Direct and Molecular Observation of Movement and Reproduction by Candy Darter, <i>Etheostoma osburni</i>, an Endangered Benthic Stream Fish in Virginia, USA
Direct and indirect measures of individual movement provide valuable knowledge regarding a species’ resiliency to environmental change. Information on patterns of movement can inform species management and conservation but is lacking for many imperiled fishes. The Candy Darter, <i>Etheostoma o...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | Fishes |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/7/1/30 |
| _version_ | 1797480405390065664 |
|---|---|
| author | Kathryn E. McBaine Eric M. Hallerman Paul L. Angermeier |
| author_facet | Kathryn E. McBaine Eric M. Hallerman Paul L. Angermeier |
| author_sort | Kathryn E. McBaine |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Direct and indirect measures of individual movement provide valuable knowledge regarding a species’ resiliency to environmental change. Information on patterns of movement can inform species management and conservation but is lacking for many imperiled fishes. The Candy Darter, <i>Etheostoma osburni</i>, is an endangered stream fish with a dramatically reduced distribution in Virginia in the eastern United States, now known from only four isolated populations. We used visual implant elastomer tags and microsatellite DNA markers to directly describe movement patterns in two populations. Parentage analysis based on parent-offspring pairs was used to infer movement patterns of young-of-year and age-1 individuals, as well as the reproductive contribution of certain adults. Direct measurements of movement distances were generally similar between methods, but microsatellite markers revealed greater distances moved, commensurate with greater spatial frames sampled. Parent-offspring pairs were found throughout the species’ 18.8-km distribution in Stony Creek, while most parent-offspring pairs were in 2 km of the 4.25-km distribution in Laurel Creek. Sibship reconstruction allowed us to characterize the mating system and number of spawning years for adults. Our results provide the first measures of movement patterns of Candy Darter as well as the spatial distribution of parent-offspring pairs, which may be useful for selecting collection sites in source populations to be used for translocation or reintroductions. Our results highlight the importance of documenting species movement patterns and spatial distributions of related individuals as steps toward understanding population dynamics and informing translocation strategies. We also demonstrate that the reproductive longevity of this species is greater than previously described, which may be the case for other small stream fishes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:59:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5da59e9a55f345ac9d52c431a18ed38e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2410-3888 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:59:31Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fishes |
| spelling | doaj.art-5da59e9a55f345ac9d52c431a18ed38e2023-11-23T19:51:39ZengMDPI AGFishes2410-38882022-01-01713010.3390/fishes7010030Direct and Molecular Observation of Movement and Reproduction by Candy Darter, <i>Etheostoma osburni</i>, an Endangered Benthic Stream Fish in Virginia, USAKathryn E. McBaine0Eric M. Hallerman1Paul L. Angermeier2Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USADepartment of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USADepartment of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USADirect and indirect measures of individual movement provide valuable knowledge regarding a species’ resiliency to environmental change. Information on patterns of movement can inform species management and conservation but is lacking for many imperiled fishes. The Candy Darter, <i>Etheostoma osburni</i>, is an endangered stream fish with a dramatically reduced distribution in Virginia in the eastern United States, now known from only four isolated populations. We used visual implant elastomer tags and microsatellite DNA markers to directly describe movement patterns in two populations. Parentage analysis based on parent-offspring pairs was used to infer movement patterns of young-of-year and age-1 individuals, as well as the reproductive contribution of certain adults. Direct measurements of movement distances were generally similar between methods, but microsatellite markers revealed greater distances moved, commensurate with greater spatial frames sampled. Parent-offspring pairs were found throughout the species’ 18.8-km distribution in Stony Creek, while most parent-offspring pairs were in 2 km of the 4.25-km distribution in Laurel Creek. Sibship reconstruction allowed us to characterize the mating system and number of spawning years for adults. Our results provide the first measures of movement patterns of Candy Darter as well as the spatial distribution of parent-offspring pairs, which may be useful for selecting collection sites in source populations to be used for translocation or reintroductions. Our results highlight the importance of documenting species movement patterns and spatial distributions of related individuals as steps toward understanding population dynamics and informing translocation strategies. We also demonstrate that the reproductive longevity of this species is greater than previously described, which may be the case for other small stream fishes.https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/7/1/30conservation planningdispersalgenetic markersmating systemparentage analysisvisual tags |
| spellingShingle | Kathryn E. McBaine Eric M. Hallerman Paul L. Angermeier Direct and Molecular Observation of Movement and Reproduction by Candy Darter, <i>Etheostoma osburni</i>, an Endangered Benthic Stream Fish in Virginia, USA Fishes conservation planning dispersal genetic markers mating system parentage analysis visual tags |
| title | Direct and Molecular Observation of Movement and Reproduction by Candy Darter, <i>Etheostoma osburni</i>, an Endangered Benthic Stream Fish in Virginia, USA |
| title_full | Direct and Molecular Observation of Movement and Reproduction by Candy Darter, <i>Etheostoma osburni</i>, an Endangered Benthic Stream Fish in Virginia, USA |
| title_fullStr | Direct and Molecular Observation of Movement and Reproduction by Candy Darter, <i>Etheostoma osburni</i>, an Endangered Benthic Stream Fish in Virginia, USA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Direct and Molecular Observation of Movement and Reproduction by Candy Darter, <i>Etheostoma osburni</i>, an Endangered Benthic Stream Fish in Virginia, USA |
| title_short | Direct and Molecular Observation of Movement and Reproduction by Candy Darter, <i>Etheostoma osburni</i>, an Endangered Benthic Stream Fish in Virginia, USA |
| title_sort | direct and molecular observation of movement and reproduction by candy darter i etheostoma osburni i an endangered benthic stream fish in virginia usa |
| topic | conservation planning dispersal genetic markers mating system parentage analysis visual tags |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/7/1/30 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kathrynemcbaine directandmolecularobservationofmovementandreproductionbycandydarterietheostomaosburniianendangeredbenthicstreamfishinvirginiausa AT ericmhallerman directandmolecularobservationofmovementandreproductionbycandydarterietheostomaosburniianendangeredbenthicstreamfishinvirginiausa AT paullangermeier directandmolecularobservationofmovementandreproductionbycandydarterietheostomaosburniianendangeredbenthicstreamfishinvirginiausa |