTRACT: It is relatively easy to determine when aquatic vegetation should be removed from an impoundment or stream but when should managers consider establishing or maintaining an aquatic plant community? This presentation aims to answer that question by highlighting the many ecological benefits that aquatic vegetation can provide to our aquatic systems.
Speakers
avatar for Nick Kramer

Nick Kramer

District Fisheries Biologist, Kansas Dept. Wildlife & Parks
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

11:20am CST

S-11: From streams, swamps, sloughs and roadside ditches: The places you will go while sampling the rare crayfishes of Texas, USA.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Dusty Swedberg, Prairie Research Institute - Illinois Natural History Survey; Archis Grubh, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; Christopher Taylor, Prairie Research Institute - Illinois Natural History Survey

ABSTRACT: Crayfishes are a diverse and ecologically important component in Texas's aquatic ecosystems. Timely information on distribution, abundance, habitat needs, and threats is needed to effectively manage this resource. Texas currently has ten crayfish species of greatest conservation need, five of which were the focus of our sampling: Procambarus brazoriensis, Procambarus nigrocinctus, Procambarus nechesae, Procambarus nueces, and Procambarus texanus. From 2022 to 2024, we sampled almost 100 sites targeting these species and have been able to collect each of the five species. Our collections and the associated habitat data have documented possible range reduction in Procambarus nueces and Procambarus texanus. While also documenting Procambarus nigrocinctus and Procambarus nechesae might be more common than initially perceived.  Procambarus brazoriensis is documented as a highly seasonal crayfish with collections that only occur in early spring. With our collection data, we are able to draw conclusions on range and habitat data to better estimate the conservation status for these five crayfishes and other sympatric species that were collected through our efforts. 
Speakers
DS

Dusty Swedberg

Senior Scientific Specialist, Prairie Research Institute - Illinois Natural History Survey at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

11:30am CST

S-12: Return of the Wapato
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:30am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Tracy Hames, Wisconsin Wetlands Association

ABSTRACT: This presentation will tell the story of the return of Wapato (Sagittaria spp.) to wetlands within the Yakama Nation’s Reservation in eastern Washington state. Wapato has been utilized by the Yakama People since time immemorial. Past disturbances related to agricultural development and other land and water use alterations, however, resulted in the near extirpation of these plants on the Yakama Reservation. When healthy Wapato beds began to return to wetlands on the Reservation, the return of these plants was unplanned, but not unexpected. The story of how the Yakama Nation helped bring about this return begins in the 1970’s when Yakama cultural leaders called for the protection and restoration of the heavily disturbed wetland and floodplain landscapes in the agricultural portion of the Reservation. During the decades that followed, the Yakama Nation developed a “cultural” approach to wetland and floodplain protection, restoration, and management. This approach emphasized reestablishing, as much as possible, historic conditions to benefit all resources in the locations and proportions that they existed in the past. The results of this large-scale effort on the Yakama Reservation will be shown, and why this approach should be of interest to all waterfowl and wetland managers will be discussed.
Speakers
TH

Tracy Hames

Executive Director, Wisconsin Wetlands Association
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:30am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  S-12: Not Just for Ducks…Reframing Marshes as Working Water Gardens

11:40am CST

Fisheries Track: Flow and temperature impacts on catfish populations in two Missouri River tributaries
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Benjamin J. Schall, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; David O. Lucchesi, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; Keith E. Schwartz, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; Alison A. Coulter, South Dakota State University; Steven R. Chipps, USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit, South Dakota State University

ABSTRACT: Changes to aquatic habitats owing to climate change can impact fish populations. Warming temperatures combined with changes in the magnitude and frequency of precipitation events have resulted in more frequent flooding and increased river flows in portions of the upper Great Plains. The impact of changing flow and increased water temperature on fishes in these systems is not well understood. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the impacts of changing water levels and temperature on Channel Catfish and Flathead Catfish growth and condition. Channel Catfish were collected in eastern South Dakota from the James River from 2017-2024 and the Big Sioux River from 2021-2024. Flathead Catfish were collected from the James River in 2018 and 2022-2024. Growth increments were measured from the three most recent pectoral spine annuli, and lengths-at-age were back-calculated. A series of Bayesian generalized linear mixed-effects models were developed to evaluate the relationship between back-calculated lengths and environmental variables, including discharge and cumulative growing degree days (GDD). Fish condition was also assessed by developing annual length-weight regressions and modelling fish weights under varying river discharge and GDD values on the James River. Overall increases in annual growth increment and length-weight regression slopes were observed for Channel Catfish in the James River as river discharge increased. However, growth of Channel Catfish in the Big Sioux River was negatively related to GDD. James River Flathead Catfish condition remained similar across the study years, but growth increments increased with discharge. By modeling potential future environmental conditions under varying climate scenarios, it may be possible to identify how these populations will be impacted by changing climatic conditions and how that may impact their management.
Speakers
BS

BJ Schall

Fisheries Biologist, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Techniques/Population Dynamics

11:40am CST

Fisheries Track: Thermal Tolerances and Heat Shock Protein Regulation of Bigmouth Shiners
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Ella Humphrey, University of Nebraska Lincoln; Jonathan Spurgeon, U.S. Geological Survey & Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; Sarah Sonsthagen, U.S. Geological Survey & Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

ABSTRACT: Climate change may impact the persistence of fish species based on their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions, such as decreasing flows and rising temperatures. Fish rely on temperature regimes within their thermal tolerance to maintain metabolic processes. Thus, temperatures outside these tolerances will result in fish losing the ability to continue metabolic processes resulting in severe stress or death. Bigmouth shiner Hybopsis dorsalis is widespread throughout Nebraska and previous studies indicate that increasing temperatures may affect their range. Therefore, we evaluated the critical thermal maximum (CTmax) of H dorsalis and analyzed their expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP-70) to quantify a thermal stress response over a gradient of temperatures (25-31°C). We found that HSP-70 expression was upregulated in response to temperatures >25°C, indicating a stress response. We then compared this thermal threshold to the yearly maximum temperatures from 42 rivers and streams in Nebraska to determine areas where H dorsalis may already be at risk for thermal stress within their range. About 88% of the sites surpassed 25°C at some point between May and September. This study provides evidence that H dorsalis may be experiencing thermal stress across Nebraska, which future climate scenarios may worsen.
Speakers
EH

Ella Humphrey

Student, University of Nebraska Lincoln
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: River/Stream/Habitat

11:40am CST

Wildlife Track: Impact of invasive Burmese python on the abundance of two endemic endangered species in the Florida Keys
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Shauna S. Sayers, School of Forestry and Horticulture, Southern Illinois University; Brent S. Pease, School of Forestry and Horticulture, Southern Illinois University; Michael V. Cove, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

ABSTRACT: Non-native invasive species are a leading contributor to global biodiversity loss. The Burmese python (Python bivittatus), a large constrictor snake native to Southeast Asia, is one of Florida's most notable exotic predators. Although python’s prey vary in size and species, rodents are the most common group detected in their digestive tracts. The Key Largo woodrat (Neotoma floridana smalli) and Key Largo cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus allapaticola) are two endangered rodent subspecies, endemic to Key Largo, Florida, that are susceptible to the threat of increasing python prevalence. We examined the impact of Burmese pythons on these two subspecies by conducting spatial capture-recapture surveys at 23 grids and deploying remote cameras at 629 supplemental woodrat nests across North Key Largo from January to August 2024. Trapping effort concluded with a total of 4,309 trapnights, capturing 37 woodrats (17 individuals) and 268 cotton mice (152 individuals). The effects of python presence on woodrat and cotton mouse populations were examined by comparing current rodent abundance estimates to those estimated during the python’s apparent establishment and increasing prevalence. Our results indicate the abundance of woodrats and cotton mice has declined coinciding with the increasing detections of pythons, with more drastic declines in the larger woodrats. Preliminary SECR estimates show a decrease in woodrat density from 0.48 individuals per hectare in 2017 to 0.08 individuals per hectare in 2024. Furthermore, our analysis demonstrated that areas with higher python activity exhibited altered habitat use patterns by woodrats such as decreased nest use and stick-nest building. These results suggest that as pythons increase their population size and distribution, the already geographically limited woodrats and cotton mice may continue to experience population declines and shifting habitat use.
Speakers
SS

Shauna Sayers

Master's Student, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Wildlife Health and Disease/Threatened and Endangered Species

11:40am CST

Wildlife Track: Movement ecology of an urban community in Forest Park, Saint Louis
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Stephen Blake, Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, WildCare Institute, Saint Louis Zoo.

Sharon L. Deem, Institute for Conservation Medicine, Saint Louis Zoo.

Jamie Palmer, Institute for Conservation Medicine, Saint Louis Zoo.

Jeff Meshach, World Bird Sanctuary.

Stanton Braude, Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis.

Amy Witt, Forest Park Forever.

August Wise, Saint Louis University.

Anthony I. Dell, National Great Rivers Research and Education Center.

Stella F. Uiterwaal, Living Earth Collaborative, Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, Institute for Conservation Medicine, Saint Louis Zoo, National Great Rivers Research and Education Center.


ABSTRACT: Catastrophic native ecosystem degradation is usually a consequence of urban expansion. However, urban areas can support some elements of native biodiversity with benefits for conservation and human health. Understanding the ecology of urban biodiversity is increasingly important in a rapidly urbanizing world. Species responses to urbanization vary enormously from rapid local extinction to population expansion, with responses often strongly correlated with life history traits. Among animals, “urban adapters” often have r selected traits, such as small body size, high fecundity, and generalist niches. Long lived, large-bodied organisms with low fecundity tend to experience population declines and high local extinction probability under urbanization. Mobility can govern animals’ ability to exploit high-quality habitats and disperse out of poor-quality habitats. City parks are often mosaics of intense human use and semi-natural areas. They can function as urban biodiversity hotspots, which provides opportunities to understand the movement ecology of animals within urban communities. Over the last three years, we have fitted GPS and radio tracking tags to individuals from 15 species of animals in Forest Park, St. Louis. Additionally, we have acquired human mobility data from anonymous smart phone tracking within the park. We mapped habitat characteristics including vegetation and human footprint metrics across the city. We characterized animal movement strategies and habitat use using net squared displacement and resource selection functions. Forest Park wildlife displays all major movement strategies including residence, dispersal, nomadism and migration. Species’ responses to the human footprint varied dramatically from strongly negative, mostly among low mobility terrestrial omnivores, to strongly positive among highly mobile terrestrial and avian predators. Mortality was high among these species. This first quantitative window into the movement ecology of an urban animal community provokes myriad research and management questions and implications, demanding more extensive applied research to influence urban planning policy.
Speakers
SB

Stephen Blake

Assistant Professor, Biology Department, Saint Louis University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Mammal Ecology and Management

11:40am CST

S-04: Assessment of Isotope Shifts in Northern Pike in Response to Increased Rainbow Trout Stocking Length
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jeremy L. Kientz

South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks

ABSTRACT: Pactola Reservoir in the Black Hills of South Dakota has historically been managed as a coldwater fishery for Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush. In 2003, Northern Pike Esox lucius were first sampled in fisheries surveys by South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks (SD GFP) and have since become an established predator. Due to concerns of direct predation on stocked catchable (275 mm) Rainbow Trout, SD GFP partnered with South Dakota State University on a research project which evaluated Northern Pike diets and isotopes. The results of that study showed that fish smaller than 600 mm had δC13 isotope values similar to centrarchid prey species, whereas δC13 values for 600 mm and larger fish were similar to stocked Rainbow Trout. In response to this research and to reduce predation by Northern Pike, SD GFP increased the Rainbow Trout stocking size in Pactola Reservoir from 275 mm to 381 mm. The objective of this study was to evaluate Northern Pike isotope changes in response to the increased Rainbow Trout stocking size. Northern Pike (n=42) were captured in May 2021 with sizes ranging from 457 mm to 1,021 mm. δC13 values in Northern Pike smaller than 700 mm were similar to the centrarchid values seen in the previous study, suggesting that stocked Rainbow Trout had not become a major diet item for 700 mm and smaller individuals. This data was supported by an analysis of variance (ANOVA) among 100 mm size bins which revealed that significant differences in δC13 were detected between the 700 mm and 800 mm size bins, but not among 700 mm and smaller size bins. Furthermore, a piecewise linear regression technique in program R revealed a breakpoint value of 716 mm. These results indicate that the length at which Northern Pike prey upon stocked Rainbow Trout has increased by over 100 mm following the increase in trout stocking length.
Speakers
avatar for Jeremy Kientz

Jeremy Kientz

SD Game, Fish & Parks
I love the outdoors. Fishing, hiking, hunting, camping, foraging; I love it all.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 2)

11:40am CST

S-07: Improving the Discoverability and Accessibility of Invasive Carp Projects and Data
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jason Ross, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Mark Brouder, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Aaron Murphy US Geological Survey; Mathew Walker, US Geological Survey

ABSTRACT: Member agencies of the Mississippi Interstate Cooperative Resource Association (MICRA) are actively implementing management and control actions to reduce the spread and abundance of invasive carp species that are established and expanding their range in the Mississippi River Basin. MICRA formed an Invasive Carp Advisory Committee (ICAC) to coordinate the planning, execution, and evaluation of collaborative actions to prevent, detect, and control invasive carp populations. Currently, the information and data collected and needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the various control and management actions being implemented are housed and dispersed among the individual agencies or entities. These information and data “silos” are difficult to discover and access by the various MICRA member agencies, the ICAC working groups and modelers tasked with evaluating the effectiveness of control and management efforts across the landscape, and other interested parties. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Survey, working on behalf of the ICAC Data Analysis Workgroup, are developing a web-based platform known as CarpDAT (Data, Analysis and Tools) that intends to improve the discoverability and accessibility of invasive carp information and data being collected across the Mississippi River Basin by compiling and consolidating it in a single location.
Speakers
JR

Jason Ross

IT Specialist (Data Management), USFWS
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

11:40am CST

S-08: Adaptive Management for a Reintroduced Population of Blanding’s Turtles (Emydoidea blandingii)
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Callie Klatt Golba, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences; Gary Glowacki, Lake County Forest Preserve District; Kathryn McCabe, Lake County Forest Preserve District; Richard King, Northern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: Reintroduction is a tool used in conservation biology to establish a new population of previously extirpated species. It is often necessary when habitat fragmentation prevents natural reestablishment. In freshwater turtle species, reintroduction is becoming more common, but due to their longevity, continued monitoring and adaptive management is necessary to properly assess success. From 2020 to 2022, 175 headstarted Blanding’s Turtles were reintroduced at a recently restored site in Lake County, Illinois. The plan was to continue releases to meet or exceed an adult population size indicative of resiliency (Adult N ≥ 50) and maximize genetic diversity. Follow-up monitoring revealed lower than expected survival due to high predation. Releases were halted after detection of a shell rot fungus among captives in 2022. To determine the best strategy going forward, we used population viability analysis to compare release scenarios that differed in the age at release (direct release of hatchlings, 1st year headstarts, 2nd year headstarts), the number released, and the implementation of predator removal. Releases of older headstarts with concurrent predator removal were projected to result in the largest population size. Increasing number of egg donors resulted in relatively small effects on allelic richness, genetic diversity, and inbreeding. Results from the initial years of an experimental reintroduced population demonstrate the utility of continued monitoring to guide adaptive management in wildlife conservation.
Speakers
CG

Callie Golba

Curator of Turtle Conservation, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

11:40am CST

S-09: Summarizing grassland management social science literature and conservation practitioner social science needs across the Central Grasslands
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Ashley Gramza, Playa Lakes Joint Venture; Zach Hurst, Playa Lakes Joint Venture; Ryan Roberts, Playa Lakes Joint Venture

ABSTRACT: The Central Grasslands region of North America provides crucial habitat for a myriad of bird and wildlife species and vital resources for human communities. This ecosystem is in rapid decline mainly due to cropland conversion, climate change, and invasive plant species. Current conservation efforts have not stopped this decline, highlighting the need for a shift in conservation delivery strategies that incorporate local populations within this landscape. Furthermore, grassland management decisions are multidimensional and complex, requiring social science to understand, yet this research has not often been coordinated among social scientists nor integrated into conservation delivery strategies. To improve the integration of social science knowledge into conservation delivery, we synthesized existing conservation social science research related to grassland management decision-making, examined social science needs and priorities of grassland conservation delivery professionals, and used the aforementioned information to create a plan that identifies challenges and opportunities for grassland conservation delivery and includes a research priority list for future social science research to benefit grassland conservation. The grassland management social science literature review underscored the importance of conducting more transdisciplinary, community-based and participatory grassland conservation projects. These strategies will increase the reach, effectiveness and equity of conservation efforts and help ensure long-term grassland persistence across the Central Grasslands. This project with its combination of data sources provides a good understanding of the current state of knowledge and related research needs, while making this information available to grassland conservation professionals. It also provides a starting point for conservation social scientists to coordinate and collaborate on future research that is useful and usable to grassland conservation professionals within the Central Grasslands.
Speakers
avatar for Kiandra Rajala

Kiandra Rajala

Regional Social Scientist, US Fish & Wildlife Service
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest

11:40am CST

S-10: Aquatic Plant Assessment and Mapping Methods: Finding the sweet spot between frequency and abundance
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Ray Valley, President and Aquatic Biologist, BioBase LLC, St. Paul MN.

ABSTRACT:  It’s well understood that aquatic plants play a critical role in lake ecosystems at multiple levels. Aquatic plants control water quality and water quality controls aquatic plants. Aquatic plants shape fish communities, structure food webs and facilitate quality sport fisheries. Invasive species disrupt the ecological balance of lakes but are strangely friend or foe depending on what audience you find yourself in. As professionals, fisheries professionals, we get this. We also see that millions are spent in the US each year to control invasive aquatic plants. Despite the stakes, aquatic plant assessment and monitoring programs have generally been underfunded. If monitoring does occur, it is typically focused on frequency of occurrence of aquatic plant species and rarely abundance (biomass or biovolume). Although a great measure of species cover and diversity, frequency of occurrence is a poor measure of habitat as perceived by fish or the total biomass of plants that contribute to a lake’s nutrient budget. More recently, methods have been developed bringing species frequency surveys together with high definition abundance surveys. Now with the advent of Artificial Intelligence and continued innovation of consumer technology, we have the capability to precisely map the abundance of individual aquatic plant species. Investment will be needed to develop, scale, or repurpose technology developed for the consumer world for aquatic and fisheries management purposes.
Speakers
avatar for Ray Valley

Ray Valley

President, BioBase LLC
I have a love for water, wilderness, conservation, and technology. I was afforded the opportunity to meld these interests together and led the building of the powerful automated cloud mapping technologies genesismaps.com and biobasemaps.com in the 2010's. You can’t protect what... Read More →
Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

12:00pm CST

Lunch On Your Own
Tuesday January 21, 2025 12:00pm - 1:20pm CST
TBA
Tuesday January 21, 2025 12:00pm - 1:20pm CST
TBA

1:20pm CST

Fisheries Track: Age and Growth Analyses on a Stunted vs. Non-Stunted Population of White Perch in Southeastern Nebraska Reservoirs
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Cali Engel, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Mark Pegg, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

ABSTRACT: Aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been a growing concern for many fisheries managers and biologists throughout the United States. In Eastern Nebraska, White perch (Morone americana) have been found in a variety of lakes, including Branched Oak Lake, Pawnee Lake, Holmes Lake, and Wildwood Lake. Waterbodies with high densities of this species may cause them to become stunted, maintaining a small size and being undesirable by anglers. Branched Oak Lake and Pawnee Lake contain an abundance of stunted white perch, making management of these reservoirs difficult. Interestingly, there are at least two reservoirs in Southeast Nebraska that contain populations of white perch that are not stunted. Despite their geographic proximity to Branched Oak Lake and Pawnee Lake, Holmes Lake and Wildwood Lake contain populations of white perch desirable to anglers. This study assesses the age structure and growth rates of White perch populations in these four lakes to better understand the differences in population dynamics of populations across different densities. Size structures were markedly different among the four study lakes as expected. Exact differences between stunted and non-stunted populations will be compared to begin determining factors that may influence the propensity for stunting.
Speakers
avatar for Cali Engel

Cali Engel

Undergraduate student, University of Nebraska Lincoln
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Techniques/Population Dynamics

1:20pm CST

Fisheries Track: Impacts of Habitat Enhancement on Fish Assemblage Integrity in Several Midwestern Streams
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Ryan Skowronski, Eastern Illinois University; Eden Effert-Fanta, Eastern Illinois University; Dan Roth, Eastern Illinois University; Trent Thomas, Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Robert Colombo, Eastern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: The Midwestern landscape has been converted from forests and prairies into land used for urban development and agricultural practices over the past two centuries. This transformation in landscape composition has disrupted ecosystem function and reduced the stability of stream habitats by accelerating bank erosion, decreasing riparian buffers, and lowering water quality. These changes have led to the degradation of stream habitat heterogeneity, which is a key factor influencing the biotic integrity of fish assemblages. Habitat restoration is a common mitigation strategy for reversing stream degradation, though empirical research evaluating the effectiveness of habitat restoration is insufficient in the Midwestern United States. This study aims to investigate the temporal shifts in fish biotic integrity in four Illinois streams restored in the past 15 years using historical fish community data. We expect habitat enhancement to initially disrupt fish assemblages but show an overall increase in biotic integrity in restored sites over time with a rise in habitat specialist and intolerant fishes. Evaluating the outcomes of these restoration projects is critical to conserve fish communities in degraded streams and improve future restoration methods.
Speakers
RS

Ryan Skowronski

Graduate Research Assistant, Eastern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: River/Stream/Habitat

1:20pm CST

Wildlife Track: Multi-Method Occupancy of Semi-Aquatic Mammals in Southern Illinois
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Derek Whipkey, Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab, Southern Illinois University; Charlotte Narr, Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University; Brent Pease, School of Forestry and Horticulture, Southern Illinois University; Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab, Southern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: Semi-aquatic mammals play important roles in aquatic ecosystems, particularly in the transfer of nutrients between aquatic and terrestrial environments. However, detecting and estimating the occurrence of these species can be difficult due to their elusive nature. Additionally, most occupancy studies have focused on a single type of waterbody (e.g. lentic or lotic systems), limiting a broader understanding of factors impacting these species distribution. To estimate occupancy of semi-aquatic mammals, we surveyed 67 sites across four counties in southern Illinois from March – May 2023 for American beaver (Castor canadensis), muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), river otter (Lontra canadensis), and American mink (Neovison vison). Sites were distributed evenly between waterbody type and size. Given the elusive nature of these species, we combined two detection methods, sign surveys and camera traps, to increase detection. We applied a Bayesian multi-method occupancy model that incorporates both detection methods to estimate a single occupancy probability for each target species. To evaluate the relative importance of aquatic and terrestrial factors on occupancy, we built candidate models of aquatic and terrestrial covariates separately to identify the top model of each category. Aquatic covariates were consistently more important in predicting occupancy for all species. However, a combined additive model of the top aquatic and terrestrial models provided the best overall predictions. Beaver, otter, and mink occupancy showed positive associations with large waterbodies, while muskrat occupancy was positively linked to lotic systems. Additionally, muskrat and mink occupancy were positively related to increasing distance from roads. Our results suggest that while aquatic structure is more influential for predicting semi-aquatic mammal occupancy, considering both aquatic and terrestrial factors yields the most accurate results. All four semi-aquatic mammal species we studied were impacted by aquatic type, highlighting the importance of considering both waterbody types to better understand their distribution.
Speakers
DW

Derek Whipkey

Graduate Research Assistant, Southern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Wetland Wildlife Ecology and Management

1:20pm CST

Wildlife Track: Quantifying the biodiversity benefit of forest cover in agricultural landscapes using environmental DNA metabarcoding
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Olivia P. Reves, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Mark A. Davis, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA; Eric R. Larson, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA



ABSTRACT: The conversion of natural ecosystems to agriculture is a leading cause of habitat loss and threatens global biodiversity. For the past two centuries, the midwestern United States has experienced agricultural intensification and expansion, resulting in losses of natural ecosystems including tallgrass prairies, wetlands, and forests. Forest cover in states like Illinois has increased over the last several decades, partially due to agricultural conservation efforts like agroforestry, the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, and implementation of riparian buffers. However, does this increasing forest cover, intended to reduce nutrient and soil loss and benefit in-stream biota, also have benefits to terrestrial biodiversity? We used environmental DNA (eDNA), DNA collected and isolated from environmental samples, to evaluate how forest cover influences and potentially benefits terrestrial and semi-aquatic vertebrates in agricultural landscapes. In May and June of 2024, we collected eDNA samples from 47 low order streams over gradients of both riparian and whole-watershed forest cover from the U.S. National Land Cover Database. We then conducted eDNA metabarcoding of vertebrate communities using 12S and COI primers. Next, we used generalized linear mixed models to examine effects of forest cover on species richness, as well as non-metric multidimensional scaling to explore differences in community composition between sites of varying forest cover. Evaluating how terrestrial vertebrate communities respond to forest cover can shape management practices from riparian buffers to watershed-wide scales across agricultural regions.
Speakers
OR

Olivia Reves

Master's Student, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Techniques and Emerging Technologies

1:20pm CST

S-04: Advancing Cold Water Beyond Trout: Characterizing Aquatic Biota and Habitat Across Thermal Gradients in Missouri
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Natalie Coash, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit;
Ashley Hrdina, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit;
Craig Paukert, US Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit;
Emily Tracey-Smith, Missouri Department of Conservation;
Jason Persinger, Missouri Department of Conservation


ABSTRACT: Missouri’s cold and cool water stream systems face ecological challenges due to historical alterations, land use, and chronic climate pressures. Effective management of these systems requires an applied science-based approach that considers fundamental processes such as thermal regimes, flow variability, and knowledge of surrounding land use, all of which influence aquatic habitat and biotic distribution. Water temperature, in particular, plays a critical role in shaping fish assemblages and stream biota, affecting physiology, behavior, reproduction, and overall habitat suitability. Current data limitations, including a lack of comprehensive water temperature data and insufficient aquatic community data, hinder our ability to characterize and conserve cold and cool water stream habitats effectively in Missouri.
This study aims to address data gaps by estimating the distribution and extent of significant cold water stream habitats in Missouri by characterizing fish, macroinvertebrate, and macrophyte communities within these habitats and their thermal transition zones, while complementing sampling with continuous seasonal temperature monitoring and eDNA analysis. Through field sampling and analysis of existing spatial data, this research will refine our understanding of cold, cool, and warm water stream systems statewide. While this study can be useful in identifying thermal refugia and the extent of trout habitat in Missouri; the outcomes of this study will directly benefit stream resource management and conservation by providing critical data pertaining to the unique cold and cool water biological communities beyond our current policy criteria and classification of waters “that support a naturally reproducing or stocked trout fishery”.
This improved characterization will support the Missouri Department of Conservation in guiding the development of habitat criteria relevant to resource management, influencing thermal designations under Missouri’s Water Quality Standards, and protecting species of conservation concern. Join us to review the project’s impetus, objectives, site selection, field methods, next steps, and key deliverables.
Speakers
NC

Natalie Coash

Coldwater Research Specialist, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 2)

1:20pm CST

S-07: What could adaptive management of invasive bigheaded carp in the Tennessee and Cumberland river subbasins look like?
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Michael E. Colvin, US Geological Survey; Caleb A. Aldridge, US Fish and Wildlife Service; Neal Jackson, US Fish and Wildlife Service; Max Post van der Burg, US Geological Survey


ABSTRACT: The Tennessee and Cumberland rivers (TNCR) invasive carp subbasin partnership (Partnership) comprises state and federal agencies tasked with coordinating invasive carp control efforts, identifying funding priorities, executing funded projects, and reporting project results annually. To better align subbasin program operations with management objectives the TNCR Partnership prioritized and funded a project to structure their decision making processes—our team facilitated execution of the project. Over several online and face-to-face meetings, we elicited the TNCR Partnership’s management objectives and alternative invasive carp management strategies. The TNCR Partnership produced a shared understanding of uncertainties associated with invasive carp management and monitoring, co-producing an systems model that projects the future state of invasive carp abundance and distribution. Additionally, the systems model can help the TNCR Partnership evaluate alternative management strategies by comparing whether the expected outcomes of implemented management actions align with management objectives. Varying uncertainties were identified throughout the elicitation process that could be reduced through research or monitoring. This talk focuses on how uncertainties, framed as hypotheses, can potentially be reduced by monitoring outcomes of management actions as part of an adaptive management program. Specifically, we discuss the minimal requirements to operationalize an invasive carp adaptive management program which aligns with existing funding and project management timelines. Lastly, we highlight lessons learned during this structured decision making process and provide generalizations applicable to other invasive carp subbasin partnerships.
Speakers
MC

Michael Colvin

Research Ecologist, US Geological Survey
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

1:20pm CST

S-08: A PVA to Support Conservation Planning for Blanding’s Turtles in Iowa
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Elizabeth M. Lang* – Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University

Dr. Stephen J. Dinsmore – Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University

Dr. Anna M. Tucker – U.S. Geological Survey, Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Iowa State University

Dr. Karen E. Kinkead – Iowa Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Blanding’s turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) are declining throughout their range due to habitat fragmentation, road mortality, and nest depredation. They have high adult and juvenile survival and varying hatchling survival and fecundity rates. In Iowa, there is little knowledge about current vital rates among Blanding’s populations, so land managers do not know which management actions will be most effective to reverse declines. Determining the outcomes of conservation is vital to land managers to plan efficiently and cost-effectively. To bridge this knowledge gap, we monitored six Blanding’s populations from June 2020 to August 2024. These projects offer preliminary vital rates that we used to model population viability under several management scenarios. We developed an age-based matrix model and conducted a literature review to parameterize the model. When using vital rates from published studies we modeled an Iowa population that is declining slowly (λ = 0.98). In Iowa, there is a concern about small, isolated populations, lower hatchling survival, and lower fecundity rates than those noted in other studies. We developed multiple scenarios representing these hypotheses for the Iowa population as well as potential management actions, including head starting, nest protection, and habitat improvement. We compare projected population sizes and growth rate with cost of implementation to aid managers with identifying the most cost-effective conservation strategy for this imperiled species.
Speakers
EL

Elizabeth Lang

Graduate Research Assistant, Iowa State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

1:20pm CST

S-09: Pragmatic Applications of Creel Surveys
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Susan Steffen, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

ABSTRACT: Creel surveys are often touted as extremely important to fisheries management as a way of understanding angling participation and characteristics. What types of information is collected during creel surveys, and, more importantly, how is it applied to fisheries management? Using Kansas Department of Wildlife and Park’s (KDWP) creel survey data, I will demonstrate the link between fisheries management goals and objectives, among other useful applications of creel surveys – including “supplemental questions” at the end of creel surveys as an alternative to online surveys. Through these applied examples, the audience will better understand how KDWP fisheries managers use creel survey and other human dimensions data to inform decision-making, engage with anglers, and maintain quality fishing opportunities.
Speakers
avatar for Susan Steffen

Susan Steffen

Human Dimensions Specialist, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
Human Dimensions Research, FisheriesData Analytics, Data MiningSAS, SAS Enterprise Guide, JMP
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
  S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest

1:20pm CST

S-10: Testing the Waters: A Foray Into Floating Wetlands
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kara Tvedt, Missouri Department of Conservation; Frank Nelson, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Missouri has lost over 90% of its historic wetlands. Hence, many native aquatic and wetland plants have diminished over the last 200 years. At the same time the eutrophication of waterways and water bodies has increasingly led to more frequent harmful algal blooms across the state. One nature-based option for integrated watershed approaches is the strategic incorporation of reintroducing native wetland plants. In urban settings, where armored banklines and fluctuating water levels may prevent the opportunity of shoreline plantings, floating treatment wetlands may be considered. Although a growing number of cities in Europe and U.S. have been using this “green” solution to improve water quality, not all attempts are successful and can prevent the adoption and expansion of these strategies elsewhere. The Missouri Department of Conservation has been trouble-shooting potential hurdles, such as plant establishment and herbivory to increase success and implementation rates. The agency has also been experimenting with floating island designs that are plastic-free to account for the growing concern about plastic pollution and PFAS. This presentation will highlight our collaboration with partners and lessons learned from this pilot work.
Speakers
FN

Frank Nelson

Wetland Ecologist, Missouri Dept. of Conservation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

1:20pm CST

S-11: Assessing the effects a managed landscape has on the burrow densities of the Piedmont Prairie Burrowing Crayfish in Sumter National Forest, South Carolina
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Eric Ng, West Liberty University; Kathryn Schulz, West Liberty University; Zanethia Barnett, US Forest Service; Zachary J. Loughman, West Liberty University



ABSTRACT: The piedmont region of the southeastern United States, once noted by early European explorers to host wide ranging prairie-like habitat, is now dominated by agricultural practices such as pine plantations. The Piedmont Prairie Burrowing Crayfish [(Distocambarus (Distocambarus) crockeri Hobbs & Carlson 1983)] is postulated to have adapted to a terrestrial environment in the piedmont of South Carolina. Nevertheless, the planting of pine throughout the region has removed important habitat elements, such as an open canopy, needed for other Distocambarus populations to persist. Contrarily, other silvicultural practices, such as complete tree removal, seem to benefit D. (D.) crockeri, a suggested prairie habitat specialist. Land management practices used to create prairie-like, open-canopy habitat in the piedmont region could produce a beneficial situation for the vulnerable Piedmont Prairie Burrowing Crayfish. To test this hypothesis, we compared the burrow densities of D. (D.) crockeri in various managed fields to forests within the Long Cane Ranger District of Sumter National Forest, SC. Burrow densities were quantified in 1m2 quadrats along 100m transects that were placed perpendicular to an ecotonal edge of a field and forest. We discovered that the average burrow densities of managed fields were more variable than the forests. However, the means of both averages were near to one another, indicating that maintaining some degree of habitat heterogeneity is important for the persistence of D. (D.) crockeri on a modern landscape.
Speakers
EN

Eric Ng

Graduate Student, West Liberty University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:40pm CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

1:20pm CST

S-12: Wiski/Oski (River Cane): A Keystone Species in the Floodplain and in Chickasaw Culture
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:50pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kent Sanmann, Native Foodways Restoration Alliance

ABSTRACT: If we are to reimagine wetlands as sustainable water gardens, then we are going to need tools, both gardening tools and tools to process the produce. And are the gardens just for us, or other creatures as well? And while wetlands have been lost in modern times by agricultural conversion of floodplains, both agriculture and wetlands co-existed in a symbiotic relationship in the past.
One plant that played a vital role in all of these activities in the past is river cane. Although the plant is mainly associated with the southeastern United States, historically its range extended into the Midwest as well as Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. River cane grew extensively in the original homelands of the Chickasaw tribe and was used by them for a variety of purposes. After their removal to Oklahoma, where it was not as common as it was in the southeast, they continued to use it for limited purposes until today. This presentation will look at the historical uses of river cane by Chickasaws as well as modern uses, including its use in alleviating current problems along the Blue River, the only undammed river in Oklahoma and an important water source for south/central Oklahoma and the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations.
Speakers
KS
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 1:50pm CST
TBA
  S-12: Not Just for Ducks…Reframing Marshes as Working Water Gardens

1:20pm CST

CONCURRENT TECHNICAL SESSIONS & ORGANIZED SYMPOSIA
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:20pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA

1:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Response of Fish Communities to Backwater Restoration in the Upper Mississippi River
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Hannah Lenning, Iowa Department of Natural Resources/University of Nebraska at Kearney; Melissa Wuellner, University of Nebraska at Kearney; Seth Fopma, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Keith Koupal, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission; Jayne Jonas-Bratten, University of Nebraska at Kearney

ABSTRACT: This research evaluates the impacts of restoring backwaters, a habitat type in large floodplain rivers that are essential for maintaining their high diversity of fauna. The restoration of backwaters has been an integral part of managing fish populations on the Upper Mississippi River since 1990 and is a major component of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program. This research looks at a 2013 restoration project that expanded on the traditional approach by restoring multiple backwaters in a single effort, resulting in 63 acres of backwater channels dredged within four backwaters, proximal in space (within 14-km reach) and time (2013-2017). Here, we evaluated whether benefits of restoration (increased catch or shifts in size structure) are observed beyond project boundaries and identified species that are indicators of backwater restoration, comparing two river reaches using a BACI approach. The river reach containing restored backwaters (Pool 12) is the Impact area, and a downstream river reach without restored backwaters (Pool 13) is the Control area. Historical, day electrofishing data was utilized, with the before period including sampling years prior to any construction (2006 – 2012) and the after period including years after construction concluded (2018 – 2024). For representative species, relative abundance was compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) was conducted to visualize the similarities and differences between fish assemblages of each BACI group. Finally, indicator species analysis was conducted on each BACI group, which identified indicators of river reaches with and without this approach to backwater restoration. Understanding the scalar impact of Pool 12 restoration and its impact on fish assemblages informs the future planning of restoration projects to maximize program resources and efficiency.
Speakers
HL

Hannah Lenning

Administrative Intern, Iowa Department of Natural Resources/University of Nebraska at Kearney
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: River/Stream/Habitat

1:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Smallmouth Bass Demographics in the Kaskaskia and Vermilion Rivers
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Ethan T. Scott, Eastern Illinois University; Daniel R. Roth, Eastern Illinois University; Eden L. Effert-Fanta, Eastern Illinois University; and Robert E. Colombo, Eastern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: This study investigates the population dynamics of Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the Kaskaskia and Vermilion Rivers in Illinois, comparing supplementally stocked populations with naturally reproduced ones. Stocking efforts in the Kaskaskia River have aimed to support recreational fisheries for over a decade. Yet, the contribution of stocked fish to long-term population sustainability has not been fully assessed. In contrast, the Vermilion River supports natural recruitment, and recent dam removals have improved fish diversity and habitat quality, potentially benefiting the abundance of sportfish like Smallmouth Bass. Our primary objectives are to evaluate the relative abundance and demographics of Smallmouth Bass populations in both rivers and assess dynamic rate functions such as age, growth, and mortality. To achieve these objectives, we conducted surveys at 12 sites in each river using pulsed-DC boat electrofishing during the spring and fall. All fish were measured, weighed, and tagged with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags. Pectoral fin rays were collected as a non-lethal aging structure, and microchemistry analysis will be used to identify recruitment sources by examining elemental ratios. Initial results from the Kaskaskia River suggest that this population is primarily supported by stocking, with Smallmouth Bass most abundant in areas where stocking occurs, particularly near the Shelbyville Dam. This study will provide critical insights into the effectiveness of supplemental stocking in enhancing Smallmouth Bass populations while identifying the natural factors that contribute to successful recruitment in free-flowing systems like the Vermilion River. By comparing two rivers with distinct recruitment mechanisms and environmental stressors, this research will inform more effective management strategies tailored to each system. The findings will also offer broader applications for managing Smallmouth Bass fisheries across similar Midwestern River systems.
Speakers
ES

Ethan Scott

Graduate assistant, Eastern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Techniques/Population Dynamics

1:40pm CST

Wildlife Track: Assessing white-tailed deer body condition using trail camera photos
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jamie Goethlich, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Tim Van Deelen, University of Wisconsin-Madison

ABSTRACT: The basis of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) management has traditionally focused on population size, which is important for establishing harvest goals for broad-scale deer management efforts. While population estimates are important for determining the number of individuals to harvest to reduce, maintain, or increase populations, population size does not provide detailed information on the health of the population. However, herd health is a major consideration for many contemporary deer management situations, and deer health is a common concern among deer managers, deer hunters, and people opposed to deer hunting. Although health and welfare are commonly used in the livestock industry and captive wildlife settings, animal welfare is an emerging segment of wildlife research. Recently, Smiley et al. (2020) created a technique to assess body condition using photographs of captured deer, which they validated by comparing body scores to ingesta-free body fat. We tested the efficacy of pairing their visual body condition estimation method with trail camera photos of deer in suburbs of the Northeast. We found that trail camera photos could easily be used for assessing body condition, and body condition scores were generally consistent among two independent observers. Additionally, we found body condition scores varied significantly across seasons, among sexes, and between does with and without fawns at heel. Lastly, we created a detailed training pamphlet to be used as a guide for researchers and citizen scientists. We conclude that this is a quick and easy method that can be useful in situations where deer managers want information about herd health/welfare but attaining robust sample sizes of harvested deer may be unattainable (e.g., unhunted urban populations, small private properties, etc.).
Speakers
JG

Jamie Goethlich

PhD Candidate, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Techniques and Emerging Technologies

1:40pm CST

Wildlife Track: Inter-specific differences in waterfowl responses to hunting pressure and environmental conditions at an autumn stopover
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Abigail G Blake-Bradshaw, Forbes Biological Station; Therin M Bradshaw, Forbes Biological Station; Andrew D Gilbert, Forbes Biological Station; Joshua M Osborn, Forbes Biological Station; Elizabeth A Beilke, Forbes Biological Station; Chelsea S Kross, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Auriel MV Fournier, Forbes Biological Station

ABSTRACT:  Hunting pressure and associated disturbance influences many aspects of wildlife behavior. Disturbance by hunters influences the timing of relocation movements of waterfowl and could drive departures from stopover locations during autumn. Additionally, environmental conditions, including short-term changes in weather or habitat availability, may necessitate shifts in activity patterns, alter departure decisions, or impact individual susceptibility to harvest. Thus, wildlife professionals are interested in understanding what drives autumn-winter movements and migration events of waterfowl; therefore, we evaluated the extent to which hunting pressure and environmental conditions influenced daily flights and departure from an autumn stopover location. Our study took place in of the La Grange Reach of the Illinois River Valley, IL, USA. To evaluate the influence of “hunting pressure” on waterfowl behavior and departure from a stopover location, we placed 20 Autonomous Recording Units (ARUs) across our study area to quantify daily shotgun volleys. We then captured 38 mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and 26 green-winged teal (A. crecca; hereafter teal) at Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge, IL, USA. We deployed GPS-GSM transmitters on both age (i.e., juveniles and adults) and sex classes (i.e., males and females) and tracked both species during autumn and winter 2022–2024. We quantified the number of daily local-scale flights and related it to local environmental conditions and hunting pressure as indexed by ARUs. The median number of local-scale flights was 3 (range: 0–18) and was similar between species. Additionally, we identified the day individuals departed the Illinois River Valley stopover area by quantifying when they passed 40°N southwards, which marked the southern extent of our study area. In total, 24 teal and 8 mallards departed the study area, and as hunting pressure increased, teal were more likely to depart southwards. Preliminary results indicate mallards and teal responded to environmental conditions and hunting pressure disparately.
Speakers
avatar for Abigail Blake-Bradshaw

Abigail Blake-Bradshaw

Post Doc, Forbes Biological Station; Illinois Natural History Survey
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Wetland Wildlife Ecology and Management

1:40pm CST

S-04: Heritage Brook Trout program in southeast Minnesota
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Doug Dieterman, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Brian Beyerl, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Shawn Haase, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; John Hoxmeier, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Loren Miller, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Jason Roloff, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Vaughn Snook, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Dan Spence, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Melissa Wagner, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis, were the only salmonid native to the cold-water streams of southeast Minnesota but were presumed extirpated following European settlement and subsequent stream degradation. Research beginning in the mid-2000s identified genetic structure patterns that deviated from known stocking histories but consistent with expected geography of native populations, leading to the identification of a presumed native “Heritage” Brook Trout strain. Distribution of this Heritage strain was limited to three stream drainages. In an effort to better manage and expand the distribution of Heritage Brook Trout; managers, culturists and researchers have since implemented several novel approaches including removal of non-native Brown Trout; collection, propagation and stocking of wild Heritage Brook Trout; and implemented new studies to compare performance of Heritage and feral Brook Trout strains in streams. This talk will provide an overview and highlight the current status of these efforts as well as, the many challenges that have arisen.
Speakers
DD

Doug Dieterman

Research Biologist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 2)

1:40pm CST

S-07: Evaluating Invasive Carp Management on the Illinois Waterway Through Adaptive ‘Multi-Agency Monitoring’
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Michael Spear, Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois River Biological Station (IRBS); Brandon Harris, IRBS; Levi Solomon, IRBS; Kris Maxson, IRBS; Andrya Whitten Harris, IRBS; Andrew Mathis, IRBS; Sam Schaick, IRBS; Jesse Williams, IRBS; Jason DeBoer, IRBS; Eric Hine, Illinois Natural History Survey, Great Rivers Field Station (GRFS); John Chick, GRFS; Jim Lamer, IRBS

ABSTRACT: The upper reaches of the Illinois Waterway are a critical containment threshold for invasive carps as they threaten to invade the Laurentian Great Lakes. Monitoring these carps – and evaluating the success of management efforts – has become the new focus of the Multi-Agency Monitoring program, a collaborative effort across state, federal, and partner agencies (discussed earlier in this session) originally designed for community-wide monitoring but recently adapted for invasive species management. Through careful analysis of the data, intentional re-allocation of resources, and effective communication across partner agencies, the MAM program has repositioned itself as a quantitative resource for evaluating the success of management efforts to contain invasive carps and prevent their entry into Lake Michigan. Here, we explore the first five years of MAM data and touch on fisheries topics including hyperstability, density-dependence, food web dynamics, and imperfect detection. A large, latitudinal gradient in carp density along the river allows for powerful space-for-time comparisons. Intense invasive carp removal efforts highlight stark contrasts between fisheries-dependent and fisheries-independent data sources. Clues from the health of the native community may offer complementary evidence for the trajectory of the invasive carp population, placing renewed value on maintaining the original community-wide sampling approach of MAM. As MAM answers this call to serve the short-term invasive species management goals, preserving the long-term integrity of its standardized sampling framework remains a priority that will require thoughtful, intentional, and iterative changes to the design and protocols of the program. Early results indicate that community-wide, fisheries-independent data such as MAM can flexibly serve shifting management priorities while maintaining long-term perspectives, a successful example of “adaptive monitoring.”
Speakers
MS

Michael Spear

Quantitative Ecologist, Illinois River Biological Station
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

1:40pm CST

S-08: Effects of Prescribed Fire and Mowing on Smooth Greensnake Detection and Nesting Activity
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Allison Sacerdote-Velat, Chicago Academy of Sciences

ABSTRACT: Smooth Greensnakes (Opheodrys vernalis) are small-bodied, oviparous, grassland dependent colubrids, that are declining throughout much of the Midwest due to grassland loss and degradation. We used a before-after-control-impact (BACI) approach to examine effects of prescribed fire, burn interval, and mowing for shrub control, on Smooth Greensnake detection, and nesting activity. This approach parses out temporal effects from management effects. Pre-management data were collected in two grassland sites from multiple long-term monitoring plots. Prescribed fire and mowing were implemented across study plots in both grasslands while maintaining unmanaged plots as controls. Smooth Greensnake detection was greater in post-burn plots than in the control or mowed plots. However, nest abundance decreased following burning, and did not reach pre-management levels until after two to three years of post-burn recovery. In contrast, Smooth Greensnakes continued to nest in post-mow plots with no difference in nest abundance pre- and post-mowing. In Site 1, snake detection and nest abundance did not differ between the control and the mowed plot. In Site 2, willow encroachment in the control plot reduced Smooth Greensnake activity overall. Subsequent burns occurred in Site 2, one year after the initial burn, and in Site 1, three years after the initial burn, allowing further examination of the effects of fire interval. Again, we observed greater snake detection, but reduced nest abundance following the burns. Burning significantly reduced nesting activity for Smooth Greensnakes, which we attribute to the loss of vegetative thatch, which may help retain critical moisture in nesting sites. These results have conservation implications for recruitment based on fire intervals and the extent of burn units. Snake responses to habitat management may be influenced by aspects of reproductive requirements, reiterating the need for a mosaic-approach to management, and including variation in fire intervals in managed grasslands.
Speakers
AS

Allison Sacerdote-Velat

Curator of Biology & Herpetology, Chicago Academy of Sciences
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

1:40pm CST

S-09: Species Preferences on Angler Motivational Factors in Kansas
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Sarah Ulrichsen, University of Nebraska - Lincoln; Christopher Chizinski, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

ABSTRACT:  Understanding the factors that motivate anglers to go fishing is crucial for effective fisheries management and conservation efforts. People's engagement with fishing is deeply influenced by their motivations—a complex interplay of the needs, desires, and goals that propel people to engage in recreation. We analyzed anglers' motivations to seek their primary species—including trophy fishing, keeping and eating the catch, identity, social interaction, and gear use—across various species preferences, such as Bass, Catfish, Walleye, and panfish. Data were collected via a web-based survey distributed to a stratified random sample of licensed anglers across Kansas. We sent invitations to 7500 licensed anglers and had 771 total responses (a 13% response rate). Preliminary results indicate significant differences in motivational factors when comparing species preferences. Walleye anglers are more motivated by keeping the fish they catch and liking the taste of their preferred species. In contrast, Bass anglers place a much lower value on reaching the bag limit, fishing for nutrition, and keeping the fish they catch. Among all species, anglers placed the most importance on choosing a fishing location because of the presence of their preferred fish species. These results highlight the importance of species-specific management strategies catering to the angling community's diverse motivations. Through understanding differentiated motivations, managers can be provided with critical insights into the importance of various motivational factors of recreational fishing as they relate to sought-after fish species, helping to inform the development of targeted regulations and conservation strategies that address the diverse needs and values of fishing communities in the Midwest.
Speakers
SU

Sarah Ulrichsen

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest

1:40pm CST

S-10: From Past Failures to Future Successes: Efforts to Establish Aquatic Vegetation in Arkansas Reservoirs.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Jeremy Risley, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission; Sean Lusk, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission; Eric Naas, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission


ABSTRACT:  Black bass anglers in Arkansas have long advocated for establishing aquatic vegetation in reservoirs with minimal macrophyte coverage to improve black bass populations in those systems. Despite facing various challenges along the way, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has remained dedicated to fulfilling these anglers' requests by introducing or restoring aquatic vegetation in those reservoirs. In the early 2000s, the AGFC tried introducing submerged aquatic vegetation in Bull Shoals Lake, a 19,504-hectare reservoir in north-central Arkansas. The approach involved planting vegetation in the substrate and protecting it with exclusion cages. Unfortunately, this endeavor was impeded by water fluctuations greater than 10 meters and turtle herbivory, which hindered the successful establishment of the vegetation. However, this failure led to potential successes. In the following years, the AGFC faced another vegetation-related challenge at DeGray Lake, a 5,585-hectare reservoir in west-central Arkansas. A decline in vegetation led to a noticeable reduction in the black bass population. This time, AGFC biologists took a different approach and created floating enclosures known as "Arkansas Floating Cubes" to aid in the spread of aquatic vegetation via wind and wave action and impeding herbivory. The deployment of these structures aided in the increase in vegetation density and subsequently improved the black bass populations over time. Encouraged by this success, the AGFC has expanded the use of the Arkansas Floating Cubes to two other highland reservoirs, Beaver and Greers Ferry Lakes, aiming to replicate the positive outcomes observed in DeGray Lake. The AGFC remains dedicated to employing innovative methods to establish or restore aquatic vegetation in reservoirs with little or no macrophyte coverage, ultimately benefiting sport fish populations like black bass and enhancing angler satisfaction in Arkansas.
Speakers
JR

Jeremy Risley

Black Bass Program Coordinator, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

1:40pm CST

S-11: Shelter Preferences of Cambarus robustus, a Surrogate Study for the Federally Threatened Cambarus callainus
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Hannah Holbert, West Liberty University; Zackary Graham, West Liberty University; Zachary Loughman, West Liberty University

ABSTRACT: There is no standard for individual captive husbandry of Cambaridae crayfish species, despite captive propagation being an important factor in reintroduction efforts. The Big Sandy Crayfish (Cambarus callainus) and the Guyandotte River Crayfish (Cambarus veteranus) are recognized under the Endangered Species Act as Threatened and Endangered, respectively. Active propagation projects are underway for C. callainus, but standards are still being developed. In order to set a baseline protocol for these federally listed Cambarus species, a shelter preference study was conducted using the Big Water Crayfish (Cambarus robustus). C. robustus is a large-bodied, tertiary burrowing crayfish species native to the eastern coast of the United States and Ontario, Canada. C. robustus commonly occurs in lotic environments and prefers large slab boulders for shelter. Due to similar life history strategies and habitat preferences, this species serves as a potential surrogate for related species such as C. callainus. 31 individual crayfish took part in two trials each, where shelter choices included a natural rock shelter and a piece of clear acrylic, or a natural shelter and tinted acrylic. Trials were conducted for 24-hours, where shelter usage and behavior were monitored through video recordings. Our results suggest that C. robustus will use all shelter types, although natural shelters were occupied more frequently overall. Sex and size of the individuals had minimal or no influence on shelter use. Future research should continue to investigate optimal husbandry practices and rearing techniques for Cambarus species where propagation efforts are necessary.
Speakers
HH

Hannah Holbert

Graduate Student, West Liberty University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:40pm - 2:00pm CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

1:50pm CST

S-12: Osage Culinary Traditions and Food Sovereignty
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:50pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Veronica Pipestem, Native Foodways Restoration Alliance

ABSTRACT:  Yonkapin, Nelumbo lutea, is an important part of contemporary 𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟 (Osage) culinary tradition as it still eaten today during ceremonies and other community activities. We have a long, documented history of eating yonkapin and its importance as a food source has been well documented. While it is primarily considered a feast food, its rarity may be due to larger, systemic issues that are related to colonization, including land and habitat loss, confinement to reservations, the introduction of rations and other government food sources, etc. This presentation will provide a brief overview of Osage culinary traditions as it relates to 𐓲𐓟𐓷𐓘𐓵𐓟 (American Lotus), its place as an indicator of Osage food sovereignty, and efforts and issues related to making it a more regular food source for Osages and other Native communities.
Speakers
VP

Veronica Pipestem

Native Foodways Restoration Alliance
Tuesday January 21, 2025 1:50pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  S-12: Not Just for Ducks…Reframing Marshes as Working Water Gardens

2:00pm CST

Fisheries Track: Characterizing Riverine Habitat through the Use of UAS and Side-Scan Sonar
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Tyler Hessler, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri; Craig Paukert, U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri; Yi Shang, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Missouri; Zhenduo Zhai, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Missouri; Shiqi Wang, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Missouri; Jason Persinger, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: The use of side-scan sonar has seen a dramatic increase in use in a variety of studies including those with the aim to characterize fish habitat. Side-scan sonar has been used to quantify habitat for well over a decade now and has seen promise in a variety of aquatic systems from coastal reefs to backwater bayous. The use of UAS (also known as aerial drones) has also seen more frequent use in mapping features in aquatic systems. In our study, we propose the use of side-scan sonar and UAS to better standardize and streamline the collection of fish-relevant habitat data in non-wadeable, mid-sized rivers. Traditionally, identifying habitat from side-scan sonar and aerial imagery was a manual process that could take several hours to days to complete a site. The amount of data that can be quickly accumulated in riverine systems can be daunting, but the use of AI and other software may streamline the implementation of these data and provide another option for a manager’s toolbelt that can increase confidence associated with making informed decisions that rely on accurate habitat data. To date, we have conducted 25 side-scan surveys across 8 sites across the state of Missouri totaling over 80 river kilometers. In addition, we have conducted 30 UAS surveys across these 8 sites as well as another site just used for UAS imagery. Developing a standardized protocol using side-scan sonar and UAS with the power of AI modeling could significantly increase the quality of data collected in mid-sized rivers and also decrease the costs associated with collecting habitat data and delineating imagery manually.
Speakers
TH

Tyler Hessler

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Missouri
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: River/Stream/Habitat

2:00pm CST

Fisheries Track: Exploring Assessment Techniques for Minnesota's Newest Sport Fish: the Burbot
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kristen Patterson: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Loren Miller, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Beth Holbrook, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Chris Smith, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources: Derek Bahr, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Burbot (Lota lota) are a unique fish in Minnesota as the only freshwater member of the cod family Gadidae and the only under ice spawner. There has been a variable history of appreciation across the state from a productive commercial fishery to some generalized opinion as “trash fish”. Although relatively little is known about populations in Minnesota, Burbot was recently designated a game fish and will have a bag limit set in 2025. Minnesota DNR staff have noted increased Burbot angling interest and have expressed concerns about current exploitation and future potential impacts on area lakes if angling pressure continues to build. Burbot are not well represented with methods employed in current fisheries assessments, and generally targeted with methods outside of standard protocols, e.g. hoop or trammel netting, set or long lining. Without employing intensive sampling efforts, we aim to use single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to determine whether Burbot are currently showing signs of genetic depression in popular fisheries and if this could be a useful method to gain population level information moving forward. We will share our current knowledge on Burbot populations in Minnesota, preliminary genetic analysis results, and welcome input and discussion for future study and management of this cold-water fish.
Speakers
KP

Kristen Patterson

Fisheries Research Scientist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Techniques/Population Dynamics

2:00pm CST

Wildlife Track: An assessment of small mammal monitoring methods within restored prairies in Illinois
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Bianca Saftoiu, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Dr. Mark Johnson, US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory; Patrick Wolff, US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory; Dr. Jinelle Sperry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory

ABSTRACT: Tall-grass prairies are among the most threatened ecosystems in North America with less than 0.01% remaining in the state of Illinois. Effective prairie restoration in the Midwest is thus essential and requires that the health of the ecosystem be managed by re-establishing functional ecological communities, including prairie-associated wildlife species. Small mammals serve as an effective taxonomic group to monitor given their importance to ecological functioning across trophic levels and their sensitivity to habitat disturbance. Various passive and invasive survey methods have been used to evaluate mammalian species because of challenges associated with varying body size, temporal activity patterns, and cryptic behaviors. In this study we compare three distinct methods including live trapping, bucket camera traps, and airborne environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling for monitoring small mammal communities in restored prairies. In 2023 we surveyed ten prairie sites in Illinois and found that live trapping allowed for more specific identification to the species level while bucket cameras generally detected a greater species richness. We were also able to detect vertebrate DNA within the ten prairies using eDNA methods, however, the quantity of DNA varied across sites. Based upon these preliminary results, we can infer that a combination of both traditional and modern methods will offer a more comprehensive assessment of small mammal community composition within restored prairies.
Speakers
BS

Bianca Saftoiu

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Techniques and Emerging Technologies

2:00pm CST

Wildlife Track: Surfing the Blue Wave: Is blue-winged teal resource selection influenced by fine-scale variation in wetland availability?
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jeffrey Edwards, Missouri Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri; Dr. Lisa Webb, U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit; Dr. Drew Fowler, U.S. Geological Survey, Louisiana Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit; Paul Link, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries; Dr. Chris Nicolai, Delta Waterfowl

ABSTRACT: Migration is an important life history strategy that many waterbirds employ to exploit seasonally available resources and maximize fitness. However, migratory events are energetically demanding, and waterbirds use stopover sites during migration to rebuild energetic reserves. During spring migration, habitat quality at available stopover sites has the potential to exert cross-seasonal effects on breeding season population demographics. Wetland availability during the migratory period can be temporally dynamic within and across years as well as spatially variable throughout the migration corridor. Only recently has quantifying the spatial and temporal extent of available wetlands at broad scales become possible with remote sensing technologies. However, little is known about how temporally and spatially dynamic wetland availability may influence waterfowl resource selection during the non-breeding season. In this study, we collected movement data from 350 blue-winged teal (Spatula discors) marked with GPS-GSM transmitters to assess the effects of inundated wetland availability on blue-winged teal resource selection during the autumn and spring migrations (2019 – 2024). We used the Dynamic World dataset to quantify temporally and spatially dynamic inundated wetlands and intersected this data layer with landcover types from the National Land Cover Database. Combining these data sources, we will use an integrated step selection function to evaluate how blue-winged teal resource selection varies with inundated wetland availability at two-week intervals. The spatial extent of each two-week interval will be based on sample wide kernel density estimates of use. Results from this study can help inform wetland conservation and management practices for early autumn and late spring migrating waterbirds such as blue-winged teal. Specifically, these results can inform how early autumn wetland inundation and maintaining water into spring may support waterbirds whose life history strategies include this migration phenology.
Speakers
JE

Jeffrey Edwards

Graduate Research Assistant, Missouri Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Wetland Wildlife Ecology and Management

2:00pm CST

S-04: Brook Trout Management in the Iowa Driftless Region
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Michael Siepker, Iowa DNR; Caleb Schnitzler, Iowa DNR; Dan Kirby, Iowa DNR

ABSTRACT:  Although Brook Trout were likely native to Northeast Iowa, early degradation of streams led to widespread extirpations along with regulations and stocking to restore and maintain populations. Brook Trout were a common part of early fish stockings, but disappeared from Iowa stocking records by 1956. Brook Trout remained largely absent from the trout program until 1993 when fingerling and catchable Brook Trout stockings resumed. The ancestry of Brook Trout used for early stockings is generally unknown; however, Brook Trout used for fingerling and catchable trout production that began in 1993 were acquired as eggs from the St. Croix Falls fish hatchery in Wisconsin. The first genetic evaluation of Iowa Brook Trout suggested the South Pine population was a unique population, but with low genetic diversity. As a result, South Pine fingerlings were used to restore Iowa Brook Trout fisheries beginning in the mid-1990s. Today, restoration stockings are conducted throughout northeast Iowa to expand wild Brook Trout populations.
Speakers
MS

Mike Siepker

Fisheries Supervisor, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 2)

2:00pm CST

S-07: Exploring tools to evaluate invasive carp management success across different density gradients and river systems
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  James T. Lamer; Mike Spear; Brandon Harris; Sam Schaick; Jesse Williams; Andrew Mathis; Emily Szott; Kaiden Vinavich; Levi Solomon; Kris Maxson; Andrya Whitten; Jason DeBoer, Illinois Natural History Survey; Allison Lenaerts; Eli Lampo, Illinois Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT:  Invasive carp can have detrimental effects on native ecosystems as they become established. Commercial and informed contracted harvest are currently the most impactful management strategies to reduce numbers and spread. However, evaluating effectiveness of this harvest to determine the proportion of the population impacted to help set management targets and allocate effort has been challenging due to invasive carp long-range movements, episodic recruitment, and difficulty obtaining population estimates through traditional means. Nevertheless, the need to assess population abundance or changes in relative abundance is still necessary to help guide and prioritize management efforts, help forecast future markets needed to grow the infrastructure and demand, and to understand dynamics and threats at the leading-edge populations. This talk provides an overview of some current invasive carp management evaluation tools being explored on the Illinois and Mississippi rivers by the state of Illinois and other state and federal partners. The choice of evaluation technique used varies depending on the state of invasion and the unique properties of each river system. In low density areas, techniques being explored include fisheries-independent monitoring in designated carp-likely habitat strata for silver carp and black carp, relative weight density-dependent baseline deviations in invasive carp and native surrogates, telemetry guided removals and harvest estimates from tagged fish in closed populations, and master chronologies to detect changes in growth over time. In high-density areas, several of the techniques used in low-density areas are combined with fisheries-independent monitoring and the resulting relative abundance estimates are grounded in density-dependent metrics while recognizing and accounting for differences in habitat strata and reach-specific structure.
Speakers
avatar for Jim Lamer

Jim Lamer

Director, Illinois River Biological Station, Illinois Natural History Survey
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

2:00pm CST

S-08: Factors that Influence Capture and Size at Capture of Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) and Dekay’s Brownsnakes (Storeia dekayi) in Northern Indiana
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Nicholas F Sekits, Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago; Sara Ruane, Field Museum of Natural History; Joseph R. Milanovich, Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago

ABSTRACT: Midwestern snake populations are in decline therefore an understanding of their ecology is paramount. This understanding is often lacking since snakes are cryptic and difficult to capture. Many sampling techniques have arisen to combat this such as drift fence-trap configurations and coverboards with varying levels of investment for researchers. Our study examined whether time of sampling, type of coverboard (rubber mats or carpet squares), and temperature influenced the number of captures or size of individuals at capture for two common species of snakes found in northern Indiana, Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) and Dekay’s Brownsnakes (Storeria dekayi). We deployed 30 coverboards (20 carpet and 10 rubber mats) at 20 sites across a 12-county area in northern Indiana. Coverboards were checked every 14 to 28 days and all snakes captured were identified and measured. We used general linear models to examine what factors predicted captures and size at capture. Our results show that month significantly predicted captures of T. sirtalis, but not S. dekayi, where T. sirtalis were captured at higher rates in July and August compared to April, May and June. Size of snakes at capture was predicted by month for both T. sirtalis and S. dekayi (and temperature for T. sirtalis) with captured snakes being significantly smaller in August compared to other months. We found no significant difference in captures between coverboard types. These results suggest both species show no preference between board types, T. sirtalis use cover at higher rates in July and August, and utilization of cover by larger snakes of both species declines in August.
Speakers
NS

Nicholas Sekits

Graduate Student, Loyola University Chicago
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

2:00pm CST

S-09: Who Fishes in Indiana: Population Segments as Management Tools
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Josef Hrabowski, Ball State University; Sandy Clark-Kolaks, Indiana DNR; Emily McCallen, Indiana DNR; Len Hunt, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources; Faezeh Soleimani, Ball State University ;Paul Venturelli, Ball State University

ABSTRACT:  Recreational fishing license sales have been declining for almost a decade in many US states, greatly impacting management funding. A detailed knowledge of the license buying patterns of specific population segments could allow agencies to tailor their marketing and management more efficiently. We used the ESRI Tapestry system to identify life-mode-specific, spatial and temporal patterns of license sales in Indiana between 2012 and 2022. Each life mode describes a population segment based on demographic (e.g., age and household makeup), economic (e.g., income and profession) and behavior (e.g., recreational preferences and affinity to technology). We found that the majority of license holders in Indiana in all years were older people living in more rural communities. However, younger urban population segments had the largest increase in license sales during 2020 (i.e., during the COVID pandemic). This suggests that the younger urban population segment is interested in fishing but does not have the time for this hobby during normal years. We also calculated churn rates by market segment as well as identify recruitment, retention and reactivation trends. We saw that while older people make up a higher proportion of total license purchases, they were more likely to drop in or out, while younger segments who a higher consistency. We also examined spatial patterns of license purchases while taking the observed differences of market segments into account, to identify possible geographic influences. We found that the availability of boat ramps and boat docks had the greatest influence on license purchases. Information gathered through the analysis of purchasing patterns by population segment will allow agencies to identify barriers to fishing, and tailor marketing, communications, and management to specific segments.
Speakers
JH

Josef Hrabowski

PhD Canidate, Ball State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest

2:00pm CST

S-10: Lake DeGray Vegetation Re-Establishment Project – Vegetation Mapping
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Scott Jones - University of Arkansas Pine Bluff

ABSTRACT: The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission initiated a vegetation re-establishment project on Lake DeGray in 2019 utilizing up to 22 stationary floating vegetation dispersion cages, termed “Arkansas Cubes,” loaded primarily with coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum). A concurrent project using commercially-available down and side-imaging sonar systems was implemented to track the expansion of naturally-rebounding and emerging colonies in sixteen sites featuring Arkansas Cubes and five sites without. Submerged aquatic vegetation was detected throughout lower Lake DeGray from 377 to 405 feet MSL, with coontail detected most frequently between 388 to 397 feet MSL. Coontail was observed in ten of sixteen ‘Cube sites. Eight of those sites had coontail directly underneath the ‘Cubes that did not exist before the ‘Cubes were installed. This is compelling evidence that the ‘Cubes have influenced the development of new coontail colonies. However, significant natural regrowth clouds the true impact of the ‘Cubes as coontail has also been observed in four of five ‘Cube-less sites. Insights on general colonization patterns observed in Lake DeGray will be discussed to help guide surveillance programs on other reservoirs selected for Arkansas Cube trials.
Speakers
SJ

Scott Jones

Small Impoundment Extension Specialist, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

2:00pm CST

S-11: Status survey for Banded Mudbug (Lacunicambarus freudensteini) and Lonesome Gravedigger (Lacunicambarus mobilensis) in Southeastern Mississippi
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Calvin R. Rezac, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks

ABSTRACT: In 2020, a genetic and morphological evaluation of the Rusty Gravedigger (Lacunicambarus miltus) by Glon et al. supported the elevation of two new species, the Banded Mudbug (L. freudensteini) and the Lonesome Gravedigger (L. mobilensis). Based on the published study by Glon et al., both species occur only in Mississippi and Alabama and were thought to be confined between the Pascagoula and Mobile Rivers. The reported range of both species is currently less than 1,000 km2 and are among the most-narrow ranged species within the state of Mississippi. With only 5 known localities for each species in the state, further efforts to determine the status and complete distribution were needed. Herein, we report on the results from a burrowing crayfish survey at novel sites within and outside the known range of both focal species in Southeastern Mississippi. Surveys took place between January-August 2024, and at each site we collected crayfish using hand excavation, slurp guns, and dip nets. Additional notes on habitat, burrow abundance, and soil composition were also recorded. In total, 104 sites (22 via boat) were surveyed and 21 species were captured including both target species. Banded Mudbug was capture at 11 sites within the known range of the species; however, we failed to expand the species into notable areas outside its range. Lonesome Gravedigger was found at 16 sites, but was notably found in areas more north and west than previously reported. The results of the survey help to improve the understanding of Mississippi burrowing crayfish distribution and status in the state. Notes on other newsworthy crayfish research at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science may also be discussed.
Speakers
CR

Calvin Rezac

Aquatic Biologist; Curator of Decapods, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:20pm CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

2:20pm CST

Fisheries Track: Built to Last? Evaluating the Condition of Fish Habitat Structures in Missouri’s Ozark Reservoirs
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Tyler Ham, Missouri Department of Conservation; Shane Bush, Missouri Department of Conservation; Nathan Recktenwald, Missouri Department of Conservation; Christopher Brooke, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: As many reservoirs constructed throughout the USA continue to age, the quality of the fish habitat in these reservoirs has experienced a concomitant decline. Fish and wildlife agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and concerned anglers have all sought to supplement natural fish habitat by installing habitat structures to concentrate fish and improve angler catch rates. In Missouri reservoirs, these structures are primarily composed of submerged cedar, hardwood, or mixed cedar and hardwood trees. Being natural materials, these structures decay over time and require maintenance to provide adequate fish cover. To that end, there exists a paucity of knowledge on the physical longevity of these structures installed in Missouri reservoirs. The objectives of this study were to define the current condition and longevity of fish habitat structures in Missouri reservoirs and to provide management recommendations for the most efficient long-term maintenance and enhancement of habitat structures. Sonar imaging was employed on Table Rock Lake, Bull Shoals Lake, and Harry S. Truman Reservoir in Missouri to generate qualitative categorical condition scores for fish habitat structures. In each reservoir a spectrum of structure types was assessed that represented multiple year classes spanning over a decade. Condition scores were used to further categorize structures based on maintenance needs. We also examined the influence of depth, location, and material on structure longevity. This project focused on evaluating the controllable factors that can improve effectiveness and efficiency of fish habitat projects. Identifying the impact of these factors on fish habitat enhancement projects will have direct application to future decision making and benefit anglers using Missouri reservoirs.
Speakers
TH

Tyler Ham

Sport Fish Ecologist, Missouri Dept. of Conservation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: River/Stream/Habitat

2:20pm CST

Fisheries Track: Recruitment of Channel Catfish stocked as advanced fingerlings and yearlings in Ohio reservoirs
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Stephen M. Tyszko, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife; Jeremy J. Pritt, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife; Richard D. Zweifel, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife; Stuart A. Ludsin, The Ohio State University; Joseph D. Conroy, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife; Jay Kelly, The Ohio State University; Michael Figueroa, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife.

ABSTRACT: Stocking yearling Channel Catfish to mitigate perceived predation by Largemouth Bass has long been the convention despite greater costs compared to stocking smaller life stages. We quantified recruitment of stocked cohorts of Channel Catfish and investigated the effects of stocking life stage (fingerling vs. yearling), Largemouth Bass density (low vs. high), and their interaction on the percentage of a cohort recruiting to the adult population and fishery. Marked (magnetized wire tags) cohorts of advanced fingerling and yearling Channel Catfish were concurrently stocked into reservoirs with low (7 reservoirs, CPUE < 100 fish/h) and high-Largemouth Bass density (5 reservoirs, CPUE > 100 fish/h) populations. We sampled these reservoir Channel Catfish populations with baited, tandem hoop nets 7–8 years after stocking and estimated recruitment. We used a linear mixed model with reservoir as a random effect to test whether cohort recruitment differed by life stage stocked, Largemouth Bass density, or their interaction. Overall, the mean percentage of Channel Catfish recruiting to the adult population and fishery in cohorts stocked as advanced fingerlings was 2.4% (SE = 0.69%) and the mean percentage in cohorts stocked as yearlings was 10.6% (SE = 2.8%). Largemouth Bass density did not have a significant effect on recruitment (P = 0.43) while the effects of stocking life stage (P < 0.001) and the interaction between Largemouth Bass density and stocking life stage (P < 0.003) were significant. The highest recruitment occurred in cohorts stocked as yearlings in reservoirs with high densities of Largemouth Bass. Stocking advanced fingerling Channel Catfish can produce viable year classes in reservoirs with low or high densities of Largemouth Bass. In addition to higher cost, stocking yearling Channel Catfish may result in excessive densities and slow growth.
Speakers
ST

Stephen Tyszko

Fisheries Biologist, ODNR, Division of Wildlife
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Freshwater fish

2:20pm CST

Wildlife Track: Use of thermal-imaging drones to assess assumptions of density estimation techniques
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: David Delaney, Iowa State University
Tyler Harms, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Stephen Dinsmore, Iowa State University


ABSTRACT: Techniques to estimate density of unmarked animals are logistically feasible and allow sampling over greater spatial extents than more intensive methods, such as mark-recapture. However, accuracy of density estimates relies on the validity of assumptions about the study system. We conducted a thermal-imaging drone survey at night to test the validity of two assumptions for conducting distance sampling on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Iowa via nocturnal spotlight surveys. First, we tested whether deer are randomly distributed with respect to gravel roads, which represent line transects in our study. Second, we quantified the portion of the population that occurs in unsampleable locations (i.e., within forest) to estimate availability bias. Preliminary analyses suggest deer do not avoid gravel roads but do responsively move away from observers prior to being detected, leading to potential bias in estimates of detection probability and density. Secondly, deer increased the use of forest cover as spring vegetation green-up occurred, leading to up to 50% of the population being unavailable to sample during surveys. Each of these deviations from conventional distance sampling assumptions inform future sampling design protocols and can be analytically corrected, once quantified, to reduce bias in density estimates.

Speakers
DD

David Delaney

post-doc, Iowa State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Techniques and Emerging Technologies

2:20pm CST

Wildlife Track: Wetland Management and Habitat Associations of Breeding Secretive Marsh Birds, including King Rail, in Missouri
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Presenter: Ryan McGinty (SUNY Brockport, Brockport, NY)

Co-Authors: Kristen Malone (SUNY Brockport, Brockport, NY), Lisa Webb (USGS, Columbia, MO), Arianne Messerman (Missouri Department of Conservation, Columbia, MO), Janet Haslerig (Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, MO), and Doreen Mengel (University of Missouri, Columbia, MO)


ABSTRACT: Several species of secretive Marsh are facing population declines in the U.S., including the King Rail which is listed as endangered in several U.S. states. Wetland management practices commonly used on public properties in Missouri and elsewhere have been developed to produce vegetation and water conditions that benefit waterfowl. However, the effects of waterfowl-focused wetland management on secretive marsh birds are not well known. The purpose of this project is to determine the current distribution of King Rail in Missouri and to evaluate the effects of habitat characteristics and wetland management practices on breeding secretive marsh birds. In 2023, we conducted call-playback surveys at 84 survey points across 14 publicly managed properties in Missouri. We detected King Rail at 4 survey points across 3 wetland pools. Two of these wetland pools were permanently inundated with water and the other as drawn down in the month of May. Due to few detections of King Rail, we used Least Bittern as a surrogate in occupancy analyses. We detected Least Bittern at 18 survey points. Their site occupancy was positively associated with percent cover of both tall emergent vegetation (β = 4.616, 85% CI = 1.901 – 7.931), percent cover of water (3.696, 1.596 – 6.496), and water depth (2.329, 0.449 – 4.720). Points with greater interspersion were more likely to be occupied by Least Bittern (4.496, 0.852 – 10.088). Wetland pools that were drawn down annually were less likely to be occupied by Least Bittern than sites that were permanently inundated with water (-7.117, -13.886 – -1.551). Least Bittern occupancy was also positively associated with a later initiation of spring drawdowns (6.555, 2.457 – 12.645). Our results represent an important first step for moving forward King Rail conservation in Missouri and for testing the assumption that waterfowl habitat management produces habitat for secretive marsh birds.
Speakers
RM

Ryan McGinty

M.S. Student, SUNY Brockport
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Wetland Wildlife Ecology and Management

2:20pm CST

S-04: Assessment of Coldwater Fisheries Resources in Northeast Iowa.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Gregory Gelwicks, Iowa DNR; Gregory Simmons, Iowa DNR; Michael Siepker, Iowa DNR

ABSTRACT: Wild trout have played an increasingly important role in trout management in Iowa over the last 20 years. Recent increases in self-sustaining trout populations has expanded and diversified opportunities for Iowa anglers to pursue trout. One of the major factors in this increase is the use of fingerling stocks derived from wild and local parents to establish wild trout populations in other streams. Such stockings have been so successful in expanding self-sustaining populations of Brown Trout in northeast (NE) Iowa that their full extent is currently unknown. Wild Brook Trout populations have also been successfully restored to several NE Iowa streams by stocking fingerling Brook Trout of South Pine Creek origin. Brook Trout is the only trout species believed to be native to NE Iowa’s coldwater streams, and fisheries managers in Iowa are interested in expanding these restoration efforts as well as protecting existing populations of the species. The purpose of this project is to assess the current distribution of Brook Trout and Brown Trout in northeast Iowa, and collect information needed to identify coldwater streams in northeast Iowa which have conditions necessary for successful restoration of wild Brook Trout populations. To efficiently target our sampling to only those stream reaches where thermal regimes are likely to be conducive to trout habitation, we are using methods developed in a recent study that used visually interpreted very high resolution (VHR) winter satellite imagery to identify coldwater stream reaches. Results of targeted sampling efforts in the Upper Iowa River watershed will be presented, and utility of using VHR winter satellite imagery to identify coldwater stream reaches will be discussed. In addition to informing wild trout management in NE Iowa, information gained from this project will also be used in an effort to update Iowa’s coldwater stream classifications.
Speakers
GG

Gregory Gelwicks

Fisheries Research Biologist, Iowa DNR
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 2)

2:20pm CST

S-07: Invasive Carp Growth Chronologies: Management Tool To Help Evaluate Harvest Success?
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kaiden Vinavich, Illinois Natural History Survey; Levi Solomon, Illinois Natural History Survey; Sam Schaik, Illinois Natural History Survey; Jesse Williams, Illinois Natural History Survey; James Lamer, Illinois Natural History Survey; Edward Sterling, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Columbia, MO; Ben Marcek, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Carterville, IL; Michael Weber, Iowa State University; Christopher Sullivan, University of Connecticut; Mark Fritts, US Fish & Wildlife Service, La Crosse, WI; Allison Lenaerts, Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Emily Szott, Illinois Natural History Survey; Zack Witzel, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Brandon Harris, Illinois Natural History Survey

ABSTRACT: Invasive carp, composed of bighead (Hypopthalmichthys nobilis), silver (H. molitrix), grass (Ctenopharyngodon idella), and black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus), have negatively impacted the food webs and native biota of the Mississippi River Basin since their introduction in the late 1970s. Harvest is the primary management strategy to reduce invasive carp populations, however, due to their complicated life history and absence of robust population estimates, additional assessment tools are needed to help evaluate the effectiveness of harvest. Therefore, we are exploring variation in invasive carp annual growth as a surrogate for invasive carp density in response to management and removal efforts. This will be accomplished through two main objectives: 1) build master chronologies and characterize invasive carp annual growth within discrete, spatially-explicit management units across a spectrum of invasion densities in the Mississippi River Basin and 2) model growth response to management (harvest) and ecological/environmental drivers (e.g., zooplankton abundance, cumulative growing degree days, year-class strength, and hydrology). We will evaluate growth through incremental lapillus otolith measurements from bighead and silver carp across reaches of the Upper and Lower Mississippi River, Illinois River, Missouri River, Ohio River, and select tributaries ranging from 2014-2024 (n=50; 25 male, 25 female per species, per reach, per year). A mixed effects modeling approach will be used to estimate annual growth in response to management and external drivers, while adjusting for allometric and individual-specific growth intraclass variation. The results of this work will yield master invasive carp chronologies across their invaded range, capturing several stages of their invasion throughout the Mississippi River Basin and hopefully serve as a baseline for future collections and a tool to help evaluate management success.
Speakers
KV

Kaiden Vinavich

Graduate Researcher, Illinois Natural History Survey
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

2:20pm CST

S-08: Discovering Landscape Connectivity Patterns of Wood Turtles in Northern Michigan
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Autumn Straessle; Bruce Kingsbury

ABSTRACT: Severed landscapes and habitat fragmentation can result from anthropogenic effects and climate change on habitat. These fragmentations can have lasting negative effects on surrounding species, especially reptiles. Wood Turtle populations are experiencing a decline due to dwindling habitat, making research for management and conservation crucial to their survival. My research aims to observe the movement patterns of these turtles throughout suitable habitats and developed land within Michigan. To accomplish this, I will attach GPS units to individual turtles to gather data on preferred habitats and movement. This data will be used to identify corridors and possible barriers that can aid in conservation. This data will also be used to construct maps using ArcGIS to visualize patterns of movement and connectivity.
Speakers
AS

Autumn Straessle

Graduate Student, Purdue University Fort Wayne
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

2:20pm CST

S-09: Quantifying angler harvest decisions using four decades of creel survey data
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Ben C. Neely, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; Susan F. Steffen, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; Jeff D. Koch, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

ABSTRACT: Harvest regulation is a common tool used by fisheries managers to structure fish communities. However, anglers must comply with harvest restrictions for expected outcomes to occur. Dynamic angling motivations have led to supposition that different, unexplored factors influence contemporary angler decisions to harvest captured fish. We used recursive partitioning (i.e., decision trees) to model fate of angled fish (harvested or released) from creel data collected throughout Kansas from 1997 to 2024. A suite of 20 variables that related to the captured fish (e.g., fish length, legal status), location (e.g., surface area, rural/urban), time (e.g., year, day of week), and angling party (e.g., number of anglers, proportion male) were associated with each fish encounter. The global model indicated that legal status of an individual fish (i.e., vulnerable to harvest based on length), species, and fish length were the most important variables and correctly classified fate in 83.8% of test data records. Submodels developed individually for 12 species or species groups correctly classified fate in 67% (Lepomis spp.) to 96% (Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu) of test data records. These models highlight how variables influencing harvest differed by species or species group, and specified fish length, legal status, rural/urban characterization, and fishery longitude as the most important variables impacting fate. Our models demonstrate that angler decision to harvest a fish can be approximated from a few important variables commonly captured during standard creel surveys. Although these variables may differ based on fish taxa, generalities within can be useful for informing harvest regulation for fisheries management.
Speakers
BN

Ben Neely

Fisheries Biologist, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest

2:20pm CST

S-10: Aquatic Vegetation Survey Methods in Iowa
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jason Euchner, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: When managing aquatic plants native or non-native an understanding of what species are present is critical for success. Many methods of plant sampling are used and this presentation will cover why and when the Iowa DNR uses different methods. These methods include presence/absence surveys, comprehensive transect surveys, and point intercept surveys.
Speakers
JE

Jason Euchner

Aquatic Vegetation Management Biologist, Iowa DNR
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

2:20pm CST

S-11: Species Distribution Modeling of Distocambarus spp. in the Physiographic Piedmont Region of South Carolina
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kathryn Schulz, West Liberty University; Eric Ng, West Liberty University; Michael Kendrick, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources; Zanethia Barnett, USDA Forest Service; Nicole Garrison, West Liberty University; Zachary Loughman, West Liberty University



ABSTRACT: Species distribution modeling (SDM) is becoming an increasingly common tool for rare species detection. SDMs analyze and predict the habitat variables driving the distribution of the target species, which can provide useful insight into potential habitats for endemic taxa. Burrowing crayfish often have a patchy distribution on the landscape, making detection difficult. The primary burrowing crayfish genus Distocambarus (Decopoda: Cambaridae) is represented by five taxa, four of which are located within the Piedmont region of South Carolina. All species are narrowly endemic and globally rare, often occurring in fragmented habitats. The distribution of the genus has not been thoroughly delimited, making management efforts difficult. Two species are of greatest conservation need in South Carolina (D. youngineri and D. carlsoni), raising interest in a formal revision of the distribution of the genus within the state. We employed an SDM driven by habitat variables from sites with positive Distocambarus spp. presence to predict potential occurrences outside their current range. We validated the model by visiting predicted locations and confirming species presence or absence. The SDM method successfully expanded the range of the four species residing in South Carolina and led to novel habitat observations, which indicates greater plasticity among the genus than previously documented.
Speakers
KS

Kathryn Schulz

Graduate Student, West Liberty University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

2:20pm CST

S-12: Reconstructing wetland garden productivity and resilience at Cahokia, Illinois (900-1350 AD)
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Natalie G. Mueller and Christina Youngpeter

ABSTRACT: The ancient city of Cahokia (900-1350 AD) was the largest Indigenous settlement North of Mexico before European colonization. It was built in the middle of the American Bottom floodplain, south of the confluence of the Illinois, Missouri, and Mississippi rivers. Cahokians relied on a diverse array of annual and perennial floodplain-adapted plants, and created anthropogenic wetlands within the urban landscape. Cahokia was gradually abandoned between 1250-1350 AD, and many archaeologists have argued that either droughts or floods destabilized the food system and caused this “collapse.” However, the drought and flood tolerance of most of the plants grown by Cahokian farmers is unknown. We are conducting experiments with these plants to better understand their productivity, in terms of yield, and susceptibility to flooding and drought throughout their lifecycle. In addition to shedding light on the fate of this ancient city, we hope that our results will contribute to a revitalization of some of these ancient crops. With flood frequency and intensity predicted to rise in coming decades, floodplain adapted crops could provide a low input alternative to the flood-intolerant industrial crops that currently dominate agriculture in the Midwest.
Speakers
NM

Natalie Mueller

Assistant Professor, Washington University in St. Louis
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:20pm - 2:40pm CST
TBA
  S-12: Not Just for Ducks…Reframing Marshes as Working Water Gardens

2:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Assessment of Channel Catfish Population Demographics in Illinois Impoundments and Evaluation of Spawning Boxes
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Danielle Shubat, Eastern Illinois University; Daniel Roth, Eastern Illinois University; Robert Colombo, Eastern Illinois University; Eden Effert-Fanta, Eastern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) are a popular and sought after sportfish to anglers across the United States, having substantial value for both recreational and commercial fisheries. However, their populations in impoundments often rely on stockings of fingerlings. In Illinois, the lack of standardized sampling protocols for catfish has made it difficult to adequately evaluate stocking efforts and assess population dynamics. This study aimed to determine the most effective sampling methods for Channel Catfish in impoundments, assess demographic variation among impoundments, and test the efficacy of artificial spawning structures to increase natural reproduction and recruitment in three Illinois reservoirs (Lake Charleston, Lake Mattoon, and Lake Paradise). After two years of seasonal sampling using multiple gears, we found that baited tandem hoop-nets in the fall yielded the best catch rates and we will continue to use this sampling method. Our population assessments and microchemistry analyses of pectoral spines show that Channel Catfish in these lakes are primarily stocked fish, suggesting low natural reproduction. However, the relationship between stocking rates and the observed differences in population density and demographics remains unclear. We hypothesized that the lack of recruitment may be due to insufficient spawning habitat and sought to increase availability of this habitat by adding nest boxes in the study lakes. Preliminary trials showed that Channel Catfish used these structures, and future goals include expanding nest box installations and monitoring for natural recruitment over time. Adding nest boxes to create suitable habitat for these catfish to reproduce may facilitate annual recruitment thereby reducing cost and effort of hatchery operations. If successful, this approach could be implemented in other lakes and ponds to naturally sustain catfish populations.
Speakers
DS

Danielle Shubat

Graduate Research Assistant, Eastern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Freshwater fish

2:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Trends in Population Status and Range-Wide Geographic Patterns of Genetic Variation for the Federally Petitioned Bluestripe Darter
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Brittany L. Harried, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO; Jacob T. Westhoff, U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO

ABSTRACT: The Bluestripe Darter (Percina cymatotaenia) is endemic to Missouri, is a species of conservation concern, and has been petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act. We conducted a study to evaluate the species’ threats, genetic diversity, and population trends. Objectives for this study were to: 1) duplicate Bluestripe Darter sampling effort from past sites and observe trends in population status, and 2) assess the range-wide geographic patterns of genetic variation within Bluestripe Darter. Sampling efforts from 2000-2002 were duplicated during June-August 2024 for 46 sites across five rivers in southern Missouri using seining methods that targeted small-bodied benthic fishes. Furthermore, limited environmental covariate and habitat data were collected and additional sampling in a spatially replicated occupancy framework was completed to estimate occupancy and detection at each site. Up to 20 fin clips and vouchers were collected per river to estimate effective population sizes, geographic structure of genetic variation within and between drainages, and contemporary short-term migration rates. Photos of each voucher specimen were also taken to assess external ecomorphology. We detected Bluestripe Darter at 9 out of 46 sites in 2024, which was well below the 23 out of 46 sites where it was detected by surveys from 2000-2002. Results from this study will inform the Species Status Assessment and listing decision for Bluestripe Darter, and will also benefit Heritage reviews, Wildlife Collector Permit reviews, conservation planning, and priority for on-the ground management projects related to identified population threats.
Speakers
avatar for Brittany Harried

Brittany Harried

Postdoctoral Fellow, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Missouri
Brittany is a postdoctoral fellow working with Dr. Jacob Westhoff and Dr. Craig Paukert at the University of Missouri School of Natural Resources. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse in 2014 and 2016 with a B.S. in Aquatic Biology and a M.S. in Biology, respectively... Read More →
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Threatened and Endangered

2:40pm CST

Wildlife Track: River-Floodplain Connectivity: Effects on Ecological Communities in Restored Wetlands along the Lower Missouri River
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Josh Williams, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; Lisa Webb, U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; Jonathan Spurgeon, U.S. Geological Survey, Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA

ABSTRACT: During the 20th century, extensive flood control infrastructure was built along many US rivers, separating mainstem river channels from floodplains and altering floodplain wetland structure and function. Wetland restoration often occurs in locations where levees have disconnected the floodplain from the mainstem river channel. Disconnected wetlands can experience reduced nutrient exchange, habitat heterogeneity, biodiversity, and hazard mitigation compared to wetlands in connected floodplains. Understanding the effects of river-floodplain connectivity on wetland restoration efforts has been limited—in part—by brief time periods between restoration and evaluation. The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE) program, established in 1990, is a voluntary program that provides landowners with technical assistance and financial incentives to restore marginal farmland to historic wetland conditions. Our objective is to compare abiotic and biotic metrics in ACEP-WRE wetlands along a gradient of restoration age (6 to 29 years) and degree of connectivity between the Missouri River and the adjacent floodplain. Hydrological connectivity was categorized based on wetland proximity to an adjacent levee system (landward or riverward) and quantified using continuous temperature logging units, level of local mainstem channel incision, and historical river stage data. At each ACEP-WRE site (riverward sites n = 26, landward sites n = 24), water, soil, and algae samples were collected along with surveys of vegetation, macroinvertebrate, fish, amphibian, and bird assemblages. We compare metrics for riverward and landward sites with six reference and six control sites to elucidate whether river-floodplain connectivity affects the time needed to achieve ACEP-WRE restoration goals.
Speakers
JW

Josh Williams

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Missouri
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  General Wildlife, General Wildlife : Wetland Wildlife Ecology and Management

2:40pm CST

S-04: Brook Trout Restoration in Iowa using Multi-Pass Electrofishing to Removal Nonnatives
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Caleb C. Schnitzler, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Decorah Fisheries Management Office

ABSTRACT: Abstract: Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis are the only native salmonid to Iowa, and substantial effort has been directed toward protecting those populations. Culture of the Brook Trout from South Pine Creek, the only wild population in Iowa, began in 1996 and continued annually to restore additional populations. A more recent genetic evaluations confirmed that the South Pine Creek strain was unique and suitable for use as a brood source. The evaluations also identified five streams that had non-native Brook Trout ancestries. Of these, one population of domestic hatchery Brook Trout was identified and selected to be removed using electrofishing. Naturalized Brown Trout Salmo trutta are another threat to wild Iowa Brook Trout, with populations established in most quality coldwater streams. Two streams with barriers to prevent Brown Trout recolonization were selected for Brown Trout removal. The effectiveness of trout removal via stream electrofishing is reviewed and the use of fish culture to improve native Brook Trout restoration efforts is also discussed.
Speakers
CS

Caleb Schnitzler

Fisheries, Iowa DNR
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 2)

2:40pm CST

S-07: Invasive Carp Removals in Missouri River Tributaries
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Adam McDaniel ¹, Thomas Boersig III ¹, Jessica Howell ², Jason Goeckler ², Jahn Kallis ², Pablo Oleiro², Kellie Hanser ², Bryon Rochon ², Edward Sterling ², & Kasey Whiteman ¹
¹ Missouri Department of Conservation; ² U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service


ABSTRACT: Invasive carp, particularly Silver Carp Hypopthalmichthys molitrix and Bighead Carp Hypopthalmichthys nobilis have expanded throughout the Mississippi River basin over the last thirty years. Studies to better understand these species and infer control measures in the Missouri River sub-basin have increased in the past several years. The Missouri Department of Conservation in collaboration with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service conducted intensive carp removals on two lower Missouri River tributaries with varying watersheds, the Grand River in northwest Missouri and Lamine River in central Missouri. This study evaluates the removal of invasive carp in closed and open fluvial systems, removal gears and effort to reach exploitation goals, changes in density of Silver Carp and immigration rates. Fish capture gears included experimental equipment such as the electrified paupier and dozer trawls in conjunction with standard electrofishing boats, and experimental gill nets to sample multiple habitat types. Hydroacoustic sonar surveys were conducted pre- and post-removal to quantify changes of invasive carp densities. Acoustic telemetry was also utilized to track daily movements and behavior of local Silver Carp previously implanted with acoustic tags. Removal efforts on the Grand River removed 28,848 kg of invasive carp and 17,506 Silver Carp in thirteen days of effort. Hydroacoustic density estimates indicated Silver Carp densities overall in 2023 were lower than 2022 and densities decreased each removal period in the Grand River. Missouri River tributaries most likely support all stages of invasive carp such as spawning, nursery and recruitment. Tributaries also represent areas invasive carp are probably vulnerable to overfishing as Silver Carp tend to congregate in deep slow pools and habitats easier to sample than mainstem Missouri River with faster water velocities and rock training structures. These efforts can aid biologists moving forward on future control and management actions of invasive carp in Missouri River tributaries.
Speakers
AM

Adam McDaniel

Aquatic Scientist, Missouri Department of Conservation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

2:40pm CST

S-08: Herpetofauna use of canebrake habitat in southern Illinois
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Thanchira Suriyamongkol, Southern Illinois University; Brent Pease, Southern Illinois University; James Zaczek, Southern Illinois University; Jon Schoonover, Southern Illinois University; Clayton Nielsen; Southern Illinois University; John Groninger, Southern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: Destruction of wetlands reduced vegetation cover and habitat structures, which negatively impacted herpetofauna populations. Giant cane (Arundinaria gigantea) forms dense monodominant patches (canebrakes), once a prominent wetland feature throughout the lower Mississippi Valley. Although high herpetofauna richness is associated with landscape where canebrakes remain abundant, specific relationships between herpetofauna and canebrakes remain poorly studied. We conducted herpetofauna inventory and evaluated the influence of giant cane on herpetofauna richness and habitat use from April to June, 2022 and 2023 at 64 sites in southwestern Illinois, USA, using area search method. We detected 225 individual herpetofauna of 24 species, with17 species in canebrakes and 22 species in non-canebrakes. We examined differences in herpetofauna richness and communities between canebrakes and non-canebrakes using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) based on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity. We also assessed the occupancy probabilities of herpetofauna using a community occupancy model. Species richness was not significantly different between canebrakes and non-canebrakes (p = 0.42). The NMDS analysis revealed no differences in herpetofauna community between canebrakes and non-canebrakes. However, frogs (e.g., Hyla spp. and Lithobates spp.) were more commonly in areas with dense canebrake and herbaceous cover, while reptiles and salamanders (e.g., Eurycea spp. and Plethodon spp.) were associated with contiguous forest cover. Overall herpetofauna occupancy increased in areas with 1) increased canebrake density, 2) more canopy closure and tree density, 3) less ground vegetation cover, and 4) farther from road, forest edge, agriculture, and open water source. Current canebrakes structure, which are sparse and fragmented, might explain the lack of strong influence of canebrake on herpetofauna communities. However, variations in the relationship patterns between herpetofauna and other habitat components were expected given diverse life histories among species. Therefore, maintaining habitat heterogeneity and managing other microhabitat components in wetlands are important for conservation of herpetofauna.

Speakers
TS

Thanchira Suriyamongkol

Student, Southern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

2:40pm CST

S-10: Point Intercept Sampling for Aquatic Macrophytes in Northern Michigan Inland Lakes
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jeremy Hartsock, Michigan State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; Dan Hayes, Michigan State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; Jo Latimore, Michigan State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; Erick Elgin, Michigan State University Extension

ABSTRACT: Submersed macrophytes strongly influence the structure and function of inland lakes. However, quantitative data are broadly lacking on the distribution and abundance of aquatic macrophytes in northern Michigan. To fill these knowledge gaps, we performed macrophyte surveys at 75 inland lakes in the Northern Lake Huron and Eastern Lake Superior management units using a modified point-intercept survey approach whereby a double sided rake was tossed twice at each sampling point (~100 points sampled per lake). Among all lakes surveyed a total of 60 macrophyte species were observed. Chara sp. was the most frequently encountered macrophyte. The most species rich lake contained 32 species and the most species poor contained 3 species. Of note, we detected aquatic invasive species (AIS) in nearly half of the lakes surveyed. Invasive watermilfoil and starry stonewort were the most frequently observed AIS. An occupancy analysis revealed that a single rake toss approach underestimates the true occurrence of aquatic macrophytes due to incomplete detection probability. We also show that a single rake toss approach yields similar estimates of species richness but requires more points to be sampled than a two rake toss approach. Our experience is that approximately 100 points could be sampled per day with a two rake toss approach, yielding observed species richness close to predicted richness, and providing reasonable precision of estimates of coverage for common species. Future research will focus on comparing our modified PI survey to other macrophyte survey approaches.
Speakers
JH

Jeremy Hartsock

Academic Specialist, Michigan State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

2:40pm CST

S-12: Native Landscapes: Engaging and Empowering Community
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Cydney Ross, Deep Roots KC

ABSTRACT: Global conservation challenges are viewed with apathy. In a rapidly changing climate, how can individuals and organizations make a lasting impact while outdated systems dominate? Deep Roots KC is empowering Midwestern communities to enact social change. From individual impact to organizational change, outreach efforts are altering perspectives and landscapes in Kansas City, Missouri. Learn about our native landscape initiatives to create sustainable practices at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. See how partnerships with Missouri Department of Conservation and Johnson County Parks and Recreation District have expanded community impact. We’ll discuss programs that have inspired people to reconsider their place in our natural communities and embrace native landscapes across the Midwest.
Speakers
CR

Cydney Ross

Outdoor Education Manager, Deep Roots KC
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:40pm - 3:00pm CST
TBA
  S-12: Not Just for Ducks…Reframing Marshes as Working Water Gardens

3:00pm CST

Coffee Break
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:00pm - 3:20pm CST
TBA
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:00pm - 3:20pm CST
TBA
  Coffee Break

3:20pm CST

Fisheries Track: Identifying potential sources of natural recruitment of muskellunge in Green Bay, Lake Michigan
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Ryan Eastman, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit; Jason Breeggemann, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Robert Davis, University of Wisconsin - Madison Center for Limnology; Daniel Dembkowski, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit; Daniel Isermann, U.S. Geological Survey

ABSTRACT: Green Bay and its tributaries support a world-class fishery for trophy muskellunge that attracts anglers from across North America, but there has been little evidence of natural recruitment and the population remains reliant on stocking to sustain the fishery. Previous efforts to document natural recruitment have focused on the Fox and Menominee rivers where spawning is known to occur. Results of these assessments suggest that hatching success in these rivers is limited. However, recent telemetry-based research indicates that approximately half of Green Bay muskellunge spawn in non-tributary locations. These locations could represent important yet unconsidered sources of natural recruitment in southern Green Bay. Furthermore, anecdotal observations suggest spawning occurs in the Sturgeon Bay area but it is unknown if these fish contribute to the broader southern Green Bay population. Our objectives for this project are to determine if: (1) successful hatching is occurring at open-water locations in Green Bay, including locations in the Sturgeon Bay area, (2) presence of eggs or larval muskellunge at a location is related to a suite of habitat characteristics including distance to shore, bottom slope, depth, dissolved oxygen, substrate type, and aquatic vegetation, and (3) muskellunge spawning in the Sturgeon Bay area contribute to the overall population in southern Green Bay. We are integrating intensive egg and larval fish sampling and acoustic telemetry to address our objectives. We will present preliminary results related to spawning and hatching in non-tributary locations based on sampling efforts during the 2024 field season. We will also discuss the framework of our acoustic telemetry approach to assess the contribution of muskellunge spawning in the Sturgeon Bay area to the broader Green Bay population.
Speakers
RE

Ryan Eastman

Graduate Student, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Freshwater fish

3:20pm CST

Fisheries Track: Linking Stream Fish Thermal Ecology and Adaptive Capacity to Prioritize Watershed Areas with Greatest Value for Conservation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Brittany L. Harried, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO; Wesley Fitzsimmons, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO; Kaelyn J. Fogelman, Biological and Environmental Sciences Department, Troy University, Troy, AL; Craig P. Paukert, U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO; Jane S. Rogosch, U.S. Geological Survey, Texas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Natural Resources Management, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX; Jim A. Stoeckel, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL; Jacob T. Westhoff, U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO


ABSTRACT: Aquatic organisms are experiencing impacts from anthropogenic influences (e.g. climate change), resulting in the loss of suitable habitat for many species. Consequently, it is imperative to improve our understanding of the thermal ecology of these organisms to predict how individual species may respond to changes in water temperature and habitat availability. This is particularly important for species of conservation concern and species on the periphery of their range which could experience greater impacts from climate change-related stressors. In this study, we examined the thermal ecology of hatchery-reared Topeka Shiners, and wild Blacknose Shiners, Ozark Shiners and Carmine Shiners from Missouri. Some of these species have restricted distributions or small populations while others have broader latitudinal ranges. We performed laboratory studies to assess multiple thermal metrics including 1) thermal preference, 2) acclimated chronic exposure, 3) respiratory enzyme thermal performance, and 4) critical thermal maximum. The laboratory study results were integrated with distribution models for these species, stream temperature models for Missouri, barriers to movement and migration, and watersheds where conservation is focused to estimate the adaptive capacity of these species and identify stream reaches that may serve as refugia or managed translocations in the face of climate change. Estimating multiple thermal metrics allows us to test for relationships among metrics within and across species and provides a more thorough understanding of the thermal ecology of these species to inform management decisions. Additionally, this provides insight into the most ecologically relevant thermal metrics for informing future, large-scale modelling efforts with other species.
Speakers
avatar for Brittany Harried

Brittany Harried

Postdoctoral Fellow, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Missouri
Brittany is a postdoctoral fellow working with Dr. Jacob Westhoff and Dr. Craig Paukert at the University of Missouri School of Natural Resources. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse in 2014 and 2016 with a B.S. in Aquatic Biology and a M.S. in Biology, respectively... Read More →
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Threatened and Endangered

3:20pm CST

S-07: Invasive Carp Removal Approaches in the Missouri River Basin
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jessica Howell, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Kevin Drews, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Jason Goeckler, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Adam McDaniel, Missouri Department of Conservation; Joe McMullen, Missouri Department of Conservation; John Schulte, Missouri Department of Conservation; Kasey Whiteman, Missouri Department of Conservation; Liam Odell, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; Chris Steffen, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; Brett Anderson, University of Nebraska at Lincoln; Kirk Steffensen, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission; Matt Acre, US Geological Survey; Jesse Fischer, US Geological Survey; Josey Ridgway, US Geological Survey;

ABSTRACT: Given the widespread impacts of Silver Carp in areas where they have become established, a focus on effective management strategies for this invasive fish has increased in recent years. State and federal research and management agencies have been working nationwide to identify effective control methods such as deterrents to limit distribution, conduct removals to reduce abundance, and research and develop novel management techniques. In the Missouri River Basin, Silver Carp have invaded over 1,300 kilometers of the Missouri River and numerous tributaries along that stretch, representing a large and diverse set of challenges for managers. The Missouri River Basin Invasive Carp Partnership of State, Federal, and University partners collaborate to address this interjurisdictional challenge for the basin. In addition to projects aimed at better defining the risk and delineating populations, Missouri River Basin partners are focused on developing and refining gears and techniques to limit Silver Carp distribution and abundance. The Partnership seeks to integrate successful strategies from other river basins as well as to innovate new approaches, including developing and testing sonar and modeling techniques to estimate populations, refining herding techniques to concentrate and remove fish, working to assess interest in commercial fisheries, testing intensive versus sustained agency removal efforts, and more. By developing and testing multiple strategies, effective techniques and approaches can be applied across this highly diverse and dynamic system to elicit a population-level impact. Population assessments and delineations being conducted concurrently can direct management efforts to where they will be most effective as well as measure the effectiveness of deterrents and exploitation placed across the landscape. This presentation will highlight collaborative research and management efforts from the Missouri River Basin Invasive Carp Partnership and the results of recent efforts.
Speakers
JH

Jessica Howell

Supervisory Fish Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

3:20pm CST

S-08: Resurveying the Amphibians and Reptiles of Chicagoland Forest Preserves
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Madelynn M. Sinclair, University of Chicago; Michelle E. Thompson, San Diego Natural History Museum; Thomas G. Anton, The Field Museum; Sara Ruane, The Field Museum

ABSTRACT: Will County is the most herpetologically rich county in northeastern Illinois, with 18 amphibian and 25 reptile species known to occur in the region. It is also home to the extensive Forest Preserve District of Will County, which has grown steadily since its founding in 1927 and now covers 23,119 acres of land. However, Will County is becoming increasingly urbanized, and many of the preserves border or are surrounded by residential and industrial development. Beginning in 2022, we have been conducting resurveys of these forest preserves to learn how the herpetofauna of Will County has survived, thrived, or been displaced since the last comprehensive compilation in 2015 (which was primarily based on surveys from 1986-2009). We present here the results of these ongoing surveys, summarizing our observations thus far of the relative abundance and distribution of amphibians and reptiles in comparison to historical datasets. We have, so far, collected tissue and/or vouchers of 15 amphibian and 24 reptile species. These modern records may inform management efforts on how their work is affecting local amphibians and reptiles. We have also added dozens of specimens and hundreds of tissues to the collection of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, helping create a library of modern voucher and genetic materials for work on midwestern amphibian and reptile diversity.
Speakers
avatar for Madelynn Sinclair

Madelynn Sinclair

Graduate Student, University of Chicago
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

3:20pm CST

S-09: Anonymous Location Data Integrated with Intercept Surveys: A Powerful Combined Approach to Measuring Lake Recreation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Rebecca M. Krogman, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Annika Preheim, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT:  Anonymous location data (ALD) provide travel and movement information based on mobile and "smart" devices' geolocations. When applied to a recreational location like a lake, ALD can provide metrics such as travel distance from home, trip duration, trip timing across days and seasons, and total visitation. These are essential metrics for recreational use studies, which have traditionally collected such data via mailed, telephone, or intercept survey. In Iowa, recreational use of public lakes and reservoirs is monitored every five years to identify areas for priority work, measure change over time, and assess recreational user opinions, behaviors while visiting, and needs. The Department of Natural Resources' (DNR's) Iowa Lakes Survey was conducted as an incentivized mailed survey in 2002-2005, 2009, 2014, and 2019, and was due to be completed again in 2024. However, as has been seen across survey science, response rates were declining, and DNR decided to conduct its 2024 Iowa Lakes Survey using a completely novel methodology: a combination of ALD and intercept survey of recreational visitors. With the travel metrics captured by ALD, intercept surveys could focus on preference and experience questions, making them shorter and more targeted. DNR initiated the 2024 Iowa Lakes Survey in April 2024 with intercept surveys being conducted statewide for 12 months. These data will be combined with ALD for the same time period to yield recreational information that is both comprehensive and representative of Iowa's resource users. Preliminary data from the spring, summer, and fall will be presented.
Speakers
avatar for Rebecca Krogman

Rebecca Krogman

Fisheries Research Biologist, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest

3:20pm CST

S-10: Ohio’s invasive Hydrilla response: case studies and lessons learned
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Curtis Wagner, Ohio Division of Wildlife; Mark Warman, Cleveland Metroparks

ABSTRACT: Historically, fisheries management has only superficially considered aquatic vegetation when engaging in fisheries assessment and actions. However, emerging invasive aquatic plants such as Hydrilla verticillate (Hydrilla) indicate the need to more fully integrate aquatic vegetation assessment and management with fisheries management. Hydrilla has become widely recognized as one of the world’s most aggressive invasive aquatic plants and is responsible for an array of environmental and fisheries disruptions when left unmanaged. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, like many other state agencies, does not have a standardized aquatic vegetation assessment program nor a statewide rapid response plan for detected invasive aquatic plants; this deficiency has become most recognized through recent Hydrilla detections. Hydrilla was first detected in an Ohio reservoir in 2011, with multiple small impoundment detections soon thereafter. In recent years, new populations of Hydrilla have been discovered in large, public reservoirs, including one that links the Lake Erie and the Ohio River drainages. Here we will provide an overview of Hydrilla detections in Ohio to highlight the challenges, successes, setbacks, and lessons learned. These case studies highlight the importance of established partnerships, integrated funding, prevention strategies, and effective communication to address Hydrilla detections in a complicated management landscape. Perceptions vary widely among reservoir stakeholders concerning aquatic vegetation and invasive hydrilla; differences in opinions and understanding occur even among anglers. Fisheries managers are encouraged to consider incorporating aquatic vegetation assessments into fisheries management actions and to develop rapid response strategies with relevant partners for future invasive aquatic plant detections.
Speakers
avatar for Curtis Wagner

Curtis Wagner

Fisheries Management Supervisor, Ohio Division of Wildlife
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

3:20pm CST

S-11: First Comprehensive Habitat Survey of the Upper Guyandotte River and Pinnacle Creek for an Endangered Crayfish (Cambarus veteranus).
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Montana Fonner, West Liberty University; Zachary Loughman, West Liberty University


ABSTRACT: Cambarus veteranus (Guyandotte River Crayfish) has been in severe population decline since their description in 1914 by Faxon. In 2016 the species was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act due to a widespread range reduction. The major contributing factor to this decline is siltation caused by both historic and current logging and mining operations. C. veteranus occupies the interstitial spaces between slab boulders and the benthos. Siltation fills the interstitial space both, smothering live crayfish and reducing habitat availability by cementing slab boulders into the stream bed. C. veteranus is endemic to the Upper Guyandotte River Basin. Historically C. veteranus was found in 8 tributaries of the mainstem of the Upper Guyandotte River. Today C. veteranus is only found in one historic tributary, Pinnacle Creek. More recently, another stream, Clear Fork/Laurel Fork, was found to harbor populations of C. veteranus. Despite the conservation standing of C. veteranus a comprehensive habitat study on the mainstem of the Upper Guyandotte River has not been conducted. This study aims to investigate the mainstem of the Upper Guyandotte River and Lower Pinnacle Creek to determine habitat quality. We recorded observations of anthropogenic degradation, such as siltation, bank instability, and pollution. Data collected will be used towards mitigation efforts in restoring habitat suitability within the study area for C. veteranus. In addition, habitat data collected along the mainstem was integrated in crayfish collection surveys, at possibly overlooked locales, which were determined to have potentially suitable habitats for C. veteranus.
Speakers
MF

Montana Fonner

Graduate Student, West Liberty University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

3:20pm CST

S-12: Growing native edible plants for food and wildlife in farms and gardens.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Nadia Navarrete-Tindall; Lincoln University of Missouri, Cooperative Extension; Sue Bartelette, LU-Cooperative Extension; Qingbo Yang, LU-Cooperative Research; and Samira Mahdi, LU-Cooperative Research;

ABSTRACT: Native edible plants can be found in all plant communities like woodlands, grasslands and wetlands. In Missouri, there are many native plants that can be consumed as greens, teas, in stews or for flavoring, as Native Americans did before the arrival of the Europeans.

There are more than 2000 native species in the state, and this presentation will provide information on a few that are naturally found in bottomlands and wetlands and can be grown in farms and gardens.

One of the significant advantages of promoting native edibles is their adaptability to various soil and shade conditions. Unlike annual crops, perennials do not need to be replanted each year, ensuring a continuous and reliable food supply. This adaptability makes them ideal for urban farming, providing a sustainable and cost-effective solution for food production that also benefits pollinators. Ongoing studies are done in collaboration with a LU researcher to determine their nutritional value.
The SPC promotes native edibles as specialty crops, such as golden glow or sochan (Rudbeckia laciniata) and cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum), wild plums (Prunus spp.), persimmon and paw paw. Other species promoted for food consumption are wapato (Sagittaria latifolia), a wetland species that produces edible tubers at the end of the growing season. This particular species can be grown in water gardens that can also provide habitat for frogs and other wetland animals.

Through a series of hands-on workshops and presentations offered across the state, the SCP team educates small-scale farmers and gardeners about planting, harvesting and benefiting from native edibles. The SCP maintains three demonstration areas, fully established, at Lincoln University. Here more than 150 species, including more than 50 native edibles can be seen. Workshops include food tastings in collaboration with local chefs.
Speakers
NN

Nadia Navarrete-Tindall

Professor/State Extension Specialist, Lincoln University of Missouri
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:20pm - 3:40pm CST
TBA
  S-12: Not Just for Ducks…Reframing Marshes as Working Water Gardens

3:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Examining stunted Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) population in River Reservoir
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kaden Ball, South Dakota State University; Chuck Mordhorst, Arizona Game and Fish Department

ABSTRACT: This study examined the population dynamics of a severely stunted Yellow Perch Perca flavescens population in a high mountain reservoir in the White Mountains of Arizona. River Reservoir sustains a low-density population of trophy Brown Trout Salmo trutta creating a highly prized regional fishery. Yellow Perch have been determined to be an important prey item for Brown Trout in this system contributing to the large sizes Brown Trout attain in the reservoir. The yellow perch population has always been assumed to be stunted based on field observations, but this had never been confirmed. In order to determine if stunting was occurring and to what extent we aged Yellow Perch using otoliths and quantified rates of growth recruitment and mortality. We determined that Yellow Perch in this system are severely stunted relative to other populations and discuss the implications for managing a highly utilized trophy Brown Trout fishery based on these results.
Speakers
KB

Kaden Ball

Undergraduate Student, South Dakota State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Freshwater fish

3:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Navigating the Currents: Investigating Environmental Cues for Pallid Sturgeon Immigration and Emigration for a Missouri River Tributary
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jenna Ruoss, School of Natural Resources - University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Christopher Pullano, School of Natural Resources - University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Mark Pegg, School of Natural Resources - University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Jonathan Spurgeon, U.S. Geological Survey, Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; Kirk Steffensen, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

ABSTRACT: Pallid Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus is a long-lived species that occupy the lower Mississippi River and the mainstem Missouri River, along with its major tributaries. In 1990, Pallid Sturgeon was listed as federally endangered, stemming from anthropogenic activities including habitat alterations and overharvesting leading to population declines. Conservation efforts and studies have primarily focused on understanding life-history requirements, population dynamics, habitat use, and productivity in the mainstem Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Limited information exists on the potential role of tributaries for Pallid Sturgeon recovery. Previous studies documented that Pallid Sturgeon occupy the lower Platte River, a large tributary to the Missouri River, year-round. Nevertheless, the environmental cues that trigger movement into and out of the Platte River are not fully understood. Therefore, our objective was to assess potential environmental cues for immigration and emigration between the Platte and Missouri rivers using acoustic telemetry. We implanted 29 acoustic transmitters and recorded an additional 64 unique Pallid Sturgeon, previously tagged by other agencies in the mainstem Missouri River, throughout 2022-2023 in the Platte River. Pallid Sturgeon were assigned to one of three migratory statuses (e.g., immigration, emigration, or individual occurrence). We used generalized linear models to investigate the additive effects of mean discharge, mean temperature, and photoperiod for Pallid Sturgeon immigration and emigration at the Platte River confluence with the Missouri River. We determined that the global model with the additive effects of mean discharge, mean temperature, and photoperiod was the highest-ranking model for predicting the probability of immigration. In contrast, mean temperature was identified as the best candidate model for predicting the probability of emigration. Our findings provide important insights concerning Pallid Sturgeon migration between river systems. The high affinity that Pallid Sturgeon displayed for the Platte River could suggest that the tributary plays an important role in fulfilling their life-history.
Speakers
JR

Jenna Ruoss

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Threatened and Endangered

3:40pm CST

S-07: Monitoring Invasive Bigheaded Carp Movement Across Sub-basins in Response to Removal Efforts
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Authors: Josh Abner
Affiliation: Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Abstract: Invasive bigheaded carp (Silver Carp and Bighead Carp) have been around for decades, with populations continually growing and expansion continuing to take place. Funding, as well as consequent research and removal efforts have vastly increased among recent years. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has taken advantage of this to not only learn more about these fish and their impacts but to also focus on removal efforts and strategies. Invasive bigheaded carp have been implanted with acoustic transmitters across the state of Missouri within the Upper Mississippi River, the Lower Mississippi River, and the Missouri River basins, to track movement patterns in response to removal efforts. Collaboration with other state and federal agencies allows us to further our project scope with minimal additional effort. Standardized fish community assessments are also taking place to begin collecting long term trend data to elucidate community changes to invasive carp removal. A multi-sub-basin project approach related to research and removal is the kind of broad scale collaboration that will be required to make a difference in invasive bigheaded carp control and management.
Speakers
JA

Joshua Abner

Missouri Department of Conservation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

3:40pm CST

S-08: Ecology of an Urban Population of Common Snapping Turtles in Indiana
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jean-Baptiste Johnson, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Bruce Kingsbury. Purdue University Fort Wayne.

ABSTRACT: This study’s goal is to understand the ecology and dynamics of a population of Chelydra serpentina (Common Snapping Turtle) in an urban riverine environment. Wildlife evolving in an urban environment may encounter challenges and disturbances due to anthropogenic activities and infrastructure such as bridges, levees, or boat ramps. It is important to understand the interactions between wildlife and infrastructure in order to limit the impact of development on the local ecosystems.

To collect data for this study, hoop net traps are used to catch turtles. Each turtle is processed which means various types of morphological data is recorded, and the shell is marked for future identification during re-capture.

Select individual Common Snappers are fitted with a VHF transmitter in order to be tracked for a year. Tracking data will provide info on preferred locations for foraging, nesting, and overwintering. Once enough tracking data is obtained, probability of occurrence can be mapped based on the characteristics of the habitat.

Habitat characteristics may include density of vegetation, type of soil on shore, slope of the shore, presence of infrastructure, etc. which may impact turtle movements and behavior.

I expect to find that turtles avoid areas where infrastructure is present due to reduced cover for hiding and foraging, and poor quality substrate. I also expect to find that turtles spend more times in locations offering dense vegetation cover and natural basking sites such as downed trees.
Speakers
JJ

Jean-Baptiste Johnson

Graduate Student, Purdue University Fort Wayne
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

3:40pm CST

S-09: Using resource size-use models to predict how climate cycles influence angler effort
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Matthew Maldonado, University of North Dakota; Taufique Mahmood, University of North Dakota; David P. Coulter, South Dakota State University; Alison A. Coulter, South Dakota State University; Steve R. Chipps, U.S. Geological Survey; Maddy Siller, South Dakota State University; Michaela Neal, University of North Dakota; Ayon Saha, University of North Dakota; Mark A. Kaemingk, University of North Dakota

ABSTRACT: As climate change continues to manifest, its potential effects on angler behavior remain a blind spot in inland recreational fisheries. Predicted alterations to a waterbody’s hydrology, fish community, and infrastructure from climate change could ultimately influence angler behavior. The severity and impact of these alterations on angler behavior is currently unknown, despite the importance of angler effort for effective fisheries management. Previous research has shown that angler effort is closely tied to hydrology or waterbody surface area, with larger waterbodies attracting more angler effort. Establishing this link between resource availability and angler effort allows us to further our understanding of how anglers may respond to climate change. Our goal was to use a resource size (i.e., lake surface area) – use (i.e., angler effort) model to understand the potential influence of climate and hydrology on the spatial and temporal patterns of angler effort. We used this model to understand how drought and deluge cycles may influence the magnitude and distribution of angler effort within a basin (i.e., several watersheds). Our lake size – angler effort model was developed using historical creel survey angler effort and remotely sensed waterbody surface area data for 15 waterbodies in North and South Dakota from 1990 to 2019 (r2 = 0.86). We used this model to predict angler behavior by remotely sensing the surface area for 45 public waterbodies in the Devils Lake Basin, North Dakota, USA for 32 years (1990-2021). We tracked synchrony in angler effort in the basin, demonstrating spatial and temporal patterns that are tied to changes in lake hydrology and fishing opportunity for anglers. Our results allow managers to address the current blind spot of how anglers might respond to climate change by characterizing climate-related spatiotemporal dynamics in angler effort and identifying hotspots of high interannual variation in angler effort at a basin-level.
Speakers
MM

Matthew Maldonado

Graduate Student, University of North Dakota
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest

3:40pm CST

S-10: Reservoir Habitat Management in Ohio – The Past, Present, and Future
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Taylor E. Hunkins, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife; Joseph D. Conroy, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife

ABSTRACT: Ohio reservoirs are aging, filling with sediment, and quality habitat available to sport fish is declining. Concurrently, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources-Division of Wildlife (ODNR-DOW) does not have a standardized habitat assessment program and lacks information on physical habitat metrics in Ohio reservoirs. However, the ODNR-DOW has conducted bathymetric surveys, generated fishing maps, and deployed fish attractors in Ohio reservoirs since the late 1990s. Additionally, the ODNR-DOW and external research partners recently developed and implemented a protocol to assess nearshore reservoir habitats. We are in the process of developing, revising, and expanding Ohio’s reservoir habitat program by incorporating habitat assessments (i.e., bathymetric mapping, nearshore mapping, and fish attractors) within the Inland Management System (IMS), a planned, iterative, priority-based approach used by the ODNR-DOW to monitor and manage reservoir sport fish populations, their habitat, and anglers using standardized methods. Here, we provide a brief overview of the reservoir IMS, a history of Ohio’s reservoir habitat program, and discuss potential future directions of this program.
Speakers
TH

Taylor Hunkins

Fisheries Biologist, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

3:40pm CST

S-11: Preliminary Evaluation of Two Active Sampling Methods for Crayfishes on the Southern Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: William G. Wells, University of the South; Marley G. Barton, University of the South; Katie E. McGhee, University of the South: Graham E. Nystrom, University of the South

ABSTRACT: In this preliminary study, we measured and compared effectiveness of electrofishing and kick seining sampling methods for crayfishes from four headwaters streams on the Domain of the University of the South. The University of the South is located on the southern Cumberland Plateau ecoregion in Sewanee, Tennessee. Specifically, we examined how many individuals were captured between gears, and carapace length differences between capture methods during March—April 2024. Focal species were Cambarus sphenoides (Triangleclaw Crayfish) and Faxonius placidus (Bigclaw Crayfish). Four times as many crayfish were captured on average with the electrofishing method (13.5 ± 4.1 crayfish) compared with the kick seining method (3 ± 1 crayfish) across all four streams. Captured crayfish were of similar sizes using both methods. The higher catch rate from electrofishing method compared to kick seining method demonstrates that electrofishing is the best sampling method for headwater streams tested on the southern Cumberland Plateau for Triangleclaw and Bigclaw crayfishes.
Speakers
GW

Grady Wells

Visiting Assistant Professor, The University of the South
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

3:50pm CST

S-12: Ducks Plus: Cultivating Sustainable Landscapes with Partners
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:50pm - 4:10pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Mark Flaspohler, Ducks Unlimited, Inc.

ABSTRACT: Ducks Unlimited’s Agriculture Strategic Plan Vision is focused to help take action in partnership with farmers, ranchers, landowners, cooperatives and commodity groups, financial institutions, corporations, municipalities, and policy makers to achieve sustainable agricultural landscapes. The goal is to provide economic prosperity and healthy communities for people while growing our conservation impact in the highest priority landscapes for North America’s waterfowl. Depending upon the region, watershed, and landscape position, wetlands contribute in a variety of ways. Wetlands are an essential part of these sustainable landscapes because they serve as natural infrastructure and contribute to a range of ecological services including water quality and quantity, carbon sequestration, soil health, flood control, mitigation, and coastal resiliency. Having a diverse set of programs ensures that there are suitable options for producers to value and incorporate these vital habitats and their interaction with the surrounding land and water.

Ducks Unlimited’s Sustainable Agriculture and Working Lands Focus is aimed at key landscapes, their primary resource concerns, conservation practices, and program implementation strategies. This means developing and scaling on-the-ground conservation programs that are beneficial for agricultural producers and waterfowl, while simultaneously providing ecosystem services is also key. Both in-field and edge-of-field practices help working ag lands target soil health, water quality and flood mitigation improvement. Maintaining existing and building new partnerships to target a voluntary and incentive-based approach to agriculture and conservation is also key. Continuing to work closely with producers, NRCS, USFWS, NFWF, MRCTI, State Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Departments of Agriculture, and commodity partners will also be critical in many ways, e.g., driving new public and private revenue towards important program needs while growing wetland and associated habit acres on both private and public lands. Finally, communication of these opportunities, partnerships, and successes by generating and amplifying media narrative around DU’s positive impact on working lands is important to develop DU’s brand that resonates with the agricultural sector and its supporters.
Speakers
avatar for Mark Flaspohler

Mark Flaspohler

Senior Regional Biologist, Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores, and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America's waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:50pm - 4:10pm CST
TBA
  S-12: Not Just for Ducks…Reframing Marshes as Working Water Gardens

4:00pm CST

Fisheries Track: Applications of Environmental DNA Metabarcoding to Fish Biodiversity Assessments of Missouri Ozark Stream and Mississippi River Lowland Habitats
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: David D. Duvernell, Missouri S&T; Veronica M. Lee, Missouri S&T; Eric J. Ludwig, Missouri S&T; Aaron D. Geheber, University of Central Missouri; Brett Landwer, Missouri Department of Conservation; Leah K. Berkman, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Biodiversity monitoring in freshwater habitats provides essential data for assessing and quantifying spatiotemporal patterns and long-term changes. Fisheries biologists use a variety of capture-based methods for biodiversity sampling. Non-capture-based methods have come into common use that rely on the detection of environmental DNA (eDNA), which is released by organisms into their environment. Metabarcoding involves the filtering and extraction of eDNA from samples, followed by sequencing and alignment to a reference database to infer species presence. We worked closely with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to perform comparative biodiversity assessments using traditional capture-based methods along side eDNA metabarcoding methods. In support of our efforts, we submitted 189 new reference sequences to GenBank, to bring statewide databased coverage of Missouri fish species to over 90%. We teamed with the Resource Assessment and Monitoring (RAM) program to sample sites in six drainages of the Missouri Ozarks, and we worked with Cape Girardeau fisheries biologists to sample lowland habitats in Black Island Conservation Area along the Mississippi River. In Ozark streams we were able to detect approximately double the number of species compared to standard RAM sampling methods, while in the aquatic habitats at Black Island we increased the number of documented species by more than a third relative to MDC survey records dating back to 1940. eDNA sampling missed or failed to discriminate among very few species detected by RAM sampling or documented at Black Island. These missed species were either rare (often single specimens) or were pairs or trios of closely related species with highly similar sequences that were indiscernible using eDNA sequencing methods. Spatial analyses demonstrated that eDNA sampling was sensitive to changes in fish assemblages along Ozark stream habitat gradients, and habitat complexity at Black Island.
Speakers
avatar for David Duvernell

David Duvernell

Professor, Missouri S&T
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Freshwater fish

4:00pm CST

Fisheries Track: Dispersal of Juvenile Lake Sturgeon Stocked in the Saginaw River Basin
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Maxwell D. Majinska, Quantitative Fisheries Center, Michigan State University; Christopher L. Cahill, Quantitative Fisheries Center, Michigan State University; Christopher S. Vandergoot, Great Lake Acoustic Telemetry Obersvation System

ABSTRACT: Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens reintroduction efforts are underway throughout the Great Lakes, often through the stocking juvenile fish. However, little is known about juvenile life-history and system-specific behaviors due to historical population declines prior to detailed scientific study, complicating effective management. Due to late maturation (15-25 years) and natal homing behavior of adults, understanding movement patterns of juveniles may provide useful data for evaluating reintroduction goals.

In 2017, the Saginaw River Basin was selected by the Lake Huron Lake Sturgeon Working Group for reintroduction after being functionally extirpated. Age-0 sturgeon are stocked in four rivers: the Cass, Flint, Shiawassee, and Tittabawassee. Natal streamside rearing is not currently proposed for this system; therefore, fish are sourced from the Black River Streamside Rearing Facility (BRSF, Onaway, MI) and the Genoa National Fish Hatchery (GNFH, Genoa, WI). Paired stocking provides a unique opportunity to compare the behavior of fish reared in different settings – non-natal streamside versus traditional groundwater – while using fish from the same genetic unit.

Our study evaluated movement patterns of stocked juvenile sturgeon released in 2022 and 2023 using passive acoustic telemetry. Fish (n = 80) from each hatchery were surgically implanted with InnovaSea V7 or V7D transmitters and stocked proportionally by tag type and hatchery origin among the four tributaries annually. Movement patterns were assessed by measuring total distance traveled, time to first detection, river residence time, and last known location. Preliminary results suggest BRSF fish begin moving downstream later; however, both hatcheries exhibit similar residence time and total travel distance.

Speakers
MM

Maxwell Majinska

Graduate Research Assistant, Michigan State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Threatened and Endangered

4:00pm CST

S-07: Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, roll in developing and maintaining invasive carp removal programs through the commercial fishing industry
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Joshua Tompkins, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources; Matthew Dollenbacher, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources

ABSTRACT: Prior to the invasion of bigheaded carps into Kentucky waters’ there was a rich history of commercial fishing. This presentation will be a road map of how Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, developed a robust invasive carp harvest industry by leveraging preexisting commercial infrastructure, recruiting new partners into the process and engaging stakeholders to enact regulations to allow for less restrictive regulations with the aim at reducing invasive carp populations and limiting range expansion. Other aspects of the industry development, economics and public input about the perception of how these programs and initiative have towards successful meeting KDFWR goals, will be highlighted throughout.
Speakers
JT

Joshua Tompkins

Fisheries Biologist, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

4:00pm CST

S-08: Temporal variation in occupancy dynamics of ringed (Ambystoma annulatum) and marbled (A. opacum) salamanders in Missouri
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Thomas L Anderson, Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville



ABSTRACT: Documenting species occurrences in different habitat patches across spatiotemporal gradients is critical for understanding demographic trends. Species occurrence information also can help inform management actions by determining what patches constitute consistently occupied areas versus more infrequently used areas. Identification of the drivers of consistently occupied patches is also critical to infer high quality habitats. We monitored the occurrence of ringed (Ambystoma annulatum), a Species of Conservation Concern, and marbled (A. opacum) salamanders across an 11-year period (2012-2022) at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. We surveyed 55 wetlands for the presence of each species during the larval period using a combination of minnow traps and dipnets. We analyzed occupancy using single-species multi-season occupancy models from the spOccupancy package in R. We compared the fit of spatial models, which account of spatial autocorrelation in state processes, with non-spatial models. We use a combination of habitat variables (e.g., canopy cover and hydroperiod) and climatic variables (e.g., drought or winter severity) to predict occupancy patterns. We found that non-spatial models fit the data better than the spatial models for both species. Using the non-spatial models, both species showed significant declines in occupancy over time. For marbled salamanders, occupancy probabilities were higher in years with reduced drought severity indices (i.e., wetter conditions) and semi-permanent wetlands compared to permanent wetlands. For ringed salamanders, occupancy probabilities tended to be higher in permanent wetlands, but no other habitat features or climate variables strongly affected ringed salamander occupancy. Further research on aspects of potential declines in these species’ occupancy at this study site are needed to identify potential mechanisms.
Speakers
avatar for Tom Anderson

Tom Anderson

Assistant Professor, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

4:00pm CST

S-09: Planning for our public: results from Wisconsin's 2023 mixed-methods recreation study
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Matteo Cleary, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; John Pohlman, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources;

ABSTRACT: Each state that receives Land and Water Conservation funding from the National Park Service is responsible for drafting plans for how it will disburse those funds to applicant organizations. State, county, and municipally owned properties are where much of Wisconsin's wildlife management and related recreation take place. We present results from a large mixed-methods effort to learn what our public experiences as they recreate in these places. We paired our publicly sourced data with responses from county and municipal recreation decisionmakers, which helped us build a more holistic picture of emerging needs for land and water management throughout the state, as they relate to recreation planning.
Speakers
MC

Matteo Cleary

Senior Social Scientist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest

4:00pm CST

S-10: Employing Recreational Side-Scan Sonar to Evaluate the Relationship between Aquatic Vegetation and Sportfish Catch Rates across Ohio Reservoirs
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Authors: Augustus McAnally1, Taher Fletcher2, Jeremy Pritt3, Stephen Matter1, and Michael T. Booth4
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati
2U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Lake Champlain Fish & Wildlife Conservation Office
3Ohio Division of Wildlife
4U.S. Geological Survey, Michigan Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

ABSTRACT:  Abstract: Understanding the effects of habitat on sportfish population characteristics in reservoirs is important for management, however, comprehensive habitat data are rarely available. More recent developments, using side-scan sonar, provide means to create high-resolution habitat data. Most habitat assessments occur within single systems; few have compared habitat metrics among reservoirs to determine the effects of habitat on sportfish populations. Applying a recently developed habitat assessment protocol, we used recreational side-scan sonar to quantify littoral aquatic habitat in sixteen inland reservoirs across Ohio. Aquatic vegetation, large woody debris, and substrate type were manually classified for the entire accessible littoral zone of each reservoir. Currently, we are performing analyses to understand whether reservoir-wide habitat metrics explain variation in catch rates and size structure of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus nigricans) collected during standard spring electrofishing surveys. The study aims to evaluate whether variation in the amount of habitat among reservoirs affects Largemouth Bass populations and determine if aquatic vegetation and other habitat features can be utilized to manage sport fish populations in reservoirs.
Speakers
avatar for Gus McAnally

Gus McAnally

Graduate Student, University of Cincinnati
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

4:00pm CST

S-11: Evaluation of Eye Stalk Microchemistry as a Potential Indicator of Crayfish Environmental History
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Cameron Haeffner, Southern Illinois University; Dr. Greg Whitledge, Southern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: Naturally occurring chemical markers in calcified structures, such as otoliths and fin rays or spines, have been commonly used in the study of fish environmental history, including identifying natal environments of wild fish, distinguishing stocked from wild fish, and inferring sources of invasive species. There are a few examples of the use of natural chemical markers in aquatic invertebrates, but this technique has not been used for crayfishes. Eye stalks have been used to estimate age of some crustaceans and may contain a microchemical record of crayfish environmental history, although this has not been tested. The objectives of this study are to determine whether crayfish eye stalks reflect microchemical (Sr:Ca, Ba:Ca) signatures of water, whether water-eye stalk microchemistry relationships differ among species, and whether this structure retains microchemical signals of previously occupied environments following crayfish transfer or molting. Four species of crayfish (Faxonius virilis, F. illinoiensis, F. luteus, and F. punctimanus) were collected from several streams in Missouri and Illinois with different water microchemical signatures. A laboratory study was also conducted in which crayfish were transferred between waters with different Sr:Ca ratios to assess signature retention. Eye stalks were sectioned and analyzed using laser ablation-ICPMS. If eye stalks contain a microchemical record of crayfish environmental history as anticipated, this technique could potentially be used to reconstruct environmental history (e.g., origin, movement) of crayfishes in the wild and may also be useful for inferring sources of non-native species.
Speakers
CH

Cameron Haeffner

Graduate Research Assistant, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

4:10pm CST

S-12: Incorporating Ecological Design for Production and Resilience: A Case Study in the Lower Missouri River Floodplain
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:10pm - 4:30pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Zack Miller, The Nature Conservancy

ABSTRACT: With mounting biodiversity and climate crises, there is increasing pressure on land stewards, farmers, and other leaders in land-use to make America’s ‘breadbasket’ more resilient. While there is overwhelming evidence that biodiversity underpins resilience, most Midwestern landscapes remain dominated by monocultures of annual crops, with biodiversity relegated to degraded and fragmented habitats. Designing, incentivizing, implementing, and maintaining biodiverse landscapes for both production and resilience to uncertain future conditions is a major challenge of our time.

In this talk, Zack Miller of The Nature Conservancy in Missouri will discuss landscape-scale ecological health and how the incorporation of ecological design can benefit human health and ecosystem function, undergirding more diverse, resilient, and regenerative socio-ecological systems. Miller will use the Missouri River Center, a new collaborative conservation project on the banks of the Missouri River in Boone County, MO, as a case study for exploring intentional design, co-benefits, cost-share opportunities, and polyculture food production in wetland and floodplain habitats. This ~164-acre project will be comprised by a mosaic of wetlands, alley cropping systems with native, flood-tolerant perennial fruit and nut trees, multi-functional riparian buffers, and amenities to support a variety of educational and training programs. The project aims to re-establish diverse food forests in the fertile floodplain and to serve as a learning and gathering place for public and partners.
Speakers
ZM
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:10pm - 4:30pm CST
TBA
  S-12: Not Just for Ducks…Reframing Marshes as Working Water Gardens

4:20pm CST

Fisheries Track: Benefits and pitfalls of using time-lapse-photography to collect urban angler information
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Lewis J. Bruce, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; John Lorenzen, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Creel surveys (i.e., counting and interviewing anglers) are one of the sampling tools used to gauge the amount and type of fishing activity on a pond, lake, or river. Creel surveys provide important information about user demographics, preferences towards fish species and sizes of fish, fish harvest, trip length, and trip expenditures. Collecting these data gives managers insight into what their constituents want. A traditional creel survey consists of two components: 1) random counts of anglers to assess the level of use; and 2) angler interviews to determine more about the typical fishing trip (e.g., how long, what they are catching) and other information about the angler. Randomly counting anglers requires a creel clerk to be on site regularly and, therefore, limits the number of concurrent creel surveys that can be conducted using this traditional method. Another issue with traditional creel surveys is the fact that the mere presence of what some of the public perceive to be a law enforcement figure can result in anglers altering their behavior (e.g., leaving the lake). Time lapsed photography (TLP) was used to collect diurnal count data from multiple lakes simultaneously and these data were collected in an unbiased manner. Cameras were used seasonally (i.e., open water and ice fishing) at some locations and year-round at others. During a 4 year period 20 urban ponds were surveyed using TLP. Hide box maintenance, camera reliability, vandalism, and data processing efforts were also monitored and quantified during this project.
Speakers
LB

Lewis Bruce

Fisheries Research Biologist, Iowa DNR
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Freshwater fish

4:20pm CST

Fisheries Track: Reproductive Characteristics of a Vulnerable Riverine Specialist in the Unchannelized Missouri River
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Benjamin J. Schall, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; Lindsey A. P. LaBrie, USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit, University of Arkansas; Tanner L. Carlson, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Jeff S. Wesner, University of South Dakota; Chelsey A. Pasbrig, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; Steven R. Chipps, USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, South Dakota State University

ABSTRACT: Reproductive characteristics for populations of imperiled non-game species are not regularly studied but may be important for identifying factors associated with population sustainability. Understanding reproductive traits in vulnerable species, particularly long-lived species, may provide insight for implementing management actions to respond to changes in angling behavior. This study aimed to assess the reproductive characteristics of a stable population of long-lived Blue Suckers Cycleptus elongatus in the unchannelized Missouri River in South Dakota. We collected demographic information and gonads from 182 Blue Suckers in 2021-2022. We used Bayesian generalized linear mixed-effects models to assess length and weight relationships with gonadosomatic index (GSI) and fecundity and used spawning potential ratios (SPR) to model the influence of varying harvest and minimum length limit (MLL) scenarios. Fish lengths ranged from 560-821 mm. Female GSI increased with length to ~720 mm before declining, and male GSI remained consistent across lengths. Strong positive linear relationships were observed for GSI with fish weight and fecundity. Using recent natural mortality estimates for this population, SPR under current no-limit regulations decreases rapidly as fishing mortality (F) approached 0.10 but implementing a 660-mm MLL would prevent SPR from falling below acceptable limits (0.2-0.3) at F values as high as 0.69. This study demonstrates that reproductive data and SPR modeling can be used to provide length-based regulation recommendations for vulnerable, non-game species that receive less management focus.
Speakers
BS

BJ Schall

Fisheries Biologist, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Non-Game/Non-sport

4:20pm CST

S-07: Copious Copi: Using Incentives and Marketing to Control Bigheaded Carps
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: James E. Garvey, jgarvey@siu.edu, Center for Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA
Kevin S. Irons, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Springfield, IL, USA
Gina Behnfeldt, Tetra Tech, Langhorne, PA, USA

ABSTRACT: Invasive bigheaded carps (Hypophthalmichthys spp.) threaten rivers of the central US, the Great Lakes, and potentially other drainages in North America. A pilot commercial fishing incentive program was initiated in the lower Illinois River in 2012 to help control carp populations, which rapidly removed 1,500 tons of biomass. In 2019, a modified incentive program began and has expanded to other invaded river basins. In 2022, a branding and marketing effort named the seafood product derived from bigheaded carp as Copi, allowing consumers to recognize these fishes as an environmentally sound and responsible alternative to other seafood choices in North America. The Copi brand has gained interest nationwide, with food processors and distributors engaged. A total of 7,650 tons of Copi have been removed from the Illinois River and Ohio River Basins. The challenge will be to develop a self-supporting regional fishing industry that controls and contains these fishes while also aiding fisheries and aquaculture for native species.
Speakers
JG

James Garvey

Southern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

4:20pm CST

S-08: Weather weirding and frog phenology: how some species may adapt to climate change
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Melissa B. Youngquist, John G. Shedd Aquarium

ABSTRACT: Many wetland species are reliant upon predictable patterns of precipitation for breeding and recruitment. However, climate change models show that unpredictable precipitation may become the new normal. And while many studies have investigated the effects of global warming on amphibian phenology, few have investigated effects of changed precipitation patterns. Between 2020-2024, the Chicago area experience a wide range of annual precipitation patterns. Notably, 2021 and 2023 had winter and spring droughts followed by extreme precipitation in mid-summer that refilled some wetlands. Here, I report the phenological breeding response of six amphibian species to various patterns of annual precipitation. Boreal chorus frogs (Pseudacris maculata) and American toads (Anaxyrus americanus) seemed to have a high degree of plasticity in breeding phenology - I documented delayed and repeated breeding by these species in drought years when wetlands refilled in late June – mid July. However, species with explosive breeding strategies did not show delayed or repeated breeding. Overall, this study highlights the potential adaptability of some species to changes in patterns of precipitation.
Speakers
MY

Melissa Youngquist

Research Biologist, Shedd Aquarium
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

4:20pm CST

S-09: Producer's views on conservation programs in the Rainwater Basin region of Nebraska
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Natalia Hagen, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Matthew Gruntorad, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Sarah Ulrichsen, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Christopher C. Chizinski, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

ABSTRACT: The Rainwater Basin in south-central Nebraska is a working landscape with numerous wetlands and important wildlife habitats. We conducted phone interviews with 198 agricultural producers across 10 counties in the Rainwater Basin region to understand their perspectives on conservation programs and their level of concern towards the environmental issues of climate change, water pollution, and biodiversity loss. Results indicated that none of the interviewed producers were currently participating in conservation programs despite their concerns about water pollution on a local level. Coding of the interviews revealed four major themes as to why producers were no longer participating in conservation programs and an overall lack of strong positive or negative opinions towards these programs. This suggests agricultural producers may lack confidence in the ability of conservation programs in their current state to be of personal benefit. To increase conservation program participation, it will be critical to recognize what producers need to facilitate enrollment.
Speakers
NH

Natalia Hagen

Undergraduate research assistant, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
I am a senior undergraduate researcher majoring in Fisheries and Wildlife at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. My two current projects are (1) examining agricultural producers' perspectives on conservation programs in the Rainwater Basin and (2) the Nebraska-South Dakota Tier II... Read More →
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest

4:20pm CST

S-10: In the Weeds: The Role of Aquatic Macrophytes in Predicting the Success of Walleye Recruitment in Minnesota and Wisconsin
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Robert Davis, Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin; Ellen Albright, Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin; Katie Hein, Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin; Michael Verhoeven, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota- Twin Cities; Zach Feiner, Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin & Office of Applied Science, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT:  Aquatic macrophytes provide important habitat for fish at various life stages and can influence fish population characteristics such as growth and size structure. Even though aquatic plants are generally considered to be important to fish communities, the exact nature of the relationship is not well understood. Moreover, multiple factors (climate, aquatic invasive species, nutrient loads) are causing aquatic plant communities to shift through time. Walleye are a culturally and economically important species to the upper Midwest that are currently experiencing declines in recruitment success due to climate change and other factors. In this study, we seek to elucidate the role that aquatic vegetation plays in determining walleye recruitment success. Point-intercept aquatic plant surveys from Minnesota and Wisconsin were used to quantitatively describe plant communities in lakes spanning 2003 to 2018, and annual fall electrofishing recruitment surveys were used to quantify walleye recruitment during the same time period. Random forest models were used to understand the nature of the relationship of aquatic plant communities to walleye recruitment and any interactions that may exist between aquatic plant communities and other important environmental variables previously found to influence walleye recruitment success (e.g., growing degree days, lake surface area). Overall, we hope to determine pertinent interactions between Walleye recruitment success and aquatic macrophyte communities, which could inform habitat management strategies that may benefit Walleye fisheries throughout the region.
Speakers
RD

Robert Davis

Research Associate, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

4:20pm CST

S-11: Clawing for Survival: Mapping Invasive and Endemic Crayfishes in the Upper Saint Francis River Basin
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Anna Raney, University of Missouri and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; Jacob Westhoff, U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Crayfish invasions are among the top global threats to native crayfish populations. In Missouri, cross-basin introductions have impacted multiple endemic species. The Saint Francis River crayfish (Faxonius quadruncus) and Big Creek crayfish (F. peruncus), endemic to the upper Saint Francis River (USFR) drainage in Missouri, are currently under threat of extinction due to introductions of Woodland Crayfish (F. hylas) from nearby drainages. Previous research has documented reduced abundances and range reductions for both native species in reaches invaded by Woodland Crayfish. However, the entire ranges of the native species have not been systematically sampled prior to this study, and past survey data documenting the invasion are over 15 years old. Management agencies need updated information to create an informed recovery plan for the two threatened species. Using a stratified random sampling design, we conducted a basin-wide distribution survey at 96 sites across the USFR drainage in 2022-2023. We incorporated presence-absence data from this survey with coarse-scale environmental variables into random forest, boosted regression, and spatial stream network models to create species distribution models for the two endemic species and the invasive Woodland Crayfish population. Additionally, we used targeted, intensive sampling to locate the leading edges of invasion in six streams. During these efforts, we discovered and mapped additional invasions in two major tributaries to the USFR drainage and documented a 1.4 km range expansion upstream from the 2009 leading edge in Orr Hollow Creek. The Woodland Crayfish is now present in most major tributaries on the left side of the basin as well as multiple locations in the mainstem river. Despite these range expansions, small impoundments at multiple locations appeared to harbor refuge populations of endemic crayfish based on survey data. Results from this study can be used to identify refugia for native species and locate barriers to further invasion.
Speakers
avatar for Anna Raney

Anna Raney

Biological Scientist, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

4:30pm CST

S-12: Not Just for Ducks: Facilitated Discussion
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:30pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:

ABSTRACT:
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:30pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  S-12: Not Just for Ducks…Reframing Marshes as Working Water Gardens

4:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Lessons and advice on the development of a mobile-entry platform
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Keith Hurley, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

ABSTRACT: FinCatchDE is a mobile-friendly, data entry application that was developed as part of the FinCatch ecosystem - Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s new database and analysis system for lentic fish sampling data. Utilizing a University of Nebraska – Lincoln capstone computer science project provided a low-cost alternative in obtaining a team of developers to generate this component. Additionally, along the way both technological and data-driven innovations were implemented to improve fish community sampling in the state. We will discuss the process and ideas used for FinCatchDE during this presentation in the hopes that others who are upgrading and transitioning their sampling databases can benefit from our lessons learned.
Speakers
avatar for Keith Hurley

Keith Hurley

Fish and Wildlife Specialist, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Freshwater fish

4:40pm CST

Fisheries Track: Native Rough Fish Management Progress in Minnesota
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Shannon J. Fisher, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: “Rough fish” is a term used to describe multiple native fish species historically perceived by agencies and anglers as having limited value to sport fisheries. Rough fish have been frequently deemed to degrade aquatic habitats, compete with more desired gamefish species, and have low-to-no ecosystem or cultural value. In 2022, the Minnesota legislature directed the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to develop recommendations for statutory and rule changes to provide necessary conservation measures and research needs for 26 native species designated as rough fish. The DNR convened a stakeholder group of bowfishers, commercial fish harvesters, anglers, and conservation organizations; collected public input on attitudes and management scenarios; and solicited input from Tribes to inform “rough fish” management recommendations. In 2024, the Minnesota legislature elevated the status of “native” rough fish by removing invasive fishes from this new designation and establishing additional protections. As a result of improved native rough fish status, the DNR has launched rulemaking to establish daily and possession limits and restitution values. This presentation will detail the process the DNR undertook with diverse stakeholders and the legislature to inform the passage of the “native rough fish” law and related recommendations for helping ensure more sustainable management of these underappreciated species in Minnesota.
Speakers
SF

Shannon Fisher

Fisheries Populations Monitoring and Regulations Manager, MN DNR
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Non-Game/Non-sport

4:40pm CST

S-07: Use of Invasive Species to Address Food Security
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Mark Morgan, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri

ABSTRACT: The prevalence of malnutrition is high and growing at an alarming rate in developing countries. Countless women and children suffer from anemia, stunting and/or wasting due to a low intake of protein and other essential nutrients. Use of invasive species is a promising, but overlooked strategy to address food security. The Mississippi River Basin has been affected negatively by the spread of silver and bighead carp since their introduction in the early 1970s. Invasive carp are overly abundant in many watersheds, yet few efforts have focused on population reduction since domestic markets are scarce. Consumption is a viable option, but Americans often think of silver and bighead carp as trash fish. As a result, many of them are thrown into landfills or turned into low value products such as fertilizer or animal feed. However, lab tests show that invasive carp are among the most healthy and nutritious freshwater fish in the U.S. In powdered form, they contain a unique profile of nutrients and vitamins that are needed for human health and brain development. Use of silver carp as a food ingredient is one solution to increase the nutritional benefits of child-bearing women and young children, especially for infants in the first 1,000 days of life. The goal of Eat MO Carp is to produce a complementary food using silver carp to address food security and malnutrition at home and abroad, thus helping to restore Midwest rivers.
Speakers
MM

Mark Morgan

Assoc. Professor, University of Missouri
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

4:40pm CST

S-08: Population genetics of the crawfish frog (Rana areolata) in Oklahoma support a single taxon with little genetic differentiation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Neil R. Balchan1, Owen M. Edwards1,2, Yucheol Shin3,4, Kaleb M. Banks1, Michael S. Reichert1, Bo Zhang1, Damien Esquerré51 Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA

2 Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA

3 Richard Gilder Graduate School, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, USA

4 Department of Herpetology, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, USA

5 School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia

ABSTRACT: The crawfish frog (R. areolata) is an ecologically enigmatic species that is endemic to the United States and is of conservation concern throughout most of its range. Despite recent research, little is known about population and landscape genetics of this species. Traditional taxonomic schemes have suggested the presence of a northern and southern subspecies, with an area of contact in Oklahoma. While these subspecies designations were based on morphological descriptions of disparate individuals and likely do not represent range-wide morphological or genetic, they have largely been accepted and used by various agencies. Here, we use genomic data to understand these themes in Oklahoma, with the goals of understanding the patterns of spatial genetics for this species. We use a panel of genome wide single nucleotide polymorphism loci to understand population differentiation, relatedness of individuals across the landscape, and connectivity of populations. We also explore the roles of two proposed biogeographic barriers, the Arkansas and Canadian rivers, in structuring subspecies limits. Finally, we use ecological niche modelling to explore how post-glacial expansion of species ranges might contribute to patterns of current population structure seen in the crawfish frog. Our data reveal that crawfish frogs in Oklahoma exhibit minimal genetic structuring, inconsistent with what would be expected for a contact zone between two evolutionarily significant units. Our models suggest a constrained distribution for this species in southern Texas during the last glacial maximum, and subsequent rapid expansion northward over the last 20,000 years as deglaciation occurred. Conservation approaches should consider the current genetic makeup of crawfish frogs when planning management efforts, and our data suggest little genetic differentiation among populations in northern parts of the current geographic distribution.
Speakers
NB

Neil Balchan

Graduate student, Oklahoma State Univeresity
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

4:40pm CST

S-09: Discussion: Social Science Needs and Priorities
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:

ABSTRACT:
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest

4:40pm CST

S-10: Public and Professional Perspectives on Aquatic Plant Management and Research
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Zachary S. Feiner, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Limnology; Alexander Latzka, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Allison Mikulyuk, University of Wisconsin-Madison Aquatic Science Center; Heidi Rantala, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Bethany Bethke, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Ellen Albright, University of Wisconsin-Madison Discovery Farms; Catherine Hein, University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Limnology

ABSTRACT:  Aquatic vegetation provides critical habitat for fishes throughout life. However, aquatic vegetation is changing in many lakes due to increased lakeshore development, invasive species, and climate change. Underappreciated and poorly understood linkages between aquatic plants and fish could serve as an underutilized opportunity to support fisheries outcomes by considering management of plant and fish communities in concert. Researchers in the Upper Midwest are currently engaged in a broadscale effort to understand relationships between aquatic plant and fish communities in temperate lakes with the goal of better informing current management practices and developing new habitat management tools. In the process, it became clear that the large number of potential quantifiable predictors and responses (e.g., individual, population, and community-level metrics for both plants and fish) and broad range of possible management partners necessitated a clearer understanding of the major issues and priority questions surrounding current plant management practices. We held multiple workshops with state, federal, tribal, and local agencies, as well as public stakeholders, to seek input on aquatic plant and lake habitat management goals, barriers, and research questions. We discuss outcomes of these workshops, including identifying high-priority research needs and management questions, as well as similarities and differences in perspectives among groups. This feedback provided tangible objectives for performing applicable science around aquatic plant management, while also providing important information for lake decision-makers on an important but previously rarely considered issue in fisheries management.
Speakers
ZF

Zachary Feiner

Research Scientist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm CST
TBA
  S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future

6:00pm CST

Poster Session & Tradeshow Social
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Featured Event

6:00pm CST

P-01: Efficacy of Trapping Programs to Control Raccoon Populations
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jennifer Schultze, Southern Illinois University; Ashley McDonald, Southern Illinois University; Clayton Nielsen, Southern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are an opportunistic and highly adaptable mesopredator that negatively impact several vulnerable avian and reptilian species. Wildlife managers require more information about the efficacy and long-term feasibility of using predator removal to control raccoon populations. We determined the efficacy of raccoon population reduction via trapping on 6 study sites in northern Illinois. Camera traps (n=109) were placed afield during February-August 2022-2024 to monitor raccoon occupancy before, during, and after trapping efforts were performed. During April-June 2022-2024, collaborators removed 680 raccoons to determine the intensity of trapping effort needed to reduce raccoon populations and to estimate pre- and post-trapping abundance of raccoon populations. We ran single-season occupancy models during these 3 temporal periods and multi-season colonization-extinction occupancy models were conducted before and after raccoon removal to determine the efficacy of trapping efforts in the long-term. Single-season occupancy estimates indicated a decrease in occupancy during removal; this reduced occupancy level remained for the duration of the study season. During 2022-2024, multi-season occupancy colonization rates decreased by 43% and extinction rates increased by 13%. In contrast, our control site with no raccoon removal had an increase in colonization by 66% and extinction rates reached nearly 0%. Further, we estimated raccoon abundance using the Leslie depletion method and following trapping, populations declined >32% on each study site. These results suggest that with enough trapping effort at the levels observed in our study, continuous removal programs may be a successful method for reducing and maintaining lower raccoon densities.
Speakers
JS

Jennifer Schultze

Graduate Research Assistant, Southern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-02: Zoonotic disease and diet surveys of raccoons (Procyon lotor) across urban-rural gradients in St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Yonah Bennett, University of Central Missouri; Dr. Nick Barts, University of Central Missouri

ABSTRACT:  Anthropogenic change casts a heavy shadow on the environment, and the urbanization of natural habitats can increase both the spread of zoonotic diseases and the range of its reservoirs. One such reservoir is the raccoon (Procyon lotor), a synanthrope and common carrier of many zoonotic diseases important to human health (Baylisascaris procyonis, Leptospira interrogans, and Giardia duodenalis). As warmer temperatures and human-driven introductions push raccoons and other wildlife into new environments, humans face an increasing number of zoonotic diseases. The wildlife, in turn, faces density increases, poor body condition, and diet changes. These changes are a global concern, and current studies are driven by the One-Health framework, ensuring the human, wildlife, and environmental aspects of these focal diseases are examined together. Following the One-Health framework allows us to make informed decisions for wildlife management strategies. This project aims to inform such management by conducting disease and diet surveys of raccoons across St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri along urban-rural transects using latrines to collect feces, soil, and hair samples. Prior studies of B. procyonis prevalence along urban gradients have had mixed findings. Gradients created using a specified variable like building density may better describe the impact of urbanization on it and other zoonotic diseases. Disease prevalence and load will be determined by surveying for B. procyonis in fecal floats and Giardia and Leptospira in qPCR. Diet assessments to correlate raccoon reliance on anthropogenic foods will be done by determining the stable isotopes in collected hair. Reliance on anthropogenic foods may mean a change in predation on intermediate disease hosts and disease prevalence within raccoons. Overall results may highlight how raccoons' synanthropic nature impacts humans and the environment.

Speakers
YB

Yonah Bennett

Graduate Assistant, University of Central Missouri
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-03: Exploring Variation in Immune Physiology and Movement in White-Tailed Deer
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Holly Redmond; Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
Robin Warne; Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
Tadao Kishimoto; Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau; Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL

ABSTRACT: How animals move across a landscape is a result of interactions between internal factors, such as physiology, and external factors, such as environmental conditions. Despite the important implications of these interactions in the face of progressively altered physical and disease landscapes, few studies have examined how immune physiology and movement behaviors interrelate, or the context in which variation in such relationships occurs. In some species, immune condition is shown to be influenced by allocation trade-offs, for example energetically favoring migration success at the cost of immune function. Immune condition itself can also be influential, for example in some species it can reduce cognitive ability and alter social behavior, thereby impacting animal movement. We seek to better understand the dynamics between immune physiology and movement in a heavily managed species: the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).

To explore these relationships, we will first investigate how three immune-related biomarkers (cortisol, haptoglobin, and natural antibodies) interrelate to characterize immunological profiles for white-tailed deer (n=92) captured in 2023 and 2024 from two free-ranging populations in central and southern Illinois. We will then investigate how deer immunologic profiles relate to their movement across several metric categories (including space use, activity level, and consistency of behavior) and assess the contexts in which intra-individual, inter-individual, and inter-population variation in these relationships occurs. This work will contribute to a more holistic understanding of the dynamics between immune physiology and movement in an economically and ecologically significant species.
Speakers
HR

Holly Redmond

Research Assistant, Southern Illinois University Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-04: Impacts of Targeted Removals on White-tailed Deer Behavior
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kristine Cotten, Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Peter Schlichting, Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Daniel Skinner, Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Christopher Jacques, Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

ABSTRACT: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) infection among white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has become increasingly prevalent throughout northern Illinois in recent years, a marked departure from relatively low prevalence rates from its detection in 2003 until 2019. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages CWD primarily through hunter harvest and agency targeted removals, i.e. sharpshooting. Sharpshooting is currently considered the best technique for removing CWD infected deer. Despite this, little is known about sharpshooting’s impact on deer behavior. The increasing prevalence of CWD in our endemic area highlights the need for a better understanding of the role sharpshooting plays in shaping deer behavior and how we can increase the effectiveness of sharpshooting efforts with limited staff and increasing area of infection. To address this, we deployed 75 trail cameras across several CWD-positive counties in northern Illinois. Cameras were deployed from approximately mid-January to mid-March of 2024 at baited sharpshooting sites and will be redeployed over the same period in 2025. We will use images captured by these cameras to examine the rates of deer vigilance behavior and visitation to baited sharpshooting sites as a function of sharpshooting effort . Additionally, we will investigate environmental variables which may have differential influences on deer behavior and site selection. This information will provide valuable insights on deer behavior in the context of disease management. The increase in CWD prevalence in Illinois suggests a shift in the established patterns of infection, highlighting the need for a better understanding of how sharpshooting impacts deer behavior . This work will address this knowledge gap and aid managers in the continued implementation of sharpshooting as a management tool.
Speakers
KC

Kristine Cotten

Graduate Research Assistant, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-05: Analysis of Trap Design Characteristics of Fisher Monitoring Stations
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Erik Holterman, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Kayla Allred, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Tyler Rasmussen, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

ABSTRACT: Camera traps are a non-invasive wildlife sampling method, offering constant surveillance of multiple locations. Capturing pictures of wildlife provides opportunities for identifying individuals in a population, allowing researchers to collect data on home range size and population dynamics. This project aims to identify individuals which directly affects our ability to estimate population size, connectivity between populations, and help wildlife managers develop conservation plans. Focusing on fishers (Pekania pennanti), our team installed Fisher Monitoring Stations (FMS) throughout the George W. Mead Wildlife Area located in central Wisconsin. FMS are designed to attach to trees, where we expect fisher to climb on, touch, or reach out across a stabilizing bar to interact with bait hanging above the FMS. Our camera traps then take pictures of the ventral surface of fishers to capture markings that help identify individuals within the population. This was the first implementation of FMS, so we are analyzing trap characteristics such as bait type and height of the stabilizing bar in relation to the FMS platform. All pictures taken this field season are in the process of being graded on a numerical scale based on image quality in relation to identifying individuals. We hypothesize that a height of 60 cm and the implementation of beaver meat as bait will yield higher quality pictures than a height of 50 cm and jam as bait. In the future, we hope to continue to test more characteristics of trap design, including additional heights of the stabilizing bars, FMS distance to camera, distance to bait, and improved hair snare design.
Speakers
EH

Erik Holterman

Undergraduate Student, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-06: Effect of Prairie Dog Burrow Density on Intensity of Ticks on Small Mammals in South Dakota
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Zack Wilson, University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point; Maddie Hartlaub, University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point; Dr. Shelli Dubay, University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point; Dr. Travis Livieri, Prairie Wildlife Research; Dr. Ben Sedinger, University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point

ABSTRACT: Grasshopper mice (Onychomys leucogaster), deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) commonly co-occur on grasslands in South Dakota and may be parasitized by Ixodes sculptus and I. kingi tick species. These ticks could serve as bridging vectors for tularemia (Francisella tularensis), a zoonotic bacterial disease, in the grassland ecosystem. Tularemia has caused mortality in prairie dogs, deer mice, and grasshopper mice. Small mammal abundance has been shown to increase on prairie dog complexes. We aim to identify relationships between small mammal densities, prairie dog burrow densities, and tick abundance on hosts in Conata Basin/Badlands National Park, South Dakota. We placed 100 Sherman traps in a 150 x 150 m grid on sites designated as high, medium, and low prairie dog burrow densities. Once mice were trapped, we combed them for 30 seconds and then systematically searched them for ticks. Ectoparasites were counted per individual and placed in ethanol for identification. We hypothesized that the number of small mammals trapped and the abundance of ticks parasitizing them would be positively correlated with prairie dog burrow density. In 2023, we collected 231 ticks on 135 trapped deer and grasshopper mice across two sampling areas in Badlands National Park. In 2024, we expect to find that tick abundance on deer and grasshopper mice will increase with prairie dog burrow density, however, due to allogrooming, we do not expect tick abundance to increase on prairie dogs.
Speakers
ZW

Zack Wilson

Student, University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-07: Using Camera Traps to Explore Coyote Presence Across an Urbanization Gradient in St. Louis
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jake Meyer, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy; Elizabeth Biro, Washington University in St. Louis; Solny Adalsteinsson, Washington University in St. Louis; Whitney Anthonysamy, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy

ABSTRACT: Cities can provide important habitat, such as parks and other green spaces, for supporting biodiversity. As urban areas continue to grow, it is important to understand how urban green spaces affect species’ distributions and behaviors. Coyotes are a common apex predator found in Missouri, including urban areas, and thus serve an important role in regulating ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity. The purpose of this study was to use presence/absence data collected using camera traps to estimate average coyote detections along an urbanization gradient (rural, suburban, and urban) in St. Louis. Here we report on our preliminary findings from a 4-year (2019-2022) dataset. Our next steps include exploring temporal activity and performing modeling to formally estimate occupancy patterns. Our findings will aid us in understanding how coyotes utilize the city to inform efforts for managing biodiversity in the region.
Speakers
JM

Jacob Meyer

Full time student, UHSP
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-08: Examining the Intraspecies and Interspecies Communication Between Canid Species in Central Wisconsin
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Adrienne Cohoon, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Kayla Allred, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Helena Stoflet, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Jena Garceau, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Dutch Holland, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Alyssa Kelnhofer, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Samantha Peterson, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point;
Advisor: Dr. Chris Yahnke, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

ABSTRACT: Howling is a stimulated response in canids used to distinguish territory. Species of the Canidae family tend to respond to other species via howling. Our primary target species are the gray wolf (Canis Lupus) and the coyote (Canis latrans). In our study, we compare which canid species would respond to each artificial species call/howl we used. We conduct howl surveys at two different sites, Buena Vista Wildlife Area and Mead Wildlife Area in central Wisconsin. There are three transects at Mead and five at Buena Vista. Each field night, we select our transect through a random generator. At separate points along the transect, each point one mile apart, we alternate between a male gray wolf and a male coyote call using the ICOtec Gen 3 Electronic Predator Game Call. At each of these points along the transect, we play the call for 30 seconds and wait two minutes after the call for a response. We call three times at one location facing 0°, 120°, and 240° respectively. At each point we record the date, location, road name, latitude/longitude, time of response, the species that is responding, compass bearing of the response, estimated distance to the origin of the response, number of adults heard, whether we heard pups, and ambient noises. We analyzed our data using a Chi-squared test to determine significant differences in response rates between species.
Speakers
AC

Adrienne Cohoon

Student, UW-Stevens Point
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-09: Survey of mammal biodiversity in a midwestern urban natural area using trail cameras: a collaboration between Missouri Western State University (MWSU) and Snapshot USA (2022-2024)
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Angel Justus, Missouri Western State University; Grace Allen, Missouri Western State University; Walter Bicklein, Missouri Western State University; Cooper Bien, Missouri Western State University; Boaz Evans, Missouri Western State University; Veronica Hendrickson, Missouri Western State University; Zachary Hendrickson, Missouri Western State University; Anna Livers, Missouri Western State University; Emily McClellan, Missouri Western State University; Terence Mercado, Missouri Western State University; Jada Sharp, Missouri Western State University; Autumn Shull, Missouri Western State University; Kyla Spradlin, Missouri Western State University; Carissa Ganong, Missouri Western State University; Cary D. Chevalier, Missouri Western State University.


ABSTRACT: Quantifying mammal abundance, species richness, and diversity is a key aspect of wildlife management. Missouri Western faculty and students collaborated with the Smithsonian Institution and the Snapshot USA project to inventory mammal biodiversity on the MWSU campus using Browning Dark Ops Pro DCI trail cameras. We installed eight game cameras throughout the 143-acre forested natural area on campus and swapped out SD cards weekly for eight weeks each fall (September-November, 2022-2024), ensuring that all cameras were at least 200 m apart. We acquired over 180,000 images and identified mammals to the lowest taxonomic level possible. Photos were uploaded to the Wildlife Insights database as part of the Snapshot USA project and will eventually be available to the public. Here we present data on mammalian species richness and relative abundance from our sites and compare our results to similar studies. This project provides baseline data on mammalian communities in an urban natural area and also illustrates the value of applied learning collaborations between institutions of higher education and national scientific institutions.
Speakers
CC

Cary Chevalier

Dr., Missouri Western State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-10: Predicting habitat suitability for endangered Indiana bats using niche-based distribution modeling
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Yoshihiro Yajima, Brown Univeristy; Kim A. Medley, Washington University in St. Louis; Erin O'Connell, Washington University in St. Louis; Vona Kuczynska, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Shelly Colatskie, Missouri Department of Conservation; Elizabeth Biro, Washington University in St. Louis; Solny Adalsteinsson, Washington University in St. Louis



ABSTRACT: Human-driven land-use change is the second most important cause of biodiversity loss worldwide. Species like bats that rely heavily on forest resources to forage and reproduce are impacted by increasingly fragmented habitats. Here, we investigated habitat suitability for federally-endangered Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis) across a 2,000 acre university field station, Tyson Research Center (TRC), in St. Louis County, Missouri. TRC has long been impacted by human development, including encroachment of urban land-use. To understand the current distribution of M. sodalis, we recorded bat echolocation calls using 65 AudioMoths placed in a grid across TRC during June 2023. We processed audio files using Kaleidoscope Pro to classify calls to species and manually vetted all calls classified as Myotis spp. We then used MaxEnt, a presence-only niche-based modeling algorithm, to identify important environmental features for M. sodalis activity and create a habitat suitability map for TRC. By manually vetting over 1000 audio files, we identified 12 M. sodalis presence locations and created a model with 10 environmental variables. We found that level ground and snag stands were the most influential predictors of M. sodalis habitat suitability, which was consistent with mist net and telemetry studies. This result suggests that the species typically use flat openings near dead standing trees as day roosts, potentially to reduce energy expenditure on flight while having adequate access to insect prey. Our results elucidate how M. sodalis use forests surrounded by human development and will help guide future management action to conserve threatened and endangered bats.
Speakers
EB

Elizabeth Biro

Natural Resources Coordinator & Staff Scientist, Washington University in St. Louis
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-11: Bat Communities along an Urbanization Gradient in St. Louis, MO
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Erin O’Connell, Washington University in St. Louis; Solny Adalsteinsson, Washington University in St. Louis; Whitney Anthonysamy, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy; Beth Biro, Washington University in St. Louis

ABSTRACT: Bats provide ecosystem services as insect predators and nutrient recyclers and are often critical pollinators and seed dispersers. However, bats are in decline across North America due to threats from land use changes, pesticides, disease, invasive species, wind energy, and climate change. As part of the St. Louis Wildlife Project (STLWP), we seek to understand how bat communities are changing over time and in response to urbanization. Our goals for STLWP are to apply this knowledge to influence city planning policy and to spreading awareness about urban bat biodiversity and threats to bats. To monitor bats in St. Louis, we deployed acoustic monitors along an urbanization gradient from the Gateway Arch National Park to Eureka, MO, through the Henry Shaw Ozark Corridor. We recorded bat calls for one month each during spring, summer, and fall in conjunction with St. Louis Wildlife Project monitoring. We then analyzed the recordings using auto-detection software to identify bats to species. We detected ten total species of bats in the greater St. Louis area, including three species of endangered bats: Indiana bats (Myotis sodalist), gray bats (Myotis grisescens), and northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis). The most commonly detected bats across the transect included big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) and hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus). These findings are critical to informing urban management plans, as well as garnering support for habitat restoration efforts.
Speakers
EB

Elizabeth Biro

Natural Resources Coordinator & Staff Scientist, Washington University in St. Louis
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-12: Comparing Pre and Post White-nose Syndrome Distributions of Three Bat Species in Eastern Nebraska
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Daniel Peacock, University of Nebraska Omaha; Thomas Raad, University of Nebraska Omaha; Amanda Ciurej, US Fish and Wildlife Service; Jeremy White, University of Nebraska Omaha; Mark Porath, US Fish and Wildlife Service; Han Li, University of Nebraska Omaha

ABSTRACT: White-nose syndrome has caused severe declines in the populations of northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis), little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus), and tri-colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) in the eastern United States since it was first detected in 2006. However, little is known about how these species were impacted in Nebraska where white-nose syndrome was first detected in the winter of 2016-2017. Before white-nose syndrome was first detected in Nebraska, an assessment of these species was conducted acoustically at 105 sites throughout eastern Nebraska between 2012 and 2014. In 2024 summer, we revisited 72 of the 105 previously surveyed sites and added 41 new sites to assess the impact of white-nose syndrome. We followed the North American Bat Monitoring Program Stationary Survey protocol for a more robust dataset. Our preliminary results from the first 60 sites were manually vetted for false positive detections and showed presence of tri-colored bats and little brown bats at approximately 40% of sites. However, only one out of 60 sites had northern long-eared bat detections. We will continue manually vetting for the remaining sites and to account for both false negative and false positive detections. From this data we will construct species distribution models before and after white-nose syndrome to examine how the disease has impacted the distributions of the three species. These distribution models will be used to generate distribution maps that will be used to determine each species’ level of decline, where remnant populations might be, and what kinds of habitats support these remnant populations. Assessment of the impact of white-nose syndrome on these three species will provide insights on how to prioritize key habitat protection to ensure long-term bat conservation in the Great Plains.
Speakers
DP

Daniel Peacock

MS Student, University of Nebraska Omaha
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-13: Exploring Fecal and Environmental DNA Detection of Bat Species of Greatest Conservation Need via Nanopore Adaptive Sampling
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Thomas Raad, University of Nebraska Omaha; Michaela Sanford, University of Nebraska Omaha Department of Biology; Daniel Peacock, University of Nebraska Omaha Department of Biology; Shayda Azadmanesh, University of Nebraska Omaha Department of Biology; Jeremy White, University of Nebraska Omaha Department of Biology; Guoqing Lu, University of Nebraska Omaha Department of Biology; Han Li, University of Nebraska Omaha Department of Biology

ABSTRACT: All bat species of greatest conservation need in the Midwest are nocturnal and cryptic. Traditional capture-based methods for detecting bats become challenging as populations experience drastic declines. With recent technological advancements, acoustic monitoring has become a common method for detecting these species. However, similarities in bat calls across species can make it challenging to confirm their presence. To address this challenge, it is important to explore additional species detection methods that complement capture and acoustic techniques. Bat guano samples are abundant and easy to collect in the field and extracting and sequencing host DNA from fecal samples for species identification has proven effective. Additionally, bat DNA has been collected and sequenced from roost surfaces, water, and soil, allowing species detection directly from the environments where they reside. Traditional fecal and environmental DNA sequencing methods often require polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification with species-specific primers. However, recent advances in genomic technology have introduced nanopore sequencing, which, through nanopore adaptive sampling algorithms, allows for selective sequencing of specified genomic regions. This method uses a user-defined reference file during sequencing to target DNA sequences of interest, eliminating the need for PCR amplification and enabling the generation of long DNA reads for further assembly. Moreover, it allows for portable, in-field sequencing. Mammalian mitochondrial DNA, with its high copy numbers in cells, is suitable for nanopore adaptive sampling. In this project, we explore the application of nanopore adaptive sampling for bat species identification. We opportunistically collected bat guano samples, verified species through morphological examination during capture, and are currently processing fecal samples in the lab. We will present the success rate of species identification from fecal DNA, as well as from environmental DNA collected at known bat roosts.
Speakers
TR

Thomas Raad

Masters Student, University of Nebraska Omaha
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-14: Tracking Black-crowned Night-herons Across Chicagoland
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Sarah Slayton, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Henry Adams, Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo; Michael Ward, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Michael Avara, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Brad Semel, Illinois Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Black-crowned Night-herons (BCNH) (Nycticorax nycticorax) are a colonial wading bird facing notable declines in the Great Lakes region of the U.S. due to wetland habitat loss and degradation. Although BCNH are globally distributed, they are a special-status species in 11 states including Illinois, where the species has been listed as endangered since 1977. The last major rookery in the state is located at the Lincoln Park Zoo (LPZ) near downtown Chicago. Despite the inherent risks associated with nesting in an urban center the colony appears to be flourishing, with over 300 pairs of birds fledging over 400 chicks in 2024. However, little research has been conducted on how birds are acquiring resources and utilizing city habitat to cope with the environmental pressures posed by urban living. BCNH’s cryptic nature and nocturnal lifestyle have made them challenging to study solely using traditional field methods, making them ideal to study using advanced tracking technologies. During the 2023 and 2024 breeding seasons, we deployed 16 GPS/GSM transmitters on BCNH from this colony to identify critical foraging grounds in the Chicago area. So far, these transmitters have illuminated that birds are utilizing a wide variety of natural and manmade waterbodies throughout the breeding season, some of which are hydrologically influenced by Lake Michigan while others are managed by state and local agencies. They have also revealed unexpected patterns in post-breeding movements, migration routes, and wintering ground habitat use. These insights will help inform conservation efforts for this species in Illinois, and beyond.

Speakers
SS

Sarah Slayton

M.S. Student, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-15: Optimizing Density Estimation Methods Using Passive Acoustic Monitoring for Eastern-Whip-poor-wills (Antrostromus vociferus)
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Haley Holiman, Southern Illinois University; Brent. S. Pease, Southern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: Recently, the interest in and use of passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) to assess animal populations has continued to grow in popularity. Data collected from PAM has produced reliable estimates of species occurrence but estimating density remains challenging. For example, accurately estimating distance to individuals, double-counting, and isolating focal species’ calls in diverse areas can hinder density estimation. Eastern whip-poor-wills (Antrostromus vociferus) are nocturnal aerial insectivores with distinct vocalizations and may be ideal candidates for density estimation using PAM, however, little guidance exists for sampling protocols and analytical frameworks. Here we present results from a density estimation pilot study in Morgan-Monroe and Yellowwood State Forests, Indiana, USA that paired PAM with point count surveys. From May – July 2022, we deployed acoustic recording units and conducted nocturnal point count surveys for whip-poor-wills across different forest management plots. Our objectives were to evaluate four analytical frameworks for estimating density of whip-poor-wills: distance sampling and binomial n-mixture models using time-to-detection from PAM and point counts. Preliminary results suggest that ARUs may provide comparable estimates of nightjar density to traditional point counts, and density estimates appear consistent across varying silvicultural management techniques. Future work to be conducted in 2025-2026 includes expanding the study area, optimizing ARU sampling protocols for density estimation of nightjars, and relating forest management practices to nightjar abundance.
Speakers
HH

Haley Holiman

Research Assistant, Southern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-16: Activity patterns of Eastern Whip-poor-wills across different Midwestern forest management regimes
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Holly Coates, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; T.J. Benson, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Mike Ward, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

ABSTRACT: Eastern Whip-poor-will are a species in steep decline, reliant upon early-to-intermediate-aged forests with moderate canopy cover across their life-history. With large-scale changes to Eastern US forest cover, structure, and composition across the past few centuries, silviculture and forest management regimes that produce intermediate canopy cover and basal area have been shown to be promising methods of increasing Eastern Whip-poor-will habitat, and promote their populations. We investigated the activity and percentage of time Eastern Whip-poor-will spend in differently-managed forests in the Midwest by using the natural ecological experiments created by management regime boundary lines, and an automated VHF-telemetry system. We were then able to generate more precise estimates on whip-poor-will habitat preferences, by correlating these values with prey abundance and a large suite of biotic and abiotic factors intrinsic to each forest management type.
Speakers
HC

Holly Coates

MS Student, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-17: Nestling fecal metabarcoding provides insights into the diet and habitat quality of a declining grassland passerine
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Joshua Angell, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign;
Jeffrey Foster, Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University;
Aron Katz, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ERDC-CERL & Department of Entomology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign;
Jinelle Sperry, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ERDC-CERL & Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

ABSTRACT: Grassland bird populations are in steeper decline than any other avian group in North America. These declines are primarily caused by the loss of suitable habitat and degradation in the quality of remaining habitat. As such, it is critical to understand how different factors of current grassland habitats impact the birds within them. For nesting birds, one of the most important aspects of their breeding habitat is its ability to provide suitable food resources for their young in the nest. We utilized DNA metabarcoding to determine the diets that have been provisioned to grasshopper sparrow nestlings with fecal samples collected at Fort McCoy, WI. Orthoptera, Lepidoptera, and Hemiptera were the most prevalent arthropod orders detected across all samples, while Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera were provisioned proportionally less compared to environmental availability. Additionally, we examined spatial and temporal trends of provisioned diet to explore what influences the foraging ecology of grasshopper sparrows. This study provides insights into how grassland habitats support breeding birds and evaluates fecal DNA metabarcoding as a potential tool to assess habitat quality for threatened and endangered species in the future.
Speakers
avatar for Joshua Angell

Joshua Angell

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-18: Long-term Dynamics of Seasonal Tree Phenology and Forest Songbird Populations Across the Central Hardwoods (Preliminary Findings)
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: 
Benjamin W. Tjepkes, University of Missouri;
Grant P. Elliott, University of Missouri;
Clayton F. Blodgett, University of Missouri;
Thomas W. Bonnot, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT:  Many forest communities across the central hardwoods ecoregion of the United States are experiencing shifts from oak dominance to later successional species after anthropogenic alternations to historical disturbance regimes. This transition, amidst unprecedented climatic variability, casts uncertainty on the future of resident and migratory forest passerines that depend on this region for access to high-quality breeding habitat. Land surface phenology, the timing of annual growth cycles measured from remote sensing platforms, offers a potential proxy for forest ecosystem response to changing bioclimatic conditions that can be used for landscape-based wildlife conservation planning. This research explores how regional forest phenology patterns relate to demographic trends in avian communities across the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region under anthropogenic climate change to assess the utility of phenology-informed models in predicting wildlife habitat suitability at regional scales. We used 40 years of Landsat multispectral imagery to model spatially explicit estimates of phenological transition dates based on gap-filled Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) values, gridded climate data, and Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data to represent the temporal progression of passerine habitat within a season while accounting for species-specific responses. These climate-mediated phenological metrics will serve as inputs for hierarchical Bayesian avian community models using relative abundance trends from U.S. Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) point counts within the region. We will then be projecting any bird-phenology relationships through the year 2100, using a range of future climate scenarios and forest composition projections. This work will extend existing bird research in the central hardwoods to better understand climatic drivers of forest phenology and whether these patterns relate to diachronic bird abundance trends. The findings of this research will offer insights for conservation initiatives focused on preserving avian diversity by implementing resilient forest management practices informed by climate-based spatial prioritization at landscape scales.
Speakers
avatar for Benjamin Tjepkes

Benjamin Tjepkes

Graduate Student, University of Missouri
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-19: Is there a shift in Migration Timing of Northern Saw-whet Owls (Aegolius acadicus)?
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Ruby Valadez, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Josiah Gritter, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Elizabeth Peters, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

ABSTRACT:  The Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) (NSWO) is a mesopredator commonly found within upland ecosystems across North America. NSWO’s migrate in the fall from September to December, peaking around mid-October, making them relatively abundant in central Wisconsin during this time. Our project began in 2007 and continues to operate at Sandhill Wildlife Area in Babcock, WI, and we have captured over 1,300 NSWOs. These owls are captured using call-playback devices and mist nets. The birds are banded using USGS aluminum leg bands, contributing to national banding data on Northern Saw-whet Owls. Wing and tail chords, weight, age, and sex of birds are recorded with each capture. Our project has previously focused on studying migration patterns and we are curious how migration timing has changed over time. We will use our historic banding data to analyze the timing of migration from year to year and determine if migration is occurring earlier or later. We will also investigate if there has been a shift in the pattern of irruption, which typically occurs every four years.
Speakers
RV

Ruby Valadez

Student, UW-Stevens Point
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-20: Assessing Bird-Window Strike Collisions: Patterns of Avian Mortality and Mitigation Strategies at Ball State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Ashley Fitch, Ball State University; Emily Peterson, Ball State University; Kamal Islam, Ball State University.

ABSTRACT:  Bird-window collisions are a significant source of avian mortality in North America, accounting for 2-9% of bird deaths, with college campuses contributing to 44-56% of these fatalities. This study assesses bird-window strike mortality on the Ball State University campus, where buildings with substantial window surfaces pose risks to migrating birds. Over four academic semesters (September-November 2022 and 2023, February-May 2023 and 2024), five campus buildings were monitored to identify what windows had the highest fatality and the species that were most affected. Data was collected via visual checks of the perimeters of the windows during weekdays. A total of 84 birds were documented, comprising 26 different species and 9 different families. The most collected family was Parulidae, with 20.2%, and the most collected species was Archilochus colubris, with 10.7%. One of our buildings in particular encompassed 50.0% of all species. The study highlighted that buildings with larger and more reflective windows resulted in higher mortality rates. To mitigate these collisions, successful strategies employed at institutions like Duke University and the University of Utah include Feather Friendly vinyl stickers, fritted glass, and ORNILUX UV glass, which achieved up to 84% reductions in collisions. This research serves as a follow-up to previous data collection efforts, aiming to inform architectural practices and establish guidelines for existing and future buildings on campus to enhance bird safety. By promoting bird-friendly designs, Ball State University can contribute to the preservation of avian populations in urban settings.
Speakers
avatar for Ashley Fitch

Ashley Fitch

Student, Ball State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-21: Role of acorns in Red-headed Woodpecker overwintering in northeastern Illinois
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Adrianna Yoder, University of Missouri St. Louis; Anastasia Rahlin, Illinois Natural History Survey – Prairie Research Institute; Jalene LaMontagne, University of Missouri St. Louis

ABSTRACT: Loss of habitat is contributing to avifauna decline, including Red-headed Woodpeckers (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) that were historically widespread across eastern-central North America. In northeastern Illinois, Red-headed Woodpeckers are facultative migrators, where some will overwinter while others migrate south. In the winter, Red-headed Woodpeckers switch their diet from insects to tree hard mast, like acorns. However, oak reproduction is spatiotemporally variable, and therefore, acorn quantity likely influences their ability to overwinter by altering food availability. Our objective was to compare Red-headed Woodpecker local habitat use and selection between summer breeding-only tree cavities and those used year-round. In summer 2023, we located Red-headed Woodpecker tree cavities and measured habitat characteristics at four scales: cavity, cavity-tree, surrounding habitat, and territory, which included performing acorn counts. In winter 2023-2024, we monitored the same cavities with camera traps to determine their winter presence. For year-round cavities, the key habitat characteristic of continued cavity use into the winter was high acorn quantity, particularly of the red oak group. This requirement for winter use contrasts with summer breeding cavity selection which typically relies on open canopy, and high decay and diameter of the cavity-tree. Our results suggest that at broad scales, acorn production could also explain regional differences seen in Red-headed Woodpecker distributions which we are currently investigating using eBird data and long-term acorn counts. Our research highlights the importance of oaks and understanding oak reproduction in creating habitats that can sustain Red-headed Woodpeckers year-round.
Speakers
AY

Adrianna Yoder

Graduate Student, University of Missouri St. Louis
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-22: Investigating Wild Turkey Poult and Hen Diets Across Kansas: Landscape Influences on Arthropod and Plant Diversity
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Cy Marchese1, Caroline Skidmore1, Dave Haukos2, Dan Sullins2,

1Kansas State University Fish and Wildlife Cooperative Research Unit, Kansas State University

2 United States Geological Survey, Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Kansas State University


ABSTRACT: In Kansas, a decline in Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) reproductive success has been observed, potentially reflecting broader population trends of this important game species. Factors such as predation, starvation, and hunting pressure create complex interactions that influence gamebird survival and reproduction, with varying effects among differing landscapes. To sustain or grow wild turkey populations, adequate poult survival is essential. Despite the importance of poult survival, a critical information gap remains regarding their diets in the Great Plains region. Previous studies, which relied on methods such as crop and fecal dissection are limited, invasive, and may introduce biased detection of soft-bodied prey items. Our study aims to address this gap by comparing the species richness and evenness of arthropods in the diets of wild turkey brood-rearing hens and their poults among three distinct regions and multiple cover types in Kansas. We collected fecal samples (n=246) from GPS-tracked wild turkey hens and their poults during the brood-rearing season (April–July) and used DNA metabarcoding to identify arthropod and plant taxa consumed. We grouped the samples by ecotype (grassland, cropland, woodland, shrubland) based on the 48-hour home ranges in which fecals were collected, linking diet composition to specific foraging areas. Preliminary analyses indicated that the top three arthropod orders consumed included Orthoptera, Hemiptera, and Lepidoptera, while the top three plant orders were Poales, Brassicales, and Asterales. The total number of exact sequence variants (ESVs), which represent unique DNA sequences used to identify different species or taxa, was 2,153 for arthropods and 25 for plants. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining arthropod diversity across the landscape to support the dietary needs of wild turkey poults. Management strategies that promote the diversity and abundance of arthropods are important when working to enhance turkey populations throughout Kansas.
Speakers
CM

Cy Marchese

Graduate Student, Kansas State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-23: Functional Connectivity of Blanding’s Turtle Habitat in Central Michigan
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Mirabai Moseley (presenter), Purdue University Fort Wayne; Dr. Bruce Kingsbury, Purdue University Fort Wayne

ABSTRACT: Habitat fragmentation has been found to reduce biodiversity by up to 75%. Reptiles are predicted to be especially sensitive to fragmentation. Blanding’s Turtles are experiencing a decline across most of their range due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Maintaining landscapes of connected wetlands and upland nesting habitat is crucial for Blanding’s Turtle survival. In this study, we are investigating the movement of Blanding’s Turtles across a mixed landscape of high-quality habitat and developed land in Northern Michigan. I am attaching GPS data loggers to Blanding’s Turtles to gather movement and habitat use data, with the intent to identify any trends in corridors used that may be useful in Blanding’s Turtle conservation, and to identify corridors and barriers to movement at my study site for management purposes. I will create a resistance surface based on turtle habitat use that will be used to map linkages between core wetland habitats via circuit theory.
Speakers
MM

Mirabai Moseley

Graduate Student, Purdue University Fort Wayne
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-24: Spatial Ecology of Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) on Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge, Northwest Missouri
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Grace Allen, Missouri Western State University; Terence Mercado, Missouri Western State University; Emily McClellan, Missouri Western State University; Falcon Turner, Missouri Western State University; Mark Mills, Missouri Western State University; Darrin Welchert, US Fish & Wildlife Service


ABSTRACT: The Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) is listed as a species of concern or state listed (Endangered or Threatened) in every state where it occurs. In Missouri, E. blandingii is a state-endangered and is only known to occur at three locations in the state. Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge has documented less than 20 individuals since they were first observed in 1984. We initiated a study of this turtle’s spatial ecology using radio telemetry because of this species' rarity, status, and intensive wetland management that occurs in the study area. The objective of this study was to monitor what type of habitat E. blandingii inhabited, including dominant vegetation type, water depth, water temperature, home range, daily movement, wetland management, and responses to overall weather patterns.
Speakers
GA

Grace Allen

Student, Missouri Western State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-25: Demographics of Two Spotted Turtle Populations in Clark County, Ohio
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Neil Boyles, Wittenberg University; Lily Bonar, Wittenberg University; Tori Hinkle, Wittenberg University; Richard Phillips, Wittenberg University

ABSTRACT: Spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata) are a small elusive species of freshwater turtle that lives in wetlands across the Eastern United States. Clark County, Ohio sits on the edge of the turtles’ Midwestern range and their populations there are small with little known about these populations’ current status. We conducted mark-recapture surveys at two sites known to hold turtles using the standardized Regional Spotted Turtle Assessment Protocol. Surveyed populations were compared to healthy known populations from the literature. When compared to the species mean, the surveyed turtles were significantly smaller than expected in five out of eight measurements. The age ratios were different from what is expected in a healthy, stable population as well as from well studied populations using similar survey techniques with no hatchling turtles being surveyed at either site. Since the surveyed populations’ age ratios are different from a theoretical healthy population, as well as from other populations surveyed using similar techniques represented in literature, this could suggest there is a true difference from a healthy population that cannot simply be chalked up to bias in survey technique. Though, there is likely bias in hoop net traps towards adult turtles as juveniles and hatchlings are underrepresented in almost every survey using them. The small sizes of the turtles could be of interest from a genetic standpoint since the mean sizes are small in the region which could indicate genetic drift having a substantial effect on these turtles. There is some interplay in the results since the aging metric is based on plastron size. Our turtles are shown to be smaller than average and as a result their ages are likely underestimated which in turn means some turtles labeled as juvenile could be adults since that distinction is made by age.
Speakers
NB

Neil Boyles

Student, Wittenberg University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-26: Assessment of Spotted Turtle Populations in Southwestern Ohio
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Shayne Harris, Wittenberg University; Neil Boyles, Wittenberg University; Richard Phillips, Wittenberg University

ABSTRACT: Spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) populations in the Midwest are of conservation concern. At the southern edge of their Midwestern distribution, spotted turtle populations are closely tied to disjunct fen environments in southwestern Ohio. We examine historical populations of spotted turtles in the context of more recent survey efforts. We further evaluate current populations based on recent surveys and identify recent sightings to steer further sampling efforts. Current spotted turtle surveys in southwest Ohio suggest reduced populations at former strongholds. Using ArcGIS, we evaluate potential sites in need of further surveying based on recent sightings. Finally, we evaluate population viability of current populations based on several years of monitoring. Here we present data to guide further survey efforts and assist managers in conserving currently known populations. The compilation of historic, current, and future spotted turtle locations in southwest Ohio will provide a framework for understanding the distribution and population status of spotted turtle populations in southwestern Ohio.
Speakers
SH

Shayne Harris

Student, Wittenberg University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-27: Metapopulation Dynamics of Urban Turtles: Why Did the Turtle Leave Campus?
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Emily Sweet, Missouri Western State University; Andrew Byler, Missouri Western State University; Jared Kelly, Missouri Western State University; Tadyn Shaffer, Missouri Western State University; Mark S. Mills, Missouri Western State University


ABSTRACT:  Long-term studies of turtle populations that live in ponds or wetlands often fit a metapopulation model, with turtles moving among ponds and recolonizing ponds or wetlands after drying events. However, few studies have examined turtle metapopulation dynamics in urban environments, and we are unaware of any long-term studies of urban turtle metapopulations. Faculty and students at Missouri Western State University have studied turtle populations on campus since 2009 with over 850 captures of five native species and three non-native subspecies. Missouri Western State University is located in Saint Joseph, Missouri and is surrounded by urban areas (e.g., residential, retail, and industry). This long-term study consisted of capturing and marking turtles and recording their movements among nine ponds on campus and three ponds adjacent to campus. This presentation will focus on the movements of the most common species on campus: Chelydra serpentina, Trachemys scripta, and Chrysemys picta. Over the past 15 years we have documented 77 turtles moving among the campus ponds and two turtles moving on or off campus. A male painted turtle moved off campus to a pond near Mosaic Hospital, covering a straight-line distance of 1,430 meters over two years. Another painted turtle moved from an off-campus pond to a campus pond, traveling 1,493 meters over 20 days. Overall, we found no significant differences among distance traveled among the three species; however, male painted turtles traveled significantly longer distances (mean±SE, 428±98m, N=15) than females (172±19 m, N=19; P=0.003). The results of this long-term study are important in the context of documenting the movement patterns of animals within an area, but also in and out of that area, particularly in an urban habitat.
Speakers
MM

Mark Mills

Professor of Biology, Missouri Western State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-28: Spatial and temporal patterns in Galapagos giant tortoise nesting activity
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Emily Buege Donovan, Southern Illinois University; Stephen Blake, Charles Darwin Foundation, Saint Louis University, Max Planck institute of Animal Behavior; Sharon L. Deem, Charles Darwin Foundation, Saint Louis Zoo; Ainoa Nieto-Claudin, Charles Darwin Foundation, Saint Louis Zoo; Patrick Moldowan, Charles Darwin Foundation; Freddy Cabrera, Charles Darwin Foundation; Cristian Peñafiel, Charles Darwin Foundation; Guillaume Bastille Rousseau, Southern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: Chelonians are among the most rapidly declining vertebrate groups due to habitat destruction and overexploitation by humans. Information pertaining to when, where, and how often tortoises nest and how nesting behavior responds to environmental variation is useful in developing conservation or remediation plans. However, direct observation of nesting behavior in wild populations can be logistically difficult. We sought to address knowledge gaps in the temporal and spatial patterns of nesting by Galapagos giant tortoises using GPS and triaxial accelerometer data. We applied a Random Forest classification algorithm to historical data from 54 individual Galapagos tortoises across four species from three islands. The algorithm categorized activity as either nesting or non-nesting, ultimately identifying approximately 150 nests between 2010 and 2023. Together with additional field-validated nesting behavior, our total data set consisted of over 250 nesting events. A minimum of 40 individuals nested in multiple years, allowing for year-over-year comparisons in reproductive phenology. We found variation in the timing of nesting both between and within species. In examining spatial patterns, we found that some individuals are highly philopatric, while others displayed more variation in nest site selection. These data provide insights into variation of nesting behavior in vulnerable and critically endangered Galapagos tortoises which can inform conservation strategies and management efforts to protect nests from invasive predators and consider mitigation strategies under climate change. Our approach could also help in addressing these and other conservation challenges in other systems with broad global relevance for threatened chelonians.
Speakers
avatar for Emily Donovan

Emily Donovan

Graduate Fellow, Southern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-29: The Incubation Duration of Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) Nests Located on Cape Lookout National Shoreline
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Claire Sullivan, Wittenberg University; Dr.Matthew Godfrey, Duke University; Dr.Richard Phillips, Wittenberg University

ABSTRACT: Cape Lookout National Shoreline is a common area for marine turtles to nest in North Carolina. This study focuses on how Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) in situ nest incubation duration has changed over time from 2007 to 2023. Understanding the changes in incubation leads to the further question of estimating the sex ratio for marine sea turtles. The sex of marine turtles is determined by temperature; to estimate the sex ratio of sea turtles, both incubation duration and temperatures are applied. Regarding the temperature-dependent sex determination of Loggerheads, we analyze the changes in incubation duration on a seasonal and annual scale and how they correlate to annual and seasonal temperature changes. Nesting season begins in May and concludes in August. To account for seasonal temperature increases, data were divided into half-months. We hypothesize that as the nesting season progresses and the temperatures increase, the incubation duration of a clutch will decrease. July's first half month (1H) recorded the lowest averages in incubation duration (59.94± 5.641 days and 54.66± 3.478 days, respectively) for 2007-2009 as well as 2023. After assessing changes in half-months from 2007 to 2009 and 2023, an assessment of the annual changes from 2007 to 2009 and 2023 is made. Here, we show an average decrease in incubation duration from 2007-2009 to 2023 by 3.828 ± 2.39 days. Understanding the correlation between incubation duration and temperature and how they change both seasonally and annually may contribute to the understanding of the changing sex ratios for Loggerhead clutches that inhabit the Cape Lookout National Shoreline. Further questions on how sea turtles are affected by climate may involve changes in arrival time for nesting mothers.
Speakers
CS

Claire Sullivan

student, Wittenberg University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-30: Indirect Monitoring of Burmese Python (Python Bivittatus) Populations Through Cause-Specific Mortality of Virginia Opossums (Didelphis Virginiana) In Key Largo, Florida, USA
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Arya J. Sanjar, Southern Illinois University; Brent S. Pease, Southern Illinois University; Michael V. Cove, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

ABSTRACT: Invasive predators have caused extinctions on islands globally and remain a key threat in many ecosystems worldwide. Within the Florida Keys, USA, mammal populations are declining, which can be attributed in part to the presence of invasive Burmese pythons (Python bivattatus) that expanded from Everglades National Park in the 2000s. However, due partially to the species' elusive nature, Burmese python population size is unknown and has not been conclusively linked to mammal population declines as relatively few have successfully monitored the species’ impact, suggesting alternative approaches to the problem are needed. Here, we tested an indirect route to estimating Burmese python impact on mammals in the Florida Keys by radio-collaring Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) - an important food source for pythons in the Keys - and assessing cause-specific mortality in Key Largo, FL. Between May 2023 – Sept 2024. In total, 3,307 nights of trapping effort resulted in 148 collared opossums across the study area. Subsequent VHF monitoring of collared opossums documented 90 mortalities. Overall, 23% (21 individuals) of mortalities were due to vehicle strikes, 17% by Burmese pythons, and 2% by coyotes. 57% of mortalities were either apparent monitoring-related mortalities (5%) or unable to be attributed to a single factor. As a result of our indirect monitoring, to date, 10 individual pythons were removed from the population in Key Largo. These results suggest that monitoring key prey species may be a viable option for indirectly assessing a top, invasive predator’s impact on mammal populations. Additionally, our results indicate that python predation is a notable contributor to opossum mortality, suggesting potential for additive mortality on mammal communities in the region. Future work involves testing this method in various habitats throughout South Florida to assess its viability outside the Florida Keys.
Speakers
AS

Arya Sanjar

Research assistant, Southern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-31: On The Overwintering Temperatures Of Eastern Copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix) in East-Central Missouri And The Influence Of Substrate And Shaded Air Temperature On Emergence, Egress, And Ingress
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Benjamin C. Jellen, University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy in St. Louis; Brittany I. Neier, Federal Reserve

ABSTRACT: Though reptiles are largely eurythermic, those residing in temperate latitudes face large daily, and even greater seasonal, temperature fluctuations complicating thermoregulatory efforts. They must therefore employ strategies to avoid reaching critical thermal minimums and maximums for large portions of the calendar year. Such tactics include shuttling between microhabitats, exposure to the elements, and utilizing the various physical qualities of retreats and refuges with many species becoming fossorial during the overwintering period. Though data exists regarding the thermal ecology of temperate zone snakes during the activity period, far less is known concerning their operative body temperature (OBT) during the overwintering period and factors influencing ingress, emergence, and egress. We implanted free-ranging A. contortrix with temperature-sensitive radio transmitters and re-located individuals daily throughout the activity period (April - October) and three times weekly during the overwintering period (November - March) from 2018 - 2023. We recorded the shaded air (SAT) and surface substrate temperatures for each encounter as well as acquired data from a nearby weather station for the substrate temperature at depths of 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 m. Though A. contortrix maintained a mean OBT of 10.6°C during the overwintering period, they experienced their lowest mean OBT in February (8.6°C). The peak emergence from overwintering coincided with the first week in April with a mean SAT of 19.4°C. However, this week was also the only week in which the mean substrate temperatures at depths of 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 m varied by only 0.5°C (9.9 - 10.4°C) presenting an almost uniform subterranean thermal gradient for these depths and a potential cue for emergence. Though snakes made large daily linear ingress movements (x > 100m) on the day immediately following a considerable SAT drop (typically ~ 10°C), no such cues were detected during the egress period.
Speakers
BJ

Ben Jellen

Associate Professor, University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy in St. Louis
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-32: Herpetofauna and Tarantula Avoidance: A Missouri Glades Location Survey
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Zach Pfeiffer, University of Missouri-St. Louis; Becky Hansis-O'Neill, University of Missouri-St. Louis; Dr. Aimee Dunlap, University of Missouri-St. Louis

ABSTRACT: Missouri glades are home to a variety of herpetofauna and one species of tarantula: Aphonopelma hentzi (Texas brown tarantula). These animals traverse through their environment very differently. Herpetofauna tend to travel in search of food, while tarantulas are usually restricted to foraging in areas very close to their burrows. Due to this contrast, and because of potential predator-prey relationships, I wanted to see if there was a pattern in the distances between these two groupings. To do this I conducted a location survey to determine how far each individual was from the nearest spider. After analyzing the data, it was discovered that the further someone was from a tarantula, the more likely they were to find herpetofauna. This indicates that there is a potential avoidance between herpetofauna and tarantulas.
Speakers
avatar for Zach Pfeiffer

Zach Pfeiffer

Research Assistant, University of Missouri-St. Louis
I am a senior at the University of Missouri - St. Louis (UMSL). I’m almost finished with my Biology BA degree. As a research assistant, I completed a project on tarantulas and herpetofauna found in Missouri glades. I hope to have a career in animal husbandry, conservation, and/or... Read More →
Herpetofauna and Tarantula Avoidance pdf
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-33: St. Louis Wildlife Project
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Solny Adalsteinsson, Washington University in St. Louis; Whitney Anthonysamy, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy; Elizabeth Biro, Washington Univeristy in St. Louis

ABSTRACT: The St. Louis Wildlife Project was established in 2018 as a collaboration between biologists at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis and Tyson Research Center at Washington University in St. Louis. St. Louis serves as a partner city in the Urban Wildlife Information Network, an initiative based at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, whose purpose is to document and study urban wildlife around the world. One of the greatest threats to biodiversity is urbanization and metropolitan areas such as St. Louis can play an important role in maintaining biodiversity. Available habitat patches or green spaces can support species and protect diversity in urban areas. Further, understanding how wildlife utilize these habitats and interact with each other and humans in an urban environment is essential for minimizing human-wildlife conflict. By studying how unique features of the St. Louis landscape—including rivers and parks—affect diversity and abundance of wildlife in the metro region, we can identify important elements that promote biodiversity and the coexistence of humans and wildlife. These elements can be incorporated into sustainable design and planning for St. Louis, while also informing our broader understanding of urban ecology and how best to conserve biodiversity through data-driven urban planning and development worldwide. This presentation will be an overview of the efforts of the St. Louis Wildlife Project to document wildlife presence and behavior in St. Louis.
Speakers
EB

Elizabeth Biro

Natural Resources Coordinator & Staff Scientist, Washington University in St. Louis
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-34: Testing for Tick-borne Disease Pathogens in the Lone Star Tick in St. Louis
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Whitney Anthonysamy, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy; Elizabeth Biro, Washington University in St. Louis; Solny Adalsteinsson, Washington University in St. Louis

ABSTRACT: As tick-borne diseases (TBD) are a growing public health problem in the United States, Missouri faces an increase in tick populations and their associated pathogens. Geographic range expansion and increased abundance of many tick species, including the lone star tick, are attributed to human landscape disturbance, increases in host species such as white-tailed deer, and climate change. The lone star tick, an aggressive biter and a vector for many human pathogens, is widely distributed across the eastern half of the United States and abundant throughout the state of Missouri. Although increased health risks are apparent, Missouri lacks a statewide TBD surveillance program, creating an opportunity to investigate pathogen prevalence. In this study, we present preliminary results from screening adult and nymphal lone star ticks collected in St. Louis County for the presence of bacterial pathogens, including Ehrlichia sp. This research will provide valuable data on TBD prevalence in St. Louis County and establish protocols for expanding surveillance efforts across Missouri.
Speakers
WA

Whitney Anthonysamy

Associate Professor of Biology, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-35: Measuring welfare of wild tarantulas during field surveys using heart rate.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Tim Angelo A. Lopez, Becky Hansis-O'Neil, Aimee S. Dunlap

ABSTRACT: Tarantulas (Theraposidae) are predatory arachnids that can help control populations of herbivorous arthropods. We have been monitoring populations of the Missouri brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) in Missouri glades for three seasons and have questions about their welfare during these surveys. Unlike mammals, arthropods are not extensively researched and there only a few known facts about measuring their welfare. Managing stress for wild animals during field surveys is important for reducing the potential negative impacts of research. In mammals, increased heart rate is positively correlated with negative stress and eustress. Using the same logic, we hypothesized that heart rate could be used as a measurement of stress in wild tarantulas. To answer the question of whether heart rate would be a good measurement of stress in wild tarantulas we measured environmental factors that could significantly affect heart rate: body size, body surface temperature, and how long researchers interacted with the tarantula while trying to get them out of their burrows. Alongside the data gathered with these factors, we measured their heart rates using a veterinary doppler flow detector. We predicted that warmer temperatures, smaller animals, and more interaction would be positively associated with heart rate, with interaction time as the most predictive factor.
Speakers
TL

Tim Lopez

Undergraduate Research Assistant, University of Missouri St. Louis
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Wildlife

6:00pm CST

P-36: Conservation Status Assessments and Surveys of Cambarus monongalensis and Lacunicambarus thomai Within Western Pennsylvania
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jaden Rusnak, West Liberty University; Zackary Graham, West Liberty University; David Lieb, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission; Zachary Loughman, West Liberty University

ABSTRACT: Previous large-scale burrowing crayfish collection efforts in western Pennsylvania have suggested that the Blue Crayfish (Cambarus monongalensis) and the Little Brown Mudbug (Lacunicambarus thomai) have limited distributions throughout the state. Range restrictions of C. monangalensis and L. thomai limit available information necessary for current conservation assessment in the state of Pennsylvania. Future conservation assessments may consider relisting these crayfish for a higher ranking, such as critically imperiled. In order to aid in the reassessment of C. monongalensis and L. thomai, this study aims to compile all records from Pennsylvania collected such as unpublished sources, reports, publications, and museum specimens. Data collected will then be utilized to determine the distribution of C. monongalensis and L. thomai, ultimately supplying the information needed to conserve and manage these ecologically important species.
Speakers
JR

Jaden Rusnak

Graduate Student, West Liberty University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-37: A Survey of Crayfishes of the Upper Cumberland & Kentucky River Watersheds in Southeastern Kentucky
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kaleb Norris, West Liberty University, Eric Ng, West Liberty University, Kathryn Shultz, West Liberty University, Mike Compton, Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission, Zachary Loughman, West Liberty University

ABSTRACT: The geomorphological and environmental factors within the Appalachian Mountain province of southeastern Kentucky have characterized an ecoregion capable of supporting over 20 species of crayfish. Three larger scale surveys focused on crayfish fauna within Kentucky have been completed since Arnold Ortmann’s survey in 1931. However, a study focused solely on the southeastern province of Kentucky has not yet occurred. West Liberty University’s Astacology Lab will be conducting field surveys within the Upper Cumberland & Kentucky River watersheds, throughout the 2024 – 2025 field season, to compile a comprehensive species list and updated range map of crayfish faunal diversity. Contemporary range maps of crayfish fauna will provide insight into the conservation needs of specimens within the province. Large regional scale crayfish surveys have historically led to new or undocumented discoveries as well as taxonomic revisions of local crayfish fauna. Preliminary data collected from the West Liberty University Astacology Lab during the 2022 – 2024 field season has extended the known ranges of at least 3 species and revealed numerous taxonomic complexities of the crayfish fauna within southeastern Kentucky.
Speakers
KN

Kaleb Norris

Graduate Student, West Liberty
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-38: Effects of Environmental Variables on Crayfish Occupancy in Shallow Eutrophic Lakes and Wetlands
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Dalton Clayton, Iowa State University

Dr. Michael Moore, U.S. Geological Survey, Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Dr. Michael Weber, Iowa State University

ABSTRACT: Crayfish play an important ecological role in freshwater systems, as they are pivotal in freshwater food webs, acting as important consumers and prey resources and as ecosystem engineers. Despite their importance, crayfish populations are declining globally, due to anthropogenic land use changes and competition from introduced species. This decline has raised concerns about crayfish populations in Iowa, especially in the heavy altered prairie pothole region. Thus, our objectives are to determine the environmental variables associated with occupancy of crayfish across the prairie pothole region of Iowa, as well as assess the variables affecting crayfish detection probability to aid in future sampling and monitoring efforts. We sampled 25 wetlands and 19 natural lakes using baited minnow traps, and collected trap-level habitat data that we hypothesized would explain the variation in detection probability among traps including dissolved oxygen, pH, water temperature, dominant substrate, and presence of cobble and macrophytes. Additionally, we recorded lake-scale data such as waterbody type, mean depth, percentage of macrophyte, and fish stocking effort that we hypothesized would explain variation in occupancy probability among waterbodies. Of our 1195 traps, 110 traps captured Calico Crayfish (Faxonius immunis) across 19 sites and 25 traps captured Virile Crayfish (Faxonius virilis) across 9 sites. There were distinct habitat differences between the two species, with all F. immunis being found in wetlands and all but three F. virilis being found in natural lakes. Our data suggest that occupancy of these crayfish is low, but is strongly associated with water body type and that detection probability is also low. However, detection probability increases when traps are located near cobble habitats for F. virilis and macrophytes for F. immunis. This emphasizes the importance of managing these species separately, but also providing diversity of habitat types across the prairie pothole region for crayfish diversity to thrive.
Speakers
DC

Dalton Clayton

Graduate Student, Iowa State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-39: Freshwater Mussel Diversity and Restoration in Cub Creek, Nebraska
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Alexis Oetterer, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Homestead National Historical Park; Jesse Bolli, Homestead National Historical Park

ABSTRACT: Freshwater mussels are one of the most endangered taxonomic groups in North America, with native mussels having undergone severe losses in the Midwest due to land conversion, loss of host fish, threats from invasive mussels, and hydrological alterations. Nebraska was historically home to 30 species of freshwater mussels, but only about a third of those are currently considered stable in the state. Cub Creek is a tributary of the Big Blue River and runs through Homestead National Historical Park in southeastern Nebraska. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has been pursuing the hatchery propagation of two native mussel species for reintroduction. Cub Creek was identified as a location to reintroduce the extirpated species. National Park Service staff and volunteers conducted surveys to characterize freshwater mussel populations in Cub Creek from 2020-2024. This resulted in the collection of 2,330 individuals representing 10 species. Mapleleaf, Pimpleback, and (after the 2020 reintroduction) Plain Pocketbook (Lampsilis cardium) and Fatmucket (Lampsilis siliquoidea) mussels had the highest abundances. Additionally, Plain Pocketbook and Fatmucket mussels were restocked from 2020-2023. A subset of mussels each year was PIT-tagged to evaluate growth and survival of mussels to reintroduced habitats. Fatmucket mussels have higher survival rates than Plain Pocketbook mussels. Surveys are ongoing to generate more baseline data on the status of freshwater mussel populations in Cub Creek. The results can be used to inform future research and conservation efforts.
Speakers
avatar for Alexis Oetterer

Alexis Oetterer

PhD Candidate, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-40: Integrating eDNA Techniques in Freshwater Biomonitoring of Fish and Macroinvertebrates
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Madison Suttman, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Jinelle Sperry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory

ABSTRACT: Despite covering just a fraction of Earth’s surface, freshwater ecosystems are critical biodiversity hotspots but are among the most vulnerable of environments for anthropogenic and climate-induced change. Traditional methods of aquatic biomonitoring are labor-intensive and require extensive taxonomic expertise, which can limit the scope and effectiveness of conservation management. Aquatic environmental DNA (eDNA) demonstrates a non-invasive approach that enables the detection of taxa based on genetic material shed into the environment. This study aims to compare eDNA biomonitoring and metabarcoding with traditional methods for detecting and identifying freshwater species to generate regional and eDNA-based water quality assessments. It also seeks to evaluate the spatiotemporal effects of habitat quality, seasonality, and climate variability on species assemblages. Through routine fish and benthic macroinvertebrate surveys, physical habitat assessments, and aquatic eDNA sampling of 22 headwater streams on Fort Johnson, Louisiana, this research will contribute to comprehensive natural resource management on military lands.
Speakers
MS

Madison Suttman

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-41: Quantifying Avian Predation Rates of the Colorado Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius)
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Randall H. Wilson, Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Division of Biology, Kansas State University

Daniel S. Sullins, United States Geological Survey, Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Kansas State University

Keith Gido, Division of Biology, Kansas State University


ABSTRACT: The Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), a federally endangered fish species, historically inhabited much of the Colorado River Basin. Despite extensive restocking efforts in the San Juan River, New Mexico, self-sustaining populations of Colorado pikeminnow have not been established. One potential factor contributing to this failure is predation by avian piscivores, particularly the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) and the Common Merganser (Mergus merganser). Our study aims to quantify predation loss of Colorado pikeminnow to these avian predators, assess avian predator abundance along the San Juan River from Fruitland, NM, to the Four Corners Bridge, and evaluate their habitat use along the river. We will employ a Before-After Control-Impact study design, I will deploy approximately 100 trail cameras prior to the release of Colorado pikeminnow, monitoring for a duration of about two years following stocking. Additionally, point count surveys and behavioral observations will be conducted, alongside vegetation surveys to gain insights into the habitat use of these avian predators. Data collection is set to commence in October 2024. Preliminary analyses of eBird data indicated that Common Merganser abundance peaks from December to February, while Great Blue Herons were most abundant during the fall migration, which coincides with the timing of Colorado pikeminnow stocking. By assessing rates of predation on Colorado pikeminnow, estimating the abundance of avian predators, and exploring their ecological requirements, this research aims to provide critical insights for fishery managers. Our results may also inform other fish stockings by enhancing the understanding of the impacts of avian predation on stocked fish populations. Ultimately, this study seeks to inform conservation strategies to improve the survival and establishment of Colorado pikeminnow in the San Juan River ecosystem.
Speakers
RW

Randall Wilson

Master's Student, Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Division of Biology, Kansas State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-42: Assessment of Fish Guilds in the Lower Wabash River Using Standardized Long-Term Monitoring
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Olivia Wertman, Eastern Illinois University; Daniel R. Roth, Eastern Illinois University; Eden L. Effert-Fanta, Eastern Illinois University; Robert E. Colombo, Eastern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: Fish communities face many threats such as climate change, natural disasters, invasive species, and anthropogenic impacts such as fertilizers or other pollutants. These threats may affect the communities by removing breeding ground, impacting food sources, introducing new competition, or causing harmful algal blooms. Programs to monitor the communities for these changes are necessary. One program is the Long-Term Survey and Assessment of Large River Fishes, LTEF, which assesses fish populations in the large rivers of Illinois. This program was initiated on the Illinois River in the 1950’s and expanded to include the Wabash River in 2010. Annual direct current electrofishing surveys are utilized to collect fish from 102 random sites across five reaches in the lower 200 miles of the Wabash River over three time periods from June to October. The fish are identified by species and measured to their total length and weight. This study aims to assess how fish communities of the Lower Wabash have changed from 2010-2023. To describe functional changes to the fish community, the USGS Fish Traits Database was used to define guilds (trophic, reproductive, habitat) into which the collected fishes were separated. An earlier study found benthic invertivore, general invertivore, omnivore, and piscivore guilds showed increasing trends, but not all were significant. Previous trends showed significant changes in native planktivore (Gizzard Shad, Dorosoma cepedianum) and invasive planktivore (Silver Carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) biomass. Community assemblages remained relatively similar over time, with changes in Cyprinid species abundances contributing the largest amount of assemblage variation during most years. This data is important for understanding the state of fish communities in the Lower Wabash River, assisting with conservation and management efforts, and shows the need for continued monitoring of our rivers.
Speakers
OW

Olivia Wertman

Graduate Student, Eastern Illinois University Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-43: Understanding our past and forecasting our future: discovering associations among hydrogeomorphology, water chemistry, and the distribution and abundance of biota in the Upper Mississippi River System
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Julia R. Hampton, Department of Biology, University of North Dakota; Jason A. DeBoer Illinois River Biological Station, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; John C. Chick, Great Rivers Field Station, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Nathan R. De Jager, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, United States Geological Survey; Mark A. Kaemingk, Department of Biology, University of North Dakota


ABSTRACT: The physical template of the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS) is continually shaped by climate, land use, and other regional- to global-scale processes. The Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program (UMRR) uses a variety of restoration techniques to improve the resiliency of the river to anthropogenic change. To achieve their management goals, the UMRR collects long-term data on water quality, aquatic vegetation, mussel, and fish communities that are spatially linked to aquatic areas (i.e., habitat types) throughout the UMRS. However, we currently lack a basic understanding of associations among hydrogeomorphic conditions, biogeochemistry, and riverine biota in these aquatic areas, and how future hydrogeomorphic changes may affect the UMRS. Our project proposes to 1) use UMRR long-term data sets (1993-present) to develop a comprehensive understanding of how water quality, aquatic vegetation, mussel, and fish communities are structured spatially and temporally across the UMRS and to quantify associations with important aquatic areas, and 2) leverage goal-one results with future river discharge predictions under climate change to assess future distributions and abundances of aquatic areas and associated abiotic and biotic components. We expect to find differences among abiotic and biotic components across aquatic areas within each UMRS pool, and throughout time, given the differences in habitat characteristics across the river system (e.g., temperature and flow regimes). This project is in its early phases; however, this poster will showcase data availability, expected project outcomes, and the usefulness of long-term resource monitoring. Compiling and collectively evaluating potential shifts in UMRS abiotic and biotic components among aquatic areas throughout space and time will help researchers and managers understand which aquatic area habitats have been altered the most through time. We will also use these results to identify which aquatic areas can be restored to achieve desirable management outcomes under different climate change scenarios.
Speakers
avatar for Julia Hampton

Julia Hampton

PhD Student, University of North Dakota
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-44: Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Aquatic Life Monitoring in the Illinois River and Kaskaskia River Basins
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Billy Nixon, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Sarah Molinaro, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Yong Cao, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

ABSTRACT: The Illinois Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a partnership between the US Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA), Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), and the county Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) that aims to reduce sediment and nutrient runoff, improve water quality, and create and enhance critical habitat for fish and wildlife populations on private lands in the Illinois River and Kaskaskia River basins. In exchange for voluntarily removing frequently flooded and environmentally sensitive cropland from production, landowners receive compensation to implement conservation practices that support the goals of CREP. Since CREP was established in the Illinois River (1998) and Kaskaskia River (2010) basins, 1,324 parcels totaling 90,000 acres have been enrolled into conservation practices. Beginning in 2013, the CREP Aquatic Life Monitoring Project has conducted wadable stream surveys to monitor progress towards CREP’s aquatic life goal of increasing native fish species and sensitive aquatic insects and evaluate how CREP affects stream habitat, fish communities, and benthic macroinvertebrate communities. This poster gives a brief history of the project and summarizes the current study design and future directions of the monitoring project.
Speakers
BN

Billy Nixon

Scientific Specialist, Stream Ecology, Illinois Natural History Survey
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-45: A Comparison of Gear Efficacy for Sampling Fishes Occupying Near-Shore, Off-Channel Riverine Habitats
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Devon C. Oliver, MNDNR; Charmayne Anderson, MNDNR; Daniel Spence, MNDNR

ABSTRACT: Riverine fish monitoring protocols often focus on sampling main-channel habitats with a limited number of gears (e.g., electrofishing and hoop nets or gill nets and benthic trawls) or, in some cases, a single gear, often electrofishing; there are notable exceptions, like the Long-term Resource Monitoring Program in the Upper Mississippi River. However, some fish species utilize near-shore, off-channel habitats of rivers (e.g., backwaters, partially submerged islands, and side channels) for most of their lives, if not the entirety. Alternatively, for those species that use near-shore, off-channel habitats for a limited part of their life history, sampling these habitats may offer the opportunity to find "the needle in the haystack" before the "haystack" becomes the much larger and deeper main channel of the river, especially in the case of small-bodied species. Nevertheless, gear evaluations and survey designs for sampling these habitats and riverine fish assemblages, in general, have lagged behind those for lentic systems and smaller lotic systems (i.e., streams). This study aimed to compare the efficacy of mini-fyke nets, cylinder minnow traps, shoreline seining, and near-shore backpack electrofishing for sampling fishes in near-shore, off-channel riverine habitats. Sampling was conducted over three weeks in pools 3, 5, and 6 of the Upper Mississippi River; three sites were randomly selected from each pool. Additionally, sampling with each of the four gears was replicated thrice for 108 samples across all sites. Shore seining and cylinder minnow traps were the most likely to produce zero catches. Backpack electrofishing and mini-fyke nets had the most consistent catch rate and highest species richness.
Speakers
DO

Devon Oliver

Fisheries Scientist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-46: Planning for Resiliency: Identifying Aquatic Conservation Priorities
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Josh Bruegge, University of Missouri; Jodi Whittier, University of Missouri; Chris Rice, Missouri Department of Conservation; Mike Leahy, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Conservation networks consisting of lands that are protected from anthropogenic disturbances are the backbone of biodiversity conservation. Traditionally, conservation networks have prioritized the protection of terrestrial ecosystems, and many aquatic ecosystems are only protected incidentally. Missouri is home to an exceptionally diverse suite of aquatic communities across multiple distinct physiographic subregions, ranking 7th in native freshwater fish diversity and 11th in native crayfish diversity. However, many of these unique aquatic communities are underrepresented or absent from Missouri’s current conservation network. We are conducting an aquatic gap analysis to inventory the current protections for aquatic communities across the conservation network and identify priorities for potential inclusion in Missouri’s conservation network. We applied the Freshwater Conservation Network Prioritization Framework using the software Zonation to identify priority stream catchments at the Ecological Drainage Unit scale. This framework incorporates species-specific distribution models and vulnerability weighting along with upstream watershed connectivity metrics and a masking layer of the current conservation network into a prioritization algorithm to rank stream catchments. This process optimizes the selection of catchments to maximize biodiversity conservation in areas of high ecological integrity that are complementary to protected areas within the existing conservation network.
Speakers
avatar for Josh Bruegge

Josh Bruegge

Research Specialist, University of Missouri
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-47: Fishing for recovery: Assessing stream fish and macroinvertebrate community response post-fertilizer spill into an Illinois creek.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Shaley M. Klumker, Ryan A. Skowronski, Eden L Effert-Fanta

ABSTRACT: Many small streams traverse the agriculturally dominated Midwest, playing an important role in irrigation and drainage. However, these agricultural practices are major drivers of stream degradation. This study investigates the ecological impact and recovery of a Midwestern stream in North Central Illinois following a 20,000-gallon (75,708 L) spill of 28 Urea Ammonium Nitrate (UAN) fertilizer in late March 2024, which caused a large-scale fish kill extending about 32 km from the spill site. Fish recovery was monitored using monthly electrofishing surveys in both the impacted stream and a nearby, unimpacted stream within the same basin as a control. Habitat quality assessments and benthic macroinvertebrate surveys were also conducted to further evaluate stream ecosystem recovery over time. Changes in fish species abundance and diversity as well as the macroinvertebrate EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera) Index served as quantitative measures of stream recovery. Preliminary results demonstrate an increase in catch per unit effort (CPUE) and species richness of fishes collected over the sampling period (approximately 2-6 months post-spill). Additionally, environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling was explored as a minimally invasive method of fish biodiversity assessment that may provide a better indication of the presence of sensitive or elusive taxa that traditional electrofishing methods may miss. Understanding patterns of stream recovery over time and utilizing novel methods such as eDNA is necessary to enhance our ability to respond to pollution events in vulnerable, agriculturally influenced systems.
Speakers
SK

Shaley Klumker

Graduate Research Assistant, Eastern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-48: Life History of Skipjack Herring in the Mississippi River
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Theodore Goetz, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Skipjack Herring (A. chrysochloris) is a Missouri native species of migratory fish found in the Mississippi river and surrounding large river waterways. Due to a lack of information on its status, it is listed as State Unidentifiable on the Missouri Species of Conservation Concern list. This study will investigate the life history of the Skipjack Herring by collecting fish across a broad reach of the Mississippi River, from within varying levels of impoundment, from April through September 2024 and 2025. Skipjack will be collected as bycatch through collaboration with a number of preexisting programs and efforts such as LTRM and LTEF, as well as opportunistic targeted efforts of electrofishing. Workup of A. chrysochloris will take place at the Big Rivers and Wetlands field station, and will include length and weight measurements, extraction and processing of otoliths, removal of a caudal fin clip, removal and processing of a leading pectoral fin spine, weight and identification of gonads, and refreezing the remains for sequential analysis. A choice structure analysis will be completed between otoliths and pectoral fin spines. Samples taken will be used for the calculation of age, growth, sex, gonadosomatic index, CPUE, mortality, and PSD. These metrics will be evaluated to better understand reproductive strategies and timing, age range, rate of growth, condition across increased impediment, and the impact of the interruption of ecological processes caused by barriers and habitat loss along fish migratory routes within the Mississippi river system. A. chrysochloris is also one of the two sole hosts for the parasitic larvae of native mussels Ebonyshell (Federally Endangered) and Elephantear (Missouri State Endangered). Skipjack herring are extremely difficult to keep for artificial propagation, which makes knowledge of their life history all the more significant to the management of these two mussels.
Speakers
TG

Theodore Goetz

Invasive Carp Crew Leader, Missouri Department of Conservation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-49: Thermal Ecology of Salmonids in Northern Japan: Predicting Co-existence Among Competitors in a Warming World
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Lucas Fischer, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Michio Fukushima, National Institute for Environmental Studies; Shin-Ichiro Matsuzaki, National Institute for Environmental Studies; Matthew Sloat, Wild Salmon Center; Olaf Jensen, University of Wisconsin - Madison

ABSTRACT: Sakhalin taimen are an endangered species of anadromous fish in northern Japan and eastern Russia. They can take over six years to reach sexual maturity and require cold oxygenated water to survive and reproduce. This requirement makes taimen vulnerable to warming temperatures in their native ecosystem. To understand this vulnerability better, we conducted respirometry trials on this and other salmonids in the Sarufutsu river basin to establish a basal metabolic rate for these fishes across a range of temperatures. With these measurements, we then compared it to other salmonids that live in the river system, namely white-spotted char and masu salmon. Understanding the aerobic scope of the different species allows us to understand the different temperatures that these fish are most competitive, as well as which species are going to be affected first by increasing water temperatures due to climate change. As water temperatures across the world increase, it is crucial to understand the range of temperatures this fish can tolerate and thrive in. Sakhalin taimen are a culturally significant fish in Hokkaido, and this research helps to provide scientific evidence of ways to conserve these fish for the future.
Speakers
LF

Lucas Fischer

Graduate Student, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-50: Spatial Extent of Fish Community Change in an Indiana Stream Following Reconnection to the Mississippi River Basin
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Alexander Searfoss, Central Michigan University; Kevin Pangle, Central Michigan University; Jerry Sweeten, EcoSystems Connections Institute; Scott Mcnaught, Central Michigan University

ABSTRACT: In November 2021, the low-head dam in Logansport, Indiana, was removed, reconnecting the Eel River to the Wabash River and the Gulf of Mexico for the first time in over 200 years. The goal of this study was to evaluate changes in fish community structure and function and document the upstream recolonization of the Eel River following dam removal. Sampling was conducted annually from 2022 to 2024 at 10 sites along the river, spanning from river mile 1.1 to 74.9, using a combination of electrofishing, seine nets, and environmental DNA (eDNA) methods. The eDNA analysis targeted three native species—Common Logperch (Percina caprodes), Bluebreast Darter (Etheostoma camurum), and Tippecanoe Darter (Etheostoma tippecanoe)—and three invasive species—Bighead Carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), and Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Post-removal fish community data were compared to pre-removal records from the Eel River and the Mississinewa River, a nearby watershed that remains disconnected from the Wabash River. Since the dam removal, 14 new species have been documented in the Eel River, including 12 native and 2 invasive species, resulting in a 14% increase in species richness. In contrast, the Mississinewa River experienced a 14.6% decline in species richness over the same period. Newly detected species were observed as far upstream as river mile 36, with the most significant changes occurring between river miles 1 and 10. Although species diversity has increased, further monitoring is required to understand the long-term impacts on fish community dynamics. The removal of low-head dams offers a valuable restoration tool for improving riverine fish community structure and ecosystem function.
Speakers
AS

Alexander Searfoss

Graduate Student, Central Michigan University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-51: Assessing Differences in Reproductive Potential in Two Shovelnose Sturgeon Populations
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Lydia Flinders, Iowa State University, U.S. Geological Survey, Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; Juliana Kaloczi, Iowa State University, U.S. Geological Survey, Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; Ryan Hupfeld, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Mark Flammang, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Rebecca Krogman, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Michael Moore, Iowa State University, U.S. Geological Survey, Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

ABSTRACT: Sturgeon are a group of long-lived, migratory, and late-maturing fishes that often do not reproduce annually. Globally, these traits make sturgeon species vulnerable to overharvest for caviar, habitat degradation, and fragmentation from dam construction, which can disrupt their reproductive migrations. Larger female sturgeon generally have higher fecundity making them reproductively valuable. To protect the reproductive potential of adults and recover or maintain populations, managers have enacted harvest restrictions for North American species. However, managers lack information on how Shovelnose Sturgeon reproductive capacity varies in different environments. Annual or lifetime reproductive output differs based on body-size fecundity relationships or due to varying size distributions in each population. Stage four, or FIV, is the black egg stage when females are considered reproductively ripe. Fish kills and hydrologic alteration have been occurring in the Des Moines River, which may affect fish condition and truncate size distributions. Therefore, we analyzed stage four--the black egg stage--ovaries from 95 Shovelnose Sturgeon in the Cedar River and 8 Shovelnose Sturgeon from the Des Moines River. We assessed differences in reproductive potential between the populations, by comparing length-based fecundity relationships and length distribution of the adult populations in the two rivers, using regression analyses in program R. Additional sample collection will be completed in the Des Moines and Cedar rivers in the following field season. These results may inform the development of appropriate minimum length limits for recreational or commercial harvest to increase the number of larger females in the population capable of producing more offspring, and to maintain sustainable populations.
Speakers
avatar for Lydia Flinders

Lydia Flinders

Undergraduate Research Assistant, Iowa State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-52: From the cradle: genetic diversity of the central Missouri endemic Niangua darter (Etheostoma nianguae)
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Leah K. Berkman, Missouri Department of Conservation;
Christopher J. Rice, Missouri Department of Conservation;
Brandon L. Brooke, Missouri Department of Conservation;
Jacob T. Westhoff, U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

ABSTRACT: The ecological conditions that create biodiversity hotspots (i.e., cradles) are thought to operate similarly at intra- and interspecific levels. The Central Highlands of the eastern US is thought to be such a region for aquatic taxa where many species exist and, within the species, populations are highly distinct. Darters (Percidae: Etheostomatinae) in particular have undergone multiple rounds of allopatric speciation largely owing to headwater specialization and isolation by large rivers. The Niangua Darter (Etheostoma nianguae) is a central Missouri endemic, isolated from its most closely related species group, the Arrow Darters (E. spilotum and E. sagitta), by the Mississippi River. To inform federal recovery plans we investigated patterns of genetic diversity across the extant range of the Niangua Darter which consists of five distinct tributary systems of the Osage River. Samples from each tributary system were analyzed (n = 75) along with representatives from 3 outgroup species (n = 8) using reduced representation whole genome sequencing (RADSeq). Variant filtering resulted in 66 samples genotyped at 1,354 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The five tributary systems were highly distinct from one another (FST= 0.116-0.375) conforming to the aquatic biodiversity patterns often observed in the unglaciated portion of Missouri. The Niangua Darter represents one of the smallest scales over which the pattern of biodiversity in darters has been replicated in the Central Highlands. The patterns in genetic diversity among populations that we describe can inform managers when considering actions that may affect persistence across the species range or involve translocation or stocking of individuals.
Speakers
LB

Leah Berkman

Biometrician/Geneticist, Missouri Dept of Conservation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-53: Distributional Survey of the Fishes of the Lower St. Francis River Watershed
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: David Ostendorf, Missouri Department of Conservation; Dave Knuth, Missouri Department of Conservation; Dave Herzog, Missouri Department of Conservation; Christopher Rice, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: The lower St. Francis River drainage is a unique, biologically diverse ecosystem. Sampling of the fish species in the lower St. Francis River has occurred in limited spatial and temporal scales. However, no single extensive survey has been completed. We completed an extensive and intensive effort under the agency Inventory Program. Standardized electrofishing and benthic trawling was completed using a modified mid-sized river planning tool (Dunn and Paukert, 2020). We completed 50 electrofishing sites and 53 benthic trawl sites capturing 13512 fish. Electrofishing captured 65 fish species and benthic trawling captured 36 fish species. Three fish species are state endangered (Cypress Minnow, Harlequin Darter, and Pallid shiner) and eight are on the SOCC list (American eel, Pugnose minnow, River darter, Starhead topminnow, Scaly sand darter, Mississippi silvery minnow, Weed shiner, and Western sand darter). Silver and speckled chubs were collected in the Missouri portion of the St Francis River for the first time. Also of significance, was the collection of federally endangered Fat Pocketbook mussel shell. This was the first time that Fat Pocketbook has been documented in the mainstem of the St. Francis River in Missouri. The quality and type of habitat present in each river section was also reflected in the species of fish that we captured. The unaltered/remnant of section C was preferable to more species of fish. We were able to capture 11 more species of fish in this section that the other 2 sections. Data suggests that the unaltered habitat of section C was able to provide better habitat for a larger number of species. We must continue to prioritize inventory efforts and distributional data of flora and fauna in appropriate temporal and spatial scales for providing managers the guidance in identifying future protection, mitigation, and restoration efforts of the St. Francis River.
Speakers
DO

David Ostendorf

Large River Biologist, Missouri Dept. of Conservation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-54: Assessing Fish Passage Barriers in Wyoming and Montana
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Stephanie Webster, South Dakota State University; Jacob Zona, South Dakota State University; Tait Ronningen, US Fish& Wildlife Service; Chris Cheek, South Dakota State University

ABSTRACT: Barriers to aquatic connectivity can be present in many forms, (e.g. dams, culverts, and velocity). Most research on barriers to fish passage has focused on large barriers, however small barriers (e.g. culverts, road-stream crossings) are more common across the landscape and can lead to a cumulative impact on the connectivity of aquatic systems. Previous studies have focused on economically valuable and anadromous fishes and more research focusing on the impacts on resident small-bodied fishes is needed. The objectives of this study are 1) Assess connectivity in Bureau of Land Management priority watersheds in Montana & Wyoming by inventorying road-stream crossings and 2) Contribute inventory data to SARP to prioritize passage projects with the most potential for conserving species of conservation concern. We will inventory potential barriers by identifying small structures in selected HUC10 watersheds that contain species of conservation concern, annual rates >3 CFS, and >40% BLM land using aerial imagery. We will assess barrier severity using the protocol developed under the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership. Survey efforts will allow prioritization of barrier remediation projects that provide the greatest connectivity gain for species of conservation concern. We will evaluate the impact of network connectivity on fish communities by using databases from state, private, and federal organizations. We will analyze this data using the spatial stream network modeling function in R to account for spatial autocorrelation that is inherent in most terrestrial-based models. We expect to find that many of the identified barriers will be minor to moderate in severity and that decreased network connectivity will result in homogenized fish communities. The significance of this research is to provide an understanding that network connectivity has important management implications and provide managers with information about which barriers would be most efficient for remediation efforts.
Speakers
SW

Stephanie Webster

Graduate Research Assistent, South Dakota State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-55: Investigating the sublethal responses of Smallmouth Bass to environmentally relevant concentrations of PFOS
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Erin L. Pulster, Rebecca Dorman, Jason Magnuson, Brittany Perrotta, Heather Walsh, Cheyenne R. Smith, Vicki Blazer, David Soucek, and Jeffery Steevens



ABSTRACT: Smallmouth Bass (SMB, Micropterus dolomieu) are economically important, freshwater game fish found throughout North America. This species is a focus of research due to recent disease and mortality events observed in some areas of the northeastern United States. PFOS levels measured in the plasma of Smallmouth Bass collected in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed ranged from 20-574 ng/mL. In comparison, PFOS levels measured in muscle tissues from Smallmouth Bass collected nationwide ranged from 0.35 – 110 ng/g. Studies conducted for more than a decade have documented episodic mortality events, high prevalence of skin lesions, endocrine and reproductive disruption in populations of Smallmouth Bass collected in various watersheds. Many of these studies indicated this species is likely subjected to multiple stressors and environmental contaminant exposures, yet no single chemical has been clearly associated with observed impacts. The objectives of this study were to conduct sublethal health assessments in early life stage SMB following exposures to environmentally relevant concentrations of PFOS. Smallmouth Bass embryos (24-hpf) were collected from existing brood stock and cultures at the Columbia Environmental Research Center. Exposures (control, low, high treatments) were conducted for a minimum duration of 30-dph in large flow through water systems with pulsed intermittent diluters. The selection of PFOS concentrations is based on surface water concentrations from recent national surveys and highly impacted sites where SMB are found. In this study, the low exposure concentration is the 95th percentile of PFOS concentrations (24 ng/L) reported in nationwide surface water. The high exposure concentration (96 ng/L) represents PFOS concentrations found in surface water from Ashumet Pond, a highly PFAS-impacted site located in Massachusetts. Traditional toxicology and omics-based endpoints (survival, growth, transcriptomics, microbiome, gene transcript abundance, histopathological changes, behavioral assays) were used to unravel the subtle impacts of chronic PFOS exposures in early life stage Smallmouth Bass.
Speakers
EP

Erin Pulster

Research Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-56: Evidence of skin pigment mutations in Blue Catfish and their importance to a Midwestern fishery
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Brett T. Miller, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; Benjamin R. Grubbs, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; Ben C. Neely, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

ABSTRACT: Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus are one of the most sought-after fish species by anglers in Kansas. Perhaps the most popular Blue Catfish fishery in the state is at Milford Reservoir. One novelty of this population is the seemingly increased prevalence of individuals that display unique coloration patterns (i.e., leucism or piebaldism). To quantify prevalence of leucistic/piebald fish and angler perception, we paired a fish population sample with angler interviews. Overall, 2,611 Blue Catfish were collected throughout the duration of this study with 359 fish being leucistic/piebald (13.7%). Anglers displayed positive sentiments towards leucistic/piebald Blue Catfish along with equal to less harvest probabilities compared to fish with normal coloration. These findings quantify prevalence of leucistic/piebald Blue Catfish in this population and provide social information that may be influential for future management.
Speakers
avatar for Brett Miller

Brett Miller

District Fisheries Biologist, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-57: Assessment of Habitat Suitability in Maumee and Sandusky Rivers for Sauger (Sander canadensis) Reintroduction
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Elizabeth Anderson, University of Toledo; Jonathan Bossenbroek, University of Toledo; Christine Mayer, University of Toledo; Jeremy Pritt, Ohio Division of Wildlife; Todd Crail, University of Toledo; Brian Schmidt, Ohio Division of Wildlife

ABSTRACT: The western basin of Lake Erie once supported a significant sauger (Sander canadensis) fishery. However, this native sport fish has been extirpated from the lake since the mid 1960s due to habitat fragmentation, poor water quality, and fishery exploitation. Improvements in Lake Erie water quality and fishery management in recent decades have been well documented, and the Ohio Division of Wildlife is now considering reintroducing sauger into the western basin. While current lake conditions may be able to support a population, the extent of habitat fragmentation and availability of suitable spawning habitat for sauger remain unknown and are important to determine before reintroduction is attempted. Therefore, the goal of this study is to assess the quality, quantity, and connectivity of sauger spawning habitat in the Maumee and Sandusky rivers, two of the historic spawning tributaries of the western Lake Erie population. The quality and quantity of spawning habitat will be assessed using habitat suitability indices (HSIs) for selected study reaches of each river. Suitable spawning habitat will be identified using sauger preferences for river substrate, velocity, and depth. The connectivity between areas of suitable spawning habitat will be assessed using the flow modeling software, HEC-RAS, to model river velocity and depth based on flow conditions, and identify potential barrier locations. The results of this study will inform managers on the capacity of the system to support sauger spawning and help them decide whether species reintroduction should be attempted in the western basin of Lake Erie.
Speakers
EA

Elizabeth Anderson

Graduate Student, University of Toledo
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-58: Stock-Contribution Comparisons for Walleye Over Time in Lake McConaughy, Nebraska
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Robert Allison, University of Nebraska at Kearney

ABSTRACT: Lake McConaughy is the largest reservoir in Nebraska, and Walleye are a focus of management. The Walleye population has been supplemented and maintained by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) through annual stockings since 1989. Historically, NGPC stocked age-0 Walleye fingerling at a rate of 124 fish/ha (1989-2021) but shifted to stocking a combination of fry (2,471 fish/ha) and fingerlings (75 fish/ha) from 2022-2024 to determine which product may lead to better recruitment. The objective of this study is to compare the stock contributions of fry, fingerling, and naturally produced age-0 Walleye from 2022-2024 to the contributions from 2015-2018 and compare the size of each product at the time of capture. Fish were marked via immersion in oxytetracycline (OTC) in the hatcheries and during transport prior to stocking. Age-0 Walleye were collected in early to mid-fall using nighttime boat electrofishing. All captured Walleye were enumerated, measured for total length, and sacrificed for otolith extraction. Preliminary results show that stock contributions of hatchery fish are similar, on average, between 2015-2018 and 2022-2024, though some variability from year to year exists. Additionally, the age-0 Walleye were larger at the time of capture when only fingerlings were stocked than when a combination of fry and fingerlings were stocked, due either to differing environmental conditions (e.g., reservoir elevations) or density-dependent factors. Information gathered from this study will help NGPC make informed decisions on what product and densities to stock in the future.
Speakers
RA

Robert Allison

Research Graduate Student, University of Nebraska at Kearney
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-59: Assessing Ogaa Mortality and Angling Practices in a Changing Climate
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Mac McPherson, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Cory D. Suski, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Aaron D. Shultz, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission; Adam Ray, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission

ABSTRACT: One of the fundamental tenets of Anishinaabe philosophy is the commitment to stewardship of natural resources, emphasizing the imperative to ensure their availability for the benefit of the next seven generations. Throughout the Ceded Territory, Ogaa (walleye, Sander vitreus) populations have been declining due to a variety of known and unknown factors. One of the primary factors is the warming of the atmosphere corresponding increases the water temperature linked to climate change. Another factor is indirect mortality as a result of catch and release fishing regulations and practices. In central Wisconsin, the management of ogaa populations is a collaborative effort between the tribes and the state of Wisconsin; however, the existing regulatory frameworks fail to adequately account for post-release mortality. The goal of this study is to elucidate the potential relationship between angling practices and subsequent post-release mortality rates across different water temperatures in ogaa populations. To achieve this, walleye was angled from various lakes in Wisconsin under differing thermal conditions and subsequently maintained in net pens to assess post-release mortality rates; concurrently, a control group of ogaa was obtained through electrofishing to serve as a baseline for comparative analysis. The findings from this study, focus on two different handling techniques, angling (high stress) and electrofishing (low stress) at different water temperatures from the spring through fall 2023 on Tenderfoot Lake along the border of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Preliminary analysis indicates that mortality rates for specific fish size increase significantly when water temperatures exceeded 21.1̊C. The results from this study have potential to inform future regulatory decisions, particularly in the context of climate change, thereby contributing to the long-term sustainability of ogaa population for the benefit of the next seven generations.
Speakers
MM

Mac McPherson

Research Assistant, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-60: Diet composition and overlap of walleye and largemouth bass in northern Wisconsin lakes: implications for walleye recruitment and size structure of prey fish
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Daniel Dembkowski, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Lauren Allex, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Spencer Baeckman, College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Daniel Gillman, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Kayla Reed, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Russell Zwiers, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Maxwel Wilkinson, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Daniel Isermann, U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

ABSTRACT: Over the past two decades, some northern Wisconsin lakes have experienced declines in walleye recruitment and abundance with concomitant increases in largemouth bass abundance, mirroring broader shifts in fish community structure and species dominance that are projected to occur in relation to changing climatic conditions. Differential trends in abundance of these two species could be mediated or exacerbated by trophic interactions. Previous research has indicated that few walleye have been observed in largemouth bass diets but demonstrated moderate-high diet overlap between the two species during some months, suggesting that potential competitive (rather than predatory) interactions may influence observed trends in recruitment, abundance, and community structure. However, whether the magnitude of diet overlap differs between lakes with and without sustained walleye recruitment is unknown. Furthermore, shifts in predatory species dominance from walleye to largemouth bass could have important implications for prey fish abundance and size structure because of differences in gape limitation and size-selective predation. To address these questions, our research objectives are to determine if: 1) diet compositions of walleye and largemouth bass vary in relation to fish size and season; 2) the magnitude of diet overlap between walleye and largemouth bass varies between lakes with declining and sustained natural walleye recruitment; and 3) sizes of predominant ingested prey fish vary between walleye and largemouth bass. Our approach includes an intensive assessment of diet composition for both species collected during May-October in 2012, 2013, and 2024 from northern Wisconsin lakes with and without sustained natural walleye recruitment. Results will provide insight into mechanisms underlying declines in walleye recruitment in some lakes and implications of shifts in predatory assemblages for size structure of prey fish.
Speakers
DD

Daniel Dembkowski

Fisheries Research Scientist, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-61: Building a case for holistic and conservative management of a genetically unique strain of Walleye in Southern Missouri
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Dave Knuth, Missouri Department of Conservation; Paul Cieslewicz, Missouri Department of Conservation; David Ostendorf, Missouri Department of Conservation; Leah Berkman, Missouri Department of Conservation; Blake Stephens, Missouri Department of Conservation; Brett Timmons, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

ABSTRACT: The Black, Current, Eleven Point, and St. Francis rivers in Southern Missouri and Northeastern Arkansas contain the Highland Strain of Walleye, which is more closely related to Eastern United States populations than other Missouri and Arkansas Walleye populations. Largescale efforts have been made to understand the genetics, movement, and population dynamics of the Walleye in this fishery. Acoustic telemetry and reward tag returns from ongoing and past exploitation evaluations indicate largescale movements within and among rivers. Data also suggests spawning site fidelity and seasonal movement patterns. This riverine population exhibits significant sex-specific growth, with females reaching much larger sizes than males. This presents challenges when managing the fishery under current minimum length limit regulations. The Walleye population in these four rivers is currently managed with three different length-based regulations. In some circumstances, there is concern under current regulations that more harvest is directed at females within the population. Management actions are being evaluated collaboratively across state lines to ensure the sustainability and quality of this unique fishery.
Speakers
DK

Dave Knuth

Missouri Department of Conservation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-62: Growth and Mortality of Devils Lake White Bass
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Todd Caspers, North Dakota Game and Fish Department

ABSTRACT: Devils Lake is one of North Dakota’s most important fisheries. White bass (Morone chrysops) were stocked in Devils Lake one time in 1971 to provide a sportfish that could tolerate the higher salinity levels at the time. White bass gained a foothold in the lake from that stocking and have reproduced naturally since that time. White bass are a secondary sportfish in the lake and most anglers do not target them. As such, little special attention has been devoted to studying the white bass population in Devils Lake. White bass recruitment in Devils Lake is sporadic and “bass booms” can occur when a strong year-class is produced. The 2015 year-class was likely the strongest to date and produced a “bass boom”. However, year-classes for several years before and after 2015 were weak. This situation presented the opportunity to use length frequency information to track the 2015 year-class through time to provide an estimate of growth and mortality. Growth was indexed using mode length and growth was rapid for the first several years, with mode length reaching 310 mm by age 3. The initial mortality estimate for ages 3 through 5 produced a total annual mortality rate of 12%, which is low and indicates that neither natural nor fishing mortality is excessive. Subsequent mortality estimation was complicated by a disease outbreak in 2021, but total annual mortality for ages 3 through 8 was estimated to be 35%.
Speakers
TC

Todd Caspers

District Fisheries Biologist, North Dakota Game and Fish Department
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-63: Where the lake whitefish are in the upper Great Lakes
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Gwendolyn Phillips, Lake Superior State University; Elliana Prow, Lake Superior State University; Jose Bonilla-Gomez, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Alpena; Ben Breaker, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Green Bay; Kennan Bruening, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Green Bay; Lucas Chorba, Lake Superior State University; Ethan DePauw, Lake Superior State University; Brett Diffin, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians; Silas Dunn, Lake Superior State University; Simon Freeman, Bay Mills Indian Community; Ryan Grow, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians; Ian Harding, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa; Chris Hessell, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians; Andrew Honsey, USGS Great Lakes Science Center; Joshua Hug, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Green Bay; Samuel Johnston, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation; Jory Jonas, Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Kevin Kapuscinski, Lake Superior State University; Kevin McDonnell, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Gary Michaud, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians; Erik Olsen, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians; Paul Ripple, Bay Mills Indian Community; Katherine Skubik, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians; Jason Smith, Bay Mills Indian Community; Mason Spiess, Lake Superior State University; Jacob Synnott, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Green Bay; Jack Tuomikoski, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians; Christina VanDoornik, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians; Sarah Woody, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Green Bay; Jonathan Doubek, Lake Superior State University


ABSTRACT: Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) adult abundances have declined in recent decades in many regions of the upper Great Lakes. Potential mechanisms underlying these declines include, but are not limited to, a decrease in suitable spawning habitat, interactions with invasive species, and poor recruitment. Agencies have been monitoring larval lake whitefish to estimate abundance across the lakes in the spring after ice-off, when larvae are commonly found in shallow waters. However, most data on larval lake whitefish are collected during the day in shallow waters, typically on beaches (≤1 m water depth) and/or nearshore (1-10 m water depth). In order to accurately estimate an age-0 abundance index we need to know where and when to sample for larval coregonines, as not much is known about their early life ecology. More information using standardized sampling along a large spatiotemporal scale is needed to test whether larval lake whitefish abundances differ between day and night and beach and nearshore habitats to better monitor trends in relative abundance. Through an upper Great Lakes wide collaboration, we are processing ~30 paired day-night and beach-nearshore samples across 14 sites from 2023 and 2024, resulting in about 100 total samples. We identified collected fish as coregonine or non-coregonine, and coregonine samples are being identified to species using genetics. Preliminary results indicate that relative abundance of larval coregonines is higher at night versus day and higher on the beach versus nearshore waters. Additional samples will be quantified this fall to add to the existing dataset. Results will improve our understanding of larval coregonine ecology and possibly inform management.
Speakers
GP

Gwendolyn Phillips

Research Technician, Lake Superior State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-64: How will growth of warm-water and cool-water fish change with warming climate?
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kaden Ball, South Dakota State University Department of Natural Resource Management; Maddy Siller, South Dakota State University Department of Natural Resource Management; David Coulter, South Dakota State University Department of Natural Resource Management; Mark Kaemingk, University of North Dakota Department of Biology; Taufique Mahmood, University of North Dakota, Harold Hamm School of Geology & Geological Engineering; Matthew Maldonado, University of North Dakota Department of Biology; Michaela Neal, University of North Dakota, Harold Hamm School of Geology & Geological Engineering; Ayon Saha, University of North Dakota, Harold Hamm School of Geology & Geological Engineering; Alison Coulter, South Dakota State University Department of Natural Resource Management

ABSTRACT: Water temperature is an important factor that can impact fish growth, survival, and reproduction. Fish have an optimum temperature they prefer to inhabit to maximize their growth efficiency. Due to increasing climate temperatures, the southern range for both cool and warm water fishes is expected to shift north. Once moving to higher latitudes, fishes may experience a slower growth rate and mature much later than lower latitude fishes, but this change will vary by individual species. The growth of fishes can be assessed using the bioenergetic equation, which can provide insight into how long-term climate trends will impact fish growth. Using bioenergetic equations, we will quantify the scope of growth of Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy), a cool water species, and compare it to Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides), a warm water species, in lakes at different latitudes using historical temperature data spanning 40 years. Assessing how the potential scope for growth of fish has changed through time and across latitudes can help make informed management decisions about stocking and angler participation based on the body of water, fish species being considered, and their thermal optima. Due to existing climate trends, it can be hypothesized that Muskellunge will see a decrease in their scope of growth, while Largemouth Bass will have an increased scope of growth with changes in latitude.
Speakers
KB

Kaden Ball

Undergraduate Student, South Dakota State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-65: Big and Small, We Sample Them All: An Assessment of Missouri’s Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) Fisheries to Guide Management and Sampling Efforts
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Robert Weber, Christina Kelsay, Tara Domzalski, Zach Ford; Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) is a well-known, long-lived ictalurid that is native throughout the Midwest. Despite its popularity among anglers and widespread distribution in Missouri, there is a paucity of information related to population demographics for impoundments containing Flathead Catfish. In addition, there are currently no established standard sampling protocols for this species, complicating assessment of existing populations and associated management goals. Our objectives were to determine population demographics of Flathead Catfish in several of Missouri’s large reservoirs (>2,400 acres) and small impoundments (
Speakers
RW

Robert Weber

Sport Fish Ecologist, Missouri Department of Conservation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-66: Examining Age-length Relationships across North Platte Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus)
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Sarah E. Hayden, South Dakota State University Department of Natural Resource Management; Justin M. Sturtz, South Dakota State University Department of Natural Resource Management, Christopher A. Cheek, South Dakota State University Department of Natural Resource Management

ABSTRACT: Understanding the age structure of fish populations within an ecosystem is crucial for fisheries managers, as it provides key insights into reproductive success, mortality rates, and overall population dynamics of the target species. Length-at-age relationships are a common metric used by fisheries managers to assess population health and growth patterns and identify whether growth is being stunted. In addition, age-length relationships are used by fisheries managers to determine the potential health of the fish populations and determine availability, reproductive success, and mortality. Currently, there is no data on the length-by-age of Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) on the North Platte River. The objective of this study is to establish age-length relationship for channel catfish in the North Platte River to inform management actions and parameterize bioenergetic models of catfish consumption. To accomplish this objective, channel catfish were sampled via boat electrofishing at two sites on the North Platte River in eastern Wyoming and pectoral spines were collected for age analysis. The spines were placed in 5.0mm microcentrifuge tubes filled with resin. After 24 hours of hardening, spines were removed from microcentrifuge tubes, and cut with a handsaw into 0.5mm-0.7mm thick slices. Slices were then looked at under a microscope, photographed, and aged two times to get an average age. A Von Bertalanffy growth model was applied to the length-at-age data to determine differences based on sampling location. The catfish that were aged ranged in age from 2 years to 8 years old and ranged in size from 12.9 inches to 28.3 inches in length. This data can be used by fisheries managers to determine the health of the catfish populations on the river and to aid in further research on this ecosystem.
Speakers
SH

Sarah Hayden

Undergraduate, South Dakota State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-67: Population Demographics of Three Major Catfish Species on the Wabash River
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Cade Naughton, Eastern Illinois University; Daniel Roth, Eastern Illinois University; Eden Effert-Fanta, Eastern Illinois University; Robert Colombo, Eastern Illinois University

ABSTRACT: The catfish fisheries of the Wabash River is of great historical, cultural, and economic importance to both commercial and recreational anglers. However, this population has declined significantly over the last few decades due to overfishing and other anthropogenic stressors. Catfish populations in the Wabash River require interjurisdictional management strategies as these species are commercially exploited by Illinois and Indiana anglers. This study served to assess the population demographics of three catfish species within the Wabash River, Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus), Blue Catfish(Ictalurus Furcatus), and Flathead Catfish(Pylodictis Olivaris). Results will inform agencies to make better management decisions to ensure population sustainability. We conducted targeted Catfish sampling in three sections of the Wabash River (border commercial reach, Indiana commercial reach, and non-commercial reach) and a portion of the White River using hoop nets electrofishing (high and low frequency). Different gear types were used to accurately represent species and age distribution in the system. The results showed higher relative abundance in the non-commercial reach and the White River at the sites furthest away from the confluence with the Wabash River compared to the commercially exploited reaches of the Wabash. We also found a low abundance of larger individuals in the commercially exploited reaches. The current harvest regulations only prohibit harvest of Channel Catfish under 13 inches and restrict harvest of those over 28 inches to one per day. Blue and Flathead Catfish also have a 13 inch minimum harvest regulation, but those as large as 35 inches have no harvest limit. Due to the lower relative abundance of catfish and low abundance of larger individuals in the commercial reaches of the Wabash River, we recommend putting a limit on the total number of catfish harvested per day, and a shorter trophy size limit. Implementing a more strict management strategy would help to strengthen the fisheries in both relative abundance and size structure, ensuring that sustainable populations of catfish are available to recreational and commercial fishermen for years to come.
Speakers
CN

Cade Naughton

Graduate Research Assistant, Eastern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-68: Maintaining Trophy Potential of Riverine Smallmouth Bass Populations in the Menominee River
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Samantha A. Embersits, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit; Daniel A. Isermann, U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit; Daniel J. Dembkowski, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit; Michael Donofrio, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Joshua Schulze, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit

ABSTRACT: The Menominee River supports high-quality fisheries for smallmouth bass that attract anglers from all over North America and the rising popularity of these fisheries has led to increased fishing effort. Hydropower facilities divide the Menominee River into a series of relatively riverine impoundments that, in addition to naturally occurring features (i.e., falls or rapids), prevent or limit the upstream movement of fish. Our goal was to use electrofishing-based population assessments to determine if smallmouth bass population characteristics vary among impoundments of the Menominee River and determine if current harvest regulations are sufficient to maintain the quality of these fisheries. Dorsal spines were collected from 10 fish per 25 mm TL interval to develop age-length keys used to estimate age structure, growth, proportional size distributions (PSD), and mortality within each river section. Dynamic pool models created in the Fishery Analysis and Modeling Simulator (FAMS) were used to examine how size structure may be affected by increased exploitation or changes to minimum length limits. Our results indicate that growth, natural mortality, and angler exploitation rates of smallmouth bass are similar among the three segments of the Menominee River included in our assessment. Furthermore, current exploitation rates of smallmouth bass in these segments of the Menominee River are likely universally low (
Speakers
SE

Samantha Embersits

Graduate Research Assistant, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-69: Evaluating Natural Recruitment of Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Black Crappie in Two Community Fishing Ponds in Southeastern South Dakota
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jason Uden, South Dakota State University; Peter Nester, South Dakota State University; Benjamin Schall, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks; Dave Lucchesi, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks

ABSTRACT: Recently, the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) has placed increased emphasis on the development and maintenance of community fisheries to help recruit, retain, and reactivate anglers. One management objective is maintaining high catch rates of popular sportfish, accomplished through frequent stockings of catchable-size fish. However, little is known about the natural recruitment of these species within these community fishing ponds. The objective of this study was to determine if Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides), Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), and Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) were successfully reproducing in two community fishing ponds.

Seines were used to collect Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Black Crappie at Lake Ole, Harrisburg, South Dakota, and Tea City Park Pond, Tea, South Dakota. Four 20-meter sampling areas were selected at each pond. A 25-foot seine was pulled along the predetermined length and brought to shore. The captured fish were sorted, measured, and brought to the lab. For each sampling event, otoliths were collected from three fish per 1-inch increment for Bluegill from 1-6 inches, Black Crappie from 1-6 inches, and Largemouth Bass from 1-8 inches. In the laboratory, otoliths were extracted, and a compound microscope was used for observation. Ages were assigned by two SDGFP fisheries management interns and a full-time fisheries biologist. Average ages were taken when discrepancies between our observations were found.

Otoliths were collected from 114 fish, ranging from age zero to five. Assigned ages for Largemouth Bass ranged from 0 to 1, Black Crappie from 2 to 3, and Bluegill from 0 to 5. Our results suggest positive natural reproduction rates of these species in the two ponds studied. Additionally, natural recruitment may play a larger role in maintaining community pond fisheries than anticipated.
Speakers
JU

Jason Uden

Fisheries Intern, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-70: Abundance and growth rates of Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) from Lake Michigan and connected tributary habitats
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Mallory R. Wagner, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University; Kathryn E. Buckles, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University; Les D. Warren, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University; Dominique D. Turney, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University & Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant; Tomas O. Hӧӧk, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University & Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant


ABSTRACT: Early-life stages of fish development is a sensitive and critical time that has the ability to influence later recruitment success. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) are an economically and ecologically important species within Lake Michigan. Yellow perch have been observed to spawn within multiple habitats including tributary river mouths, drowned river mouth lakes, and the nearshore environment of Lake Michigan. These habitats have different environmental characteristics that could affect growth rates and the diet of larval yellow perch. Drowned-river mouth lakes are more productive, warmer, and have a higher abundance of zooplankton compared to the nearshore waters of Lake Michigan. This study aims to quantify growth rates of larval yellow perch in Lake Michigan and connected tributary habitats. During the summers of 2021 and 2022, larval yellow perch were collected from early May to the end of June. Individuals collected were later processed in the lab to obtain total length and the extraction of the sagittal otoliths to calculate growth rates of larval yellow perch from each habitat. This study aims to quantify how environmental changes in early-life habitats affect growth rates of fish. This information can be implicated in sustainable fisheries management and assist in the assessment of ecological changes.
Speakers
MW

Mallory Wagner

Undergraduate Student, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-71: Factors Affecting Detection Efficiencies of Acoustic Transmitters in a Large Midwestern Reservoir
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Hannah Thomas, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Cali Engel, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; William Radigan, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Dr. Mark Pegg, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Chris Longhenry, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks

ABSTRACT:  Acoustic telemetry has become a common method to track fish movement patterns. Understanding the detection capacity of each receiver is a needed, but often overlooked aspect of acoustic telemetry studies. However, range tests can be used to assess detection capacities and ultimately the overall effectiveness of the receiver network. Recent range test investigations have evaluated the effects of distance, mount design, transmitter depth, transmitter model (V13 or V16) and wind speed on detection efficiencies. However, other environmental factors including human generated noise have not received as much attention. Range tests (n=122) were conducted between March 2022 and August 2024 at each of 14 receivers placed in the Missouri River and Lewis and Clark Lake to evaluate the effect of environment on detection efficiencies. Detection efficiencies were related to boater traffic, wind speed, distance from receiver, and seasonality. Detection efficiencies increased with decreasing distance between the tag and receiver and decreased noise interference from boat traffic and high-speed winds. Detection efficiencies were also found to vary among seasons, with spring showing increased detection efficiency compared to summer and fall. Mean detection efficiency at any given receiver and river kilometer was 34% during spring, compared to 25% in summer and 22% in fall. These findings provide valuable insights for future acoustic telemetry studies by highlighting important environmental factors that managers should consider when planning similar studies.
Speakers
HT

Hannah Thomas

Research technician, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-72: Sanding or Sectioning: how does otolith preparation method affect reader agreement?
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Amelia Finnell, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Patrick Padilla, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Garrett Johnson, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Benjamin Marcek, US Fish & Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT: Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix are invasive to the Mississippi River Basin and may cause extensive economic and ecological damage. To date, managers have focused on using harvest to control Silver Carp populations. Assessment of harvest as a management tool often requires precise age estimates to understand the changes in population age structure in response to harvest. Currently, two methods are commonly used for preparing Silver Carp otoliths for aging, sectioning and sanding. However, the use of two distinct methods could affect the precision of age estimates and, consequently, alter the perceived age structure of the population. To address this, we aged 155 Silver Carp (total length: 545–800mm) collected during 2023 from JT Myers and Newburgh Pools of the Ohio River. One lapilli otolith from each fish was prepared by sanding the otolith down to its origin, whereas the other otolith was sectioned using an isometric saw. Each otolith was independently aged by five readers and the frequency of agreeance was calculated using an empirical cumulative distribution function. Reader agreeance, two readers aging the otolith identically, did not differ between the two methods. However, when readers disagreed, the magnitude of disagreement was greater when otoliths were prepared by sanding relative to sectioning. These results suggest that sectioning otoliths results in more precise Silver Carp age estimates. Therefore, the sectioning method may produce more consistent age structures for Silver Carp populations which will help managers accurately assess the status of populations as well as the effectiveness of management actions.
Speakers
AF

Amelia Finnell

Biological Science Technician, USFWS
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-73: Temporal Replication of Assigned Ages for Silver Carp Otoliths
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Brendon Tran, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; Liam Odell, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; Ben Neely, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

ABSTRACT: Introduced invasive carp have become established throughout the Missouri River basin. In Kansas, they have entrenched themselves within the lower 37 miles of the Kansas River. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has been conducting invasive carp removals in the Kansas River since 2020. To increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the removal efforts, KDWP monitors the demographics within the Kansas River and Missouri River (near Atchison, KS). Aging invasive carp structures, specifically lapilli otoliths, is integral to understanding invasive carp population demographics. Fisheries professionals agree that a team of 2-3 researchers aging otoliths together can produce a precise age for otoliths. However, assembling a team of 2-3 researchers can be challenging, and the process of aging otoliths is time-consuming. As KDWP continues to remove invasive carp and collect more aging structures, it has become evident that we should evaluate other methods of aging otoliths more efficiently. As such, we had two individuals independently age the otoliths twice, with a one-month gap between each attempt, to assess whether a single person’s aging results would be consistent and repeatable.
Speakers
BT

Brendon Tran

Invasive Carp Technician, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-74: Evaluating Flood-Induced Habitat Connections Using Remotely Sensed Data
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Natalie C. Liberati, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University; Alison A. Coulter, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University; Benjamin J. Schall, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; Tanner Davis, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; Steven R. Chipps, U.S. Geological Survey, South Dakota Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit; David P. Coulter, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University

ABSTRACT: The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of the northern Great Plains is characterized by extreme weather, fluctuating between droughts and floods. Flooding within this region periodically connects rivers, wetlands, and lakes allowing for the movement of native and invasive species throughout the landscape. These floods also increase resource availability, permitting these species to grow in abundance. Invasive carp, such as silver and bighead carp, are currently present in a few rivers within the PPR and have the potential to spread to other locations due to flood-induced habitat connectivity, posing a threat to native species in the region. Using invasive carp as a case study, we will use Landsat observations of surface water (Dynamic Surface Water Extent) to identify where habitat connections are formed during flooding events between invaded rivers and uninvaded waterbodies. We will be able to further evaluate the relative risk posed by flooding by quantifying the surface area, water velocity, and water depth of these habitat connections. In addition, we will examine whether there has been an increasing frequency of connectivity among waterbodies through time. This technique will be able to be applied to other watersheds within or outside of the PPR. Recognizing where high-risk connections are located will help inform managers where to focus efforts for monitoring and deterring movements into uninvaded waters.
Speakers
NL

Natalie Liberati

Graduate Research Assistant, South Dakota State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-75: Natal Origin and Movement of Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Hannah Mulligan, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University; Benjamin J. Schall, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; Tanner Davis, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; Greg W. Whitledge, Center for Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale; Alison Coulter, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University

ABSTRACT: Preventative management strategies are essential for minimizing the negative ecological, economic, and social impacts of invasive species. Silver Carp and Bighead Carp, two invasive species of concern in the United States, are currently managed using various containment and removal strategies to prevent further range expansion. Understanding where Silver Carp and Bighead Carp are recruiting and moving can assist managers in selecting removal locations to reduce recruitment and spread. The objectives of this project are to evaluate the natal origins of Silver Carp and Bighead Carp using otolith microchemistry to 1) determine recruitment sources and 2) identify movement among tributaries and main channel reaches throughout the Missouri River Basin. A maximum of 80 adult Silver Carp and Bighead Carp will be collected from each location (n = 22) in collaboration with state partners. Lapilli otoliths will be removed and processed for trace element analysis (barium, Ba; strontium, Sr; and calcium, Ca) and potentially δ18O analysis. Water samples will also be analyzed for trace elements (Ba, Sr, and Ca) and oxygen isotope ratios (δ18O). To determine natal origin, trace-elemental markers and their ratios (Sr:Ca, Ba:Ca) measured from otoliths will be compared to chemical signatures from the water samples. Correlation analysis will be used to evaluate relationships between element concentrations in water samples and otoliths. Trace elements and δ18O in lapilli otoliths that are correlated to water concentrations will be included in a model-based discriminant function or cluster analysis, such as k-nearest neighbor. Chemical composition results will be used to quantify the amount of movement based on the natal origins of adults. Results will complement ongoing telemetry work and spawning assessments, inform source-sink dynamics, and identify locations for targeted management actions such as removal.
Speakers
avatar for Hannah Mulligan

Hannah Mulligan

Graduate Research Assistant, South Dakota State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-76: Investigating Bigheaded Carp Migratory Behavior in a Large Lotic System
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Logan Zebro, South Dakota State University; Jim Garvey, Southern Illinois University; Tanya Fendler Southern Illinois University; Alison Coulter, South Dakota State University;

ABSTRACT: Migration is a fundamental feature of animal ecology and animals may migrate for a variety of reasons including foraging, reproduction, or to avoid predation. Although migration is commonly observed throughout the animal kingdom, migratory strategies can vary among species, populations, or even individuals within populations. Partial migration is a strategy that can occur when a population is comprised of both migratory and resident individuals. Bigheaded carp (Hypophthalmichthys spp.) are highly mobile invasive riverine species believed to display various forms of migratory behavior and have been hypothesized to be partially migratory. However, to date no studies have evaluated if partial migration occurs in bigheaded carp nor the extent to which it may occur. Therefore, the objectives of this research are to 1) describe invasive carp migratory behavior 2) describe the timing of invasive carp migration and 3) identify potential environmental factors influencing invasive carp migratory behavior in the Illinois River using acoustic telemetry. Bigheaded carp were collected throughout the Illinois River from 2012 – 2023 and implanted with acoustic transmitters (VEMCO, model V13 or V16). Movement data was collected from stationary receivers that were distributed throughout the study area for previous research to track movements of bigheaded carps between river pools and lateral habitats. To evaluate partial migration of bigheaded carps, we will calculate net squared displacement (NSD) for individual carp then evaluate the influence of ecological variables on the probability and timing of bigheaded carp migratory movements using multiple logistic and linear regression models. Understanding bigheaded carp migratory behavior will provide valuable insight into their ecology and further invasion risk in addition to informing bigheaded carp management such as the timing and location of removal efforts.
Speakers
LZ

Logan Zebro

Graduate Research Assistant, South Dakota State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-77: Temporal Occupancy of Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) within Tributaries of the Ohio River
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Patrick W. Padilla, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Garrett R. Johnson, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Benjamin J. Marcek, US Fish & Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT: Silver Carp is an invasive species found throughout large portions of the Mississippi River Basin that is thought to cause economic and ecological damage to invaded systems. Although Silver Carp use a variety of habitat types throughout this large and heterogeneous river system, they are often found in high densities in areas outside of the main river channel (e.g., tributaries and backwaters). The temporal use (e.g., time of year, duration) of these areas by Silver Carp is, however, poorly understood. To better understand temporal patterns in the tributary residency of Silver Carp and to determine if there is a subset of tributaries that are most frequently inhabited by this species, we examined their temporal occupancy of tributaries in six navigation pools of the Ohio River (J.T. Myers–Meldahl pools). Locations of 935 Silver Carp implanted with acoustic transmitters (Innovasea, V-16H tags) that were detected by 60 receivers in our study area during 2021–2023 were summarized to determine the number of individuals detected within tributaries at monthly intervals. These data were used to estimate the monthly proportional use of tributaries by Silver Carp (i.e., the number of individuals detected in a tributary relative to the total number detected within each pool). Generally, proportional occupancy of tributaries was greatest within each pool during February-April. Further, we identified individual tributaries with the greatest proportional occupancy during these periods of high tributary use. Our results suggest that occupancy of tributaries occurs during cooler months and that certain tributaries within each pool are used by a greater proportion of individuals than others. The reasons behind this relatively high utilization of certain tributaries are unknown and further research is necessary to determine if there are anthropogenic (e.g., harvest) and/or environmental factors (e.g., water temperature) associated with the timing of Silver Carp occupying tributary habitats.
Speakers
PP

Patrick Padilla

Fisheries Biologist, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-78: Community Sampling Gears Affect Silver Carp Density Estimates Derived from Hydroacoustic Surveys
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Garrett R. Johnson U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service;
Benjamin J. Marcek U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT: Species-specific density estimates derived from hydroacoustic data often require fish community information to apportion hydroacoustic targets to species. However, the tools used to collect fish community data have biases that can affect species composition and size structure. The effect of these community gear biases on species-specific hydroacoustic density estimates is unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we collected fish community data using three gears (boat electrofishing, electrified dozer trawl, and gill nets) during hydroacoustic surveys in two navigation pools of the Ohio River (J.T. Myers and Newburgh pools) during fall 2021. Hydroacoustic data were collected using two side-looking, split-beam transducers offset to maximize water volume sampled. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate the probability of a fish being a Silver Carp given its length for each community gear. We also estimated the total length of individual fish targets from the hydroacoustic surveys using Love’s 1971 side-aspect equation and the probability of each of these hydroacoustic targets being a Silver Carp based on its estimated length. We then estimated site-specific Silver Carp densities and compared these densities among gears, pools, and habitats (main channel, side channel, tributary, and backwater). The probability of a fish being a Silver Carp given its length differed between community sampling gears. Further, gear affected the overall density estimates with gill nets producing the lowest estimates in all pool-habitat combinations. No apparent difference existed between density estimates apportioned with dozer trawl and boat electrofishing except in Newburgh Pool backwater and tributary habitats where the dozer trawl produced greater Silver Carp density estimates. These findings emphasize the need to consider community gear bias when collecting data to apportion hydroacoustic targets to species. Combining community data from multiple gears may reduce the effect of gear bias on the apportionment of hydroacoustic targets to species.
Speakers
GJ

Garrett Johnson

Fish Biologist, United States Fish & Wildlife Service
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-79: Spatial and Temporal Trends of Silver Carp Body Condition in the Ohio River
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Adam Musolf, Student Conservation Association; Benjamin Marcek, US Fish & Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT: Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) have invaded much of the Mississippi River Basin, including the Ohio River. Although understanding the health of individuals within this population is critical to its management, little information is available regarding the body condition of Silver Carp in the Ohio River. To better understand the body condition of Silver Carp in the Ohio River, we used Le Cren’s Relative Condition Factor (Kn) to compare body condition between six pools in the Ohio River (J.T. Myers-Meldahl pools), and to examine temporal patterns during 2014-2024. We found that Silver Carp in the lower three pools of our study area (J.T. Myers, Newburgh, and Cannelton pools) had similar mean Kn values that were substantially lower than the overall mean Kn. The highest mean Kn values, which exceeded the overall mean Kn and were similar to each other, occurred in the upper two pools (Markland and Meldahl pools). The mean Kn of McAlpine pool was greater than the overall mean but lower than that of the upper pools. When examining Ohio River Silver Carp body condition among years, we found the greatest mean Kn values occurred during 2015, 2019, and 2023 and were greater than the overall mean Kn. The lowest mean Kn values occurred during 2016 and 2021 and were lower than the overall mean Kn. The mean Kn for 2014, 2017, 2020, and 2022 is similar to the overall mean Kn. Density dependent factors may explain the spatial differences in mean Kn, but the drivers of the annual fluctuations are harder to explain. Climate, water quality, year class effects, or sampling bias could all play a role. Understanding the causes of these fluctuations could better help predict population changes for use by management agencies and commercial fishers.
Speakers
AM

Adam Musolf

SCA Intern, Carterville FWCO
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-80: Tracking Movement and Habitat Utilization of Invasive Carp Within the Presence Front of the Ohio River
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Andrew Peters, US Fish and Wildlife Service; Katherine Zipfel, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources; Tyler Gross, US Fish and Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT: Invasive bigheaded carp (Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Bighead Carp H. nobilis) are a well-known and established aquatic invasive species within the Mississippi River Drainage. As their range continues to expand, state, federal, and university managers establish new projects aimed to better monitor and evaluate these invasive species. However, many low-density, or “presence front”, locations lack valuable fish movement and habitat utilization data. Within the Ohio River, the presence front ranges from the Meldahl Lock and Dam facility (RM 436.2) at Foster, KY to the Belleville Lock and Dam facility (RM 203.9) at Reedsville, OH. We will look to capture invasive bigheaded carp (n=8) in the Robert C. Byrd Pool and tag them with Vemco V16-6x-A69-1604 coded transmitters. Vemco acoustic receivers (VR2Tx and Nex Trak R1) will be deployed strategically in mainstem and tributary locations to monitor movements and habitat utilization within the upper reaches of the Ohio River presence front. This movement data will then be correlated with temperature and flow data to increase our knowledge and understanding of temporal utilization, which could result in more effective future removal efforts. This data will be a part of a larger telemetry project that exists within the Ohio River that we plan to utilize for comparing movement patterns within a river system.
Speakers
AP

Andrew Peters

Fisheries Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-81: Evaluating Conspecific Feeding Sounds as an Attractant for Invasive Carp
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Adam J. McFall, USGS; Jacob D.A. Faulkner, USGS; Andrew T. Mueller, USGS; Curt G. Byrd, USGS; Robin D. Calfee, USGS

ABSTRACT: Invasive carp continue to spread throughout U.S. waterways, threatening native fishes and disrupting ecosystems, yet effective removal methods remain limited. Fish herding methods are used to aggregate carp for removal; however, location, timing, and personnel constraints limit the effectiveness of herding for eradicating carp populations. Baiting and chemical attractants have also been shown to aggregate invasive Bighead Carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) in laboratory settings, but in situ applications are still being tested. Acoustic attractants are an understudied tool that could help aggregate invasive carp for removal in situ. Conspecific feeding sounds attracted Bighead Carp in preliminary laboratory trials. Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) have similar life history strategies, but their response to conspecific feeding sounds have not been evaluated. We examined whether conspecific feeding sounds affect the behavior of Grass Carp. Grass Carp were randomly exposed to three treatments: conspecific feeding sound (projection via underwater speaker), feed (pelleted feed distributed via automatic feeder), and a control (no sound or food). Two trials, each consisting of 12 distinct exposures (four exposures per treatment), were duplicated in two outdoor earthen research ponds (0.09 ha) at the Columbia Environmental Research Center. Fish (n = 29 – 30 per trial) were implanted with acoustic transmitters and distributed evenly in the ponds, where fine scale (< 1 m) positions were recorded by a hydrophone array from 13 May 2024 – 17 May 2024 (Trial 1) and 3 June 2024 – 7 June 2024 (Trial 2). Preliminary results show that total displacement and swimming speed were generally higher following feed and sound treatments compared to control treatments. Fish also spent more time near the feeders, speakers, and in deep water compared to other areas of the ponds. Here we discuss future research needs and how this technology could be utilized in invasive carp management programs.
Speakers
AM

Adam McFall

Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-82: Genetic control of grass carp through RNA interference
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Chris Merkes, U.S. Geological Survey; Tariq Tajjioui, U.S. Geological Survey; James Wamboldt, U.S. Geological Survey; Nicholas Butler, Sundew ApC; Joana Queiroz, Sundew ApC; Jørgen Hansen, Sundew ApC; Giovanni Salerno, Sundew ApC; Jon Amberg, U.S. Geological Survey

ABSTRACT: Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) were imported for biocontrol of aquatic macrophytes and still are used today for that purpose, but they have since escaped and invaded many waters. They are listed as an injurious invasive species and can substantially impact aquatic ecosystems, threatening native fisheries. Current control methods include physical removal and chemical piscicide application. While these methods can reduce an invasive population, there are problems with each and new control tools are needed. RNA interference (RNAi) has greatly enhanced our understanding of genetics over the last three decades, and it has been demonstrated that using RNAi to turn off some genes can be lethal. RNAi is in-use today for controlling agricultural pests, and it is gaining traction for future application to control invasive species. We designed small interfering RNAs targeting critical genes in grass carp and showed effective knockdown in primary cultured gill cells. We have cloned selected candidate RNAs for expression in microalgae chloroplasts and are working to incorporate these microalgae into a selective bait for RNAi oral delivery. The goal of this project is an effective control tool that can be deployed like a piscicide but without non-target effects.
Speakers
avatar for Chris Merkes

Chris Merkes

Research Geneticist, U.S. Geological Survey
I am a molecular biologist originally from central Wisconsin. I earned a B.S. in Biology from University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point and an M.A. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from University of Kansas. I joined the USGS in 2013 to work on developing methods for... Read More →
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-83: Determining hybridization of bighead and silver carp by analyzing body shape with geometric morphometric techniques
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Alexandra Johnson, South Dakota State University Department of Natural Resource Management; Hannah Mulligan, South Dakota State
University Department of Natural Resource Management; Amber Ruskell-Lamer, Southeastern Community College; Jim Lamer, Illinois Natural History Survey; Alison A. Coulter, South Dakota State University Department of Natural Resource Management

ABSTRACT: The invasive bighead and silver carp are known for their ability to quickly establish new populations in naive water bodies. Determining cost effective and efficient management strategies for managing these carp can reduce populations and improve ecosystem health. At low density areas (i.e., invasion fronts), silver carp and bighead carp readily hybridize and produce offspring with enhanced survival and dispersal capabilities. However, subsequent hybrid generations display reduced body condition which may prevent them from invading new areas. Understanding the hybridization of silver and bighead carp can therefore provide insights to their spread and subsequently allow for more efficient use of management resources. Genetic testing is costly, and therefore determining how many hybrids exist in a location may be hindered by available resources. The objectives of this research are to 1) Use photographs to analyze body shape differences among bighead carp, silver carp, and their hybrids via geometric morphometrics and 2) Use correlated genetic and morphologic data to create a classification system to determine the hybrid type from body shape. Morphometric photographs of 2,795 bighead and silver carp with varying degrees of hybridization have been collected and genetically analyzed for hybrid type. In a subset of photographs per genetic group (silver, bighead, hybrid), we will place a series of landmarks on different body features using the program TpsDig2. The distances between landmarks will then be imported into MorphoJ software to quantify the body shape of each individual (known as geometric morphometric analysis). The geometric morphometric data paired with the results from the genetic analysis will then be used to create a classification tree that groups genetic types based on body shape. Results will ultimately identify whether morphology can be used to distinguish hybrid types which can help to reduce resource limitations for managing these invasive species.
Speakers
AJ

Alexandra Johnson

Student, South Dakota State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-84: Impacts of Spatiotemporal Variation of Hydrological Conditions on Native and Invasive Ichthyoplankton Communities in the Lower Wabash River Basin
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Alexis L. Gerber; Daniel Roth; Robert Colombo; Eden Effert-Fanta

ABSTRACT: Annual variation in hydrological conditions affects reproduction of riverine species uniquely, with certain taxa relying on flood pulses for successful spawning. Invasive bigheaded carp (Hypophthalmichthys spp.), are widely known for their rapid population growth and significant ecological impacts on freshwater ecosystems and native fish assemblages. Previous literature has found invasive bigheaded carp reproduction to be dependent on multiple environmental cues, such as discharge and temperature, for spawning. Discharge specifically is an essential component for bigheaded carp reproduction because their eggs require suspension in the water for proper development. Native fish species have varying spawning strategies, and many utilize similar environmental cues as invasive bigheaded carp. This study aims to evaluate the spatial and temporal variation of hydrological effects on reproduction of invasive bigheaded carp and native fish species in the lower Wabash River and its tributaries. Ichthyoplankton push nets and water quality measurements were recorded from April-September 2021-2024 at several tributary confluence sites on the lower Wabash River, which borders Illinois and Indiana. Push net samples were collected within the tributary, at the confluence site, and in the mainstem river both above and below the confluence. Environmental conditions (e.g., discharge and temperature) varied substantially within and among each season of ichthyoplankton sampling. Variation in hydrological conditions among years had a significant impact on total larval fish production. In 2021, a year with multiple high discharge events 240,106 larvae were collected, while in 2023, a year with fewer spikes in discharge only 4,300 larvae were sampled. Although invasive carp have been informally observed to congregate in high numbers within mainstem-tributary confluences, relatively little research has been conducted to analyze the roles of confluences in spawning of both invasive and native fishes. Understanding the long-term trends in hydrological variation and the spatial preferences of invasive fish communities may offer key insights into control methods and factors that influence larval native fish assemblages.
Speakers
AG

Alexis Gerber

Graduate Research Assistant, Eastern Illinois University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-85: Quantifying the Impacts of Invasive Carp through Monitoring Native, Planktivorous Gizzard Shad in the Open River Reach
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Andrew Glen, Missouri Department of Conservation; Kamryn Wittkop, Missouri Department of Conservation; Tyler Bening, Missouri Department of Conservation


ABSTRACT: The establishment of invasive bigheaded carp (Silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) in North American river systems over the last few decades has shown to negatively impact native filter-feeding species through direct competition for trophic resources. In the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) system, the Gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) is one of these impacted species and is frequently encountered in routine monitoring of the Open River Reach of the UMR through the Long Term Resource Monitoring (LTRM) element of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program. Because of their high catch rates, monitoring the conditions of Gizzard shad populations in the Open River can be used as an index to how bigheaded carp have and continue to impact native filter feeders over time and as management practices are implemented. Targeted Gizzard shad collections occurred during the observed spring spawning season and in the fall when growth begins to slow for otolith collection. Gizzard shad encountered through LTRM were also included. Individual processing procedures included recording total length, weight, sex, gonad weight, and otolith collection. Otoliths were mounted in resin, cut, and aged. Using this data we calculated Catch per Unit Effort (CPUE), Gonadosomatic Index, body condition, proportional stock density (PSD), and conducted an age and growth analysis. After one season of sampling and analysis, results implied that both CPUE and relative weight were lower than their 5-year average when plotted with existing LTRM data over time. Analysis indicated that while the size distribution appears heavily skewed toward small-bodied fish, PSD remains in the desired range implying there are enough large-bodied individuals and production of age-0 shad is not limiting to the population. Monitoring Gizzard shad condition through time can be used to inform future decisions regarding the success of proposed, established, and newly implemented management techniques for bigheaded carp .
Speakers
KW

Kamryn Wittkop

LTRM Component Assistant, Missouri Department of Conservation
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-86: How invasive carp removal affects fish community size spectra.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Charles W. McDunn1, Brent A. Murry2, James E. Garvey3, Ruairi MacNamara4, David C. Glover5, David P. Coulter1

ABSTRACT: The invasion of bigheaded carps, Silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and Bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), has undoubtedly altered biotic communities since their escape from wastewater treatment ponds and aquaculture facilities in North America during the 1970’s. Concerns of the invasion reaching the Laurentian Great Lakes have caused extensive management actions including contracted removal in order to slow the advancement of these fishes in the Illinois River. An additional goal behind the removal of carp is to improve ecological function from its current carp-dominated status. Here, we suggest that it may be useful for community-based alternative indicators to be used in addition to catch rates for more comprehensive management assessments. We will explore this concept using size spectra as a potential indicator of community response to management by examining whether shifts in the annual size spectra regression of six reaches in the Illinois River can be detected since the start of our sampling period in 2012. If shifts in these metrics are measured, they could be related to environmental variability, and the ongoing selective harvest of invasive carps throughout the river. To determine the impact of these factors, we will compare multivariate environmental data and carp removal data to the size spectra metrics using ordination. The results of these analyses will identify which environmental variables are the most impactful to changes in community structure and to what extent the removal efforts have had on the Illinois River fish community over the past twelve years. If the annual community size spectrum is capable of measuring community response to management, it could be an additional tool for assessing and informing management actions and a potential tool for future community-minded management plan development.
Speakers
CM

Charles McDunn

Research Assistant, South Dakota State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-87: EcoPath with Ecosim: Application in the lower Mississippi River for Invasive Bighead and Silver Carp Management
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kassidy Frame, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota; Richard Erickson, U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin; Steve Chipps, U.S Geological Survey, South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota; Alison Coulter, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota

ABSTRACT: In the Mississippi River, invasive bigheaded carp (Hypophthalmichthys spp.) can compete with native planktivores, such as Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) and Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula), by altering plankton and zooplankton composition and abundance. The current management strategy is targeted harvest of adult carp using 75-150 mm mesh gill nets and electrofishing with the goal of reducing the biomass of invasive carp and restoring normal ecosystem function. The harvest of invasive carp is limited to adult individuals, but by using less selective removal methods, such as dozer trawls or seines to select for smaller carp, the effect of invasive carp on the ecosystem could be reduced more efficiently. EcoPath with Ecosim (EwE) is a model that can be used to explore changes in biomass of different community groups (e.g. zooplankton, native fishes) after removal of an invasive species such as bigheaded carp. The objective of this study is to implement an EwE model for Pool 26 of the Mississippi River to assess the ecosystem response to the removal of juvenile only, adult only, and combined removal of bigheaded carp. The use of an EwE model in the Mississippi River is a cost-effective method to improve management of invasive carps by evaluating the ecosystem effect of varying removal scenarios and would complement on-going population models such as the SEICarP model.
Speakers
KF

Kassidy Frame

Graduate Research Assistant, South Dakota State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-88: Invasive Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and the impact on native fish communities throughout the Mississippi River basin
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Justin Harms, Graduate Research Assistant, Major - Fisheries Biology - Iowa State University
Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management

ABSTRACT: Invasive Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) have impacted native fish communities throughout the Mississippi River basin in North America. Previous research has related increases in Silver Carp relative abundance to declines in the condition of native planktivorous fishes and sport fishes that are planktivorous as juveniles due to competition for food resources. However, the effects of a range of relative abundances of Silver Carp on other trophic guilds have not been well-defined. Therefore, our goal was to assess the relationship between Silver Carp relative abundance and body condition of native fishes throughout multiple feeding guilds in the Upper Mississippi River basin. We hypothesize that Silver Carp will alter the trophic ecology and condition of species representing multiple feeding guilds. In addition to resource competition, these influences may represent complex middle-out or spillover effects to the food webs discussed in the literature. We used quantile regression to account for variation in allometric growth described by length-weight relationships to compare body condition of native fish species between sites with different relative abundances of Silver Carp (low and high). We sampled 1,026 individuals from 3 species representing benthic insectivore (Smallmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus) N=294), piscivore (Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) N=256), and omnivore/detritivore (Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) N=476) trophic guilds across 6 rivers and 12 sites where Silver Carp relative abundance spanned a gradient of 0–80 Silver Carp/hour. Our analyses indicated significant differences in body condition were present in Gizzard Shad and Flathead Catfish between sites with high and sites with low relative abundances of Silver Carp. This information can be used by management biologists to understand the effects of Silver Carp on native fish species in recently invaded areas, evaluate management success, and establish targets for population suppression to limit the effects of Silver Carp on freshwater fish communities.
Speakers
JH

Justin Harms

Student, Iowa State UniversitynDepartment of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-89: Effects of Embryonic Exposure to Predation Cues on Embryo and Larval Behavior in Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas)
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Abby Yake, Ball State University; Leah Sodo, Ball State University; Jessica Ward, Ball State University

ABSTRACT: The ability of developing embryos to detect and learn to recognize external environmental cues is adaptive because it can improve survival after hatching. Previous research has shown that embryonic fish can detect and respond to predation cues of conspecific adults and learn to identify a potential predator via association with these alarm cues. However, it is not known whether embryos can similarly recognize and respond to cues indicative of attacks on eggs. In this study, we examined the responses of embryonic and larval fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, exposed to various predation cues during the egg phase. Embryos were exposed to predator cue, egg alarm cue, a combination of predator and alarm cue (PAC), or control water for 5 days post fertilization (dpf). Activity levels of 5 dpf embryos were then tested in response to predator cue alone. After hatching, larvae were reared to 21 dpf and tested in two types of behavioral assays, open field and refugium trials, to assess perception of risk. We hypothesized that embryos would be able to recognize and respond to egg alarm cues and make the same associations of predation risk as previously shown with adult alarm cues.
Speakers
AY

Abby Yake

Undergraduate Researcher, Ball State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-90: Density and community composition of aquatic invertebrates in interdunal wetland ponds at Ludington State Park, MI, USA
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Rowan Faust, Lake Superior State University; Jonathan Doubek, Lake Superior State University

ABSTRACT: Interdunal wetland ponds are found at several locations along the shoreline of the Great Lakes, between the slacks of the foredune (dune closest to the lake) and subsequent dunes behind. These ponds are subject to water fluctuations from the Great Lakes via ground- and surface water, and are important “connecting” ecosystems for certain species, such as aquatic invertebrates, between the Great Lakes and smaller inland systems. However, very little research exists that characterizes the density and community composition of aquatic invertebrates in these systems, and how such metrics may vary across ponds of different environmental characteristics and sizes. To investigate this knowledge gap, six interdunal ponds, spanning a vegetation density, at Ludington State Park (west in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula) were sampled biweekly over the Summer of 2024 to characterize the aquatic invertebrate community. Aquatic invertebrates were collected using horizontal plankton tows, and a vegetation density index was calculated for each pond. Water temperature was recorded, and water samples were collected for later laboratory processing of water chemistry variables such as hardness, total phosphorus, and chloride concentration. Preliminary observations thus far indicate that a wide range of zooplankton and macroinvertebrate density and taxa richness exists across the ponds. Common taxa observed are Polyphemus, Daphnia, Ceriodaphnia, and calanoid copepods. Once all samples are processed this Fall, we will test if interdunal pond environmental characteristics and size affect aquatic invertebrate density, taxa richness, and community composition. Results will increase our understanding of these interdunal ponds, which are important to study as connector ecosystems between deeper and larger systems during an era of global change.
Speakers
RF

Rowan Faust

Undergraduate Student, Lake Superior State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-91: Comparisons of Zooplankton Communities Before and After Chemical Renovation in Lake Ogallala, Nebraska
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Theo Huber, University of Nebraska at Kearney; Alex Keiler-Klein, University of Nebraska at Kearney; Melissa Wuellner, University of Nebraska at Kearney; Keith Koupal, Nebraska Game & Parks Commision.

ABSTRACT: Chemicals such as rotenone are used to remove undesirable fishes from lakes and promote the establishment of more desirable, recreationally important species. However, the application of piscicides can directly or indirectly impact zooplankton in both positive and negative ways. Lake Ogallala, a 263-ha reservoir directly below Lake McConaughy, has had several rotenone treatments dating back decades, with the most recent application in October 2023. Here, we compare taxa richness and densities from the zooplankton community in Lake Ogallala before and after the 2023 renovation. Zooplankton were collected monthly from April to November 2023 and from April to October 2024 at nine locations throughout the reservoir using an 80-μm Wisconsin net towed vertically, beginning 1 m from the bottom at each site. For each sample, four 1-mL subsamples were drawn, and zooplankton were identified to the lowest possible taxon and enumerated. Mean total density (number/L) and mean density by taxon were calculated across all sites for each month. In 2023, 14 taxa were found, and densities were highest among cyclopoids, Daphnia, and rotifers. In 2024, 13 taxa were identified, with densities highest for cyclopoids, Bosmina, and rotifers. Two taxa (harpacticoids and Diaphanosoma) were only present in 2023, and one taxon (Leptodora) was only present in 2024. This research adds to what has been found on the impacts that piscicides may have beyond those for fish. Understanding these changes is important in deciding whether to apply piscicides, given the possible benefits, costs, and drawbacks may be.
Speakers
avatar for Theo Huber

Theo Huber

Undergraduate Research Technician, University of Nebraska at Kearney
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries

6:00pm CST

P-92: Angler use and satisfaction of South Dakota urban and community fisheries following supplemental stocking of adult Largemouth Bass and Hybrid Sunfish
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Aysah Dondlinger, Alison A. Coulter, Brian G. Blackwell, David O. Lucchesi, Steven R. Chipps

ABSTRACT: Urban and community fisheries (UCF) are often used by state wildlife/fisheries agencies to recruit, retain, and reactivate young, novice, lapsed, and current anglers. Fishing participation has declined nationally and in South Dakota for several decades, particularly among urban youth. Given these recent declines, emphasis has been placed on UCFs to reverse this trend. A primary purpose of UCFs is to minimize barriers to recreational fishing participation while providing quality fishing opportunities that keep young, and novice anglers engaged. Management of UCFs typically focuses on providing amenities and stocking catchable fish to improve young angler recruitment, retention, and overall satisfaction. While many factors can contribute to overall angler satisfaction, catch rates of preferred fish species may be crucial to keeping anglers engaged in recreational fishing. South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks currently uses recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) to produce adult Largemouth Bass and Hybrid Sunfish (Bluegill X Green Sunfish) that exhibit fast growth. Although South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks uses supplemental stockings of RAS - produced fish to improve angler satisfaction, it is unclear if young angler recruitment, retention, and satisfaction are being improved. Objectives of this study are to (1) quantify use of UCFs by young, novice, and lapsed anglers using creel survey information from community fisheries in eastern South Dakota, (2) identify if catch rates of preferred fish species are adequate to keep young, novice, and lapsed anglers engaged, (3) determine if supplemental stocking of RAS -produced adult Largemouth Bass and Hybrid Sunfish improves young, novice, and lapsed angler satisfaction. Results from this study will help identify stocking regimes that maximize young, novice, and lapsed angler use and satisfaction in urban and community fisheries.
Speakers
AD

Aysah Dondlinger

South Dakota State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Human Dimensions

6:00pm CST

P-93: Fishy Business: How to Market the Outdoors
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Benjamin Poli

ABSTRACT:  Unfortunately, little is known about the correlation between the outdoors and marketing.
Fishing has always been a quintessential part of society. Over the last hundreds of years, it has become more and more of a social class event. For a long time, the sport was dominated only by the rich elitists of Europe, while peasants’ hand-fished to survive. The more the sport evolved, the more it became marketable. Selling the outdoors remains the biggest mystery to the industry. Thousands of jobs have been created in more recent years in the social media marketing industry with sponsors, influencers, and guide services. All of these industry leaders have had a kickstart to their careers thanks to marketing. By continuing the study of both fisheries and marketing, I aim to further grow my career through an outdoor company or firm such as the DNR. The motivation of a buyer, the mindset of a consumer, and the financial commitment of a great head fascinates me. Marketing the outdoors is more about teaching than convincing like the typical sale. Consumers will purchase every outdoor product imaginable. Knowing this, I want to interview them to find the correlation of what keeps them outdoors and passionate about their hobbies.










Speakers
BP

Benjamin Poli

Vice President of club, Lake Superior State University Fish and Wildlife Club
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Human Dimensions

6:00pm CST

P-94: Urban Wildlife Management success: Eleven years of Canada goose (Branta Canadensis) population management on Missouri Western State University campus.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Cary D. Chevalier, Missouri Western State University

ABSTRACT: In 2014 we began a Canada goose (Branta canadensis) population monitoring and management project on the campus of Missouri Western State University. The restoration of Canada Goose in NW Missouri has not only been successful over the years, but in some areas, like on our campus, goose populations were reaching levels where they were becoming nuisances. Geese were increasingly nesting near buildings. Nesting geese would often harass people walking by, and defecate with increased frequency near building entrances and on sidewalks, thereby creating potential health hazards as well as general messes. Our objectives were to 1) determine the extent of nesting activity; 2) map the distribution of nesting sites on campus; and 3) institute a population recruitment control program to help keep our goose population at a level where they would be considered treasures rather than nuisances. During the spring nesting season, we surveyed the entire ~ 700 - acre campus. We used mapping GPS and GIS to map nest locations and monitor nest site activity. We counted and oiled all known eggs with corn oil and/or spiked eggs, then documented hatching success. In 2014 – 2024 we recorded the locations of 10, 12, 12, 16, 14, 16, 17, 7, 6, 10, 9 nests, respectively. After treatment, broods observed were 5, 2, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, and 0, 0, 0, 0 for years 2014 - 2024, respectively. The goose reproductive success on campus for these six years was reduced by 50% our second year of effort, then by 100% thereafter for known nests. Further, we documented the locations and distributions of all known nests using mapping grade GPS each season and developed a GIS map that now allows us to help our university develop strategies to modify landscaping to minimize nesting activity.
Speakers
CC

Cary Chevalier

Dr., Missouri Western State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Human Dimensions

6:00pm CST

P-95: Subject Matter Focus of State Fish and Wildlife Conservation Magazines
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: *Ashley Hrdina, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, 302 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building, Columbia, MO 65211, Robert DiStefano, Missouri Department of Conservation, 3500 E Gans Rd, Columbia, MO 65201 Jacob Westhoff U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Columbia, Missouri, USA

ABSTRACT: Magazines are a key communication media used by most state fish and wildlife agencies for public outreach and education. Species conservation and funding can be highly influenced by public perspective and interaction through these magazines. Yet, no studies have analyzed magazine content to assess the relative proportional focus among a range of subjects and species. We quantified the allocation of magazine page space among types of subjects and species , by determining the relative proportional space allocated among these categories: 1) aquatic, semi-aquatic, and terrestrial species, 2) “game” and “non-game” species, and 3) subject of article. We contacted all 50 United States’ fish and wildlife agencies to determine if they published a magazine, then obtained and compiled digital or physical copies of all magazine issues published in 2019 (pre-Covid pandemic). We randomly subsampled 30 magazines using “ImageJ ” software for analysis. Results for taxa specific categories show over four times more space was allocated to terrestrial systems than to either aquatic or semi-aquatic systems. The percentage of space occupied by content in the game species category was 1.8 times higher, than for non-game species. Taxonomic groupings showed that mammals (18.1%) and birds (15.4%) occupied significantly greater mean allocated space than all other taxa, followed by fish (5.4%) and plants (2.2%). Subjects of articles were organized into 12 primary categories; among those categories, wildlife harvest (24.0%) occupied significantly greater mean allocated space than all others, followed by natural history (16.5%) and recreation (15.0%). In summary, the main focus of these magazines was terrestrial taxa and game species, often mammals. Article subject matter was aimed towards wildlife harvest, corresponding to a higher percentage of game species within magazines. Our review provides agencies with an understanding of wide-reaching trends within magazines, and facilitates assessment of intended communication goals.
Speakers
AH

Ashley Hrdina

Graduate student, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Human Dimensions

6:00pm CST

P-96: Development and Cloud Implementation of the New Annual National Land Cover Database for the United States
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jesslyn Brown; Charles Robison; Jon Dewitz; Heather Tollerud; Suming Jin; Rylie Fleckenstein; Chris Barber; George Xian; Josephine Horton; Congcong Li; Danny Howard

ABSTRACT: Land cover is a high priority data theme within the U.S. federal government and is foundational for many applications. These data are often combined with other data sources to provide a robust structure for scientific study and to inform decisions by managers and the public. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is building a capability for an integrated annual land cover and land cover change framework using cloud computing. To provide the most relevant land cover and land cover change information for the United States, mapped land cover (and derived products) should involve regular production, updating and improvement based on robust research, and validation of land cover and land cover change. USGS has recently released an annual record of land cover and fractional impervious surface for the conterminous U.S. (CONUS) called Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) spanning a thirty-nine-year period from 1985 to 2023.
The NLCD has characterized land cover and land cover change nation-wide paving the way for Annual NLCD. Utilizing the Landsat observations, legacy NLCD has produced land cover and other data themes at 30-meter spatial resolution. In earlier releases, NLCD released map products for CONUS across nine epochs from 2001 to 2021 (2001, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021), producing maps describing characteristics of the land surface such as thematic class (e.g., developed, cultivated crops, and forest), percent impervious surface, and percent tree canopy cover.
Annual NLCD employs a new methodology, operating in the cloud, based on the long Landsat satellite record, various chained deep learning models, harmonic time series analysis, and several post-classification procedures producing land cover through time. The database will have higher frequency and lower latency and will inform users of land change dynamics, including forest regrowth after harvest or wildfire, climatologically driven water cycles, and land use management patterns such as urban growth. An update is expected in 2025. Products for other regions (Alaska and Hawaii) are planned in 2026.
Speakers
JB

Jesslyn Brown

Research Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Human Dimensions

6:00pm CST

P-97: Impact of L-Dopa on the growth and development of Brassica: Insights from velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) seed metabolomics
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Csengele Barta, Missouri Western State University; Sonja Weber, Missouri Western State University; Rene Frye, Missouri Western State University; Teri Larison, Missouri Western State University; Angel Justus, Missouri Western State University

ABSTRACT:  Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens, VB) seeds were found to produce various allelopathic compounds that influence the growth of neighboring plants. Our laboratory’s prior research highlighted that VB seed coats release metabolites with negative, while the endosperm has positive allelopathic effects. We have demonstrated this effect in various species, including monocots and dicots. Through non-targeted metabolomic analysis of VB seed endosperm, L-Dopa (L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) emerged as a significant candidate among the potential allelochemicals. This study investigated the effects of L-Dopa on the growth and development of Brassica species. Our experiments demonstrated that low concentrations of L-Dopa (within 0.01-0.05 mg/mL) enhanced Brassica growth. Treated plants exhibited increased root and shoot length, enhanced biomass accumulation, and improved overall plant vigor compared to control groups. Notably, Brassica plants exposed to L-Dopa showed a marked increase in chlorophyll content, indicating enhanced photosynthetic capacity. Our findings suggest that L-Dopa, derived from VB seed endosperm, holds promise as a natural growth enhancer for Brassica crops. Its application could lead to more sustainable agricultural practices by reducing the reliance on synthetic growth regulators and fertilizers. Interestingly, the stimulatory effects of L-Dopa were, however, concentration-dependent. While low concentrations enhanced growth, higher concentrations exhibited inhibitory effects, consistent with the typical biphasic response of allelochemicals. This dual role underscores the importance of precise dosage in utilizing L-Dopa for agricultural applications. These insights into L-Dopa's allelopathic effects advance our understanding of plant-plant interactions and highlight the potential of natural compounds in improving crop productivity and sustainability. Future research will focus on elucidating the detailed molecular mechanisms of L-Dopa's action and exploring its potential benefits across different crop species.
Speakers
avatar for Sonja Weber

Sonja Weber

Student, Missouri Western State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Human Dimensions

6:00pm CST

P-98: Velvet bean soil inclusions enhance tomatoes' growth, biomass, and photosynthetic assimilation efficiency
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Sonja Weber, Missouri Western State University; Nora Burroughs, Missouri Western State University; Rene Frye, Missouri Western State University; Angel Justus, and Csengele Barta, Missouri Western State University

ABSTRACT:  Invasive species often employ competitive strategies as the release of allelopathic metabolites into the environment, which negatively impact native species. Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens, VB) has been reported to produce a variety of such toxic compounds, such as L-dopa, tryptamines, phenols, and tannins, with notable allelopathic activities, suppressing the growth and development of competing native species, but without any autotoxic effects. Our current study focused on the chemical impact of degrading VB seeds on tomato seedlings. We found that VB seed inclusions significantly altered tomato growth, biomass, chlorophyll concentrations, light harvesting and processing ability, and photosynthetic efficiency. VB seed coat inclusions inhibited growth and leaf development, and leaves contained 30% less chlorophyll than controls. VB seed coat soil inclusions also induced an over 50% reduction of maximum and effective quantum yields and defects in photosynthetic energy processing, with a corresponding shift in energy processing away from photochemistry towards non-photochemical quenching. VB endosperm, however, stimulated tomato growth and leaf expansion, resulting in doubled biomass compared to controls. Plants growing in soil enriched with VB endosperm inclusions exhibited higher total chlorophyll concentrations and more efficient light harvesting and photochemical energy processing capacity compared to controls, indicators for enhanced photosynthetic capacity in these plants.
Speakers
avatar for Sonja Weber

Sonja Weber

Student, Missouri Western State University
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Human Dimensions

6:00pm CST

P-99: The Next Frontier: Development of a Lake Fish Biogeographical Model in the Canadian Shield, Minnesota
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
Authors: Jessica Massure and Jacquelyn Bacigalupi; MN DNR, Brainerd, MN USA
Key words: Monitoring, Assessment, High Quality Waters, Remote, Index of Biological Integrity
Abstract: 
Fish communities in Minnesota’s lakes have been impacted by various anthropogenic stressors, and to varying degrees. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) created a lake fish index of biological integrity (FIBI) tool that has been used to identify impaired or vulnerable fish communities in lakes across the state. However, the FIBI was not suitable for Canadian Shield lakes as they are situated in a landscape with a limited stressor gradient. In addition, they typically have soft water, low species diversity and a unique geologic history. Further, they often have limited fish survey data due to difficult access and sampling conditions. However, there is a need to describe the fish community to monitor change from climate change, logging, mining, shoreline development, connectivity limitations, predator stocking, non-native fish species impacts (e.g. Smallmouth Bass), aquatic invasive species (e.g. Spiny Waterflea, Zebra Mussels), or other stressors. The goals of this study are to summarize existing fish species survey information and community and niche information on lakes, classify lakes into comparable groupings based on lake characteristics, identify data gaps, determine best sampling methods to fill data gaps, determine stressor gradients in the region, and ultimately create a lake fish biogeographical model for the region. The monitoring data and models developed will be used to protect these high-quality resources and identify restoration needs. We will be presenting the initial investigation of available fish community data and lake classifications.
Speakers
JM

Jessica Massure

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
TBA
  Poster Session, Poster: Fisheries
 
Wednesday, January 22
 

7:00am CST

Continental Breakast with Exhibitors
Wednesday January 22, 2025 7:00am - 8:30am CST
TBA
Wednesday January 22, 2025 7:00am - 8:30am CST
TBA
  Meal/Social Event

7:00am CST

Conference Registration Desk Open
Wednesday January 22, 2025 7:00am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
Wednesday January 22, 2025 7:00am - 12:00pm CST
TBA

8:00am CST

Fisheries Track: Conserving "native rough fish" through fisheries management in the Midwest
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Steven J. Herrington, The Nature Conservancy, MN-ND-SD;
Tyler Winter, Native Fish For Tomorrow;
Solomon R. David, The University of Minnesota
Matthew L. Miller, The Nature Conservancy, Science Communications

ABSTRACT: North America has the highest diversity of freshwater fishes of any temperate region worldwide. These species face numerous threats to their long-term conservation. Fisheries management is amongst the tools that governments, Tribes, and other interested parties can use to ensure this biodiversity sustainably persists and thrives into the future. “Rough fish” is a pejorative term often used by resource managers and anglers to group a large number of native fishes – including gars and numerous sucker species – that are perceived to have little fisheries or cultural value, and thus are often poorly managed and exploited. In 2024, the State of Minnesota passed the first law in the U.S. affording fisheries management protections for 26 native fishes now recognized by the state as “native rough fish”. This action sets a precedent for recognizing the inherent, cultural, and fisheries importance of these species that can be replicated or adapted by other states nationwide. This presentation will provide an historical perspective of “rough fish” regulations, recommendations for their future conservation management, and applicability to states in the Midwest.
Speakers
SH

Steve Herrington

Associate Director of Water, The Nature Conservancy, MN-ND-SD
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Freshwater fish

8:00am CST

Fisheries Track: Population Characteristics of Buffalo in Wisconsin: Contribution and Resiliency to Bowfishing Harvest
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Daniel Isermann, USGS-Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit; Ryan Bohen, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit; Daniel Dembkowski, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit; Alexander Latzka, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Joseph Hennessy, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Bigmouth buffalo Ictiobus cyprinellus and smallmouth buffalo Ictiobus bubalus (herein buffalo) are native, non-game fishes that rarely receive management attention. Increased participation in bowfishing has prompted efforts to better understand the population dynamics of buffalo and other native fish to determine their resiliency to harvest. Buffalo are native to many water bodies in Wisconsin, but little information exists regarding their population dynamics and contribution to bowfishing harvest. Consequently, our research objectives were to: 1) describe age composition, reproductive traits, and population dynamics for buffalo populations in Wisconsin; 2) assess their resiliency to harvest, and 3) determine the contribution of buffalo to harvest at bowfishing tournaments. We collected buffalo from 14 Wisconsin waterbodies with the help of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin Bowfishing Association (WBA). Fish were selected for age estimation using a modified age-length key approach. Lapillus and asteriscus otoliths were used for age estimation. Age structure of buffalo populations varied considerably among populations, with maximum ages ranging between 15 and 70 years. Maturation schedules also varied, with age at 50% maturity ranging between 2.0 and 6.5 years and length at 50% maturity ranging between 382 and 505 mm. Three populations were oversampled (100≤ fish) to determine the minimum number of fish in a subsample needed to fully represent age composition in the population. Bowfishing harvest was recorded at each WBA tournament in 2023 and will be recorded again in 2024. All fish brought to the weigh-in were enumerated and identified to species or species group. Contribution of buffalo to tournament harvest peaked at 70.9% at the first tournament and was lower at the next four tournaments at 10.7%, 6.0%, 0.3% and 3.5%, respectively. Our research provides fishery managers with landscape-level population information on buffalo in Wisconsin and that may help inform future management decisions.
Speakers
DI

Daniel Isermann

Unit Leader, USGS-Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Non-Game/Non-sport

8:00am CST

S-07: Aggregation for Eradication: An Exploratory Grass Carp Management Strategy in the Upper Mississippi River
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Max Monfort, University of Wisconsin La Crosse US Geological Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center; James Wamboldt, US Geological Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center; Matthew Acre, US Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center; Andrew Mueller, US Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center; Dustin Broaddus, US Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center; Jacob Griffin, US Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center; David Schumann, University of Wisconsin La Crosse

ABSTRACT: Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) consumption of aquatic macrophytes can alter trophic dynamics when introduced to new aquatic ecosystems. Increased commercial captures and expansion into further reaches of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) could have negative affects to these aquatic ecosystems. Efforts to control this highly mobile and illusive species in the UMR and Great Lakes Basins are a substantial challenge to managers. A potential bait for Grass Carp has been evaluated at other invasion fronts (e.g., Lake Erie), but its application in the UMR has not yet been fully recognized. We refined methods and utilized 2023 longitudinal movement data to describe the utility of automated bait delivery systems to aggregate Grass Carp in pool 19 of the UMR in 2024. Specifically, our objectives were to: (1) describe Grass Carp movement ecology within the riverscape before, during, and after bait application, and (2) determine Grass Carp movement responses to baiting; use of the baiting area, time occupied at baiting area, and the effective attraction distance from the baiting area. Grass Carp (n = 90) behavior was evaluated in response to the deployment of a novel Grass Carp specific bait via automated bait delivery systems in four distinct habitats using acoustic telemetry arrays from March-November 2024. If successful, these methods could provide an exploratory, yet innovative, Grass Carp management strategy for more efficient removals within the UMR and other invasion fronts.
Speakers
MM

Max Monfort

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin La Crosse / USGS
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

8:00am CST

S-08: Crawfish Frog Conservation in the Midwest
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Nate Engbrecht, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish & Wildlife

ABSTRACT: The Crawfish Frog (Lithobates areolatus) is a fossorial, prairie-dwelling species of the central United States that has declined across several parts of its geographic range. Populations east of the Mississippi River have been especially impacted and it was recently designated as a Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Crawfish Frogs are "obligate crayfish burrow dwellers" that spend much of their lives in close association with their primary burrow, often returning to the same burrow following annual breeding migrations in excess of 1 km. The loss of grasslands, wetlands, and impacts to burrows through soil disturbance poses a triple threat to the frog's conservation status. Despite these challenges, Crawfish Frogs have shown a remarkable ability to colonize new areas once suitable habitat is made available, including reclaimed coal mines and military munition testing sites. Emerging data indicate that egg mass translocation may be effective tool for starting new populations at remote or isolated localities. This report provides an overview of Crawfish Frog life history, habitat use, and conservation implications across the species’ Midwestern range.
Speakers
NE

Nate Engbrecht

Herpetologist, DNR
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

8:00am CST

S-11: Molecular Surveillance of a Potential Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) Invasion in the Midwest United States
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Eric R. Larson, University of Illinois; Caitlin C. Bloomer, University of Illinois; Don Eaton, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Denver Link, University of Minnesota; Reagan Oller, University of Illinois; Gretchen J.A. Hansen, University of Minnesota

ABSTRACT: The signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus), native to the Pacific Northwest of North America, is among the most invasive crayfish species globally, with populations widely established throughout Europe and Japan. Signal crayfish have never been detected from eastern North America, although previous research has identified the Upper Mississippi and Great Lakes watersheds as environmentally suitable for this invasive species. In October of 2023, ten signal crayfish individuals were trapped from a lake in west central Minnesota by a commercial bait harvester. We report here molecular surveillance of this possible, incipient signal crayfish invasion. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) barcoding identified the collected crayfish as P. leniusculus, resembling non-native populations of the species known from the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada. We collected environmental DNA samples in summer and autumn of 2024, including through sampling kits distributed to lake association volunteers, and used quantitative PCR with a signal crayfish-species primer and probe assay to survey for evidence of this species in the original lake and neighboring freshwater ecosystems. Our preliminary results are relevant to management responses for this novel, potentially impactful invasive species in the Midwest.
Speakers
EL

Eric Larson

Dr., University of Illinois
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

8:00am CST

S-13: Practical data pipelines: from raw data to valuable product
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Ryan Bemowski, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT:  Data pipelines can be extremely complex, but they don’t have to be. In this talk, Ryan Bemowski, a data scientist from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, will review practical data pipeline implementations in use by the largest, state run citizen science trail camera network in the world, Snapshot Wisconsin. Taking a non-technical approach, Ryan will explain what a data pipeline is, give examples of data pipelines, and review the benefits and drawbacks to implementing various data processing techniques. He will focus on situations where centralized, modern data processing are not available or are not practical, with examples from Snapshot Wisconsin. These situations often arise during novel data collection or where there is lacking technological support for data of interest. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of data pipelines and confidence to improve current and future projects with practical data pipeline techniques.
Speakers
JS

Jennifer Stenglein

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
  S-13: Living Data on the Road to Resilience: Opportunities/Challenges/Best Practices

8:00am CST

S-14: Managing for Resilient Walleye Populations: Avoiding an Ecological Tipping Point
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Greg G. Sass, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Colin Dassow, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Holly Embke, United States Geological Survey; Zachary Feiner, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and University of Wisconsin-Madison; Joseph Mrnak, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Stephanie Shaw, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Many walleye populations in the Midwestern United States have declined due to inconsistent or failed natural recruitment, with stocking often failing to rehabilitate natural recruitment or sustain quality fisheries for tribal subsistence and angler harvest opportunity. Numerous factors have been implicated in walleye natural recruitment declines including climate change and phenological variability, habitat loss, production overharvest, invasive species, fish community compositional change, and fisher behavior. Walleye populations have also been shown to be prone to depensation. Still, some walleye populations have remained resilient to these disturbances offering hope for continued natural recruitment and population persistence. We discuss several alternative management strategies to maintain walleye population resilience by focusing on the probability of depensation in a walleye population (rather than assuming compensation) and assessment of yield:production ratios. Critical depensation is a positive adult biomass or abundance threshold below which a population collapses. Because the probability of depensation for Wisconsin walleye populations is unrelated to population productivity, resilience to depensation is critically dependent on maintaining sufficient adult densities to avoid crossing this ecological tipping point. Resilience can also be maintained by estimating walleye population adaptive capacity to harvest and ensuring that yield does not exceed annual production. Both strategies suggest an immediate need to reduce exploitation rates and create cultivating conditions for walleye to ensure the greatest probability of not crossing a depensatory threshold. Further, walleye “bright spots” (i.e., populations showing evidence for the greatest resiliency now and in the future) should be managed most conservatively as they are likely to draw the most fisher effort to remaining harvest opportunities. Recognizing walleye fisheries as social-ecological systems, ecosystem-based fisheries management approaches, and challenging traditional fisheries management paradigms will be paramount to ensure the sustainability of walleye populations.
Speakers
GS

Greg Sass

Fisheries Research Team Leader, Wisconsin DNR
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
  S-14: Thriving Amidst Challenges: Examining Resilient Walleye Populations

8:00am CST

S-15: An Overview of the Sustainable Rivers Program
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Dr. Heidi Mehl, The Nature Conservancy

ABSTRACT: For much of the 20th century, the United States built thousands of large dams and other water projects to meet the nation’s growing need for water, food, flood risk reduction, hydropower and navigation. Since their construction, the operations of very few public dams have been fully reviewed and updated to meet environmental needs. Dams and other river infrastructure disrupt natural flow patterns that are critical to the health of rivers and the flora and fauna that depend on them. Seasonal patterns of high and low flows support animal and plant lifecycles, preserve water quality and maintain diverse habitats. By artificially stabilizing river levels across the seasons, dams can set off cascading effects that negatively impact whole freshwater ecosystems and the diverse array of benefits they provide to people. Science has shown that altered rivers systems are a major factor in 40 percent of the nation’s fish species and 70 percent of freshwater mussel species being listed as imperiled, and why many commercial fisheries have been decimated. To help address these negative impacts, The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—the largest water manager in the nation—launched a collaborative effort to find more sustainable ways to manage river infrastructure to maximize benefits for people and nature. Known as the Sustainable River Program (SRP), the program has grown to include 66 federal dams on 16 rivers in 15 states. This presentation will provide a history and overview of SRP.
Speakers
HM

Heidi Mehl

Kansas Director of Water and Agriculture, The Nature Conservancy
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
  S-15: The Sustainable Rivers Program - Reoperating Corps of Engineers Water Infrastructure to Enhance Environmental Benefits

8:00am CST

S-16: Migratory Birds and Climate Change: Symposium Opening Remarks
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Doug Gorby

ABSTRACT:
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
  S-16: Migratory Birds and Climate Change: Science to Inform Management

8:00am CST

S-17: The Public’s Perceived Importance and View of Midwest Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Lou Cornicelli, PhD, Southwick Associates

ABSTRACT: Effective fish and wildlife management requires meaningful interaction with all segments of society, not just the people who buy hunting and fishing licenses. States’ mission statements often reflect their broad responsibilities on behalf of all residents; however, significant segments of the public who do not hunt, fish, or enjoy wildlife may not be aware of their state fish and wildlife agency at all, much less its responsibilities, services, and benefits provided. This hinders states’ abilities to effectively communicate and engage with the public and deliver programs relevant to each state’s diverse range of communities. Through a grant awarded to MAFWA through the R3 committees and funded by a multi-state conservation grant program, midwestern states were surveyed to capture the opinions and perceptions of: 1) residents not engaged in traditional state-managed activities (fishing, hunting, boating and similar), 2) residents who do not engage in any outdoor activity, 3) residents who identify as traditional stakeholders. The results will help states better understand how the broader public perceives their conservation agency and how to implement efforts to increase public awareness, engagement, and support for conservation.
Speakers
LP

Lisa Parks

Project Manager, Southwick Associates
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
  S-17: Applied Science and Adaptation of R3 Efforts

8:00am CST

S-19: Midwest Landscape Initiative and the Midwest Conservation Blueprint
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Rachael Carlberg, US Fish & Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT: This session will provide a brief overview of the Midwest Landscape Initiative (MLI), with an emphasis on MLI's efforts related to Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need and State Wildlife Action Plan coordination and support. Participants will learn about resources for at-risk species conservation developed by MLI as well as opportunities for engagement. Participants are also encouraged to attend the remaining sessions of this symposium, which will provide diverse examples of landscape conservation efforts across geographies and sectors.
Speakers
RC

Rachael Carlberg

Spatial Ecologist, US Fish & Wildlife Service
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 8:20am CST
TBA
  S-19: How is Landscape Conservation Relevant to You?

8:00am CST

S-18: FishCAST: Introducing the North Central Division Fisheries Community Advocacy and Sustainability Team
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Brittany Harried, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, Columbia, MO; MJ Oubre, Illinois Chapter of the American Fisheries Society; Jory Jonas, Michigan Department of Natural Resources


ABSTRACT: The Fisheries Community Advocacy and Sustainability Team (FishCAST) was established following in-depth discussions on the critical need for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the North-Central Division (NCD) at the 2024 Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference. Formed in March 2024, FishCAST aims to provide resources and opportunities to support its members, fostering a strong sense of belonging and improving the retention and recruitment of diverse members within the fisheries community.

At the upcoming 2025 Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, FishCAST will host a dedicated symposium titled “FishCAST: Working Towards a Better Future for all Fisheries Professionals”. We will start this symposium by introducing FishCAST and its mission, purpose, and goals. Then, we will identify existing DEI committees within the NCD, allowing time for representatives of these committees to introduce themselves and share their mission, purpose, goals, and accomplishments. Finally, we will introduce the session which will consist of a wide array of presentation topics and will conclude with a moderated panel discussion.
Speakers
avatar for Brittany Harried

Brittany Harried

Postdoctoral Fellow, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Missouri
Brittany is a postdoctoral fellow working with Dr. Jacob Westhoff and Dr. Craig Paukert at the University of Missouri School of Natural Resources. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse in 2014 and 2016 with a B.S. in Aquatic Biology and a M.S. in Biology, respectively... Read More →
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am CST
TBA
  S-18: FishCAST: Working Towards a Better Future for All Fisheries Professionals

8:00am CST

CONCURRENT TECHNICAL SESSIONS & ORGANIZED SYMPOSIA
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:00am - 12:00pm CST
TBA

8:20am CST

Fisheries Track: Evaluating Lake Sturgeon Spawning Site Use and the Relative Contribution of Spawning Tributaries to Harvest in the Lake Winnebago System
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Samantha A. Embersits, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit; Daniel A. Isermann, U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit; Daniel J. Dembkowski, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit; Margaret H. Stadig, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: The Lake Winnebago System (LWS) population in east-central Wisconsin represents one of the largest self-sustaining populations of lake sturgeon Acipenscer fulvescens in North America that supports an annual spearing fishery each February. Lake sturgeon spawn at more than 70 locations within tributaries to the LWS, but the extent and timing of spawning that occurs at many sites remains unknown. Understanding lake sturgeon use of spawning locations is important in allocating sampling effort needed to mark fish and obtain population estimates used in setting safe harvest levels for the fishery. Furthermore, some spawning sites represent habitat improvement efforts implemented by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and little to no evaluation has been performed at these sites to determine relative use and potential for successful hatching. Our objectives were to describe lake sturgeon use, measure egg deposition rates and survival, and verify whether hatching is occurring at selected spawning locations in the Wolf River drainage, including sites where habitat improvements have occurred. Spawning sites were or will be visited repeatedly during the 2024 and 2025 spawning seasons and lake sturgeon are visually counted along defined transects. Eggs are collected with a manual transfer pump and D-frame drift nets are used to collect larvae. We will present results from our first sampling season. The information from our research may help the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources strategically allocate spring sampling effort so that more sites can be sampled and could provide guidance regarding future habitat improvement projects.
Speakers
SE

Samantha Embersits

Graduate Research Assistant, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Freshwater fish

8:20am CST

Fisheries Track: Looking Towards the Future: Individual Identification Tag Exploration on Bigmouth Shiners for use on Small-bodied At-risk Fish in Nebraska
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Joe Spooner, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission; Kali Boroughs, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission; Thad Huenemann, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

ABSTRACT: Multiple options exist to tag freshwater fish including batch marks (Visible Implant Elastomer-VIE or fin clips) and individual marks (P-Chip Microtransponders or Passive Integrated Transponder-PIT tags). Few options exist for individually marking small-bodied fish (i.e., < 100 mm TL) where upon recapture individual identification can be obtained without mortality. Nebraska is home to 26 at-risk listed fish species including many that are small-bodied. There is a lack of information on demographic rates across Nebraska on our small-bodied at-risk. To determine demographic rates through mark-recapture methods, marking techniques are required that enable individual identification, do not modify behavior or mortality of individuals, and remain readable during the duration of the study. In some cases, multiple size options are available with varying results from previous studies on post tagging fish survival and retention rates. New technology also becomes available that have minimal testing results promting the need to test multiple tag options. The objective of this study was to determine post tagging survival and tag retention for four tag types including three PIT tags (8 mm Biomark, 8 mm Voda IQ, 7 mm Voda IQ) and a newly released tag (FRyID) on Bigmouth Shiners Notropis dorsalis in a laboratory setting. Results indicated that fish survival did not differ between any of the tag types and control fish. However, tag retention was significantly lower for FRyID than PIT tags. The results of this study will provide options for use on small-bodied at-risk fish in Nebraska to monitor population demographic rates over time. Some studies may include estimating movement rates, survival, or population size. This will help managers determine their status in the state and may inform if intervention is needed.
Speakers
avatar for Joe Spooner

Joe Spooner

Fisheries Biologist, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Non-Game/Non-sport

8:20am CST

S-07: Fisheries dependent and independent data inform a capture technique for an emerging invasive fish species in the mainstem Mississippi River; Black Carp Mylopharyngodon piceus
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kroboth, P. T., M. E. Colvin, C. L. Broaddus
U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO 65201


ABSTRACT: Black Carp Mylopharongodon piceus were imported into the United States in the 1980s for use in aquaculture. Since then, escapes have occurred and reported wild captures have increased. Black Carp are a concern because of potential impacts on native ecosystems and direct predation on native imperiled mollusks. Based on commercial captures, hoop nets set in mainstem riverine habitats of the Mississippi River during spring and summer are a potential capture method. We assessed commercial fisheries Black Carp catches by kernel density analysis to identify an area of increased catch. Within this area we assessed the seasonality and rate of commercial captures, and tested targeted hoop net effort for Black Carp during 2021 and 2022. We compared Black Carp catch and co-occurring species using non-metric multi-dimensional scaling. We fit Black Carp catch and environmental covariates by general linear models: Poisson, negative binomial, zero-inflated Poisson, zero-inflated negative binomial, hurdle Poisson, and hurdle negative binomial, with the top fitted models selected based on ΔAIC < 2. The model set was refitted for predictions and inference on the model confidence set. Hoop net captures were 63% of commercial records (n=759). The confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers had the greatest density of commercial captures with 39% of hoop net captures in this area, primarily during July-September. Captures were characterized by median water temperature 26.7°C, median river stage 5.02 m, and median day of year 231 (DOY; mid-August). Ordination identified similarity in covariates of Smallmouth Buffalo Ictiobus bubalus and Black Carp catch. Most captures occurred in select outside-bend or secondary-channel habitats. The probability of capturing ≥ 1 Black Carp increased with depth, DOY through September, and declined with increasing current velocity. Results indicated catch was maximized in summer and early fall when stage and current velocity are lower allowing net sets in deeper areas.

Speakers
PK

Patrick Kroboth

Research Fish Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

8:20am CST

S-08: The Status of the Crawfish Frog, Lithobates areolatus, in Kansas
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: J. Daren Riedle
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Ecological Services Section, Pratt, KS, USA.

ABSTRACT: The Crawfish Frog, Lithobates areolatus, has been known from Kansas since the early 1900’s. They are thought to be locally common in remnant tallgrass prairie, although its relatively brief breeding season and secretive habit of remaining in burrows creates the perception of rarity. The distribution of the species in Kansas appears to range along the eastern edge of the Flint Hills eastward to the Missouri border and south in Oklahoma. The Crawfish Frog was originally listed as Threatened under the Kansas Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1975 but was down-listed to a Species In Need of Conservation in 1993. While no systematic surveys have been completed for the species, it is thought that the distribution has changed little, although some evidence has suggested some population declines.
Speakers
DR

Daren Riedle

Wildlife Diversity Coordinator, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

8:20am CST

S-11: Development of Point-of-Use Detection Tools for Prevention and Control of Red Swamp Crayfish
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Caden J. Jungbluth, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, Molecular Conservation Genetics Lab; Amy L. Springer, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, Molecular Conservation Genetics Lab; Stephen F. Spear, U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center; Jared J. Homola, U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit

ABSTRACT:  Prevention of new invasive species often hinges on early detection and quick removal. Aquatic invasive species can be especially difficult to detect without extensive sampling due to habitat complexity and low initial abundances. Point-of-use biomolecule detection methods provide a possible solution via near real-time identification of DNA or other biological materials. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) provides a user-friendly approach for environmental (e)DNA detection that can be easily deployed in the field and yield diagnostic results within 40 minutes. Water can be filtered and the eDNA can be rapidly extracted with a Chelex resin and a portable heat block. We are developing a LAMP assay for red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) to enable identification of introductory pathways (e.g. the pet trade) and monitoring of the spread of established invasion sites. We generated 36 candidate primer sets that we evaluated in silico for red swamp crayfish specificity using the program BLAST to identify DNA sequence alignments to other species in the NCBI database. Sixteen species-specific candidate primer sets were then optimized for temperature of the LAMP reaction and brand of master mix. The optimal set of conditions were then used to further evaluate species-specificity through test amplifications of extracted DNA of related species (i.e. other Procambarus crayfish). Finally, we performed limit of detection testing down to a concentration of 1 copy/μL of target DNA, with consistent detections present at 100 copies/μL. Field collection of eDNA water samples from known infested waterbodies is underway to identify potential environmental inhibitors to our ability to detect red swamp crayfish presence. This tool could be implemented to detect—and possibly prevent—invasions through rapid field-based monitoring in areas where red swamp crayfish are a concern for introduction and spread.
Speakers
CJ

Caden Jungbluth

Graduate Research Assistant, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

8:20am CST

S-13: Harmful Algal Blooms, Leveraging Remotely Sensed Data for Timely Decisions and Long-term Understanding
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Nick Sievert, Missouri Department of Conservation; Matt Combes, Missouri Department of Conservation; Steffanie Abel, Missouri Department of Conservation; Emily Sinnott, Missouri Department of Conservation; Jessica Scholz, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Harmful algal blooms, caused by outbreaks of cyanobacteria, pose substantial health risks to humans, domesticated animals, and wildlife. Often, the monitoring of harmful algal blooms is conducted based on reported observations from the public or through formal monitoring programs. While this approach is effective in many ways, there are limitations to the scope of coverage and the timeliness of detection. To reduce the harm caused by these events, it is important to both quickly identify active blooms to provide notice to the public and facilitate additional data collection and to evaluate long-term patterns to better identify at risk areas and develop management strategies for reducing the frequency and severity of outbreaks. Remotely sensed data, made available by the Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN), provides daily estimates of cyanobacteria cell counts for thousands of waterbodies across the United States. With these data, we are developing methods and tools for early detection and reporting of potential harmful algal blooms, evaluating waterbody specific historical outbreaks and contextual variables such as watershed land cover and climate data, and using observational and monitoring data to validate the remotely sensed data for Missouri waterbodies. The next day delivery of this information and the broad-scale coverage of waterbodies in the CyAN dataset provides a valuable resource for both timely decision making and long-term research efforts.
Speakers
NS

Nicholas Sievert

Spatial Application Developer, Missouri Department of Conservation
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
  S-13: Living Data on the Road to Resilience: Opportunities/Challenges/Best Practices

8:20am CST

S-14: Seeing (bright) spots: Factors related to unexpected walleye success
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Christopher I. Rounds, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota; Holly S. Embke, USGS, Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center; Zachary S. Feiner, Office of Applied Science, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Quinnlan Smith, Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Olaf P. Jensen, Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Jake Vander Zanden, Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Daniel Isermann, USGS, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point; Gretchen J.A. Hansen, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota

ABSTRACT: Many fields rely on the identification and understanding of “bright spots” (i.e., populations that are performing better than predicted based on environmental conditions) to determine successful management approaches and to replicate success elsewhere. Walleye, a culturally and ecologically important cool water species, has declined in many locations where it once thrived, while at the same time other walleye populations have thrived under similar environmental conditions. These heterogeneous responses have raised questions regarding the role of the environment versus management in shaping walleye populations and how to best manage for resilient populations under changing conditions. Here, we discuss a conceptual “bright spot” framework and differentiate it from a related, but different concept of “hot spots” (i.e., populations that are predictably performing better than average for a given metric). We apply a bright spot analysis to lakes in Minnesota to understand where and why certain walleye populations are performing better than expected. We describe walleye “hot spots” and “bright spots” for walleye recruitment to age-0 and adult relative abundance and highlight actionable factors that are associated with “bright spots”. We welcome discussion on our approach and the relevant metrics of success as a part of this presentation.
Speakers
CR

Christopher Rounds

Graduate research assistant, University of Minnesota
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
  S-14: Thriving Amidst Challenges: Examining Resilient Walleye Populations

8:20am CST

S-15: Modifying Water Velocities to Promote Lake Sturgeon Spawning Success on the Mississippi River
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Sarah Peper, Missouri Department of Conservation; Ryan Swearingin, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Travis Moore, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Lake Sturgeon are an endangered species in Missouri, Illinois and ten other states. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) began recovery efforts, centered around juvenile reintroduction, in 1984. In 2015 the first wild spawn of the reintroduced population was confirmed in the tailwaters of Mel Price Locks and Dam on the Mississippi River. Despite intense monitoring of the site over the next 5 years, no further spawning events were observed. In 2021, MDC and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) began working together to improve conditions for Lake Sturgeon spawning success at the site. The team received an SRP grant to fund monitoring efforts and to build a hydraulic model of the tailwaters. Using the hydraulic model as a guide, tailwater velocities were modified to mimic those recorded during the 2015 spawn. We observed successful Lake Sturgeon spawning in the first year the project was implemented. Continued success has brought interest in replicating this project at other dams. USACE is currently leading efforts to evaluate all 27 dams/tailwaters on the Mississippi River for Lake Sturgeon spawning habitat suitability.
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Peper

Sarah Peper

Fisheries Management Biologist, Missouri Department of Conservation
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
  S-15: The Sustainable Rivers Program - Reoperating Corps of Engineers Water Infrastructure to Enhance Environmental Benefits

8:20am CST

S-16: Climate Science in Service of Migratory Bird Management
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Olivia LeDee, U.S. Geological Survey

ABSTRACT: Given their essential role to people and ecosystems, migratory birds have been the focus of monitoring and research even before the inception of scientific inquiry. As a well-studied resource with demonstrated responsiveness to weather and latitudinal diversity, migratory birds were also some of the first subjects in studies of the effects of climate change on fish and wildlife. In this presentation, I’ll briefly review the history of climate science related to migratory birds. I’ll then focus on advances in climate impacts and adaptation science in the last 15 years, focusing on what we have learned and applied to migratory bird management. I’ll conclude with a review of key knowledge gaps that merit attention from the science and management community to effectively manage migratory birds in an era of climate change.
Speakers
OL

olivia ledee

Regional Administrator, Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, USGS
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
  S-16: Migratory Birds and Climate Change: Science to Inform Management

8:20am CST

S-17: Is It Working? An Evaluation of a State's R3 Programs
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Cynthia Longmire, DJ Case & Associates
Hiro Hayashi, DJ Case & Associates
Eric Edwards, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Across the country, agencies and their partners have implemented countless R3 programs, workshops, trainings, and other efforts. At the core, these efforts are concerned with motivating program participants to start or increase participation in outdoor activities. People are often motivated by external factors, yet just as often, they are motivated from within. This interaction between external forces and intrinsic motives drives behavior. Self-Determination Theory is a well-known theory of human motivation based on the idea that people have three basic psychological needs that drive their behavior. 1) The need to feel they have a choice in the decision to do an activity (autonomy); 2) the need to feel they have the skills to do the activity and be effective at it (competence); and 3) the need to feel a sense of belonging (relatedness). The better these needs are met, the more likely an individual will participate in the activity.

In 2022, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) fielded nearly 300 R3 programs. With this project, MDC, working with DJ Case & Associates, evaluated these programs to understand better how well they recruit, retain, or reactive hunters, anglers, and shooting sports participants. R3 program participants were cross-referenced with permit sales data to determine how these programs helped achieve the Department’s R3 goals. Permit sales are a critical metric but fail to account for the important role that programs can play in helping individuals along their journey to becoming hunters, anglers, or sport shooters. In addition to evaluating traditional R3 outcomes, the project uses R3 program participant interviews to explore the programs’ impact on participants' perceived competence, relatedness, and autonomy.
Speakers
CL

Cynthia Longmire

Senior Social Scientist, DJ Case & Associates
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
  S-17: Applied Science and Adaptation of R3 Efforts

8:20am CST

S-19: The Five Land Languages: How Differing Perceptions of Place Constrain Conservation Delivery, and What We Can Do About It
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Karl Malcolm, U.S. Forest Service

ABSTRACT: The perspectives, philosophies, and relationships of individuals differ in terms of how we perceive and experience land, and how and why (or whether, even) we value fish, wildlife, and undeveloped places. Global urbanization and associated distancing of people from the natural world present conservation professionals with the challenges of trying to connect our work to rapidly shifting and potentially disinterested publics. In some cases, our organizational language, reputation, history, modes of communication, rate of adaptation, and internal and external social and political pressures make this work even more difficult. By considering the various forms of relationships (i.e., Land Languages) “spoken” by those we seek to serve, we can inform and reimagine the framing of our efforts, and perhaps even influence our own personal perspectives as conservationists such that the concepts underpinning our work are of undeniable relevance and value to all members of society. As we grapple with the need for broader support in conservation mission delivery in North America, a shift in framing has the potential to fully honor the generations of leadership and investment that have helped stem the tide of species and habitat loss since the 19th century while still allowing space to imagine what might be different in our approaches now and in the future. A consideration of land languages (i.e., ontologies) that predate European arrival on the continent, and which remain at the core of numerous contemporary cultural identities, has tremendous applicability in these explorations as we chart a path with hopes for greater sustainability and conservation engagement. This presentation will explore sources of divisiveness and disconnection while also highlighting critical common ground and offering examples and ideas for our shared journey ahead.
Speakers
KM

Karl Malcolm

Assistant Director, Renewable Resources, USDA Forest Service
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:20am - 8:40am CST
TBA
  S-19: How is Landscape Conservation Relevant to You?

8:40am CST

Fisheries Track: Assessing Age and Incremental Growth Rates in Cedar River Shovelnose Sturgeon through an 18-year Mark-Recapture Dataset
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Juliana Kaloczi, Iowa State University; Michael J Moore, U.S Geological Survey, Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and Iowa State University; Martin Hamel, University of Georgia; Gene Jones, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Ryan Hupfeld, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Rebecca Krogman, Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

ABSTRACT: Globally, sturgeon populations have declined due to overharvest for caviar and habitat fragmentation due to dam construction that impairs water quality and disrupts spawning migrations. North American species have had harvest restrictions enacted to recover populations. While similar life history characteristics make Shovelnose Sturgeon vulnerable to many of these same stressors, populations in the Mississippi River basin still support limited commercial and recreational fisheries for roe and meat - conferring the species’ economic, recreational, and cultural importance. Enacting harvest regulations, such as minimum length limits, ensures sustainable harvest and requires knowledge of dynamic rates such as age-specific growth rates. However, the Shovelnose Sturgeon’s long life span and slow growth make estimating these parameters notoriously difficult with traditional methods that rely on annuli counts on bony structures. As a result, there is a lack of reliable growth rates for this species across its range. Therefore, we used an 18-year mark-recapture dataset for Shovelnose Sturgeon collected by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in the Cedar River at Palisades-Kepler State Park to evaluate incremental growth models for Shovelnose Sturgeon. The Fabens modification of the Von Bertalanffy growth function was used within a Bayesian framework to determine how growth rates vary within the population. Additionally, bomb-radiocarbon age estimates were used to inform a second model within the Bayesian framework to assess how the incorporation of previous knowledge may improve the model. Age estimates and growth rates can be used in population simulations to evaluate sensitivity to harvest under harvest regulations and can inform management across the species’ range.
Speakers
JK

Juliana Kaloczi

Graduate Student, Iowa State University
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Freshwater fish

8:40am CST

Fisheries Track: Taxonomic and Functional Shifts in Riverine Fish Community Assemblages Across Midwest National Parks
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Lily Thompson, University of Missouri; Gregory Jacobs, Cornell University; Brandon Gerig, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Allison Pease, University of Missouri

ABSTRACT: Species introductions and biodiversity loss can result in the global change phenomenon of biotic homogenization, or the process of ecological community assemblages becoming more similar to each other over time. Freshwater fish communities are understood to be particularly at risk for biotic homogenization and shifts in fish community composition can jeopardize the distinctiveness of native communities and the ecosystem services they provide. The US National Parks Service (NPS) is tasked with preserving unimpaired natural and cultural resources, including fish community assemblages. Therefore, there is a clear interest in understanding levels of biotic homogenization in the fish communities within NPS properties. We evaluated changes in fish community assemblages in midwestern National Parks using data from the NPS Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network in two time periods: 2006–2008 and 2021–2023. Our goals were to characterize variation in fish assemblage structure among Parks, to test whether biotic homogenization has occurred over the approximately 15 years between sampling periods, and evaluate whether some Parks have shifted assemblage structure more than others. We explored both taxonomic and functional changes in local contributions to beta diversity of these sites to understand the potential for loss of unique species identities and ecosystem functions, respectively. We compared Park specific estimates of beta diversity change and assessed whether these differences could be explained by associated environmental variation. Overall, we found evidence for both homogenization and differentiation among these midwestern National Parks depending on whether taxonomic or functional homogenization metrics were used. This suggests that ecosystem function may be maintained in these locations even if the species’ identities in the fish assemblages change.
Speakers
LT

Lily Thompson

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Missouri
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Invasive Species

8:40am CST

S-07: Development and Assessment of Novel Tools and Techniques for Capture, Deterrence, and Monitoring of Invasive Carp
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jesse R. Fischer, US Geological Survey; Josey L. Ridgway US Geological Survey

ABSTRACT: Several technologies were recently developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to provide managers and researchers with cost-effective solutions to assess, deter, and capture invasive Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) populations. These tools and techniques were designed to exploit the unique physiological and behavioral characteristics of Silver Carp. Specifically, Silver Carp exhibit strong schooling, jumping, and net-avoidance behaviors that have often created challenges for traditional methods of capture. Research on Silver Carp from a variety of habitats and population densities throughout the Mississippi River Basin has demonstrated a widespread need to create new methods to capture, deter, or control these invasive populations. Nets were developed to target low-to-intermediate densities of invasive carp by eliciting jumping while limiting bycatch. Surface-floating gill nets provide a cost-effective tool for assessing and monitoring invasive carp populations (e.g., population assessment, capturing individuals for telemetry studies). For high density populations, a corral net was designed and tested for concentrating large biomasses of fish with an emphasis on preventing escape and maintaining survival until removal. Both novel nets were designed to be used in conjunction with substrate-to-surface block-nets that can control and direct movements of individuals. Additional tools to be used with these nets include deployable underwater speakers with remote operation capabilities. These mobile acoustic deterrents were created and assessed for modifying invasive carp behavior, such as, stimulating jumping or directing movement towards areas for increased capture. Semi-autonomous watercraft were also designed and extensively field-tested to assist with invasive carp assessment and monitoring using consumer-grade sonar to estimate abundance and biomass and control strategies using remotely operated stimuli (e.g., acoustic, bubbles, lights) to concentrate fish or to elicit jumping for capture objectives. Future work will continue to demonstrate and transfer new technologies to non-USGS partners to accomplish research and management objectives across subbasins within the Mississippi River.
Speakers
JF

Jesse Fischer

Research Fish Biologist, USGS
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

8:40am CST

S-08: Evaluating the Status of Crawfish Frogs (Rana areolata) in Oklahoma through Frog Call Surveys and Species Distribution Models
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kaleb M. Banks, Oklahoma State University; Owen M. Edwards, Oklahoma Biological Survey; Bo Zhang, Oklahoma State University; Michael S. Reichert, Oklahoma State University

ABSTRACT: Crawfish frogs (Rana areolata) are in decline across much of their range, primarily due to habitat loss and degradation from agricultural practices that disrupt prairie ecosystems and soil structure. These declines are most pronounced east of the Mississippi River, where R. areolata has been extirpated from 59% of its historical counties. In Oklahoma it has been over 70 years since Arthur Bragg's 1953 crawfish frog study, and the contemporary distribution and status of the species is unclear. Since much of eastern Oklahoma is characterized by low-intensity agriculture, such as cattle ranching, we hypothesize that crawfish frogs in the region may be less vulnerable to population declines compared to other states. To investigate this, we conducted comprehensive frog call surveys, deployed acoustic recorders, and performed visual encounter surveys to identify new populations. Additionally, we used species distribution modeling to identify suitable habitat. During the 2022 and 2023 seasons, we conducted 754 frog call surveys, identifying crawfish frog populations at 276 sites. Additionally, acoustic recorders and visual encounters confirmed frogs at 27 more sites, bringing the total to 303. Our surveys verified populations in all 23 counties originally documented by Bragg, along with four new county records. Our species distribution model identified annual rainfall and the percentage of untilled prairie as the most significant variables influencing crawfish frog range. These findings suggest that low-intensity cattle ranching and lack of tilled soil are likely contributing to this species' success in Oklahoma.
Speakers
KB

Kaleb Banks

PhD Student, Oklahoma State University
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

8:40am CST

S-11: Red Swamp Crayfish Home Range and Movement in an Invaded Lentic Ecosystem
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: William Ota, Michigan State University; Aaron Sullivan, Michigan State University; Sarah Walker, Michigan State University; Brian Roth, Michigan State University

ABSTRACT: Red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) are the planet's most widely distributed invasive crayfish. They are a keystone species that can alter shoreline stability, macroinvertebrate communities, trophic interactions, water quality, and macrophytes in invaded ecosystems. This species became established in Michigan in 2017 within ponds and lakes, initiating an adaptive management plan to monitor, mitigate, and/or eradicate invasive populations. From 2021-2023, we tracked red swamp crayfish using radio telemetry in seven ponds in Southeast Michigan. Crayfish from 32 - 42 mm were tagged and tracked weekly for 5-6 months per individual over 2 years. A total of 235 crayfish were tagged and successfully tracked. Red swamp crayfish home range size was significantly affected by pond size (p
Speakers
WO

William Ota

Research Associate, Michigan State University
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

8:40am CST

S-13: Integrating Long-term Assessment Data to Evaluate Muskellunge Stocking across Wisconsin Inland Lakes
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Alexander Latzka, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Dan Oele, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Colin Dassow, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Zach Lawson, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Muskellunge are the state fish of Wisconsin, are heavily targeted by dedicated anglers, and are relatively large and long-lived. In many Wisconsin lakes, there is little or no natural reproduction, so these fisheries must by supported by stocking. And because budgets are limited, there is a constant need to ensure stocking produces the best bang-for-the-buck. However, evaluating musky stocking events’ impacts on fishery metrics 10-20 years later is inherently difficult, with data accumulating over several decades but at various frequencies across hundreds of lakes, evolving data standards and monitoring protocols, and changing stocking practices. In this talk, we will share our attempt at making the most of these messy and asynchronous—but nonetheless crucially valuable—data to answer a seemingly simple question: where and when is musky stocking successful? We found that stocking events that occurred 3 to 16 years prior to a population survey were most predictive of population outcomes, and used that time window to calculate cumulative stocking rates preceding each population survey. We then used generalized additive mixed models to assess the effects of cumulative stocking rate on musky populations across different lake types and environmental conditions. We are now using these models to recommend updates to muskellunge stocking policies, aimed at ensuring lake-specific objectives are in line with expected stocking performance and prioritizing stocking where it will provide the best returns.
Speakers
AL
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
  S-13: Living Data on the Road to Resilience: Opportunities/Challenges/Best Practices

8:40am CST

S-14: Understanding and building resilience in Green Bay walleye populations
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Daniel Dembkowski, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Daniel Isermann, U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Jason Breeggemann, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Troy Zorn, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Green Bay supports one of the most prominent recreational walleye fisheries in North America. The recreational fishery provides annual harvests that exceed 100,000 fish and millions of dollars to local economies. Additionally, walleye in Michigan waters contribute to an important tribal subsistence fishery designated by the Great Lakes Consent Decree for the 1836 Treaty of Washington. The popularity and socioeconomic importance of this fishery makes walleye a species of primary management interest for the Wisconsin and Michigan Departments of Natural Resources, who jointly manage this important resource. The current status of the Green Bay walleye fishery represents the successful culmination of several recovery efforts. Following collapse of walleye stocks in the 1960s due to habitat destruction, pollution, overexploitation, and invasive species, walleyes were intensively stocked by the Wisconsin and Michigan Departments of Natural Resources. Stocking in Wisconsin waters was largely discontinued in the mid-1980s and the stock is now entirely supported by natural recruitment. Conversely, the stock in Michigan waters in the northern portion of the bay has not fully recovered despite continued stocking. We will provide perspectives on how factors including productivity, dreissenid mussels, prey diversity, thermal-optical habitat, and portfolios of potential recruitment sources may contribute to the overall resilience of walleye stocks in Green Bay and the potential disparity in resilience between stocks in the northern and southern portions of the bay. We will also discuss various management and research activities that have helped maintain, and can potentially help build, resilience of walleye populations in Green Bay and elsewhere.
Speakers
DD

Daniel Dembkowski

Fisheries Research Scientist, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
  S-14: Thriving Amidst Challenges: Examining Resilient Walleye Populations

8:40am CST

S-15: Lake Sturgeon Response to Modified Flows on the Salt River
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Annie Hentschke, Missouri Department of Conservation; Travis Moore Missouri Department of Conservation; Justin Garret, USACE

ABSTRACT: The Salt River in northeast Missouri is a tributary of the Mississippi River and was dammed in 1984 to create Mark Twain Lake. The Clarence Cannon Dam, operated by the Corps of Engineers and the Southwestern Power Administration, influences the flow out of the dam for water control and hydropower generation. In addition, there is a re-regulation dam below MTL, which was implemented to allow the reuse of downstream water for hydropower. While re-regulation is extremely rare, flows out of MTL and the re-regulation pool significantly impact the lower Salt River species. The river hosts various species of interest, including the state-endangered lake sturgeon, which has seen a recent aggregation below the re-regulation dam during the spawning season in some years. The Sustainable Rivers Project, a proactive initiative, has allowed the Missouri Department of Conservation, in coordination with the Corps of Engineers and SWPA, to evaluate and create consistent seasonal flows to promote native fish aggregation, successful spawning, and reproduction. The Sustainable Rivers Program has allowed for funding for modeling, monitoring, and assessment of existing conditions. In 2023, this SRP team successfully initiated optimal and consistent flows to attract lake sturgeon near the re-regulation dam on the Salt River.
Speakers
AH

Annie Hentschke

Fisheries Biologist, Missouri Department of Conservation
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
  S-15: The Sustainable Rivers Program - Reoperating Corps of Engineers Water Infrastructure to Enhance Environmental Benefits

8:40am CST

S-16: Microclimates and Species Life History Differences Inform Climate Vulnerability in a Grassland Songbird Community
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Benjamin Zuckerberg, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Jacy Bernath-Plaisted, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Christine Ribic, University of Wisconsin-Madison

ABSTRACT:  Assessment of species' vulnerability to climate change has been limited by a mismatch between coarse macroclimate data and the fine scales at which species select habitat. Habitat is an important mediator of climate, and fine-scale habitat features may permit species to exploit favorable microclimates, but habitat preferences and life histories of species can also constrain their ability to do so. Few studies have examined how habitat selection and life history can interact to affect microclimatic exposure. We leveraged fine-resolution models of near-surface temperature and humidity in temperate grasslands to understand how microclimates affect climatic exposure and demographics in a declining grassland songbird community. We asked: 1) Do species select favorable nest-site microclimates? 2) Do habitat preferences limit the ability of species to access potentially favorable microclimates? 3) What are the demographic consequences of microclimatic exposure? We found limited evidence that grassland birds select beneficial cooler microclimates. Instead, many species appeared constrained by habitat preferences. While facultative generalists displayed flexibility to nest in denser vegetation that provided thermal buffering, most obligate species were associated with more exposed microclimates. Nesting success in facultative species was not well explained by microclimate variables, but success in specialized grassland obligates declined with elevated microclimate temperatures. These findings suggest that habitat specialists may be more vulnerable to future temperature extremes because of a limited ability to take advantage of favorable microclimates. More broadly, our work illustrates how microclimate and species life history can interact to influence the potential vulnerability of species to climate change.
Speakers
BZ

Benjamin Zuckerberg

Professor, University of Wisconsin
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
  S-16: Migratory Birds and Climate Change: Science to Inform Management

8:40am CST

S-17: Attracting Diverse Participants to School Shooting Sports Programs (Formal Project Title: Youth Shooting Sports Diversity and Engagement)
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Matt Harlow, DJ Case & Associates; Holly Mauslein, DJ Case & Associates; Megan Wisecup, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Keith Warnke, Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

ABSTRACT: Youth shooting sports programs are among the fastest growing youth sports programs in the country, but little is known about participation of underrepresented groups. By understanding the barriers these populations face, coaches and other practitioners can develop strategies to increase their participation and representation in the shooting sports. The goal of this project was to understand how to increase and improve efforts to recruit more diverse participants into youth shooting sports such as archery and trap shooting.
The DJ Case team conducted 19 focus groups with shooting sports coaches and participants as well as with students who do not participate in shooting sports. Findings include insights into:
•Why students do/don’t participate in high school sports, in general
•Why students do/don’t participate in high school archery teams
•Why students do/don’t participate in high school shooting sports teams
These findings, combined with the findings of past studies, were used to develop recommendations for how high school shooting sports teams could best attract more diverse participants. These recommendations include the use of:
•Diversified imagery and representation to showcase different genders, ethnicities, and physical abilities
•Strategic messaging and imagery to address perceived barriers
•Specialized new shooter events to bridge first-time to competition-style learning
This project was the first phase of a two-phase project, with Phase One (2023) focusing on data collection, research, and analysis. Phase Two (2024) will use the results from Phase One to develop specific marketing and communication tools and strategies and make them available to shooting sports team coaches.
This presentation summarizes the findings of the Phase One focus groups conducted by DJ Case & Associates to help inform the development of recruitment tools and efforts. We will also present an initial sample of the communications and marketing tools currently being developed in Phase Two of this ongoing project.
Speakers
HH

Hiroto Hayashi

Engagement Strategist/Project Manager, DJ Case & Associates
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
  S-17: Applied Science and Adaptation of R3 Efforts

8:40am CST

S-19: Promoting Habitat: Engage, connect, empower and instill an ownership. People protect what they value
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: David D. Hoffman, Widlife Research Technician, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: A primary mission of the Iowa DNR: To conserve and enhance our natural resources in cooperation with individuals and organizations to improve the quality of life in Iowa and ensure a legacy for future generations. A primary objective in achieving this is by protecting and restoring habitat. “Trumpet the Cause for Wetlands” is one of the wildlife and habitat restoration slogans. It is one method being utilized to connect, empower and instill an ownership with the people we serve. Trumpeter swans serve as excellent ambassadors for promoting wetland values, water quality, the environment, and enriching the quality of life. Over 450 swan releases and 40 winter swan viewing events “Swan Soiree” have been conducted by IADNR and county conservation staff. School children, media, legislators and the public have been invited to attend. The goal is to educate, engage and connect people with the Trumpeters and especially their habitat. An estimated 5,000-15,000 students and public have been impacted annually since 1995. Observed results have included a greater awareness, appreciation and empowerment. This has translated into additional wetland habitat acres being restored, improved water quality at restoration sites and increased wildlife populations including Trumpeter swans. Donations have also been received at these events to help support swan and wetland restoration. Money has come from a wide variety of swan enthusiasts, conservation groups, and charities. When combined with considerable soft match/in-kind contributions, a conservative estimate totaling over 1.5 million dollars has been raised to directly to fund swan and habitat reintroduction in Iowa. Additional outreach includes a Trumpeter swan and wetland education and activity manual. The manual was developed in 1996 has been distributed to Iowa school teachers and recently updated and offered for nationwide distribution. The public outreach effort has been a huge success by raising awareness in regards to these magnificent birds, habitat and by providing critical funding to carry out the work. It is important to engage, connect, empower and ultimately instill an ownership of our natural resources with the public. How do we measure this value? During challenging times with budget and staff cuts, outreach and education is often a low priority, plus many employees are not often skilled, educated or feel comfortable with this type of public involvement. People protect what they value. How do we better connect and empower the public and Gen Alpha to value and protect habitat?
Wednesday January 22, 2025 8:40am - 9:00am CST
TBA
  S-19: How is Landscape Conservation Relevant to You?

9:00am CST

Fisheries Track: If at First You Don’t Succeed: The Evolution of Capture Methods in Great Lakes Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) Control
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Robert Mapes, University of Toledo; Christine Mayer, University of Toledo; Song Qian, University of Toledo; Robert Hunter, US Geological Survey; Matt Acre, US Geological Survey; James Roberts, US Geological Survey; Ryan Young, US Fish and Wildlife Service; Ryan Brown, Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Lucas Nathan, Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Eric Weimer, Ohio Department of Natural Resources; John Dettmers, Great Lakes Fishery Commission

ABSTRACT: Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) control efforts in the Great Lakes follow an adaptive management framework to continually improve removal efficiency. Initial planned action events suggested a combination of electrofishing toward trammel nets (combination method) was the most effective method to herd fish for capture. However, these initial attempts had low catches and were focused on locations with low apparent grass carp densities. Following substantial project expansion and increased effort in areas with higher apparent densities of grass carp, field crews began to experiment with other methods. A second post-hoc method comparison found electrofishing without the trammel nets to be at least >2.8 times more efficient than the combination method. The project adapted and began focusing on electrofishing while continuing to explore ways to improve efficiency by leveraging telemetry information and experimenting with other capture methods. Field crews tested passive overnight gill net sets in locations informed by telemetry and previously high capture rates. These efforts collected more grass carp in one night than the previous month of electrofishing. Expanding gill net use has contributed to more grass carp being captured during 2024 than in any other year since control efforts began in 2018. Designing a project to capture novel species with limited information is challenging and therefore an adaptive approach that analyzes data in real time is vital to invasive species control. A multi-disciplinary team with diverse skills, enables near real time incorporation of information to inform ongoing removal efforts. Although adapting to new gears has resulted in increased captures, changing methods creates challenges evaluating the effectiveness of the program through statistical models. The adaptive management framework allows for Great Lakes Grass Carp practitioners to quickly leverage data as it is collected and make concurrent changes in the field, which is invaluable to control the spread of invasive carp.
Speakers
RM

Robert Mapes

Field Research Crew Leader, University of Toledo
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Invasive Species

9:00am CST

Fisheries Track: Molecular Sexing of Lake Sturgeon Allows for Determination of Sex Ratios and Sex-Specific Growth Rates in the St. Clair – Detroit River System
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Andrew Briggs, Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Justin Chiotti, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; James Boase, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Jan-Michael Hessenauer, Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Jeannette Kanefsky, Michigan State University; Brad Utrup, Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Todd Wills, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) have been conducting Lake Sturgeon surveys in the St. Clair – Detroit River System (SCDRS) since 1996. Over this period determining sex of Lake Sturgeon has been difficult as the primary method to determine sex has been expulsion of gametes, which rarely occurs (particularly for females). Recent advances in genetic methods have shown that sex of Lake Sturgeon can be determined from a tissue sample or fin clip through molecular sexing. MDNR and USFWS have collected pectoral fin rays from Lake Sturgeon for aging purposes since their surveys began and have stored them over the years, allowing for a portion of these fin samples to be clipped and used for molecular sexing. MDNR and USFWS combined to provide over 2,700 tissue samples to Michigan State University for molecular sexing with 53% of the Lake Sturgeon being classified as female. This presentation will examine if sex ratios differed by location within the SCDRS, how sex ratios change by length, and sex-specific growth rates of Lake Sturgeon.
Speakers
AB

Andrew Briggs

Fisheries Research Biologist, Michigan DNR
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Freshwater fish

9:00am CST

S-07: A New and Innovative Method for Invasive Carp Ichthyoplankton Dispersal Control and Monitoring in Open-River Conditions
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: P. Ryan Jackson, U.S. Geological Survey; Vindhyawasini Prasad, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Henry F. Doyle, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Amy E. George, U.S. Geological Survey; Cory D. Suski, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Benjamin H. Stahlschmidt, U.S. Geological Survey; Jesse R. Fischer, U.S. Geological Survey; Duane C. Chapman, U.S. Geological Survey; Anne M. Herndon, U.S. Geological Survey; Curt G. Byrd, U.S. Geological Survey; Rafael O. Tinoco, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

ABSTRACT: Management of invasive carp populations in North America has long relied on harvest of adult fish. However, to effectively suppress population growth, it may be necessary to harvest invasive carp at multiple life stages, including ichthyoplankton (eggs and larvae). Despite substantial advances in understanding invasive carp reproduction requirements over the past decade, management agencies currently lack the necessary tools to control early life stage invasive carp and reduce recruitment and dispersal. An interdisciplinary team of biologists, hydrologists, and engineers has spent the past three years developing and testing a method for passive capture of invasive carp eggs and larvae drifting downstream in an open channel without disruption to navigation or conveyance. Inspired by microplastic collection systems deployed in Europe, this novel method uses a bubble screen to induce secondary flows in the channel, which redirect invasive carp eggs and larvae to passive collection gears. This presentation will summarize the results of this study to date, discuss new methods for experimentation with preserved eggs and surrogates, discuss the challenges of passive capture of ichthyoplankton in open-river conditions, and present our ongoing research and vision for the future of this emerging technology. Furthermore, insights gained from this study can inform the design of physics-based egg and larval traps, both with and without bubble screens, for monitoring and early detection. The potential for application to passive ichthyoplankton monitoring with improved probability of detection will also be discussed.
Speakers
RJ

Ryan Jackson

Hydrologist, USGS
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

9:00am CST

S-08: Current status and future directions for Crawfish Frog conservation in Arkansas
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Amanda R. Bryant, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (Presenting); Chelsea Kross, US Fish and Wildlife Service; Elliot Lassiter, University of Arkansas; Ethan Royal, University of Arkansas; J.D. Wilson, University of Arkansas;


ABSTRACT: Crawfish Frogs historically occurred within all ecoregions of Arkansas with the majority of populations concentrated in tallgrass prairie habitats within the Ozark Highlands and the Arkansas Valley. This species’ need for large areas of prairie and grassland habitat with adjacent suitable breeding wetlands makes them especially vulnerable to habitat alteration and fragmentation. Widespread land use conversion for agriculture and urban development is considered the primary cause of declines in this species, particularly in the Ozark Highlands. In an effort to conserve this species within Northwest Arkansas, two State Wildlife Grant funded projects were recently completed. The first focused on distribution and occupancy and as a result of these efforts, Crawfish Frogs were detected within ten protected areas along with several other detections on private lands. However, no individuals were detected at several previously known populations within the Ozark Highlands. Due to the rapid urbanization and fragmentation of the Ozarks, the most stable populations of this species occur within the Arkansas Valley and around a protected network of smaller prairies preserves as well as Fort Chaffee. The second SWG project focused on terrestrial habitat use in this prairie network to determine if these currently protected areas are sufficiently large to protect remaining populations. This research found that Crawfish Frogs in this area migrate roughly half as far from their breeding wetlands as those in Illinois and Texas and also identified key breeding wetlands on private lands adjacent to currently protected areas. It also identified currently protected areas that would benefit from artificial breeding wetland creation. This research is being used to guide targeted acquisition of these breeding wetlands and to increase our capacity to protect this species and ensure continued health of these populations.
Speakers
AB

Amanda Bryant

Herpetologist, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

9:00am CST

S-11: Habitat Selectivity by Invasive Red Swamp Crayfish
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Sarah Walker, Michigan State University; Brian Roth, Michigan State University; William Ota, Michigan State University; Colin Assenmacher, Michigan State University; Aaron Sullivan, Michigan State University

ABSTRACT: Red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) are global invaders that negatively affect ecosystems worldwide through bank erosion, trophic interactions, and competition. There is limited research about their habitat preferences in invaded areas inside North America or in lentic ecosystems. Our study evaluates habitat selectivity by red swamp crayfish in southeastern Michigan ponds where red swamp crayfish were first found in 2017. We used radio telemetry to track the movement and habitat characteristics of confirmed locations for 46 crayfish at 4 sites in June through September of 2022. We used remotely sensed habitat characteristics from 2022 NAIP aerial imagery and determined macrophyte cover, terrestrial vegetation cover, and shore use of each detection. We then analyzed these classifications for selectivity using Ivlev’s Electivity Index. We gave further context to these classifications and selectivity by analyzing them with our field habitat observations in a logistic regression. Our index indicated a strong avoidance of shore areas, an avoidance of no cover areas, and a non-selective use of macrophyte areas. We also demonstrated slightly more selectivity for areas with terrestrial cover in male I crayfish and less avoidance of terrestrial vegetation cover areas in ponds with less macrophytes. Field observed deep water habitat characteristics significantly (p-value
Speakers
SW

Sarah Walker

Research Technologist I, Michigan State University
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

9:00am CST

S-13: A Long-Term Study of the Impacts of Patch-Burn Grazing with Cattle as a Prairie Management Tool on Remnant Tallgrass Prairie in Missouri
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
A Potential New Way Forward in the Use of Adaptive Management and Decision Triggers to Inform Management Decisions Regarding a Controversial Management Action: Lessons learned on a Long-Term Study of the Impacts of Patch-Burn Grazing with Cattle as a Prairie Management Tool on Remnant Tallgrass Prairie in Missour


AUTHORS: Tom Thompson, Grassland Ecologist, Missouri Department of Conservation, and Adrienne Dykstra, Biometrician, Missouri Department of Conservation.
ABSTRACT: Beginning in 2001 the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has utilized patch-burn grazing with cattle (hereafter, PBGC) as a prairie management tool. Because of concerns voiced by different external conservation organizations and stakeholders on the potential impacts of PBGC to remnant prairie plant communities a long-term study was designed and implemented to assess, within an adaptive management framework, what the impacts are of PBGC to the plant community composition, plant species populations of concern, and vegetation structure response at five MDC managed prairies. Additionally, as part of this adaptive management study, a priori decision triggers were established for the different plant community and vegetation structure response metrics by an MDC team composed of relevant managers, natural history biologists, scientists, and supervisors before data were analyzed. Decision triggers were based on PBGC team experience and opinion and were framed over the first 5-year assessment period to track trends or major shifts in metric responses.  These decision triggers define levels in the status of these monitored biological metrics that indicate when to undertake a management action to meet a specific objective or to avoid an undesirable change in the community. Data were then summarized, analyzed, and evaluated based on these a priori decision triggers, and then shared with external and internal stakeholders. This talk will focus on the importance of long-term studies, applications and cautions in use of an adaptive management framework and decision triggers, the importance of external and internal support and involvement, and lessons learned from this on-going long-term study.   
Speakers
TT
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
  S-13: Living Data on the Road to Resilience: Opportunities/Challenges/Best Practices

9:00am CST

S-14: The Recovery of Saginaw Bay Walleye, a Case Study in Resiliency
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: David G. Fielder, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Alpena Fisheries Research Station

ABSTRACT: The Walleye population of Saginaw Bay was historically among the largest in the Great Lakes. The early commercial fishery averaged a yield of nearly 480 metric tons annually from the 1880s to the middle of the Twentieth Century. The population collapsed, however, due to water quality declines, sedimentation of off-shore reef spawning habitat, the construction of dams that impeded spawning migrations, and the effects of invasive species. The population endured declining conditions for some decades but finally succumbed in the mid-1940s after successive year class failures. The commercial fishery was formally closed in 1970. The basis for recovery began with the passage of clean water legislation in the early 1970s. A fingerling stocking program was established by the early 1980s and a recreational fishery emerged soon after. A recovery plan was developed by the Michigan DNR in the 1990s and called for creating a predation barrier to the invasive Alewife which by then had been implicated as a major impediment to reproductive success of Percids. The strategy was to increase stocking to more than 2 million spring fingerlings per year. Other strategies called for improvements to spawning habitat including the restoration of off-shore reefs and dam removal. A profound food web shift unexpectedly took place in 2003 which resulted in the sudden collapse of the lake wide Alewife population. Released from this deleterious impediment, reproductive success of Walleye in Saginaw Bay exploded. Stocking was discontinued in 2006. Recreational harvest rate increased 555% and harvest by 311% since 2005 compared to pre-recovery averages. The Walleye population continues to expand and today is believed to number more than 12 million age-2 and older. The rapid recovery of Walleye in Saginaw Bay illustrates the remarkable resiliency of the species. When obstacles to reproduction are removed, the species can respond quicky.
Speakers
avatar for David Fielder

David Fielder

Fisheries Research Biologist, Michigan DNR
Great Lakes, Walleye, Stock Assessment, Cisco
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
  S-14: Thriving Amidst Challenges: Examining Resilient Walleye Populations

9:00am CST

S-15: Assessing the effects of experimental flow releases on Shovelnose Sturgeon spawning in the Des Moines River, Iowa
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: McKensie Vaske, Iowa State University; Ryan Hupfeld, Iowa DNR; Gene Jones, Iowa DNR; Rebecca Krogman, Iowa DNR; Daniel Paulson, Iowa State University; Michael Weber, Iowa State University; Michael Moore, U.S. Geological Survey

ABSTRACT: Environmental flows in large rivers are crucial for maintaining ecosystem health, supporting biodiversity, and ensuring the sustainability of water resources for human, wildlife, and fish populations. Low and rapidly fluctuating river levels due to drought and dam operations downstream of impoundments may adversely affect the reproduction of native fishes by disrupting migratory cues and the transport of larvae to downstream nursery habitats. The United States Army Corps of Engineers and The Nature Conservancy developed the Sustainable Rivers Program (SRP) to implement science-based management of 45 river ecosystems across the nation. At the Des Moines River SRP site in Iowa, partners hypothesized that implementing experimental spring flow pulses at Red Rock Dam could promote native fish reproduction, including Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) in low-flow years. However, it remains unclear whether these actions have been effective. Therefore, from 2021-2023 we conducted larval drift sampling to examine relationships between flow pulses, water temperatures, and reproductive timing of Shovelnose Sturgeon, a long-lived periodic spawning species found throughout the Mississippi River basin. We sampled four sites from April through June spanning ~84 river kilometers in ~15-20°C water temperatures 1-2 times each week. We collected 4 eggs/larvae in 2021, 17 in 2022, and 20 in 2023. There was a positive relationship with discharge and the number of Shovelnose Sturgeon eggs/larvae collected during 2021-2023. We conducted larval drift sampling again in 2024 in additional rivers to compare flow-reproduction relationships between the regulated Des Moines and Iowa rivers with the less-regulated Cedar River. These data may allow dam managers to adjust the timing and magnitude of flow pulses to benefit native fish reproduction without also promoting the reproduction of later spawning invasive carps.
Speakers
MV

McKensie Vaske

Graduate Research Assistant, Iowa State University
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
  S-15: The Sustainable Rivers Program - Reoperating Corps of Engineers Water Infrastructure to Enhance Environmental Benefits

9:00am CST

S-16: Factors driving long-term changes in duck harvest distributions in the Central and Mississippi Flyways
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Bram H. F. Verheijen, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Missouri; Elisabeth B. Webb, U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Missouri; Michael G. Brasher, Ducks Unlimited, Inc.; Heath M. Hagy, Habitat and Population Evaluation Team, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service


ABSTRACT: Geographical distributions of migrating and wintering ducks are likely influenced by climate, habitat availability, and land use. Shifts in wetland availability related to changes in climate, land use, and other factors could lead to temporal mismatches in habitat provision and harvest management decisions if informed by historical duck distributions. Earlier research reported that centroids of mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) band recovery distributions moved north by >550 km in December and January for some subpopulations between 1960–2019. To identify potential causal mechanisms underlying these changes, we used band recovery data from 1984–2019 and tested relative effects of several weather and land use variables on changes in mallard band recovery distributions over time. Preliminary results for January recoveries show that weather variables have greater effects than land use variables on average band recovery distributions and long-term changes therein. Relative density of band recoveries per hunting day increased with precipitation, cropland cover, and wetland cover, decreased with number of frost days, snow depth, and urban land cover, with the greatest band recovery densities observed at intermediate values of minimum temperatures. When explaining long-term changes in band recovery distributions, we found that areas into which recoveries expanded in the 2010s experienced greater increases in temperature (0.8 vs. 1.1°C) and cropland cover (0.1 vs. 1.0%) than areas abandoned since the 1980s, whereas changes in other covariates were minimal. Distributional changes could alter the timing of local habitat management decisions and possibly reduce hunting and recreational opportunities in southern states. Climate, land use, and changes in breeding populations likely all influence autumn and winter distributions of ducks. Understanding temporal, interspecific, and intraspecific variation in waterfowl distributions and its drivers will help inform future conservation and management at broad geographic scales.
Speakers
BV

Bram Verheijen

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Missouri
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
  S-16: Migratory Birds and Climate Change: Science to Inform Management

9:00am CST

S-17: Attracting New Adult Hunters with Tested Messages and Ideal Media (Formal Project Title: New Hunter Ads for Target Audience)
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Matt Harlow, DJ Case & Associates; Holly Mauslein, DJ Case & Associates; Hiro Hayashi, DJ Case & Associates; Matt Dunfee, Wildlife Management Institute; Rob Southwick, Southwick Associates

ABSTRACT: The R3 community has invested heavily in reversing the downward trend in hunting participation by expanding its understanding of prospective hunters. A critical part of this expansion has been understanding and engaging so-called “adult-onset hunters”—people who did not grow up in hunting families but whose interest in the activity is rooted in complex values.
This presentation is an amalgam of three Multi State Conservation Grant projects that used qualitative & quantitative research and monitored media placement to build an understanding of the messages that motivate potential new hunters to consider the activity and the media channels that successfully reach them.
The MSCG’s include:
•YouTube to Attract Hunters
•LearnHunting.org Pilot Marketing
•New Hunter Ads for Target Audience
The research team on these projects included the Wildlife Management Institute, International Hunter Education Association, DJ Case & Associates, and Southwick Associates.
These projects resulted in a large collection of high-performing, publicly available ads and media strategies that are being shared with the R3 Community in the New Hunter Ad Toolkit. This toolkit is in development and will be available to access from the R3 Clearinghouse.
This presentation provides attendees with information about the New Hunter Ad Toolkit, the ideal media mix, and the recommended combinations of the ads featured in this project.
Speakers
HH

Hiroto Hayashi

Engagement Strategist/Project Manager, DJ Case & Associates
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
  S-17: Applied Science and Adaptation of R3 Efforts

9:00am CST

S-18: Overview of DEIJA and Indigenous relations in AFS
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jory Jonas, Co-chair FishCAST AFS Standing Committee;
Nivette Perez-Perez, Co-chair FishCAST AFS Standing Committee;
Greyson Wolf, Co-chair Committee FishCAST AFS Standing Committee

ABSTRACT: The AFS FishCAST Standing Committee was recently renamed from the Diversity and Inclusion Standing Committee. A primary objective of the FishCAST Standing Committee is to provide oversight for AFS efforts to increase and maintain diversity in membership and the fisheries profession, and to assure that all AFS activities and programs are fully inclusive. Committee efforts are aimed toward improving communications and leveraging resources within the society to best understand and address systemic barriers to member participation. The committee serves as a centralized organizational network which facilitates effective communication among related committees and teams. Successful efforts will enhance communications among interest groups, establish platforms for connection, and streamline redundant processes. By creating an environment where members can learn from each other and adapt to increasingly complex landscapes, the goal is to improve satisfaction, recruitment, and retention for a broader range of current and future members. We look forward to sharing and having discussions regarding initiatives occurring withing the AFS FishCAST.
Speakers
avatar for Jory Jonas

Jory Jonas

Fisheries Research Biologist, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
  S-18: FishCAST: Working Towards a Better Future for All Fisheries Professionals

9:00am CST

S-19: Missouri Habitat Strike Teams: Partnering for Collaborative Landscape Conservation
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Megan Buchanan, The Nature Conservancy; Nate Muenks, Missouri Department of Conservation; Andrew White, Quail Forever Pheasants Forever; Ryan Gauger, The Nature Conservancy; Keith Summerville, Drake University

ABSTRACT: Landscape conservation requires us to work collaboratively, across property boundaries and throughout generations. The remnant prairies, working ranches, forests, woodlands, and numerous other habitats that stitch together Missouri’s unique landscapes are facing increasingly complex threats, and the long-term health and resilience of these landscapes depends on a long-term collective commitment from all of us. But collectively, we simply aren’t managing enough habitat acreage annually to keep up with succession, invasive species, and the life history needs of Missouri’s full suite of biodiversity. We have a critical need for more habitat and invasive species management. Missouri’s habitat strike teams were developed to bridge this gap, working collaboratively at the landscape scale.

The habitat strike teams are strategically positioned in Missouri Priority Geographies and Conservation Opportunity Areas: key landscapes that hold high potential for conserving our state’s diverse habitats and the plants and animals that depend on them. Within these landscapes, the mobile strike teams work across public and private land, providing basic habitat management such as prescribed fire, invasive species control, and forest stand improvements. These teams are integrated within the landscapes they serve, working alongside local conservation partners and developing relationships with private landowners. For public land management agencies, the strike teams add critical boots-on-the-ground habitat management capacity, especially important for maximizing acres managed during narrow treatment windows. Because the strike teams provide private landowners with initial habitat management services free-of-charge, they reduce the upfront cost barrier and better position landowners for continued conservation management through existing means, such as government cost-share programs. The habitat strike teams are also helping develop the future conservation workforce, providing college students with summer internships through partnerships with local Universities.

In this talk, you’ll hear the story of the Missouri habitat strike teams and partnering around a shared vision for collaborative landscape conservation.
Speakers
MB

Megan Buchanan

Director of Resilient Lands, The Nature Conservancy in Missouri
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:20am CST
TBA
  S-19: How is Landscape Conservation Relevant to You?

9:20am CST

Fisheries Track: Alternative Data Sources Predict (Dis)similar Connectivity Networks Among Minnesota Lakes
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Aaron Muehler, Ball State University; Amy Kinsley, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities; Nicholas Phelps, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities; Paul Venturelli, Ball State University



ABSTRACT: Recreational anglers and boaters can be a major vector of the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS), but movement patterns are oftentimes poorly understood due to the difficulties of collecting data. Currently, Minnesota collects movement data through statewide watercraft inspection stations. In the past these data have been leveraged to predict movement patterns of anglers and boaters. As such, these data are the current gold standard, but there may be another option. A potentially innovative and economical solution is to obtain movement data from smartphone applications (apps) in the form of angler recorded catch times and locations. Aggregate forms of these data can then be used to describe and predict the relative popularity of lakes, and the flow of traffic among them. The goal of this study was to gain insight into the ways that big data can improve predictors of pathways of AIS spread. To that end, we employed predictive modeling previously used to build a movement network with watercraft inspection data and applied it to data from a popular fishing app, Fishbrain. We found that these two networks were comparable and displayed a high level of connectivity among Minnesota waterbodies, potentially furthering the spread of AIS. Although similar, differences present likely stemmed from biases in which group of anglers were surveyed within each collection method. Simply, watercraft inspections only targeted watercraft users, while Fishbrain provided data for both shore and private access anglers, along with boaters. These insights are essential to the design and optimization of prevention, detection, and monitoring efforts for Minnesota and may allow for enhanced resource allocation. These results also provide insight into how this approach can be expanded to inform larger efforts (e.g., the Great Lakes Region, contiguous U.S.), and set the stage for future work.
Speakers
AM

Aaron Muehler

Graduate Student, Ball State University
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Invasive Species

9:20am CST

Fisheries Track: Intraspecific variation in stable isotopes provides insight into adfluvial migrations and ecology of brook trout in Lake Superior tributaries
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Brandon Gerig1, School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E Greenfield Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53204. Email: gerig@uwm.edu

Troy G. Zorn Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division, Marquette Fisheries Research Station, 484 Cherry Creek Road, Marquette, MI 49855, USA. Email: zornt@michigan.gov

Kevin Pangle, Central Michigan University, Department of Biology, 1455 Calumet Court, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA. Email: pangl1k@cmich.edu

Nick Peterson, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Lake Superior Area Fisheries, 5351 North Shore Drive, Duluth, MN 55804. Email: nick.peterson@state.mn.us

Henry Quinlan U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ashland Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, 2800 Lake Shore Drive East, Ashland, WI 54806, USA. Email: henry_quinlan@fws.gov

1Presenting author


ABSTRACT:  Abstract
Identifying streams that host scarce migratory salmonid life histories, such as coaster brook trout, is challenging due to the lack of inexpensive, non-lethal techniques for confirming Great Lake to stream migrations from observations of fish from a single sampling event. We examined prior foraging (and inferred residency) of brook trout using stable isotope analysis of fin clip tissue from 589 fish captured in Lake Superior or tributaries with vs. without access to Lake Superior. We observed strong isotopic separation in δ13C brook trout between Lake Superior and Lake-inaccessible reaches and developed a linear discriminant function (LDF) which assigned fish to these environments with over 97% accuracy. LDF and Bayesian stable isotope mixing models used to estimate stream and lake energy sourcing by brook trout collected from Lake-accessible reaches identified stream of origin and brook trout length as significant covariates influencing energy sourcing. Brook trout caught in Lake-accessible reaches had isotope signatures and sizes that were intermediate to fish from Lake-inaccessible reaches and Lake Superior, potentially indicative of Lake Superior to stream migrations or possibly an energy subsidy from adfluvial migrants in streams. The LDF was used to estimate the probability that recently grown fin tissue from brook trout collected in Lake-accessible reaches resulted from foraging in Lake Superior, with data on fish length and probability of Lake Superior assignment (Pr) used to identify tributaries with “likely” coaster brook trout. However, further research is needed to distinguish between Lake Superior-based foraging and subsidy effects from adfluvial fishes.
Speakers
BG

Brandon Gerig

Assistant ProfessornSchool of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Freshwater fish

9:20am CST

S-07: Effectiveness of an invasive carp underwater acoustic deterrent system at Mississippi River Lock 19
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Janice L. Albers, Jessica C. Stanton, Andrea K. Fritts, U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center; Nicholas Swyers, Matthew D. Sholtis, U.S. Geological Survey Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory; Jon Vallazza, Dan Gibson-Reinemer, U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center; Theodore R. Castro-Santos, U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center; Christa M. Woodley, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center; Marybeth K. Brey, U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

ABSTRACT: Invasive bigheaded carps, with their unique hearing specialization, exhibit behavioral responses to underwater acoustic signals. This intriguing behavior has prompted further research into whether these signals could be used to deter invasive carps from moving into sensitive areas or further upstream. Preventing or slowing movements of invasive carps around movement bottlenecks, such as navigation locks and dams, can minimize propagule pressure in upstream locations and provide additional time and opportunity for removal or other management actions while also minimizing impact on native species. Testing of underwater acoustic signals at large, management-relevant scales is a necessary step in determining the feasibility of this tool for long-term management of invasive carps. We evaluated an underwater acoustic deterrent system (uADS) installed in the downstream approach of the navigation lock at Lock and Dam 19 on the Mississippi River near Keokuk, Iowa. We analyzed the movement behaviors of invasive carp (bighead, silver, and grass carp) and various native species, implanted with acoustic transmitters, in relation to the uADS operation status and environmental covariates. Using multiple analytical approaches, we assessed the impact of the uADS on upstream lock passage; the rate that fish enter and exit various zones in the lock approach; and movement behavior around the deterrent. Results from this study will inform managers about the effectiveness of a uADS at preventing upstream lock passage by invasives relative to native fish species, movement behavior of fish as they interact with the deterrent and lock structure, and logistics and maintenance of uADS installations.
Speakers
JA

Janice Albers

Fish Biologist, USGS UMESC
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

9:20am CST

S-08: Status of the Crawfish Frog (Lithobates areolatus) in Missouri
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jeffrey T. Briggler, Missouri Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: Crawfish Frogs are a grassland-dependent species that historically occurred throughout former native prairie habitats in northcentral and southwestern Missouri. This decline of this species of conservation concern has been primarily linked to the destruction of upland grasslands where individuals spend most of the year inhabiting crayfish burrows, and the draining of seasonal and semi-permanent wetlands where they breed during late winter and early spring. Overview of their status, distribution, and threats in Missouri will be discussed. In addition, conservation efforts, such as population surveys, land acquisitions and conversions, wetland constructions, and reintroductions will be highlighted. With increased efforts to establish a collaborative network to focus on the recovery of this at-risk grassland species, the snoring call of the Crawfish Frog will continue to be heard for future generations.
Speakers
JB

Jeff Briggler

State Herpetologist, Missouri Department of Conservation
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

9:20am CST

S-11: Influence of Environmental Characteristics on Procambarus clarkii Burrowing in Southeast Michigan Golf Course Waterbodies
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Colin Assenmacher, Michigan State University; William Ota, Michigan State University; Kathleen Quebedeaux, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division; Brian Roth, Michigan State University

ABSTRACT: Procambarus clarkii are the world’s most widespread invasive crayfish species established in Michigan since 2017. P.clarkii is of high concern due to their extensive burrowing behavior, which can damage human infrastructure through bank erosion and decreased bank stability. Our research aimed to investigate how soil and environmental characteristics of pond banks relate to P.clarkii burrow density. We measured key soil characteristics and potentially influential environmental variables from July to August of 2024 at 74 sites invaded by P.clarkii in Southeast Michigan to quantify which physical properties influence variations in burrow density within a waterbody and across multiple waterbodies. These sites were spread across 13 invaded waterbodies at three golf courses with varying burrow densities. Calculated burrow density was based on surveys conducted during the 2023 and 2024 field seasons and ranged from 0 to 8.42 burrows per square meter across sample sites and targeted waterbodies. We collected soil cores at each site to determine particle size, percent organic matter, penetration resistance, bulk density, and profile soil horizons. Bank slope, percent vegetation cover, and canopy cover were measured at each coring location. Preliminary analysis indicates regions of low burrow density are associated with steeper pond banks, particularly in the first 50 cm from the waterline. Mean vegetation cover ranged from 80 to 84% across burrow density classes and 35 to 99% over all sites. Penetration resistance was highest in areas of no burrow activity. We found less variation in soil bulk density and percent canopy cover in areas with high burrow density. This indicates that P.clarkii has preferred soil and environmental characteristics when burrowing. These findings help to identify the physical characteristics of high burrowing areas, which will be used to assist in the development of preventative management strategies against P.clarkii establishment and burrowing.
Speakers
CA

Colin Assenmacher

Graduate Student, Michigan State University
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

9:20am CST

S-13: Incorporating Long-term Fisheries Data to Understand Fish Recruitment in a Dynamic Ecosystem
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Andrew Foley, The Ohio State University; Jim Hood, The Ohio State University; Lindsey Bruckerhoff, The Ohio State University; Stuart Ludsin, The Ohio State University

ABSTRACT: Lake Erie fisheries are a unique case study of conservation interest as many surrounding agencies are focused on understanding their population dynamics. Within the lake, sportfish populations vary in response to human-driven environmental change, including climate change, altered nutrient inputs, and invasive species. Understanding how these ecosystem changes impact fish during susceptible life stages is vital to maintaining healthy fish stocks. While the exact mechanisms interacting with these fisheries have generally remained elusive, processes operating during early life stages (e.g., egg, larval, and juvenile) are thought to be the primary driver of variability in recruitment to Lake Erie’s recreational and commercial fisheries. One population that has declined during the past decade for unknown reasons is central Lake Erie Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens), with no strong year-classes occurring since 2012. We hypothesized failed recruitment to the age-0 juvenile stage, is primarily due to recent increases in top predators, including invasive White Perch (Morone americana) and native Walleye (Sander vitreus), with zooplankton (prey) limitation during spring being of secondary importance. Fortunately, a wealth of long-term data exists from 2000-2023 on many biotic and abiotic mechanisms known to impact fish recruitment. To test our hypothesis, we analyzed data from multiple management agencies across a long time series and broad spatial scale to better understand fish recruitment during this time of management need. Using Generalized Additive Models, we tested the effects of zooplankton (prey) availability, temperature, predation pressure, river discharge, and hypoxia on Yellow Perch recruitment. Herein, we report findings from our modeling, which indicate recruitment and the processes driving it have varied through time as well as spatially across the central basin. We discuss the value of our research as a case study for understanding the long-term impacts of human-driven environmental change on recruitment using historical datasets and their application to fisheries management.
Speakers
AF

Andrew Foley

Graduate Research Assistant, The Ohio State University
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
  S-13: Living Data on the Road to Resilience: Opportunities/Challenges/Best Practices

9:20am CST

S-14: Managing Sustainable Walleye Harvest on Lake Erie
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Travis Hartman, Ohio DNR-Division of Wildlife

ABSTRACT: Lake Erie’s walleye population has a long history of resiliency while providing sustainable harvest for sport and commercial fisheries. Walleye have endured system-wide habitat alterations, impactful contaminants, invasive species, and greatly improved fisheries efficiency over the past 125 years. Management agencies acknowledged the need for lake-wide collaboration and began quota management in the 1970s through the Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s facilitation of the Lake Erie Committee. During 50 years of quota management the process has evolved to include a published management plan that was informed by stakeholder input and utilizes long-term datasets to annually run a population model that is paired with harvest control rules which allows the Lake Erie Committee to deliberate and set safe harvest levels. As one of the five Lake Erie Committee agencies Ohio provides technical representation on the Walleye Task Group, provides both fishery data and fishery-independent survey data for the modeling process, and sets fisheries regulations that are responsive to annual safe harvest levels. Lake Erie has been widely recognized as the “Walleye Capital of the World” and Ohio’s sport fishery has harvested from 2.0 to 2.6 million walleye annually since 2019. While management challenges and environmental variability have been a constant even during the recent increases in walleye abundance, the long-term outlook for Lake Erie walleye is exceptional.
Speakers
TH

Travis Hartman

Lake Erie Fisheries Program Administrator, Ohio DNR-Division of Wildlife
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
  S-14: Thriving Amidst Challenges: Examining Resilient Walleye Populations

9:20am CST

S-15: Shovelnose Sturgeon Summer Habitat Selection on the Des Moines River, Iowa
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Daniel Paulson, Iowa State University; McKensie Vaske, Iowa State University; Michael Moore, U.S. Geological Survey, Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; Michael Weber, Iowa State University

ABSTRACT: Alterations to natural flow regimes from hydroelectric dams, channelization, and land-use practices degrade riverine habitats for native lotic fish. For instance, over the course of multiple summers, including 2024, more than 10,000 Shovelnose Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus have died on the Des Moines River, IA predicted to be from river alterations creating suboptimal habitat conditions. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers through the Sustainable Rivers Program has expressed interest in restoring environmental flows and providing heat relief pulses which could improve available habitat for native lotic species. Since Shovelnose Sturgeon habitat requirements have not been studied on the Des Moines River, our objective is to quantify their habitat use and selection to determine the environmental conditions that contribute to survival during the summer months. From 2022-2024, we acoustically tagged 69 Shovelnose Sturgeon and actively tracked them 2-3 times a week from June-September 2024 (31 total events). At each fish location, we measured macrohabitat (main-channel, main-channel border, side-channel, pool, backwater, or tailwater) and microhabitat characteristics (water temperature, surface water velocity, substrate, and depth). We identified 84 Shovelnose Sturgeon locations (23 individuals; mean detections per fish = 4). These sturgeon occupied water velocities ranging from 0.23 m/s to 1.56 m/s (mean = 0.87 m/s) and water depths between 0.6 m to 3.7 m (mean = 2.01 m). Sand was the most occupied substrate (50% observations) with gravel and cobble evenly split (25% observations). We will repeat this work during 2025 to gain a better understanding of habitat use and selection on this altered river. This research could help guide management efforts on regulated rivers to promote better resiliency for downstream biota by giving insight onto what conditions are critical for Shovelnose Sturgeon during this stressful period.
Speakers
DP

Daniel Paulson

Graduate Research Assistant, Iowa State University
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
  S-15: The Sustainable Rivers Program - Reoperating Corps of Engineers Water Infrastructure to Enhance Environmental Benefits

9:20am CST

S-16: Predicted Migratory Landbird Response to Climate Change in Texas and Louisiana
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Theodore J. Zenzal Jr., U.S. Geological Survey; Jaclyn A. Smolinsky, Cherokee Nation System Solutions; Lori A. Randall, U.S. Geological Survey; Amanda Y. Crandall, Cherokee Nation System Solutions; R. Randy Wilson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Jeffrey J. Buler, University of Delaware

ABSTRACT: Texas and Louisiana comprise a large and diverse landscape that supports billions of landbirds each migration season as they stopover to rest and refuel. The stopover habitats used by migrants are often in areas experiencing human population growth and are impacted by natural disturbances and climate change. Over the next several decades, climate change impacts (e.g., sea-level rise, extreme weather events, changes in temperature and precipitation) are expected to intensify, which may lead to habitat loss and, subsequently, loss of birds. Consequently, natural resource managers need information on how climate change indicators, such as sea-level rise and land cover change, influence stopover distributions in order to identify areas of conservation priority. We investigated predicted landbird response to climate change using historical weather surveillance radar (WSR) data and historical as well as predicted environmental variables. Our predictor variables included distance from the Gulf of Mexico and future estimates of temperature, precipitation, and several land cover variables. We used forecasted predictor variables for three future years (2030, 2060, and 2080) under two representative concentration pathways (RCP; 4.5 and 8.5). Using training data sampled from 15 WSRs across Texas and Louisiana from 13 years, we predicted estimated bird density using boosted regression tree models during spring and autumn migration for our response variable. For autumn, regardless of RCP and year, the highest estimated density of migrants was in the western Texas panhandle and the lowest density was within the Lower Rio Grande Valley. During spring migration, regardless of RCP and year, the highest densities of migrants are predicted to be in the Trans-Pecos Mountains and within the Lower Rio Grande Valley, whereas the lowest densities appear to be in the Texas panhandle as well as extreme eastern Louisiana and western extents of Texas.
Speakers
TZ

Theodore Zenzal

Research Ecologist, USGS
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
  S-16: Migratory Birds and Climate Change: Science to Inform Management

9:20am CST

S-17: Harnessing the Growth in 35–44-Year-Old Participation
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Lou Cornicelli, Ph.D., Southwick Associates

ABSTRACT: According to the Multistate Grant-funded license sales dashboard, license sales only achieved a net 1% increase from 2016 through 2021. For nearly all age groups, license sales fell. Sales to 18-24- and 25–34-year-olds fell 4% and 3% respectively, while 45-54-year-olds purchased 5% fewer licenses. The real surprise is 35-44-year-olds, whose license purchases grew 9%. This growth is organic as very few R3 efforts are systematically targeting the 35-44-year-old age group. Why are sales growing among this Gen Y/Millennial age group? Is this growth related to factors faced by 35-44-year-olds today or were they exposed to the outdoors in their youth and now finally have the opportunity to go on their own? Can any reasons driving this growth be harnessed by R3 professionals to further expand participation? This project connected with license buyers using qualitative and quantitative methods to identify reasons for this spike. Investigators developed recommendations for actions and strategies R3 professionals can implement to fuel further growth within this demographic.
Speakers
LP

Lisa Parks

Project Manager, Southwick Associates
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
  S-17: Applied Science and Adaptation of R3 Efforts

9:20am CST

S-18: A History of STEM and DEIA: Challenges, Trailblazers, and What the Future Holds
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Gweniviere Oubre, Wilmington Substation, Carterville FWCO, USFWS, gweniviere_oubre@fws.gov

ABSTRACT: In recent years, the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) field has made significant strides toward embracing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) principles. However, many marginalized communities within STEM still face systemic barriers that hinder their full participation and success. Although some research has explored these challenges, there is a notable gap in the recollection of historical figures and accounts from historically excluded communities. Incorporating historical perspectives is essential to understanding the context of current DEIA efforts in STEM. By critically examining the past, we can gain valuable insights into the roots of these barriers and develop more effective strategies for creating an inclusive and equitable future.
Speakers
GO
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
  S-18: FishCAST: Working Towards a Better Future for All Fisheries Professionals

9:20am CST

S-19: Collaborative Conservation for the Next Generation
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Rachael Carlberg, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Claire Beck, Midwest Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies; Kate Parsons, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Lorisa Smith, Missouri Department of Conservation; Alexander Wright, US Fish & Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT: This symposium will conclude with a panel discussion offering diverse backgrounds and perspectives on working in collaborative landscape conservation. Panelists will share their professional journeys and what led them to engage in collaborative work. The panelists will discuss how conservation practitioners across different roles and organizations can advance landscape conservation in the Midwest. They will be asked their vision for shaping the future landscape of the Midwest, including what they foresee as the toughest challenges. The panel will also discuss skillsets needed to successfully engage in collaborative landscape conservation and how early-career professionals can advance this work in their careers. Everyone is invited to join the conversation, especially students to focus on the future of collaborative work. We encourage the audience to ask questions and share their perspectives. We invite all backgrounds to join this conversation, from directors to management biologists to students to field technicians to policy analysts and everyone among and between. The work in our region is enhanced by the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives shared.
Speakers
RC

Rachael Carlberg

Spatial Ecologist, US Fish & Wildlife Service
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:20am - 9:40am CST
TBA
  S-19: How is Landscape Conservation Relevant to You?

9:40am CST

Fisheries Track: Tracking the Spread of Invasive Mollusks in the Illinois River Watershed
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Nicholas Iacaruso, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Natural History Survey; Joel Corush, Illinois Natural History Survey; Mark Davis,University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Natural History Survey

ABSTRACT: Aquatic invasive mollusks (gastropods and bivalves) are among the most ecologically and economically impactful groups of non-native species to the Midwest United States. They can achieve hyper-abundance in freshwater ecosystems, negatively impacting native mollusk biodiversity, damaging infrastructure, altering ecosystem characteristics, and facilitating other invaders. Early detection of new populations before they become hyper-abundant can be an effective strategy for mitigating their worst impacts. However, their small size and cryptic life history often make new invasions difficult to identify. Here, we deploy environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to detect aquatic invasive mollusks across the Illinois River waterway, an aquatic highway connecting the Mississippi River to the Great Lakes. We focused on six focal species with varying levels of establishment and distribution throughout the Illinois River. We sampled the Illinois River and 24 tributaries over two years to estimate the relative distribution of each invasive mollusk. We also performed eDNA metabarcoding to detect the native mollusk and fish communities in each tributary. We intend to find correlations between the presence of the invasive mollusks and the physical habitat measurements, land-use metrics, or native mollusks and fishes that may inform the current heterogeneous distribution of aquatic invasive mollusks. Our study will also serve as a model for studying the fine-scale spatial distribution of aquatic mollusk eDNA and aid in understanding why some tributaries are more heavily invaded than others.
Speakers
NI

Nicho Iacaruso

Graduate Research Assistant, Illinois Natural History Survey
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Invasive Species

9:40am CST

Fisheries Track: Using Eye Lenses to Identify Rearing Origin of Large, Fingerling Walleye
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Justin Sturtz, South Dakota State University; Benjamin J. Schall, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; Matthew J. Ward, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; Cody E. Treft, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; Christopher Cheek, South Dakota State University

ABSTRACT: Determining the natal origins of fish can provide critical information for fisheries management and conservation efforts. Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) are advanced, fish-rearing setups that filter and recycle water within the system, significantly reducing the need for fresh water and allowing for high-density rearing of fish under efficient growth conditions. In contrast, traditional fish stocking often involves rearing fish in raceways or outdoor ponds. Differences in forage between RAS (pellet-fed) and pond (natural forage) reared fish may result in unique isotopic signatures in the fish tissue. Historically archived isotope signatures in fish eye lenses may be useful in differentiating rearing sources, providing an additional tool for delineating stock contribution. This study investigates the feasibility of using isotopic composition of fish eye lenses to discern the known rearing environment (RAS vs. pond vs. wild) of fall, advanced fingerling age-0 Walleye (Sander vitreus). We collected 10 RAS-reared, pellet-fed walleye from Cleghorn fish hatchery in Rapid City SD (mean = 159mm), 10 pond-reared natural source-fed walleye from Blue Dog hatchery in Waubay SD (mean = 179mm), and 10 wild- caught walleye from Clear Lake in Sioux Falls SD (mean = 170mm). Eye lens layers were delaminated to remove ~300 µm for each layer, resulting in 3 to 4 layers per fish including the core. Eye lens layers were sent for carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis, and whole eye lenses from the second eye were sent for δ13C, δ15N, and sulfur (δ34S) analysis. Preliminary δ13C and δ15N results illustrated unique signatures among stocking sources, high signature precision for the pellet-fed RAS fish, and shifting signatures with known changes in diet for pond-reared fish. The results of this study could be used by managers who are focusing on identifying the stock contribution of RAS and pond-reared fishes.
Speakers
BS

BJ Schall

Fisheries Biologist, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquaculture-other

9:40am CST

S-07: Deterring Upstream Movement of Invasive Carp in the Kansas River
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Liam Odell, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; Chris Steffen, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

ABSTRACT: Introduced invasive carp have become established throughout the Missouri River basin. The feeding habits, population densities, and interactions with river users cause significant ecological damage as well as lower the desires to use bodies of water with established invasive carp populations. The Kansas River is a major tributary of the Missouri River and is one of three publicly accessible and navigable waterways in the state of Kansas. Upstream from the Kansas River are several large reservoirs that are highly utilized for outdoor recreation such as fishing, boating, nature watching, etc. The Bowersock Dam serves as a critical control point for the management of invasive carp in the Kansas River system. Only six bighead carp have been documented upstream of this structure. These six bigheads were previously assumed to have passed over the Bowersock Dam during an extreme flood event in 1993 (120,000 cfs). A recently completed study has raised concerns that invasive carp can pass over the Bowersock Dam at much lower flows (25,000 cfs). Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks will integrate a physical deterrent at the Bowersock Dam to prevent invasive carp from moving over the dam and making their way upstream into reservoirs and the rest of the Kansas River.
Speakers
LO

Liam Odell

Invasive Carp Biologist, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

9:40am CST

S-08:A Brief History and Status Update of the Northern Crawfish Frog in Iowa
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Paul W. Frese, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: The Northern Crawfish Frog, Lithobates areolatus, has not been documented in Iowa since 1942 and is classified as endangered in the state. In the last three decades, concerted efforts by multiple researchers have failed to find any sign of the crawfish frog in Iowa and they are almost certainly extirpated. Crawfish frogs have experienced declines throughout their range due to habitat loss or degradation and there is no evidence that crawfish frogs were extirpated from Iowa due to factors other than habitat destruction. Recent research has provided vital information on the natural history and ecology of crawfish frogs as well as habitat suitability assessments of potential release sites giving us tools and knowledge to improve the success rate of a species restoration project. I will review the known historical record of crawfish frogs in Iowa and give an update of the status of potential repatriation efforts in the state.
Speakers
PF

Paul Frese

Research Technician, State of Iowa, DNR
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

9:40am CST

S-13: Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project: Adapting to change
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Shelby Timm, MO Department of Conservation; Brad Graham, MO Department of Conservation

ABSTRACT: The Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) was initiated in 1989 by the Missouri Department of Conservation and was designed to continue for over 100 years. MOFEP experimentally investigates the landscape-scale impacts of uneven-aged and even-aged forest management practices on a range of ecosystem components. MOFEP was designed to be adaptive so that lessons learned can be applied throughout the life of the project. Over 30 research projects have been initiated on MOFEP in collaboration with numerous partners. Of those projects, five are considered “core” projects that are repeated periodically to monitor changes throughout the life of MOFEP. Due to the extensive temporal and spatial scales, MOFEP has faced a range of challenges over the first 35 years. Some of those challenges include maintaining data throughout the evolution of technology and software advances, maintaining clean datasets across sampling intervals and researchers, and maintaining relevance in the face of new conservation challenges and priorities. Despite these various challenges, MOFEP continues to adapt and inform forest management actions throughout the Central Hardwood Region. As technology advances, so does the range of opportunities to use these long-term data to investigate new questions and contribute to new priorities. Currently, MOFEP data are being used to develop multiple new planning tools and forest models that will contribute to Missouri’s tiered approach to natural community and habitat management.
Speakers
ST

Shelby Timm

Habitat Management Coordinator, Missouri Department of Conservation
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
  S-13: Living Data on the Road to Resilience: Opportunities/Challenges/Best Practices

9:40am CST

S-14: Using angler derived data to assess walleye fisheries and resilience
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jeff Kopaska, American Fisheries Society

ABSTRACT: Each year, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) invests significant resources to support its walleye fishery. Determining the success of stocking activities is imperative, but collection of broodstock for hatchery production dominates the appropriate timeframe for sampling and population monitoring, thus only a handful of the stocked waterbodies are ever surveyed. Creel surveys are conducted at a limited number of fisheries. From 2022 to 2024, Iowa DNR partnered with MyCatch, an app-based tournament platform, to conduct a state wide catch-photo-release fishing tournament to determine if angler reported data could provide a reasonable overview of walleye catch rates and length distributions for waterbodies across the state. Sampling survey data were used as a benchmark to evaluate similarity to angler derived data, and initial comparisons were promising but limited. Results from 2022-2024 will be addressed. Scientifically, if angler reported catches are consistent with the standardize sampling and/or creel surveys, it could provide a new, cost-effective way to develop a state-wide assessment of the walleye populations. Identifying locations where stocking success/failure occur, and resilient populations persist, will allow more effective allocations of limited hatchery resources.
Speakers
JK

Jeff Kopaska

Executive Director, American Fisheries Society
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
  S-14: Thriving Amidst Challenges: Examining Resilient Walleye Populations

9:40am CST

S-15: Movement of Pectoral Sandpipers from an Iowa stopover site
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Victoria Fasbender, Iowa State University; Stephen Dinsmore, Iowa State University

ABSTRACT: Migratory birds rely on stopover sites as a place to rest and refuel before continuing their migration. One site, Lake Red Rock in central Iowa, has implemented a water drawdown by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to benefit migrating waterbirds as part of the Sustainable Rivers Program (SRP). Our objectives are to document space use and movement patterns and estimate residency time of fall migrating Pectoral Sandpipers (Calidris melanotos) in relation to the drawdown timing. We fitted Pectoral Sandpipers with GPS satellite tags to gather local and global movement information in 2023 and 2024. Of the 25 birds tagged in 2023, seven stayed at Lake Red Rock during their battery life duration, seven made landfall in either Colombia, Venezuela, or the Dominican Republic, and eleven had their battery die while making a long movement south. Pectoral Sandpipers at Lake Red Rock had an average home range of 10.5 km2 (SD = 11.7) and a mean minimum stopover duration of 8.4 days (SD = 3.4). The average distance traveled at Lake Red Rock per day was 3.4 km (SD = 2.0). The average flight speed of departed birds (n = 18) was 47 km per hour (SD = 5.9). Those that left and made landfall (n = 7) flew an average of 4,788 km (SD = 607) with an average nonstop flight time of 98 hours (SD = 17). Our work showed that sandpipers closely tracked the shallow water/mud interface during their stopover and that their refueling efforts were sufficient to fuel a non-stop flight to northern South America. This work highlights the benefits the SRP can have for migrating waterbirds and encourages similar management at other dammed lakes.
Speakers
VF

Victoria Fasbender

Graduate Research Assistant, Iowa State University
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
  S-15: The Sustainable Rivers Program - Reoperating Corps of Engineers Water Infrastructure to Enhance Environmental Benefits

9:40am CST

S-16: Navigating Change: Creating Resilient Urban Landscapes for Migratory Birds
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Abigail Derby Lewis, Field Museum; Doug Stotz, Field Museum

ABSTRACT: We will discuss impacts of climate change on migratory birds in urban landscapes, and share examples of actions that can be taken to help birds not only survive, but also thrive, in cities. Rising temperatures, shifting weather patterns and extreme climatic events impact migratory birds in a multitude of ways, including the ability for individuals to find food, shelter, and nesting sites. Additionally, many of the bird species in the habitat groups most vulnerable to climate change are frequent as passage migrants or breed in urban areas. As a result, migratory birds now face the challenges that have arisen due to urbanization– including heat island effects, green spaces dominated by non-native vegetation, small habitat patches, phenological shifts, greater exposure to extreme climatic events, light pollution and building collisions– in an environment compounded by climate change. As daunting as these challenges may be, there are coalitions of committed and highly engaged people across U.S. cities tackling these issues head on. Increasingly, there is a focus to identify opportunities where alignment can exist between community interests and urban bird conservation goals, allowing engagement with a wider cross-section of urban residents to take up actions that increase both environmental and human health. We will share examples of how seeking out diverse partnerships that center and uplift community needs can lead to greater conservation impact for people and nature.
Speakers
AD

Abigail Derby Lewis

Senior Conservation Ecologist, Field Museum
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
  S-16: Migratory Birds and Climate Change: Science to Inform Management

9:40am CST

S-17: WAFWA Hunter Personas and Evolutionary Path
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Southwick Associates

ABSTRACT: Many current R3 and hunter education efforts incorporate the five “stages” or “phases” that describe hunter evolution and their “lifetimes” as participants in the sport. However, these phases are based on a single study published 38 years ago (Jackson et al, 1984) that focused on male Wisconsin duck hunters. Hunting has undergone significant cultural, participatory, and communications shifts since 1984, and today these phases are likely quite different for women and other critical demographics, as well as other types of hunting. Basing today’s R3 efforts on the experiences of localized duck hunters nearly 40 years ago is likely misleading. Led by subject experts, this project examined people’s motivations to hunt and participate in recreational shooting. Statistical consumer segmentation techniques were employed to scientifically separate hunters and recreational shooters into unique personas based on their participation motivations and preferences and to then identify how people’s motivations shift over their lifetime as a hunter and/or target shooter. The results can significantly improve the effectiveness of R3 and marketing efforts within the hunting and recreational communities.
Speakers
LP

Lisa Parks

Project Manager, Southwick Associates
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
  S-17: Applied Science and Adaptation of R3 Efforts

9:40am CST

S-18: A Systems Approach to DEI Planning at a State Agency
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jory Jonas, Michigan DNR, jonasj@michigan.gov, 231-350-6429

ABSTRACT: A nine-step process was employed to organize DEIJA responses within a state agency. We used a Systems Approach to understand structures within the agency and crowd sourced creation of Guiding Star and Problem Statements to orient actions. Systems were broken down into five subject matter categories (staff composition and hiring, public perception and partnerships, training and education, employee engagement, and workplace rules, power and hierarchy). Nearstar (shorter term) objectives were established within each subject matter category. Recommendations were shared with each division (forestry, law, marketing, history, wildlife, fisheries, finance, executive) via a recommendations document. Division teams were asked to create strategic plans and report on metrics. The different sections within the agency are in varying levels of implementation but are making progress and generally orienting around shared goals and objectives.
Speakers
avatar for Jory Jonas

Jory Jonas

Fisheries Research Biologist, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:40am - 10:00am CST
TBA
  S-18: FishCAST: Working Towards a Better Future for All Fisheries Professionals

10:15am CST

Time and Place DeBrief Meeting (For host team representatives from Missouri (2025) and Indiana (2026)
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:15am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:15am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  Committee Meeting

10:20am CST

Fisheries Track: Assessing Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) Abundance Dynamics in Tailwater Habitats Using Side-scan Sonar Techniques
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Adam C. Jones, US Geological Survey; Jesse R. Fischer, US Geological Survey; Josey L. Ridgway, US Geological Survey.

ABSTRACT: There are over 40,000 dams in the Mississippi River Basin, and concentrations of invasive Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) below them are well documented as populations attempt to migrate, reproduce, and establish in upstream ecosystems. Consumer-grade sonar and image analysis techniques provide an efficient and cost-effective approach to evaluate and monitor the density of invasive carp populations in these unique and intensely managed areas of interest. Current automated image analysis tools are reliable and used throughout the Mississippi River Basin to count, measure, and understand the behavior of invasive carp populations in a diversity of habitats. However, these tools are ineffective in quantifying targets within high density groups (i.e., schools), prompting the need for additional image analysis techniques and an improved understanding of the three-dimensional distributions of invasive carp individuals and concentrations. Overall, our objective is to evaluate fine-scale and reach-wide abundance dynamics through time (i.e., day, night, and season) and environmental conditions (i.e., water discharge, velocity, temperature). We conducted repeated sonar surveys using side-scan and down-imaging sonar in the Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley tailwaters (Tennessee River and Cumberland River respectively) throughout 2023 and 2024. Four parallel transects were conducted for each 5-km reach downstream of each dam. Surveys began at the dams and moved downstream at ~8 km/h to ensure consistent images. Current data processing involves the manual identification of fish groups (i.e., area) within side-scan sonar images and the use of simultaneously recorded down-imaging sonar images to quantify depth distributions of high-density schools to estimate volumetric abundances of invasive carp. Manual processing will be used to train machine learning models similar to approaches being used to estimate individual fish targets. These results will inform future research objectives to improve survey design as well as management efforts, such as deterrence and removal actions in these critical bottleneck habitats.
Speakers
AJ

Adam Jones

Fish Biologist, United States Geological Survey
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Invasive Species

10:20am CST

Fisheries Track: History of Fish Production and Design in North America
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Matt Cochran, HDR Engineering, Inc.

ABSTRACT: The beginning of formal fish culture in North America dates back to the 1800s when some of the first references to hatcheries being used for population mitigation purposes surfaced. While the early efforts were focused on the actual science of fish culture, the need to support culture efforts with facilities specifically designed to aid production soon followed. The design of coolwater, warmwater and coldwater fish production facilities ranges from simple repairs at existing facilities to full scale renovations or brand new state of the art hatcheries that can meet the needs of conservation based fish culture. This talk will outline the history of facilities in North America and highlight design features utilized for sportfish and conservation focused facilities.
Speakers
MC

Matt Cochran

Director of Fisheries, HDR
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquaculture-other

10:20am CST

S-07: Assessment of Sampling Gears for Adult Invasive Carp in Mid-Order Rivers in Nebraska
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Brett Anderson, Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Jonathan J. Spurgeon, U.S. Geological Survey, Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

ABSTRACT: Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Bighead Carp H. nobilis (hereafter bigheaded carp) have invaded tributaries to the Missouri River and Platte River in Nebraska. Herding is a method used to increase the capture efficiency and detection probability of adult bigheaded carp by using active and passive sampling gears simultaneously. Nevertheless, more information is needed about how herding can be applied to mid-order rivers and how it compares to more conventional methods such as electrofishing. During June-July 2023, four herding techniques were assessed regarding their ability to elicit directional movement past an enclosure gate. Herding using an underwater speaker and pulsed-DC electrofishing proved effective at directing bigheaded carp into a capture area. From June-August 2024, herding was conducted on three tributaries to the Missouri River and one tributary to the Platte River to assess the effectiveness of gill-net sets at removing fish from a capture area. Herding and standard electrofishing were assessed based on catch rates, labor hours, and crew sizes. The results of this study will provide managers, researchers, and stakeholders knowledge regarding efficient and cost-effective sampling strategies for invasive bigheaded carp that enable assessments of presence and population status as well as provides control options for population reduction and potential removal.
Speakers
BA

Brett Anderson

Graduate Research Assistant, Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

10:20am CST

S-08: Status of the Crawfish Frog (Lithobates areolatus) in Illinois
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Scott Ballard
Herpetologist
Illinois Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Crawfish frogs are an Illinois Species of Greatest Conservation Need that historically occurred in roughly the southern one-third of Illinois. Declines can be attributed to the alteration of wetland breeding habitat that affects the water table, hence reducing crayfish occupation and the burrows this species relies on. Overview of the species legal status, distribution, breeding phenology, population status, threats, and conservation efforts will be discussed.
Speakers
SB

Scott Ballard

Herpetologist, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

10:20am CST

S-11: Habitat Associations of Invasive Rusty Crayfish and Native Virile Crayfish in a Shallow, Eutrophic Natural Lake
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Dalton Clayton, Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University;

Dr. Michael Moore, USGS Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit;

Dr. Michael Weber, Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University;



ABSTRACT: The introduction of aquatic invasive species can have negative ecological impacts on invaded ecosystems. Rusty Crayfish (Faxoninus rusticus), a species native to the Ohio River Basin, has extended its range into 28 US states, 3 Canadian provinces, and Western Europe. Rusty Crayfish can displace native crayfishes through competition, destabilize aquatic food webs, alter habitat through bioturbation and consumption of aquatic vegetation, and predate on fish eggs, presenting management challenges. Managers currently lack information on Rusty Crayfish distribution and habitat selection in shallow lakes and wetlands in the glaciated, agriculturally dominated landscapes found near the southern and western margins of their introduced range. Thus, our objective is to determine the habitat associations of Rusty Crayfish in Storm Lake, IA, to help understand Rusty Crayfish habitat selection in a novel habitat on their invasion front and its relationship to native crayfish habitat selection. To explore our objective, we deployed 708 baited minnow traps to sample crayfishes from June through August of 2023 and 2024, across three depths bins (~0-1.5m, 2-3m, 3+m). We also collected habitat data, including dissolved oxygen, pH, water temperature, dominant substrate, and presence of cobble and macrophytes at each trap location. We captured 85 invasive Rusty Crayfish and 47 native Virile Crayfish (Faxonius virlis). Rusty crayfish capture probability increased with cobble substrate, macrophytes, and earlier in the summer. Virile Crayfish capture probability was positively associated with macrophytes, they were more likely to be captured later in the summer and were more likely to captured in the medium and deep depth bins. Our results suggest that Rusty Crayfish and Virile Crayfish are not overlapping in habitat usage, which may suggest competition or niche partitioning.
Speakers
DC

Dalton Clayton

Graduate Student, Iowa State University
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

10:20am CST

S-14: 40 Years of Walleye Observations in Pool 14 of the Upper Miss. River
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jeremiah Haas, Constellation
Dr. David Bergerhouse, Southern Illinois University Carbondale


ABSTRACT: The Quad Cities Nuclear Station has monitored fish populations in Pool 14 as part of its environmental impact monitoring program for electricity generation since 1971. In 1984, the Station established a fish hatchery onsite with operational support from Southern Illinois University. Walleye is a significant species produced at the hatchery. The Station began stocking walleye in Pool 14 in 1985, and later would include Pool 13 at a lower level, all with the goal of observing population increases from low level stocking in such a large system. This presentation will review the Walleye population changes during that period, using the long-term monitoring data and spring hatchery brood stock data. Fishing regulation changes during that time, which could also have impacted the population dynamics of Walleye populations, will be reviewed as well.
Speakers
JH

Jeremiah Haas

Prin. Aquatic Biologist, Constellation
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-14: Thriving Amidst Challenges: Examining Resilient Walleye Populations

10:20am CST

S-15: USACE Mobile - Improving Fish Passage, Mussel Habitat, and Fish Spawning Habitat Through Modification of Federal Reservoir Operations
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: T. Rickey, USACE Mobile
R. Allen, USACE Mobile

ABSTRACT: The USACE Mobile Disrict has been participating in the Sustainable Rivers Program for three years. In those three years the District has worked across three states to improve fish passage, improve water quality, improve mussel habitat, and create spawning habitat using existing federal infrastructure. Using in field operational experimentation and biological and hydrological survey techniques the team has been able to study changes to projects and how to benifit species.
Speakers
TR

Terry Rickey

Senior Biologist, USACE
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-15: The Sustainable Rivers Program - Reoperating Corps of Engineers Water Infrastructure to Enhance Environmental Benefits

10:20am CST

S-16: Joint Venture Decision Support Tools: Brainstorming Ideas to Account for Climate Change
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Mohammed A. Al-Saffar, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT: Breeding populations of many birds have been declining in the Midwest region for decades while climate is changing, and human population is increasing. The Upper Mississippi / Great Lakes Joint Venture aims to understand and address this condition while integrating objectives across bird groups, as well as human dimensions. To guide conservation actions under the current conditions, we generated decision support tools that focus on breeding and non-breeding habitats while integrating predictions for current human use and benefits from these landscapes (bird hunting and watching as well as other recreation activities and ecological goods and services). Although the JV lacked sufficient demographic and density data to develop population models for birds and predict species response to climate change, we developed spatial models to target current habitat objectives using species occurrence and land cover data, and we proposed further geospatial analysis to account for climate change. We provided a framework that is transparent, flexible, and ready to integrate biological and social objectives and add climate objectives, as needed, to increase the relevance of bird conservation to society now and in the future.
Speakers
MA

Mohammed Al-Saffar

Wildlife Biologist, U S Fish and Wildlife Service
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-16: Migratory Birds and Climate Change: Science to Inform Management

10:20am CST

S-17: Exploring R3 Opportunities in Midwestern State Parks
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Keith Warnke, Midwestern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies;
Lou Cornicelli, Southwick Associates;
Luke Boehm, Southwick Associates

ABSTRACT: Since the COVID-19 pandemic attendance at most state parks has increased, in some cases dramatically. This has placed a strain on park personnel and financial resources. A similar pandemic bump in hunting and fishing license sales was also observed. However, the boost in hunting and fishing sales has since subsided, and the trend of decreasing license sales across the United States dating back to the early 2000s has continued. Because state park visitors are interested in the outdoors, there may be potential for greater recruitment from this population. To better understand the recruitment potential into hunting, fishing, and target shooting, a panel of people who’ve taken at least one trip to a Midwestern state park in the past two years were surveyed. In this survey, trends in state park visitors hunting, fishing, and target shooting participation rates as well as their interest in continuing or starting these activities were identified. Additionally, visitors were surveyed to determine the communication channels, programs, and incentives that would make them more likely to participate in the future. The results of this survey can be used to help inform states on how to increase hunting, fishing, and target shooting recruitment from state park visitors.
Speakers
LP

Lisa Parks

Project Manager, Southwick Associates
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-17: Applied Science and Adaptation of R3 Efforts

10:20am CST

S-18: Survey Says: We are not meeting the needs of students and ECPs within the NCD
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Shaley Valentine, Aquatic Ecology Lab, Ohio State University

ABSTRACT: Recruitment and retention of students and early career professionals (ECPs) is an ongoing issue throughout all levels of AFS. Engaging students and ECPs is critical to their recruitment and retention, but AFS activities may need to adapt to engage students and ECPs. To garner ideas on how to best engage students and ECPs, I administered a survey throughout the North Central Division. A total of 176 respondents ranked their perception of current and proposed benefits of AFS and provided written open-ended feedback on activities that would benefit rising professionals. Students and ECPs called for more tangible and monetary benefits that would allow them to network and gain technical and soft skills to kickstart their future careers. From the inclusivity side of the survey, marginalized individuals almost always stated a greater benefit or need for proposed workshops and benefits than majority identifying individuals. Write-in responses repeatedly stated a need for more diversity and inclusion initiatives. Poignantly, women and women of ethnic minorities reported feeling lower levels of acceptance in the fisheries community compared to men. Combined, these results suggest the needs of students and ECPs are not met within the Division, and there is a clear need for more volunteers to create and offer tangible benefits. Results also highlight a clear need for diversity initiatives throughout the NCD but beginning and maintaining these diversity initiatives may be an ongoing challenge.
Speakers
avatar for Shaley Valentine

Shaley Valentine

Post Doctoral Researcher, Ohio State University
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-18: FishCAST: Working Towards a Better Future for All Fisheries Professionals

10:20am CST

S-19: A Partner-Focused Path Forward To Conserve Grasslands and Midwest Communities
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Alex Wright, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Kelly VanBeek, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Tyler Harms, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Doug Gorby, Upper Mississippi/Great Lakes Joint Venture, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Bill Moritz, Wildlife Management Institute; John Carlson, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Kelley Myers Tymeson, US Fish & Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT: Ranchers, farmers, water resource managers, wildlife biologists, agronomists, corporate sustainability officers, and policy makers have all voiced their desire to see a collective, collaborative approach to conserving and managing grasslands. The Midwest Grasslands Summit was held August 27-29, 2024 at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Gardens in Des Moines, Iowa to chart a partner-focused path forward for our most critically imperiled ecosystem in the Midwest, the Tallgrass Prairie Ecosystem. The summit engaged a broad and diverse audience of representatives from government agencies, Native Nations, NGOs, industry and agricultural organizations, and private landowners to develop a collective vision and identify collaborative actions to advance grassland conservation in the Midwest. We will report out on these efforts to begin (1) Shaping a unified vision for native and surrogate tallgrass habitats across the Midwest, (2) Build an active coalition of people invested in increasing grasslands on the landscape, and (3) Identify collaborative actions to pursue next steps moving forward to realize the vision of this effort.
Speakers
AW

Alex Wright

Landscape Science Coordinator, US Fish & Wildlife Service
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:20am - 10:40am CST
TBA
  S-19: How is Landscape Conservation Relevant to You?

10:40am CST

Fisheries Track: Bioprogramming: A Tool to Help Guide Hatchery Design into the Modern Era
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Baylee Thornton, HDR; Matt Cochran, HDR

ABSTRACT: The origin of fish propagation for population recovery dates back to the mid-1800s. Throughout the centuries to follow, fish hatcheries have been designed to focus on mass production. While previous criticisms of such mass production were founded on the basis of environmental harm – including nutrient pollution from fish waste, extirpation of native species by hatchery fish, disease, and the introduction of invasive species – fish hatchery management has entered a new era. Fish hatcheries are now shifting the production focus to enhance conservation and recovery programs of native fishes, in addition to sport fish production. HDR has constructed a tool to help guide management decisions for designing facilities surrounding such programs. Fish hatchery biological programming (“bioprogramming”) is a tool used to analyze biological questions and anticipate the fish rearing environments necessary to answer these questions. The process references fish culture specifications obtained from recognized fish culture manuals, established fish rearing facilities, and fish production managers. The modeling process anticipates fish growth, desired rearing space, and required flow and oxygen demands to produce healthy fish, making it a valuable tool for managing challenges and conflicts in fish hatchery design. It has been used to model and support recovery strategies for several fish species across North America, including Gila trout in Arizona, Pacific salmon species in Washington, coolwater fish in the Midwest, and salmonid species in Canada.
Speakers
BT

Baylee Thornton

Environmental Scientist, HDR Engineering, Inc.
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquaculture-other

10:40am CST

Fisheries Track: Evaluating juvenile Grass Carp behavioral responses to sound
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Christina M Mackey, US Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; Craig Paukert, US Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; Mark L. Wildhaber, US Geological Survey - Columbia Environmental Research Center; Allison A Pease, School of Natural Resources - University of Missouri; Jacob D Faulkner, US Geological Survey - Columbia Environmental Research Center; Robin D Calfee, US Geological Survey - Columbia Environmental Research Center

ABSTRACT: In the Mississippi River Basin and Great Lakes of the USA, behavioral deterrents that utilize acoustic stimuli are being considered for deployment in rivers to deter movement of invasive carps. Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella are ostariophysans that possess an inner ear connection to the swim bladder allowing them to detect a broader range of frequencies compared to non-ostariophysans. This provides the potential for a greater range of response to acoustic stimuli. Previous research demonstrated the ability of Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and Silver Carp H. molitrix to avoid acoustic stimuli in the laboratory. Prior to this study, limited data were available to support avoidance of acoustic stimuli by Grass Carp. We evaluated acoustic stimuli as a deterrent for Grass Carp by exposing two naïve juvenile carp together to a recording of one of three acoustic stimuli—a 10 second chirp (0.3 – 5 kHz), continuous 100 horsepower boat motor (0.6 – 10 kHz), and 3-6 beats/second percussion (0.375 – 23.5 kHz). Trials were conducted in a 720-liter indoor tank and Grass Carp behaviors (swimming velocity, proximity among individuals, time near stimulus) were measured for 10 minutes prior to (baseline behavior) and during the presentation of the stimulus (response). Grass Carp swimming velocity was statistically similar among stimuli, though carp in percussion trials appeared to show a slight increase. Compared to baseline behavior, Grass Carp spent more in close proximity when exposed to chirp stimulus and farther apart during exposures of boat motor stimulus. All three acoustic stimuli appeared to increase the time Grass Carp spent near the stimulus source, although responses varied among trials. Preliminary results suggest that Grass Carp response to acoustic stimuli presented in this study is complex and of relatively modest magnitude. The immediate value of acoustic stimuli as a deterrent is unclear from these results and warrants further study.
Speakers
avatar for Christina Mackey

Christina Mackey

Graduate Student, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Missouri
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Invasive Species

10:40am CST

S-07: Silver Carp Biomass Estimation Using Low-Cost Consumer-Grade Technology to Inform Management Strategies
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Josey L. Ridgway, U.S. Geological Survey; Jesse R. Fischer, U.S. Geological Survey; Jessica M. Howell, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; John Schulte, Missouri Department of Conservation; Adam C. Jones, U.S. Geological Survey; Jason M. Goeckler, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Robin D. Calfee, U.S. Geological Survey.

ABSTRACT: Invasive Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) populations can reach extremely high densities and severely affect biodiversity and ecosystem function. There are currently few sampling or monitoring techniques available to natural resource managers that reliably quantify population responses to management actions. Consumer-grade sonar offers a cost-effective approach for mapping distributions and evaluating density before and after intensive control efforts. Recent advancements in consumer-grade technologies have vastly improved resolution and dependability sufficient for fisheries research and management. We developed cost efficient semiautonomous watercraft for surveying fish and aquatic habitats by combining low-cost, consumer-grade technology (i.e., sit-on-top kayaks, electric trolling motors, side-scan sonar). Semiautonomous watercraft are advantageous for surveys of invasive Silver Carp populations because of GPS-guidance capabilities with consistent tracking and speed, quiet propulsion system to minimize fish disturbance, and the potential to deploy multiple survey vessels for increased survey efficiency, while minimizing the effect of fish movements. We used two semiautonomous watercrafts to conduct repeated surveys on a population of Silver Carp in Creve Coeur Lake, St. Louis, Missouri, USA (130-ha oxbow lake of the Missouri River). Surveys were conducted at night (≥1h after sunset) and were 2-h in duration. We used an image-analysis software to automate fish target detection and size estimation to estimate density and biomass. Fish targets in side-scan sonar imagery were apportioned by size using fish community capture data collected using electrified trawl that was conducted approximately one week after seasonal surveys. Bathymetry data were used to convert counts to fish density (number)/volume (m3) and biomass (kg)/volume (m3). Preliminary estimates suggest Silver Carp biomass was over 228,600kg. Repeated surveys will be used to assess variability among estimates and to determine which season is optimal (e.g., limiting fish-boat avoidance) for standardizing future Silver Carp surveys. Final population estimates will assist in establishing harvest objectives for Creve Coeur Lake.
Speakers
JR

Josey Ridgway

Research Fish Biologist, US Geological Survey
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

10:40am CST

S-08: An Update on the Status and Conservation of Crawfish Frogs (Lithobates areolatus) in Indiana
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Nate Engbrecht, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish & Wildlife

ABSTRACT: Crawfish Frogs (Lithobates areolatus) are a state endangered species that have been the subject of considerable research along the eastern edge of their range in Indiana. Contemporary data indicate the species has undergone a range contraction along the northern and eastern periphery of its distribution in the state, and that extant populations tend to be isolated and widely separated by miles of uninhabitable farmland. The species has shown a remarkable ability to colonize restored sites when suitable habitat becomes available and nearby source populations are present; however, a lack of connecting corridors is restricting natural dispersal. To restore Indiana’s Crawfish Frog populations, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources has begun translocating egg masses from a robust population in Greene County to a recovery site along the Ohio River where a historic Crawfish Frog population once existed, before disappearing in the 1980s. This presentation discusses the historic decline of Crawfish Frogs in Indiana, their current conservation status, and the early stages of species recovery through habitat management and human mediated translocation.
Speakers
NE

Nate Engbrecht

Herpetologist, DNR
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

10:40am CST

S-11: Stress levels of P. Clarkii and F. Rusticus differ along the Chicago River
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: John F. Bieber, Loyola University Chicago; Ivàn Beck, Colorado College; Reuben Keller, Loyola University Chicago

ABSTRACT: The Chicago River represents a system that is at the edge of several invasion fronts; two of which are the invasive crayfish P.clarkii and F. rusticus. For years, these populations have remained in distinct areas of the Chicago River with little overlap, however; the factor(s) that limits their spread is not known. This project used complimentary field and lab experiments to investigate how stress levels (measured via hemolymph glucose) differed among the populations along a gradient in the Chicago River to inform where populations are in the river.

For the field study, we trapped crayfish in the Chicago River and immediately drew hemolymph from captured individuals. We hypothesized that stress would be the greatest for P.clarkii near Lake Michigan, where populations have not yet been found, and simultaneously would be the lowest for F.rusticus as they are established in Lake Michigan.

In the lab study, we collected P.clarkii along with water from the area where they were captured for holding in lab. Crayfish acclimated in lab before the tanks were filled with Lake Michigan water, and hemolymph was collected after a 90 min period. We hypothesized that P.clarkii populations near Lake Michigan would show lower relative stress to immersion in lake water compared to individuals further downstream and compared to individuals that were not flushed with lake water.

Interestingly, we found that individuals further downstream exhibited elevated glucose compared to individuals closer to Lake Michigan, and our lab studies showed that immersion in Lake Michigan water reduces stress compared to individuals without immersion. Collectively, our results suggest environmental contaminants may be driving the distribution of crayfish. Additionally, this work highlights the importance of considering physiology when managing an invading species.
Speakers
JB

John Bieber

Research Associate, Loyola University Chicago
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

10:40am CST

S-14: Lake Pepin - Perspectives from 60 Years of Annual Monitoring
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Nick Schlesser, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) provides intensive monitoring for the ten largest Walleye (Sander vitreus) lakes in Minnesota through the Large Lake Program. Lake Pepin, located in Pool 4 of the Mississippi River, is the southern most body of water in Minnesota’s Large Lake Program. With a 60-year history of annual sampling the Walleye population from Lake Pepin has been monitored through exposure to numerous stressors but remains one of the most productive fisheries in Minnesota. How some of these stressors have impacted the population and what aspects of the population make it resilient to change will be discussed.
Speakers
NS

Nick Schlesser

Lake City Area Fisheries Supervisor, MN Department of Natural Resources
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-14: Thriving Amidst Challenges: Examining Resilient Walleye Populations

10:40am CST

S-15: Native Freshwater Mussels in the Allegheny River: Science to Support the Sustainable Rivers Program
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Teresa Newton, US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center; Jeff Cole, US Geological Survey, Pennsylvania Water Science Center; John Young, US Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center; Jordan Allison, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission; Nate Welker, US Forest Service; Kristi Dobra, US Army Corps of Engineers; Molly Reif, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center

ABSTRACT:  The Sustainable Rivers Program, a national partnership between The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was created to modernize water infrastructure to maximize ecological benefits. In the Allegheny River (PA), resource managers are considering modifying flows at the Kinzua Dam but are concerned about effects of altered flows on sensitive species, such as native freshwater mussels. Prior to implementing a revised flow regime, resource managers requested baseline data on existing mussel resources. We developed a robust sampling design to (1) understand how mussels are spatially distributed across the riverscape, (2) estimate density, population size, and recruitment strength of mussels, and (3) obtain remotely-sensed habitat data across a 135 km reach of the Allegheny River downstream of the Kinzua Dam. In June 2024, divers obtained data on mussels from 300 systemically placed quadrats across the reach. From the quadrat data, multiple metrics of the relative health of mussels will be estimated (e.g., species richness, mortality, age and length demography, recruitment). From high-resolution aerial and boat-borne sensors (e.g., bathymetric lidar, hyperspectral imagery, sonar), characterization of in-channel mussel habitat will be obtained and used to create hydrodynamic and habitat models to explain patterns of mussel distribution at a variety of flows. Currently, resource managers rely on data obtained from project-specific studies to make management decisions. The addition of systemic baseline data on mussels across an entire reach of the Allegheny River will facilitate more informed decisions about how mussels may respond to proposed changes in river flows.
Speakers
TN

Teresa Newton

Fisheries Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-15: The Sustainable Rivers Program - Reoperating Corps of Engineers Water Infrastructure to Enhance Environmental Benefits

10:40am CST

S-16: Translating Science Into Decision Support Tools to Address Global Change Threats
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Thomas Bonnot, US Fish & Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT: From early hypotheses about theoretical impacts on physiology to more recent empirical studies linking climate change to habitat and phenology, researchers have sought to predict and adapt to the threats climate change poses for migratory birds. Although we are amassing a large body of data and evidence to map threats and inform conservation efforts, implementation gaps still exist and conservation decisions remain difficult. A new era of decision support tools are being developed that can better guide conservation in the face of uncertain futures, complex systems, and complicated situations. We will review some recent examples of these tools and describe where they have helped enable conservation planning for migratory birds. In one example, these tools highlighted how a seemingly local effect of warming temperatures on nest survival of a songbird could lead to regional extinction. In another example we will show how we can identify largescale visions for landscape work amidst urbanization and climate change. Through these examples we will also highlight key aspects of the tool development process that can promote successful application. Finally, we will discuss areas where we can continue to improve decision support tools.
Speakers
TB

Thomas Bonnot

Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-16: Migratory Birds and Climate Change: Science to Inform Management

10:40am CST

S-17: Insights from the Offal Wildlife Watching Project: Engaging the Hunting Community to Advance Understanding and Conservation of Scavenger Species at Hunter-Provided Gut Piles
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Grace Milanowski, University of Minnesota Extension; Ellen Candler, University of Alaska; Amy Rager, University of Minnesota Extension; Joseph Bump, University of Minnesota

ABSTRACT: The Offal Wildlife Watching project is a participatory science project that engages the deer hunting community in wildlife research. The goal of the project is to better understand the ecology of scavenger species that visit deer gut piles across Minnesota and to create a novel and meaningful program for hunter participation in research. We recruit and invite hunters to deploy remote cameras at white-tailed deer gut piles that resulted from their freshly killed deer. Thus far over 180 hunters have contributed images and recorded at least 60 different scavenger species over 6 seasons. We will present results of scavenger community biodiversity at hunter provided carrion, and visit/use dynamics across biomes. We will share successes and challenges from creating collaborations across sectors such as citizen hunting groups, the public, and researchers and recommendations for how this project can be adapted to other hunted species, biomes, and states. The results from this research will not only inform policy makers regarding protection and preservation of scavengers, but also contribute to the growing field of carrion ecology and establish data needed to clarify the impact that an anthropogenic, consolidated, and large pulse of carrion has on scavenger species.
Speakers
GM

Grace Milanowski

Program Coordinator, University of Minnesota Extension
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-17: Applied Science and Adaptation of R3 Efforts

10:40am CST

S-18: Moderated Panel Discussion for FishCAST Symposium
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Brittany Harried, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, Columbia, MO; MJ Oubre, Illinois Chapter of the American Fisheries Society; Jory Jonas, Michigan Department of Natural Resources


ABSTRACT: The Fisheries Community Advocacy and Sustainability Team (FishCAST) of the North Central Division (NCD) will conclude the “FishCAST: Working Towards a Better Future for all Fisheries Professionals” symposium by hosting a moderated panel discussion. This interactive segment will provide a safe space to foster open dialogue and active engagement among participants. Questions will be submitted anonymously by participants and screened by the moderators to maintain a safe and open environment while allowing for productive conversations. Invited panelists will consist of NCD members and experts with experienced backgrounds in diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and accessibility initiatives. Discussions from this panel will be summarized and shared in the Spring 2025 NCD Mainstream Newsletter. Additionally, FishCAST will use information gathered during this symposium to identify and prioritize areas of short- and long-term growth within the NCD.
Speakers
avatar for Brittany Harried

Brittany Harried

Postdoctoral Fellow, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Missouri
Brittany is a postdoctoral fellow working with Dr. Jacob Westhoff and Dr. Craig Paukert at the University of Missouri School of Natural Resources. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse in 2014 and 2016 with a B.S. in Aquatic Biology and a M.S. in Biology, respectively... Read More →
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-18: FishCAST: Working Towards a Better Future for All Fisheries Professionals

10:40am CST

S-19: Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act: An Underutilized Tool for Conservation Planning
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Rebecca Sloan, Merjent

ABSTRACT: Landscape-level conservation planning is key to the long-term protection of the ecosystem services that support species habitat, however, funding to implement conservations projects is limited. Habitat protection and restoration projects to offset or mitigate impacts to threatened and endangered species from public or private construction, operations, and maintenance projects are relatively common but typically occur in a “piece-meal” fashion outside a larger planning context. As a result, these projects are less likely to result in meaningful conservation or contribute to species’ recovery goals.
Habitat Conservation Plans or HCPs offer a potential compromise. While HCPs are prepared as part of an application for an incidental take permit under Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act, they also provide an opportunity to receive federal funding for landscape-level planning. HCPs include typical conservation planning components such as biological goals and objectives, monitoring and adaptive management programs, and long-term planning horizons. Also, HCPs provide an excellent framework for multi-stakeholder decision-making.
HCPs are best suited for public or private entities that have relatively frequent endangered species permitting needs across a large geographic area; require regulatory certainty to meet construction, operations, or maintenance program schedules; and/or seek to maximize the conservation value from environmental impact funds. In this session we will discuss the required components of an HCP and how they relate to landscape-level planning. We will also discuss how HCPs can be used to benefit both listed and non-listed species; protect and restore ecosystem processes such as flooding or connectivity; and serve as a central planning document for stakeholders with varying goals and objectives. Lastly, we will touch upon the diversity of scenarios for which an HCP may be suitable and how to most effectively take advantage of available federal funding.
Speakers
RS

Rebecca Sloan

Senior Conservation Planner, Merjent
Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:40am - 11:00am CST
TBA
  S-19: How is Landscape Conservation Relevant to You?

11:00am CST

Fisheries Track: Using Side-Scan Sonar and N-Mixture Models to Estimate the Abundance of Invasive Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) in the Lamine River, MO
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Cade Roach, University of Missouri; Matthew R. Acre, US Geological Survey; Allison A. Pease, University of Missouri

ABSTRACT: Efficient methods for estimating species abundance are critical for assessing the status of Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) in the Mississippi River basin, given the ecological and economic threat this invasive species poses to water resources. Measuring Silver Carp abundance helps to characterize range expansion dynamics and evaluate management strategies. Recreational-grade side-scan sonar (SSS) offers a novel approach to monitoring fish abundance, yielding estimates comparable to traditional mark-recapture methods but at a much lower cost. Regardless of the approach used to estimate abundance, imperfect detection resulting from factors such as survey method, observer subjectivity, environmental conditions, and species behavior can lead to inaccurate estimates. N-mixture models, a suite of hierarchical regression techniques, simultaneously estimate abundance and detection probability from spatially and temporally replicated count data, addressing the issue of imperfect detection. Our study aimed to estimate the abundance of Silver Carp before, between, and after mechanical removal efforts to determine the efficacy of successive removals and characterize the ensuing population dynamics. We conducted SSS surveys in the Lamine River, a tributary of the Missouri River, before and after each of two removal efforts carried out by the Missouri Department of Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in September 2024. We georectified the SSS images, used semiautomated image processing to extract counts of Silver Carp, and fit N-mixture models in frequentist and Bayesian frameworks to estimate abundance and detection probability. Here, we compare abundance estimates between different stages of the removal efforts to quantify removal success and identify trends in population dynamics. We also compare the estimates of abundance and detection, computational intensity, and measures of fit between the frequentist and Bayesian approaches. Finally, we discuss potential methods to improve the differentiation of Silver Carp from other species with similar morphology in SSS imagery.
Speakers
CR

Cade Roach

Graduate Research Assistant at the School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Invasive Species

11:00am CST

Fisheries Track: Variation in Fatty Acid Composition of Channel Catfish and Blue Catfish in Two Central Ohio Reservoirs
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Steven Gratz, The Ohio State University; Jacob Bentley, The Ohio State University; Stuart Ludsin, The Ohio State University

ABSTRACT: Fatty acids are vital for human health and affect overall well-being while reducing disease risk. Fish tissue contains a plethora of fatty acids including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two essential omega-3 fatty acids, which are primarily found in fish and help the human body to function properly. Little research has been conducted studying the fatty acid composition of freshwater fishes with a majority of research focusing on saltwater fishes. However, it is important to understand the fatty acid composition among freshwater fishes that support locally sourced food. We sought to understand species, size, and seasonal variation of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) and Channel Catfish (I. punctatus) within two central Ohio Reservoirs to help locavores make informed decisions on which type of fish to consume. Belly fillets with skin attached were collected from Blue Catfish (n=37) and Channel Catfish (n=39) in the summer and fall of 2022 from Hoover Reservoir and Channel Catfish were also collected from Alum Creek Reservoir in the summer of 2022 using short-term gill net sets. We hypothesized that beneficial fatty acid concentrations would vary with environmental seasonal changes (e.g., water temperature) and fish size and species due to differences in feeding ecology. We also expected to observe increasing concentrations of EPA and DHA with an increase in fish size. While understanding the fatty acid composition of different fishes can help locavores make informed decisions, it is dually important to conduct a risk-benefit assessment to ensure that fish have adequate levels of fatty acids while also following fish consumption guidelines to maintain a safe level of contaminant exposure.
Speakers
SG

Steven Gratz

Research Associate, The Ohio State University
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquaculture-other

11:00am CST

S-07: Missouri River Tributary Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) Population Assessment
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Kellie Hanser, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Jessica Howell, jessica_howell@fws.gov; Jason Goeckler, jason_goeckler@fws.gov

ABSTRACT: Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) relative abundance and demographic information is essential to guide management and control measures. Interconnection across river basins has allowed Silver Carp to establish a reproducing population along the entirety of the free-flowing portion of the Missouri River and its tributaries. Population information is being collected with an electrified dozer trawl to establish baseline invasive carp data in tributary confluences to monitor populations and guide management efforts as they begin to increase. Because Silver Carp are located throughout the Missouri River, tributaries are sampled along a large spatial gradient (river miles 170 – 800) to help track and delineate populations trends across the basin. From 2020 – 2023, a total of 611 transects have been completed collecting over 29,000 individuals from 50 different species. However, most fish sampled are invasive carp with the total number of individuals exceeding 15,000. Data shows that Silver Carp across tributaries are demographically similar, with large older individuals in the higher latitude tributaries. Age data indicates the 2019-year class is still currently dominant across the basin. Annually, the relative abundance, size structure, body conditions, sex ratio, age structure, recruitment, growth, and mortality are analyzed and provided through the Missouri River Basin Invasive Carp Partnership in a collaborative effort to help inform the Silver Carp status for the basin.
Speakers
KH

Kellie Hanser

Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

11:00am CST

S-08: Multiple lines of evidence reveal interspecific hybridization between the Crawfish Frog (Rana areolata) and two sympatric congeners
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Owen M. Edwards, Oklahoma Biological Survey; Neil R. Balchan, Oklahoma State University; Kaleb M. Banks, Oklahoma State University; Michael S. Reichert, Oklahoma State University; Fabio A. Machado, Oklahoma State University; Bo Zhang, Oklahoma State University; Damien Esquerré, University of Wollongong


ABSTRACT: During the breeding season, male anurans utilize advertisement signals to attract mates. However, in many scenarios, mate signaling and subsequent reproduction can occur in shared bodies of water in which numerous different species congregate and reproduce at the same time. As a result, natural hybridization between closely related species is not uncommon, and can have major consequences on fitness and evolutionary processes. The crawfish frog (Rana areolata) is a secretive anuran that has disjunct distribution in the southern and midwestern United States. Over the last 50 years, there has been a rapid and ongoing population decline of these frogs in many states in their range, largely attributed to habitat loss and landscape changes. We conducted population monitoring using drift fences and pitfall traps in a breeding population of R. areolata in Oklahoma. During the first year of the study, we discovered individual putative R. areolata hybrids at our study pond: one breeding adult resembling R. palustris x R. areolata, and another breeding adult resembling R. sphenocephala x R. areolata. Here, we confirm the status of these hybrid individuals using 1) cranial morphology via microCT scanning and 2) genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data. Hybrid skulls represent phenotypic intermediate between parental populations, and preliminary analysis of SNP data indicate that both hybrid individuals are F1 crosses (with R. palustris a R. sphenocephala respectively). Our data confirm the ability of R. areolata to hybridize with congeners in a wild population, and offer the first documentation of hybridization occurring in R. areolata. We demonstrate that contemporary gene flow may be important for divergent ranid frogs, and suggest that associated conservation implications may be present.
Speakers
OE

Owen Edwards

Research Scientist, Oklahoma Biological Survey
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

11:00am CST

S-11: Parasite-Induced Trophic Cascade via Trait-Mediated Effects on Invasive Crayfish
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Cheyenne E. Stratton, Missouri Department of Conservation; Donald C. Behringer, University of Florida; Jamie Bojko, Teesside University; Margaret L. Taylor, University of Florida; Lindsey S. Reisinger, University of Florida

ABSTRACT: Parasites can affect their hosts’ ecological impacts by reducing host density and altering host traits such as behavioral traits. Most research focuses on density-mediated impacts, but trait-mediated impacts may be equally or more important as they control the interactions among organisms. Parasites can act as top-down forces in ecosystems and can trigger trophic cascades through density- or trait-mediated effects. We investigated how a parasite alters the well-documented ecological impacts of the invasive rusty crayfish (Faxonius rusticus). In 2019, we discovered a significant decline in the F. rusticus population in a Wisconsin lake corresponding to an outbreak of a microsporidian parasite, Nosema rusticus, which reduced infected crayfish activity levels. We hypothesized that infected crayfish, due to reduced activity and lethargy, would have lesser impacts on lower trophic levels including macrophytes and leaf litter (i.e., a trait-mediated trophic cascade). We also predicted that N. rusticus would increase crayfish mortality. To test this, we conducted a 4-week mesocosm experiment in which we varied parasite prevalence to test the trait-mediated indirect effects of the microsporidium on resource biomass and abundance. We also varied crayfish density to compare the strength of trait-mediated effects to a reduction in crayfish density. In support of our hypothesis, we found that less macrophytes and leaf litter were consumed in mesocosms with infected crayfish. Our results also suggest that this parasite is likely to cause density-mediated effects because crayfish infected with N. rusticus had higher mortality rates. These results suggest that parasites can mitigate the impacts of invasive species through both trait- and density-mediated trophic cascades.
Speakers
CS

Cheyenne Stratton

Aquatic Invertebrate Ecologist, Missouri Department of Conservation
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management

11:00am CST

S-14: Devils Lake Walleye: History and Factors Impacting Sustainability.
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Todd Caspers, North Dakota Game and Fish Department

ABSTRACT: Devils Lake is one of North Dakota’s most important fisheries. Devils Lake is the state’s 3rd largest waterbody overall and is the largest natural lake in the state. Walleye have long been and continue to be one of the most abundant and sought-after gamefish species in the lake. Walleye were not native to the lake, but were stocked in 1970, and stockings have occurred most years since then. Beginning in 1993, a prolonged period of wetter climatic conditions caused Devils Lake to grow greatly in size and depth. The influx of water also caused the salinity of the lake to decline, which improved walleye spawning success. After 32 years of data collection on Devils Lake, changes in the walleye population have become evident. Over the years, recruitment has increased. The walleye population has also increased in density over time. Smaller walleye in particular have increased in density. However, the increasing walleye densities have led to changes such as lower walleye body condition and reduced growth rates. Lower walleye body condition and reduced growth rates have also occurred in spite of increasing angling pressure and walleye harvests. Potential factors that contribute to the resiliency of the walleye population of Devils Lake include a relatively simple fish community, consistent recruitment, supplemental stocking, adequate growth rates and relatively low mortality rates.
Speakers
TC

Todd Caspers

District Fisheries Biologist, North Dakota Game and Fish Department
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  S-14: Thriving Amidst Challenges: Examining Resilient Walleye Populations

11:00am CST

S-15: Environmental Pool Management on Corps Pools and Reservoirs: A Clear Case for Ecological Benefits
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Liam Wallace, US Army Corps of Engineers; Joan Stemler, Liam Wallace, US Army Corps of Engineers ; Dave Busse, Liam Wallace, US Army Corps of Engineers Lane Richter, US Army Corps of Engineers

ABSTRACT: Environmental Pool Management (EPM), beginning as a request by natural resource partners, is a strategy for improving environmental benefits above navigation dams on the Mississippi River while maintaining a mandated nine-foot navigation channel depth. For the past 30 years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis District has worked with resource agencies to implement pool drawdowns during the growing season that promote emergent and aquatic plant development over more than a thousand acres above the three locks and dams (approximately 100 river miles) on the Upper Mississippi River between Louisiana, MO and West Alton, MO. The timing and duration of these drawdowns change annually based on environmental conditions and partner input which results in varied plant response. EPM has been successfully implemented in at least one of the three pools in 25 of 30 years. In recent years, operational changes have been evaluated to expand the plant response from annual emergent plants to aquatic plants in portions of the pools. Monitoring of plant response has shown high productivity and seed production from plants with high value for migratory waterfowl as well as the return of formerly more abundant perennial aquatic species.
Speakers
LR

Lane Richter

Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  S-15: The Sustainable Rivers Program - Reoperating Corps of Engineers Water Infrastructure to Enhance Environmental Benefits

11:00am CST

S-17: Attracting Participants to LearnHunting.org (Formal Project Title: LearnHunting.org Pilot State Marketing)
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Matt Harlow, DJ Case & Associates; Holly Mauslein, DJ Case & Associates; Alex Baer, International Hunter Education Association

ABSTRACT: Research shows that many new hunters are interested in having mentors who can help introduce them to hunting. LearnHunting.org is a website designed to broker relationships between new adult hunters and experienced hunters who can offer one-on-one guidance and social support. The website’s roster of mentors has been prepopulated with state-certified hunter education instructors who are willing to provide guidance and support through this non-traditional medium.
The International Hunter Education Association-USA (IHEA-USA), eight pilot state agencies, and DJ Case & Associates (DJ Case) focused on creating and testing marketing campaigns in eight pilot states. These campaigns directed new and potential hunters to LearnHunting.org and encouraged them to select a hunting mentor through the platform.
Iowa, Maine, Nebraska, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Texas, and Washington participated in this marketing effort for LearnHunting.org. Unique digital ads were created for each state, linking to state-specific landing pages where a new adult hunter could select a mentor who met their needs, such as location, gender preference, etc.. Media where ads were tested included Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Pilot test results show that social media can provide a high number of impressions, but often at a higher cost. Paid search ads generate the next largest number of impressions but at a much lower cost per conversion and with a higher conversion rate. Simply stated, in this test, social media ads got agencies in front of the largest volume of people, while paid search ads got agencies in front of the right people at the right time. Key recommendations include using state logos in ads, performing social media burst campaigns that run prior to and overlap with an upcoming hunting season, and funding ongoing paid search campaigns to connect with new adult hunters during the right time in their hunting journey.
Speakers
HH

Hiroto Hayashi

Engagement Strategist/Project Manager, DJ Case & Associates
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  S-17: Applied Science and Adaptation of R3 Efforts

11:00am CST

S-19: Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape – Making Connectivity Progress in a Fragmented Landscape
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Michael Spalding, Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape and Conservation Law Center; Robert McCrea, Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape and Conservation Law Center

ABSTRACT: Sentinel Landscapes are areas where conservation, working lands, and national defense interests converge to work towards achieving mutually shared goals. They are anchored by at least one military installation and contain high priority lands for USDA, DOD, and DOI. Designated in 2022, the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape (SISL) covers a 3.5-million-acre region of Southern Indiana. SISL Partners are working together to preserve and protect military missions, support sustainable farming and forestry, restore and sustain ecosystems, bolster human communities and partner capacity, and increase landscape resiliency. Our presentation will highlight several early successes of this young partnership that demonstrate how landscape level conservation is possible in a highly fragmented midwestern landscape (90% of the land in this area is privately owned). We will explain how the partnership leverages partner resources, utilizes federal funding opportunities, and develops innovative tools to build an overall program for landscape scale conservation. We will specifically discuss how the partnership: (1) utilizes the USDA NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program to increase private landowner engagement with conservation and permanently protect and restore over 2,500 acres of forestland through conservation easements, restore an additional 5,000 to 10,000 acres of oak-hickory forest ecosystems; (2) organizes projects for land protection with funding from The Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program; and (3) developed two GIS web-based applications. One assists private landowner access to all available cost share and technical assistance programs. The other helps SISL partners determine connectivity priorities for land conservation.
Speakers
avatar for Michael Spalding

Michael Spalding

Coordinator, Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape - Conservation Law Center
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:20am CST
TBA
  S-19: How is Landscape Conservation Relevant to You?

11:00am CST

S-16: Moderated Panel Discussion
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:30am CST
TBA
AUTHORS:

ABSTRACT:
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:00am - 11:30am CST
TBA
  S-16: Migratory Birds and Climate Change: Science to Inform Management

11:20am CST

Fisheries Track: Enhancing proactive aquatic nuisance species management by developing a standardized risk screening workflow
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Lindsey A.P. LaBrie: Graduate Research Assistant (Ph.D.), Arkansas Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, University of Arkansas, Department of Biological Sciences, Fayetteville, AR, 72703. Email: llabrie@uark.edu

Caleb P. Roberts: Unit Leader, U.S. Geological Survey, Arkansas Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, University of Arkansas, Department of Biological Sciences, Fayetteville, AR, 72703. Email: cr065@uark.edu

ABSTRACT: Preventing new invasions from occurring is the most effective way to avoid the negative ecological, economic, and societal impacts of invasive species. Two established and highly related methods for preventing new invasions are horizon scans and risk screening. Horizon scans use expert consultation and consensus building to conduct rapid risk screening. Arkansas, like the rest of the U.S., is experiencing negative impacts of invasive species, and thus, there is a critical need to prevent new invasions and thereby avoid new negative impacts. Here, we met this need through three objectives: we 1) extracted risk screening results for fish in trade from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Horizon Scan of Vertebrates in Trade and adapted these results to Arkansas, 2) used the fish species screened in the USGS Horizon Scan to determine how climate matching scores shifted under future climate scenarios, and 3) developed a standardized workflow for risk screening for aquatic nuisance species in the United States that incorporates risk of establishment under future climate scenarios. To accomplish the first objective, we pulled risk screening scores (comprised of risk of establishment, invasion history and pathways, and potential negative impacts) for the 319 fish species identified in the USGS Horizon Scan. For the second objective, we used all fish species identified and screened in the USGS Horizon Scan. Then, using future climate models (Shared Socioeconomic Pathways models) for the years 2040, 2070, and 2100, we calculated climate matching scores between potential fish invaders’ native ranges and the climate in the U.S. For the third objective, we created a future risk factor scoring protocol for risk of establishment under future climate scenarios and applied the scoring to all fish species from Objective #2. Under current and future climates, only Prochilodus lineatus and Chondrostoma nasus received high risk scores in Arkansas. However, 11 species moved from low to medium risk under future climates, reflecting increased establishment potential. Most of the species that moved from low to medium risk are known invaders outside the U.S. and are known to have strongly negative ecological impacts in their introduced ranges, such as Clarias gariepinus, Abramis brama, and Hemichromis lifalili. Although climate change is increasing the potential for invasive species to establish in Arkansas, we show that prioritizing invasive species for prevention and watchlists is still feasible as the climate changes. Species identified as medium and high risk in this project are strong candidates for in-depth risk screening summaries and adding to an invasive species watchlist for Arkansas.
Speakers
LL

Lindsey LaBrie

Graduate Research Assistant (PhD), University of Arkansas
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Invasive Species

11:20am CST

Fisheries Track: Influence of Thermal Variation on Paddlefish Thermal Tolerance, Recovery and Post-Release Behavior
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Shasta Kamara, Program of Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Jackson Glomb, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Cory Suski, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

ABSTRACT: American Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) have important commercial and recreational fisheries throughout their range, which covers a wide latitudinal gradient. Seasons for Paddlefish angling and harvest are broad and often set by dates, and, as a result Paddlefish can experience capture and release across a range of temperatures. Currently, the impact of thermal variation on Paddlefish response to capture stressors has not been defined, precluding us from making informed management decisions regarding the timing and duration of angling and harvest seasons. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify the response of Paddlefish to simulated capture and release across a range of temperatures using two experimental approaches. In the first study, juvenile Paddlefish were acclimated to 13, 17.5, and 22° C. Fish from each of these temperatures were subjected to a simulated angling experience and recovered for 30 minutes, 4 hours, or 8 hours; a second group of fish were given a critical thermal maximum test (CTmax) to quantify heat tolerance. The second study sought to quantify post-release behavior of adult Paddlefish after simulated commercial capture at different temperatures using tri-axial accelerometers. Results from the first study showed that Paddlefish acclimated to 13°C recovered from exercise within 4 hours, while fish acclimated to 22°C did not recover, even after 8 hours. The 17.5°C and 22.0°C treatments had higher CTmax than the 13.0°C treatment suggesting an upper limit to thermal tolerance. Results thus far indicate that Paddlefish experiencing warmer temperatures have reduced performance relative to cooler fish, suggesting that temperatures over 20 degrees may be stressful for released Paddlefish after exercise. Together, these projects can help inform how Paddlefish respond to capture stressors across a range of temperatures and inform future management options to minimize impacts on individuals.
Speakers
SK

Shasta Kamara

Graduate Research Assistant, Univeristy of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquaculture-other

11:20am CST

S-07: Length-based stock assessments for grass carp in Lake Erie
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Tammy M. Wilson, U.S. Geological Survey - Columbia Environmental Research Center
Michael E Byrne, Department of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia
Thomas W. Bonnot, Department of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia
Robin D Calfee, U.S. Geological Survey - Columbia Environmental Research Center
Matthew R Acre U.S. Geological Survey - Columbia Environmental Research Center

ABSTRACT: Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) are nonnative, herbivorous freshwater fish that represent an invasive, ecological threat in North American waters. They originate from eastern Asia, consume large amounts of aquatic vegetation, and establishment in novel waters can cause significant ecosystem changes. There is particular concern for grass carp establishment within the Lake Erie basin, where multi-jurisdictional grass carp removal efforts have been ongoing since 2017 to reduce Lake Erie's population and the chance of dispersal to the rest of the Great Lakes. However, effectiveness of removal efforts has yet to be quantified. Grass carp in Lake Erie are data-limited as catch numbers are < 100 per year. Therefore, we used multiple length-based stock assessment methods to evaluate if removal efforts were sufficient to reduce population size. We used a combination of length-based indicators (LBI), the length-based spawning potential ratio (LBSPR), and the length-based Bayesian biomass estimation (LBB) method to assess the stock. Although these length-based methods run on the assumption of a stock at equilibrium rather than a potentially growing population, by using multiple length-based methods to assess this stock, we worked to minimize biases that may have occurred. Preliminary results highlight the absence of immature removals and indicate that removal efforts may need to target smaller fish to collapse the population.
Speakers
TW
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

11:20am CST

S-08: Future headstarting plans for Indiana’s endangered Crawfish frogs
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Blake Klocke, Indiana DNR

ABSTRACT: The Indiana DNR is launching a new headstarting program for Crawfish frogs (Lithobates areolatus), a state endangered species since 1988, with the purpose of reestablishing the species in extirpated areas within its historic range. Habitat conversion to agriculture has limited the ability of this species to disperse and recolonize areas of suitable habitat across the landscape. We plan to rear Crawfish frog tadpoles in outdoor mesocosms. These rearing methods are modeled after successful headstarting and reintroduction of Dusky Gopher frogs and Gopher frogs, two closely related species in the Southeastern U.S. We will complete a simple density-dependent tadpole rearing experiment to inform husbandry methods and conduct a chytrid/ranavirus coinfection trial to better understand how these endemic diseases may affect tadpole survival in the wild. Metamorphed froglets will be housed in a soft-release enclosures for two weeks at the reintroduction site before release. We are working closely with land managers to enhance Crawfish frog habitat through the creation and modification of breeding wetlands at recovery sites. After this initial pilot year, we will include a radiotelemetry study to better understand dispersal and survival. The Crawfish frog headstarting program in Indiana will build upon achievable initial goals to restore this species in an adaptive management framework.
Speakers
BK

Blake Klocke

One Health Biologist, Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

11:20am CST

S-14: Factors affecting year-class strength of Walleye (Sander vitreus) populations in western irrigation reservoirs
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Laurel H. Sacco, Jeremy L. Kientz1 Gene F. Galinat1, Bill Miller, Jacob L. Davis1
and Steven R. Chipps2

Department of Natural Resource Management
South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD, 57007

1South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks
TOC West-4310 Adventure Trail
Rapid City, SD, 57702

2U.S. Geological Survey, South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, 57007

ABSTRACT:  Understanding population recruitment is an important step in developing effective Walleye management strategies. In western South Dakota, Angostura, Belle Fourche, and Shadehill reservoirs provide important irrigation needs and flood control. These reservoirs also represent popular destinations for Walleye anglers, although the recruitment dynamics of these fisheries are poorly understood. In Angostura Reservoir, the stocking of larger, fingerling fish successfully augmented year class strength and was the principal driver of Walleye recruitment. In reservoirs where stocking was absent or inconsistent, Walleye recruitment dynamics were influenced by abiotic factors, particularly temperature and hydrologic conditions. Spring temperatures were universally influential in recruitment outcomes, although environmental conditions in late summer and fall were also important. Because recruitment bottlenecks generally occur during early life stages for Walleye, warming rate and(or) elevated temperatures, particularly during spring, may have negative impacts on cohort survival in western irrigation reservoirs.
Speakers
SC

Steve Chipps

South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, U.S. Geological Survey
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  S-14: Thriving Amidst Challenges: Examining Resilient Walleye Populations

11:20am CST

S-15: Sustainable Rivers Program E-Flow and E-Pool Efforts on the Kansas and Osage Rivers
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Marvin Boyer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District; Laura Totten, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District

ABSTRACT: The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have partnered to form the Sustainable Rivers Program (SRP) to examine opportunities to optimize reservoir releases and river flows to benefit river ecology while maintaining the federal mandates of the reservoir systems within the United States. The mission of the SRP is to improve the health and life of rivers by changing water infrastructure operations to restore and protect ecosystems, while maintaining or enhancing other project benefits. The USACE Kansas City District and TNC Kansas and Missouri added the Kansas River and the Osage River to the SRP. Workshops were held with regional biology and hydrology experts to help guide the process of identifying e-flows and e-pool management measures. Literature reviews and data mining exercises were undertaken for the Kansas and Osage River systems to identify flow-dependent fish, mussels, and other species and their habitats, examine changes in these species over time, and propose the likely causes of these changes. This information was used to better understand reservoir operation impacts and examine possibilities for reservoir management modifications within the range of authorized reservoir releases that would create flows beneficial to the Kansas and Osage Rivers ecosystems. SRP expanded from traditional e-flows work and began funding projects that targeted managing pool levels at USACE reservoirs, raising and lowering the water surface elevation of wetlands, lakes, or river pools for the purpose of stimulating aquatic seed germination, improving aquatic plant and animal diversity, consolidating wetland soils, and other ecological and environmental effects. The SRP USACE team is currently working to find opportunities to implement test flows outlined in workshops and incorporate recent Kansas and Osage Rivers e-flow and e-pool information into ongoing reservoir Water Control Manual Updates.
Speakers
MB

Marvin Boyer

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  S-15: The Sustainable Rivers Program - Reoperating Corps of Engineers Water Infrastructure to Enhance Environmental Benefits

11:20am CST

S-17: U.S. and Midwestern Hunting and Fishing Participation Trends via R3 Dashboard
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Rob Southwick, Southwick Associates;
Lou Cornicelli, Ph.D., Southwick Associates

ABSTRACT: Knowing where to apply R3 efforts and when to make improvements requires monitoring participation trends in a timely manner. Likewise, understanding participation trends helps states and NGOs better identify and explain the issues needing attention. To better identify participation trends, state fish and wildlife agencies, industry, and NGO partners created the R3 dashboard that summarizes license sales and participation trends at the state, regional, and national levels. The work is funded by a Multistate Conservation grant. Using this resource augmented with other data sources, this presentation will report trends regarding hunting and fishing license sales by day/month/year, recruitment trends, and churn rates with insights provided by age, gender, and residency. The purpose is to help inform state and regional R3 planning efforts by showing where growth is happening, and where assistance may be needed.
Speakers
LP

Lisa Parks

Project Manager, Southwick Associates
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  S-17: Applied Science and Adaptation of R3 Efforts

11:20am CST

S-19: Development and Implementation of Missouri's Landscape Health Index
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Jon Podoliak Missouri Department of Conservation; Tom Bonnot US Fish and Wildlife Service; Nate Muenks Missouri Department of Conservation; Shelby Timm Missouri Department of Conservation; Billy Huggins University of Missouri

ABSTRACT: The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has been a leader among states in advancing landscape conservation. Through landscape-scale planning and prioritization as part of the implementation of the Missouri Comprehensive Conservation Strategy, we have identified 11 Priority Geographies (PGs) in which we are working with partners, including private landowners, to conserve species, habitats, and ecosystem functions. These PGs represent areas with some of the most opportunity for conservation success and remaining intact habitat. To assess ongoing management actions and community engagement within PGs, the department and partners developed a prototype for a Landscape Health Index (LHI) that collects, analyzes, and integrates a variety of data to monitor the responses of species and landscapes to conservation efforts and measures progress over time. Data on biotic communities, landscape processes, and social condition are combined into one score for each PG that can be tracked over time. Further, the index is built on layers of data that can be assessed individually, allowing practitioners to assess which aspect of a landscape may not be meeting expected levels based on predefined goals and respond accordingly. The LHI has been implemented in two pilot PGs and work is ongoing to implement in the remaining nine. We will detail the results from the two pilot PGs as well as updates to the process and ongoing efforts.
Speakers
JP

Jon Podoliak

Landscape Ecologist, Missouri Department of Conservation
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:20am - 11:40am CST
TBA
  S-19: How is Landscape Conservation Relevant to You?

11:40am CST

Fisheries Track: Spatial and Temporal Variation of Invasive Carp Spawning Activity in the Illinois River Basin
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Braden Whisler, Eastern Illinois University; Robert Colombo, Eastern Illinois University; Daniel Roth, Eastern Illinois University; Eden Effert-Fanta, Eastern Illinois University

ABSTRACT:
Bighead Carp (Hypophtalmichtys nobilis) and Silver Carp (H. molitrix), often referred to as bigheaded carps (BHC), have invaded many rivers throughout North America and the Mississippi River drainage. With their niche occupation and feeding habits, evidence suggests the degradation of native fish assemblages through competition. Although there are spawning populations located throughout the BHC invasion, few studies have focused on visualizing the timing and location of spawning events. The aim of this study is to examine how spawning BHC utilize tributary versus mainstem river sites throughout the year and in varying environmental conditions. From April to September of 2021-2024, BHC ichthyoplankton were collected from mainstem and tributary sites in the La Grange Pool of the Illinois River throughout an array of different environmental conditions (flood, high/low stream velocity, temperature). Consistent with previous studies, flood pulses, higher water velocities, and temperature thresholds triggered spawning events, contributing to higher densities of BHC ichthyoplankton drifting in the current. High-water years also facilitated the movement of BHC into tributary systems, contributing to spawning events and larger BHC ichthyoplankton catches in the tributaries. This study demonstrates the importance of continued monitoring of spawning conditions and timing in areas where BHC are already established. By developing predictive models for BHC spawning events in both mainstem and tributary habitats, resource managers can implement targeted removal strategies for spawning adults at invasion fronts or areas of special concern, such as the Laurentian Great Lakes. These proactive measures have the potential to significantly reduce year class sizes and mitigate the ecological impact of BHC invasions.
Speakers
BW

Braden Whisler

Graduate Assistant, Eastern Illinois University
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Invasive Species

11:40am CST

Fisheries Track: Understanding fecal microbiome of Pallid Sturgeon
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Israt Jahan, Samodha Fernando, Chris Chizinski, Mark Pegg

ABSTRACT: The gut microbiome plays a vital role in the health and survival of aquatic species, including the endangered Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus), which is experiencing reproductive challenges due to habitat alterations. While hatchery augmentation remains a key strategy to bolster Pallid Sturgeon populations, the reduced survival rates of hatchery-raised individuals present a significant obstacle to delisting efforts. This study investigates the gut microbiomes of wild-caught Pallid Sturgeon from Platte River and hatchery-raised Pallid Sturgeon from Gavin's Point National Fish Hatchery to identify differences and their potential management implications. Fecal samples were collected from both groups, and the 16S rRNA gene was amplified to sequence and characterize the microbial communities present. Findings indicate that wild-caught sturgeon exhibit a more diverse and adapted gut microbiome than their hatchery-raised counterparts. These differences may challenge hatchery-raised individuals in adapting to natural environments post-release, potentially affecting their survival and reproductive success. Furthermore, alterations in gut microbiota composition may influence nutrient absorption, immune function, and overall health. Integrating gut microbiome dynamics into management strategies is essential for conserving endangered species, underscoring the necessity for adaptive management approaches incorporating microbial ecology principles to ensure the long-term survival of Pallid Sturgeon populations.
Speakers
IJ

Israt Jahan

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  General Fisheries, General Fisheries: Aquaculture-other

11:40am CST

S-07: Limited Catch: The Use of Supplementary Biological Data To Further Develop Our Understanding Of Lake Erie Grass Carp
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Dillon Weik, University of Toledo; Christine Mayer, University of Toledo; Tammy Wilson, US Geological Survey; Ryan Young, US Fish & Wildlife; Eric Weimer, Ohio Department of Natural Resources; John Dettmers, Great Lake Fishery Commission

ABSTRACT: Invasive grass carp have been captured in Lake Erie since the mid-1980s, and spawning in tributaries to the lake was confirmed in 2015. In response, a multi-jurisdictional partnership was established to target grass carp for removal with increasing effort since 2017. However, capture data is limited, making supplemental biological data, such as growth histories estimated from bony structures, especially useful in describing trends in the population or individual traits. Age was estimated using vertebrae for all fish removed from Lake Erie since 2012, and growth was back-calculated using the Biological Intercept Model. The back-calculated growth was then fitted to a Von Bertalanffy Growth Function. Lake Erie grass carp age-at-maturity (as indexed by a decrease in growth rate) of diploid fish was estimated to be ~3 years. In contrast, literature derived age-at-maturity ranges from 1-10 years. Current removal methods select fish > 880 mm (age-4). Consequently, recruitment may occur before fish are vulnerable to removal. Therefore, future efforts are needed to target smaller fish by exploring alternative habitats or examining new sampling gears to remove these cryptic individuals before they are able to successfully recruit to the population.
Speakers
DW

Dillon Weik

Master's Student, University of Toledo
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond

11:40am CST

S-08: Management of crawfish frogs (Lithobates areolatus) based on breeding pond manipulation, head starting, and disease implications at Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern I
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Joseph R. Robb, Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT: The 50,000-acre Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) contains one of the largest populations of crawfish frogs (Lithobates areolatus) in Indiana. The crawfish frog, a state endangered species in Indiana, is a burrow obligate species that is currently declining throughout much of its range. Sporadic recruitment and woody habitat intrusion were likely responsible for limiting this population at Big Oaks NWR. We initiated several management and research projects to better understand and mitigate this issue during 2004-2024. Occupancy modeling identified focus areas for breeding wetland restoration where quality grassland habitat existed, but populations were absent. This modeling approach also identified aspects of breeding pond use where the most parsimonious model indicated that crawfish frogs selected relatively larger ephemeral wetlands, emergent vegetation present in less than 50% of the wetland, and the absence of woody vegetation. Combining this knowledge with the results from an early pilot project investigating how experimentally drained ponds increased crawfish frog use and reduced their predator and competitor communities, we designed and constructed breeding wetlands to improve the management of this species. We also used several head starting techniques to increase the productivity of this species in quality habitat. Monitoring of these breeding wetlands has shown newly established populations, increased breeding adult use, and increased recruitment. However, the potential for larval disease outbreaks (i.e., Perkinsea sp. and Ranavirus) complicates management. The success of this management regime could be replicated to restore populations in appropriate habitat to stabilize population declines throughout their range especially if management could be used to reduce disease outbreaks.
Speakers
JR

Joe Robb

Refuge Manager, USFWS - Big Oaks NWR
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest

11:40am CST

S-14: How RAD are Walleye Fisheries at the Southern End of their Range?
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Melissa Wuellner, University of Nebraska at Kearney; Keith Koupal, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

ABSTRACT:  The recruitment of Walleye (Sander vitreus) has become less reliable through time as these populations face high angler exploitation and changing climatic conditions. While the native range of Walleye does extend to the Gulf of Mexico, the populations in Nebraska represent the southern and western edges of traditional natural recruiting populations. As such the challenges these populations face potentially represent the challenges the populations in more traditional northern climates may face as climatic conditions become more variable. In Nebraska, Walleye management in many reservoirs would fall under the “Resist-Accept” continuum as the sustainability of these populations relies largely on stocking. The Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework has been used to frame Walleye management decisions, but the question remains as to whether the RAD framework applies to populations where summer ambient temperatures may be much warmer than locations where related research has been published. In this presentation, we will present case studies that illustrate the history of stocking over more than 40 years, whether stocking helps to meet reservoir-specific management goals, and what the future of the Walleye stocking program may be. Context for the advantages and disadvantages of the variable approaches to maintain Walleye populations along with potential consequences will be discussed.
Speakers
avatar for Melissa Wuellner

Melissa Wuellner

Associate Professor, University of Nebraska at Kearney
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  S-14: Thriving Amidst Challenges: Examining Resilient Walleye Populations

11:40am CST

S-15: Where Do We Go From Here? - Advancing the Sustainable Rivers Program to New Rivers and Opportunities in the Midwest
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Brian Johnson, US Army Corps of Engineers - St. Louis

ABSTRACT: The US Army Corps of Engineers is one largest water resource management agencies in the United States, managing over 460 reservoirs and providing over 50% of the nation’s entire flood storage capacity. In addition, the Corps manages 237 navigable locks throughout the country. All told the Corps operates and maintains approximately 740 dams and associated structures which directly impact over 52,000 miles of rivers. In recognition of the magnitude and breath of the impact of USACE water infrastructure across the country, the Corps began partnering with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in 2002 on the Sustainable Rivers Program (SRP). The SRP Program has the clear mission of working at Corps operating projects to improve the health and life of rivers by changing infrastructure operations to restore and protect ecosystems, while maintaining or enhancing other project benefits. To date the program has worked on over 40 rivers impacting over 12,000 miles. Within the Midwest there are active SRP projects in at least 8 states, including Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. The Corps has continued to partner with TNC to deliver the SRP Program, most recently with the release of TNC’s Resilient & Connected Network analysis of the USACE sites, which helps identify those sites with the highest resilience and biodiversity. The results of that work show there is still abundant need and potential for new projects and opportunities within the Midwest region. This presentation will discuss that potential, delve into the SRP process, and discuss how to work with USACE to submit and propose new projects.
Speakers
BJ

Brian Johnson

Env. Compliance Branch Chief, US Army Corps of Engineers - St. Louis
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  S-15: The Sustainable Rivers Program - Reoperating Corps of Engineers Water Infrastructure to Enhance Environmental Benefits

11:40am CST

S-17: Quality Programs Deserve Qualitative Methods
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS: Amy Bousman, Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks; Susan Steffan, Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks

ABSTRACT: Participant feedback is critical to understand the impact R3 programs are having on participants; therefore, the greater goal of recruiting, retaining, or reactivating participants. We typically collect this feedback through formal, quantitative surveys. However, it is increasingly difficult to get participant feedback due to survey fatigue and program logistics (e.g., outdoor setting, language barriers, working with children, etc.). We will discuss the pragmatic, often qualitative, methods we used to collect participant feedback for programs that targeted underserved and nontraditional communities such as refugees and Indigenous peoples. We hope you can learn from our successful (and not-so-successful) efforts to maintain and strengthen these positive relationships while still capturing the much-needed participant feedback.
Speakers
avatar for Amy Bousman

Amy Bousman

Education Specialist, Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks
Hello! I am the Education Specialist for northeast KS with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. My public programs focus heavily on full-circle, field to fork events with a holistic emphasis (whole animal usage, leave no trace, etc). Along with my partners, I create educational... Read More →
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  S-17: Applied Science and Adaptation of R3 Efforts

11:40am CST

S-19: Planning for Pollinators: How Voluntary Conservation Agreements Can Encourage Landscape-Scale Conservation
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
AUTHORS:  Catherine O'Reilly, University of Illinois Chicago

ABSTRACT:  Pollinator species have seen sharp population declines throughout this century, which has severe ramifications for ecosystem stability. Finding creative solutions to restore pollinator habitat is vital to preserving both pollinators and ecosystems, and this requires developing landscape-scale conservation initiatives for pollinators that involve non-traditional conservation landscapes and partners.

One method for engaging non-traditional stakeholders in pollinator conservation is through Section 10 Conservation Benefit Agreements (CBAs). These agreements, established under Section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act, are voluntary conservation agreements between non-federal landowners and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in which participating organizations agree to provide a net conservation benefit to targeted species in exchange for assurances that additional or management activities for these species will not be required. This encourages pollinator conservation from non-traditional conservation partners by offering operational flexibility and regulatory certainty to participants while establishing clear standards for what conservation actions are required to achieve a net conservation benefit for the targeted species.

A Section 10 agreement that promotes pollinator conservation on non-traditional conservation landscapes is the Nationwide Candidate Conservation Agreement for Monarch Butterfly (the Monarch CCAA). The Monarch CCAA is a Section 10 agreement between the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and energy and transportation companies that is designed to create habitat for monarchs on energy and transportation rights-of-way. A similar agreement has been developed by UIC and partners which focuses on at-risk bumble bee species, building upon the conservation success of the CCAA.

I will present on how CBAs encourage landscape-scale conservation efforts from non-traditional partners by offering flexibility and assurances in exchange for conservation actions, and what motivates the creation of a CBA. Brief updates on the Monarch CCAA and bumble bee agreement will be shared to exemplify how Section 10 agreements work in practice.
Speakers
CO

Catherine O'Reilly

Partner Coordinator, University of Illinois Chicago
Wednesday January 22, 2025 11:40am - 12:00pm CST
TBA
  S-19: How is Landscape Conservation Relevant to You?
 
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  • Coffee Break
  • Committee Meeting
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  • General Fisheries
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  • Poster Session
  • Pre-Conference Workshop
  • S-01: Flight of Discovery: Bird Research & Monitoring within the Mississippi Flyway
  • S-02: Connecting the Dots: Addressing Aquatic Habitat Fragmentation Across the Midwest
  • S-03: CWD: A Wicked Challenge
  • S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 1)
  • S-04: Building Resilient Salmonid Populations with Multi-faceted Management and Research Approaches (PART 2)
  • S-05: Working Lands & Resilient Streams: The Power of Partnering with Landowners
  • S-06: Restoring and Reconstructing Endangered Ecosystems in Missouri: Case Studies of Prairie/Savanna/Woodland and Wetland Natural Communities
  • S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond
  • S-07: Sharing Knowledge Across Sub-basins: Invasive Carp in the Missouri River Basin and Beyond (PART 1
  • S-08: Conservation of Crawfish Frogs and Other Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest
  • S-09: Conservation Social Science: Informing Management and Enhancing Engagement in the Midwest
  • S-10: Charting a Path Forward - Fisheries and Aquatic Plant Management Now and in the Future
  • S-11: Crayfish Conservation and Management
  • S-12: Not Just for Ducks…Reframing Marshes as Working Water Gardens
  • S-13: Living Data on the Road to Resilience: Opportunities/Challenges/Best Practices
  • S-14: Thriving Amidst Challenges: Examining Resilient Walleye Populations
  • S-15: The Sustainable Rivers Program - Reoperating Corps of Engineers Water Infrastructure to Enhance Environmental Benefits
  • S-16: Migratory Birds and Climate Change: Science to Inform Management
  • S-17: Applied Science and Adaptation of R3 Efforts
  • S-18: FishCAST: Working Towards a Better Future for All Fisheries Professionals
  • S-19: How is Landscape Conservation Relevant to You?
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