Factors Influencing Early Growth of Juvenile Tiger Trout Stocked into Subalpine Lakes as Biocontrol and to Enhance Recreational Angling
Tiger trout (<i>Salmo trutta</i> × <i>Salvelinus fontinalis</i>) are sterile hybrids often stocked as a biocontrol agent for undesirable fishes and to enhance recreational angling. Yet, how different ecological processes affect their post-stocking performance remain poorly un...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Fishes |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/7/6/342 |
| _version_ | 1797458954498867200 |
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| author | Adam G. Hansen Erik T. Cristan Miranda M. Moll Michael W. Miller Eric I. Gardunio Jesse M. Lepak |
| author_facet | Adam G. Hansen Erik T. Cristan Miranda M. Moll Michael W. Miller Eric I. Gardunio Jesse M. Lepak |
| author_sort | Adam G. Hansen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Tiger trout (<i>Salmo trutta</i> × <i>Salvelinus fontinalis</i>) are sterile hybrids often stocked as a biocontrol agent for undesirable fishes and to enhance recreational angling. Yet, how different ecological processes affect their post-stocking performance remain poorly understood. Rapid growth early in life can foster rapid transitions to piscivory, and improve survival. Identifying factors that benefit early growth can help managers optimize tiger trout stocking for meeting multiple fisheries management objectives. Here, we characterized the trophic ecology and growth of tiger trout stocked at varying densities into seven lentic subalpine systems in Colorado, USA. Study systems supported different species of undesirable fish (e.g., minnows or suckers). We used stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen to quantify trophic relationships among tiger trout and other fishes in each system. We then evaluated several system-specific attributes as predictors for the size of tiger trout at age-1 using a Random Forest model. Stable isotopes demonstrated the potential for resource competition among tiger trout and other fishes, but potential varied by system. Indices of resource competition ranked highest in the Random Forest model, but the stocking density of tiger trout was most important, suggesting that intraspecific competition outweighed interspecific competition in driving early growth. These processes were mediated by system productivity. Thus, stocking density in combination with the realized carrying capacities of systems should be considered when making management decisions for tiger trout. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:45:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ff0870c858a44dbcb9c55c150db8c967 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2410-3888 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:45:32Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fishes |
| spelling | doaj.art-ff0870c858a44dbcb9c55c150db8c9672023-11-24T14:48:05ZengMDPI AGFishes2410-38882022-11-017634210.3390/fishes7060342Factors Influencing Early Growth of Juvenile Tiger Trout Stocked into Subalpine Lakes as Biocontrol and to Enhance Recreational AnglingAdam G. Hansen0Erik T. Cristan1Miranda M. Moll2Michael W. Miller3Eric I. Gardunio4Jesse M. Lepak5Aquatic Research Section, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 West Prospect Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USAAquatic Research Section, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 West Prospect Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USADepartment of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USANew Mexico Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology, New Mexico State University, 2980 South Espina, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USAColorado Parks and Wildlife, 2300 South Townsend Avenue, Montrose, CO 81401, USAAquatic Research Section, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 West Prospect Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USATiger trout (<i>Salmo trutta</i> × <i>Salvelinus fontinalis</i>) are sterile hybrids often stocked as a biocontrol agent for undesirable fishes and to enhance recreational angling. Yet, how different ecological processes affect their post-stocking performance remain poorly understood. Rapid growth early in life can foster rapid transitions to piscivory, and improve survival. Identifying factors that benefit early growth can help managers optimize tiger trout stocking for meeting multiple fisheries management objectives. Here, we characterized the trophic ecology and growth of tiger trout stocked at varying densities into seven lentic subalpine systems in Colorado, USA. Study systems supported different species of undesirable fish (e.g., minnows or suckers). We used stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen to quantify trophic relationships among tiger trout and other fishes in each system. We then evaluated several system-specific attributes as predictors for the size of tiger trout at age-1 using a Random Forest model. Stable isotopes demonstrated the potential for resource competition among tiger trout and other fishes, but potential varied by system. Indices of resource competition ranked highest in the Random Forest model, but the stocking density of tiger trout was most important, suggesting that intraspecific competition outweighed interspecific competition in driving early growth. These processes were mediated by system productivity. Thus, stocking density in combination with the realized carrying capacities of systems should be considered when making management decisions for tiger trout.https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/7/6/342fisheries managementproductivityresource competitionstable isotopessterile hybridstocking density |
| spellingShingle | Adam G. Hansen Erik T. Cristan Miranda M. Moll Michael W. Miller Eric I. Gardunio Jesse M. Lepak Factors Influencing Early Growth of Juvenile Tiger Trout Stocked into Subalpine Lakes as Biocontrol and to Enhance Recreational Angling Fishes fisheries management productivity resource competition stable isotopes sterile hybrid stocking density |
| title | Factors Influencing Early Growth of Juvenile Tiger Trout Stocked into Subalpine Lakes as Biocontrol and to Enhance Recreational Angling |
| title_full | Factors Influencing Early Growth of Juvenile Tiger Trout Stocked into Subalpine Lakes as Biocontrol and to Enhance Recreational Angling |
| title_fullStr | Factors Influencing Early Growth of Juvenile Tiger Trout Stocked into Subalpine Lakes as Biocontrol and to Enhance Recreational Angling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors Influencing Early Growth of Juvenile Tiger Trout Stocked into Subalpine Lakes as Biocontrol and to Enhance Recreational Angling |
| title_short | Factors Influencing Early Growth of Juvenile Tiger Trout Stocked into Subalpine Lakes as Biocontrol and to Enhance Recreational Angling |
| title_sort | factors influencing early growth of juvenile tiger trout stocked into subalpine lakes as biocontrol and to enhance recreational angling |
| topic | fisheries management productivity resource competition stable isotopes sterile hybrid stocking density |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/7/6/342 |
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