Subspecies composition and genetic variation are important to the growth and survival of Largemouth Bass and information on these genetic characteristics is required for proper management of the species. In Puerto Rico, a genetic evaluation is needed to develop management plans for Puerto Rico reservoirs and maintain Florida Largemouth Bass at the Maricao Hatchery. Subspecies composition was characterized among reservoirs and the contemporary Maricao Hatchery broodstock in Puerto Rico, and metrics were compared between subspecies and hybrids among reservoir populations. Genetic variation and structure was determined and compared to Largemouth Bass populations in their native range. Florida subspecies were prevalent in all populations and non-introgressed subspecies seemed to be better adapted to the island than introgressed forms. Genetic diversity was lower in Puerto Rico populations and substantial genetic structure among populations was lacking. These results provide genetic information to guide future management and propagation of Largemouth Bass in Puerto Rico.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the hypothesis that exotic macrophytes alter littoral zone habitat and impact fish that inhabit these areas. The pond experiment was conducted to explore impacts of exotic invasive plants on growth and condition of juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The second experiment was conducted at a smaller scale in aquaria to simulate an invasion of hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) and its influence on juvenile bass foraging. Fish experienced slower growth in the hydrilla treatment than in the diverse, and the ability of bass to capture prey fish was impeded in hydrilla. Juvenile bass growth decreased in habitats containing hydrilla and is likely a result of increased difficulty in capturing quality prey items such as small fish. Results from the two experiments collectively supported my hypothesis that hydrilla growth altered the littoral zone habitat such that foraging was hindered and resulted in slower growth.

Spawning time and habitat of largemouth bass, survival of embryos, and growth and food habits of fingerlings were studied in 1968 and 1969 at Wahweap Bay, Lake Powell. Spawning began in mid- to late-April, when mean daily water temperature at nesting depths was 14.4-15.0 Centigrade (58-59 Fahreheit), and continued until mid-June. Most spawning took place on the northeast shore of the bay. Sandstone rubble was the most commonly used bottom type for nesting, either at the base of ledges or around large sandstone boulders. Mean nest depth increased from 1.63 meter to 4.54 meters (5.36 feet to 14.90 feet) in 1968 and from 1.51 meter to 2.93 meters (4.96 feet to 9.60 feet) in 1969, because bass sought the protection of ledges and boulders covered by continually rising water. Nearly all embryos required 4 days to hatch, and survival to hatching was 80.4 percent and 92.2 percent for 1968 and 1969, respectively. Growth of fingerlings was similar in both years and most rapid prior to August 1 in both years. Fingerlings from the 1969 year-class were longer than those from the 1968 year-class before August 21. Total length of bass on August 21 was 68.0 millimeters in both years but 86.5 millimeters and 80.2 millimeters on October 1 in 1968 and 1969, respectively. Growth may have been influenced by total temperature experience during the early part of the growing season but not during the latter part. Fingerlings ate mostly crustaceans, insects, and fish. Size of organisms eaten increased with increase in fingerling length, and fingerling bass fed selectively on larger Crustacea. Numbers of nests located and numbers of young-of-the-year taken in beach-seine catches indicated that the 1968 year-class was stronger than 1969. Estimated numbers of bass per 92.9 meters2 (1,000 feet2 ) seined varied from 0.82 to 3.39 in 1968 and from 0.23 to 2.65 in 1969. An index to year-class strength may be obtained from seine catches at any time of the summer after brood dispersal, but indices obtained in this study must be validated by determing the contribution of each year-class to the creel.

The interactions between parasites, hosts, and the ecosystems they live in are complex and diverse. This can make predicting how they will respond to pressures like nutrient enrichment difficult. However, this endeavor is important, due to the far-reaching effects it has on ecosystems functioning, industries like aquaculture, and even human health. Even with the significance of this topic, there are key parts of the picture that have received little research attention. For this reason, I chose to study the effects of nutrient enrichment on parasite-host interactions at two different scales, first investigating the interaction directly between parasites and their host, and then manipulating experimental ponds to look at trophic effects. Using the theory of ecological stoichiometry as a conceptual framework allowed for comparison across the two investigations. In both studies, I used largemouth bass and the macro parasites of their digestive tract as my study system, due to the importance of largemouth bass as sport fish, their high trophic status, and diverse parasite assemblages. My first study examined the effects of eutrophication on parasite-host interactions occurring within the host. It centered on four hypotheses: 1) the nutrient content of different host tissues (infection sites) varies within and across hosts, 2) the nutrient contents of parasite genera differ from that of their host tissue(s), 3) the nutrient contents of parasite genera differ from one another, and 4) nutrient availability within specific host tissues is related to the nutrient content and abundance of parasite genera within tissues. I quantified the nutrient content (carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorous (P) and their ratios) of parasitic infracommunities in the tissues of the liver, stomach, pyloric caeca, intestines, and visceral mesentery of 30 largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). I found stoichiometric variation across host tissues and that fish collection site explained variation in pyloric caeca N:P ratios. Parasitic genera differed in their nutrient content with actively feeding parasite forms having higher %N and lower C:N ratios than encysted/non-reproductive forms. In addition, the %C of both actively feeding parasites varied across organs, and, for one genus, this variation reflected differences in host tissue %C. Finally, I found that the total number of actively feeding parasites in the pyloric caeca increased with that tissue’s N:P ratio. My results suggest that parasites encounter significant variation in nutrient availability within and across hosts, and that this variation can influence the nutrient content and abundance of some actively feeding parasites within specific tissues. To determine if the effects from my first study were a result of nutrient changes to host tissues or if they were an artifact of changes occurring at other trophic levels caused by nutrient addition, I conducted an experimental manipulation of a short trophic system. I applied two treatments, a fertilized treatment and a control, to 14 ponds stocked with largemouth bass. I hypothesized that adding a low N:P fertilizer to the ponds would result in fewer parasites in the pyloric caeca of the bass in accordance with findings from my previous work. Alternatively, I hypothesized that indirect changes to intermediate hosts would be responsible for changes in parasite abundance. To measure the effects of nutrient additions on multiple trophic levels, samples of fine particulate organic matter (FPOM), benthic invertebrates, and vertebrate prey were taken from each pond. Stocked bass were retrieved and dissected to obtain samples for nutrient analysis from their pyloric caeca, and to quantify parasite abundances. My treatment was able to affect the %P, C:N, C:P, and N:P of the FPOM in the ponds. Benthic invertebrate biomass was negatively correlated with FPOM %P. I did not find a direct effect of benthic invertebrates on vertebrate prey species, but fertilized ponds had a smaller decrease in the number of vertebrate prey over the course of the experiment. Counterintuitively, the %N of the pyloric caeca of fish in the fertilized ponds decreased, and the %C and C:N increased in relation to the number of vertebrate prey, but %P did not change. The treatment status of the pond and the nutrients of the pyloric caeca did not affect the number of parasites that were found, but parasite numbers were positively associated with prey fish. This result would suggest the number of intermediate hosts, in this case, prey fish, is the determining factor for parasitic loads in the bass I collected. The indirect effects of trophic interaction and the direct effects of changes to host and parasite dynamics both play important roles in predicting the outcome of eutrophication on disease. The conflicting results of these two studies highlight the need for in-depth knowledge of the systems being affected by nutrient additions.

In most Puerto Rico reservoirs, Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides are typically fast-growing with distributions composed of distinct year-classes. Cerrillos Reservoir, however, displays the classic characteristics of a crowded bass population common in temperate lakes and ponds with fish stockpiling into a single modal distribution of slow-growing fish. This developed shortly after stocking in 1997, with the population quickly expanding to carrying capacity. Consequently, relative weight declined from above 100 to about 80 and the population was mostly composed of fish <=350 mm. A protected slot limit (356-508 mm) was implemented; however, limited effort and angler attitudes towards harvest of small bass prevented the success of this regulation, which was subsequently removed. In this dissertation, I examined the efficacy of using targeted management harvests for improving growth, size structure, and condition of Largemouth Bass in Cerrillos Reservoir. I used bioenergetics modeling to simulate the effects of targeted harvests. I predicted annual consumption of stock and quality-sized Largemouth Bass and used these estimates to model the effects of population reduction on consumption and growth of remaining bass. To validate the model, experimental removals of Largemouth Bass from the crowded size classes (200-380 mm) were conducted in 2012 and 2013. In these two years, I removed 20% and 22% of the total biomass, respectively. Following the experimental removals, mean condition of Largemouth Bass increased from 83 to 90, and increases were observed in all Largemouth Bass size categories. The reduction in predator abundance resulted in increased prey availability and smaller size structure of sunfish (Lepomis spp.) and tilapia (Coptodon and Oreochromis spp.) populations. I concluded that reducing Largemouth Bass abundance in Cerrillos Reservoir can move population dynamics toward desired management outcomes, but these actions must continue indefinitely to achieve success and sustainability. Annual management harvests are feasible but impractical, so I recommend increasing angler harvest and implementing management efforts designed to limit recruitment (e.g., shoreline rotenone application) to achieve management goals.

Glacial lakes, such as those in the Midwest region of the United States, are ecologically and economically important, and they provide a wide range of ecosystem services, such as habitat for wildlife and fishes, flood control and recreational boating. Glacial lakes often support locally important sport fisheries, such as largemouth bass <i>Micropterus salmoides</i> and bluegill <i>Lepomis macrochirus</i>,<i> </i>which are partially dependent on suitable habitat within lakes. Nearshore vegetation is often removed by lakeshore landowners for perceived aesthetics and boat access, or by area managers as a form of indirect fisheries management and invasive species control. The connection between nearshore vegetation and fish population health, though widely studied is somewhat unclear. In the two research chapters of this thesis we attempted to further understanding of the environmental factors that influence vegetation abundance and distribution, how vegetation abundance and distribution influences fish population abundance and size structure, and how young-of-year (YOY) largemouth bass utilize habitats within the nearshore environment. In the first research chapter, we used structural equation modeling (SEM) and data collected by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to quantify the complexity of relationships among catchment characteristics (e.g., catchment size), lake morphology, water quality, vegetation abundance and distribution, and fish population abundance and size structure. Across multiple lakes, lake productivity was more influential in explaining cross-lake variation of largemouth bass and bluegill proportional stock density (PSD) and largemouth bass catch per unit effort (CPUE) than vegetation. This may be a result of the feedback between phytoplankton production and rooted vegetation production. The models we constructed provide insights into the complexity of environmental variables that influence nearshore vegetation and fish populations. In the second research chapter we used stable isotopes (δ¹³ Carbon, δ¹⁵ Nitrogen, δ¹⁸ Oxygen and δ² Hydrogen) to examine the consistency of habitat use and foraging of YOY largemouth bass within Indiana glacial lakes. We observed spatial variation in stable isotope ratios of YOY largemouth bass between habitat types and sites. Additionally, there were significant, positive relationships between δ¹³C of locally collected potential prey items and δ¹³C of YOY largemouth bass suggesting localized foraging patterns. Later in the summer, as young bass grew in size and likely switched to piscivory, we did not observe similar spatial variation in young bass stable isotopes or spatial relationships between prey and the young bass suggesting more homogeneous foraging patterns. Understanding the habitat use patterns of young bass may allow for more efficient and effective management of the nearshore environment. Overall, a greater consideration for the complexity of relationships between nearshore habitat and fish populations may facilitate more effective management.

In aquatic systems refuge habitats increase resistance to drying events and are necessary for maintaining populations in disturbed environments. However, reduced water availability and altered flow regimes threaten the existence and function of these habitats. To test refuge function I conducted a capture-mark-recapture (CMR) study, integrating citizen science angler sampling into fisheries-independent methods. The objectives of this study were twofold: 1) To determine the contribution of citizen science anglers to improving CMR research, and 2.) to quantify apparent survival of Florida Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides floridanus, in a coastal refuge habitat across multiple years of drying severity. The inclusion of angler sampling was determined to be an effective and feasible method for increasing capture probability. Apparent survival of Florida Bass varied among hydrologic periods with lowest survival when marshes functionally dried (< 10 cm). Overall mortality from drying events increased with the duration of marsh drying upstream.

In fish, maternal stress prior to spawn has been reported to have effects on offspring phenotype. Cortisol, the main glucocorticoid (GC) stress hormone, has been proposed as a potential mediator of such effects because of its organizational role in early teleost development. The present thesis tested whether maternal social stress or treatment with cortisol (as a proxy for maternal stress) prior to spawn affects the cortisol response to stress and anxiety-related behaviours in offspring. In zebrafish (Danio rerio), offspring of dominant females exhibited greater boldness at 6 days post-fertilization (DPF). Interestingly, offspring of females that engaged in social interactions, regardless of the resulting social status of the two females, exhibited greater survival at 1 DPF, a greater fear-related decrease in activity in response to bright light at 6 DPF, and decreased baseline whole-body cortisol content at 0 and 30 DPF. A field experiment with wild largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) revealed that maternal cortisol treatment prior to spawn also affected offspring phenotype; offspring of cortisol-treated females had higher masses right after hatch, had greater fear responses, were less bold and less anxious, and exhibited an attenuated cortisol response to an acute stressor. Together, the results of the present thesis suggest that effects of maternal stress prior to spawn on offspring survival, growth, responses to stress, and anxiety-related behaviours are mediated, at least in part, by elevated maternal cortisol but not likely via increased deposition of maternal cortisol into eggs. The effects of maternal stress and cortisol treatment on offspring reported in the present thesis also suggest that maternal stress may prime offspring with adaptive traits to better survive in a stressful environment.

L'Estany de Banyoles, sistema peculiar tant des del punt de vista de la seva formació geològica com de les seves característiques limnològiques, conté actualment una comunitat de peixos profundament modificada respecte de la comunitat original. La perca americana (Micropterus salmoides), introduïda a finals dels anys seixanta del segle XX, és avui una de les espècies dominants en aquesta comunitat, i ocupa sobretot l'hàbitat litoral de l'Estany. Es tracta d'una espècie molt ben estudiada a Nord Amèrica des de diverses disciplines de la biologia i des de fa diverses dècades, cosa que ha comportat que actualment es disposi d'un gran volum d'informació sobre ella. Amb tot, fora del seu continent d'origen ha rebut poca atenció, malgrat l'amplia expansió que ha experimentat arreu del món. En aquesta tesi doctoral s'han abordat, amb un enfocament descriptiu, aspectes fins ara desconeguts per a l'espècie a l'Estany de Banyoles, a la península ibèrica i fins i tot a Europa. Concretament, se n'ha analitzat la condició, el creixement i la demografia, així com les seves variacions temporals. Amb aquesta finalitat, s'ha dissenyat un mostreig composat de deu campanyes de pesca intensives més alguns petits mostrejos addicionals intercalats, mostreig que s'ha allargat des del juliol del 1997 i fins el novembre del 1999. La captura dels exemplars s'ha realitzat mitjançant una tècnica de pesca elèctrica amb una embarcació posada a punt expressament per a aquest estudi, la qual s'ha mostrat considerablement eficient malgrat les dificultats que ofereix el medi. S'ha realitzat un mostreig de marcatge-recaptura basat en la mutilació d'aletes i, en alguns casos, en el marcatge amb pintura acrílica. Només en la darrera campanya (novembre del 1999) s'ha sacrificat una part important de les captures a fi de retirar-ne els otòlits per a la determinació de l'edat. Pel que fa a l'anàlisi de les dades, s'ha aplicat un ampli ventall de mètodes i models per a cada un dels aspectes estudiats, a fi de contrastar-ne els resultats i validar-ne la seva fiabilitat. En el cas de la condició, s'han aplicat mètodes d'anàlisi de la covariància (ANCOVA) i altres mètodes anàlegs, així com, paral·lelament, regressions i anàlisis derivades a partir de la relació longitud-pes. En l'estudi del creixement, s'han realitzat ajustaments de diversos models mitjançant regressions sobre dades de mida a l'edat i sobre dades d'increments de mida observats per interval de temps. També s'han aplicat anàlisis de freqüències de longitud, i, finalment, s'han aplicat mètodes de retrocàlcul a partir dels increments anuals del radi observats en els otòlits. Finalment, en el cas de l'estudi de la demografia, s'han aplicat models de marcatge-recaptura per a l'estimació de la grandària poblacional i de la supervivència, i, a més, s'han ajustat diversos models continus de supervivència sobre aquestes estimacions prèvies. També s'han estimat les capturabilitats associades a la nova tècnica de captura. Per una altra banda, s'ha implementat i realitzat un mostreig sobre la població de pescadors esportius de l'Estany encarat a determinar, bàsicament, la pressió de pesca a què es veu sotmesa l'espècie.Els resultats mostren sobretot una alta estabilitat interanual en tots els aspectes estudiats, que s'explica per l'estabilitat ambiental que, al seu torn, és característica d'aquest ecosistema lacustre. Això reverteix en una longevitat màxima observada que iguala la màxima descrita a la literatura per a l'espècie. Alhora, també s'han descrit fortes oscil·lacions estacionals tant en la condició, com en el creixement, com també en la supervivència, les quals, però, presenten certes diferències en la seva temporalitat, cosa que indica una certa diferenciació en els factors que les regulen. / Banyoles Lake is a peculiar system because its geological origin (karstic lake) and its limnological characteristics. At present day, this lake contains a fish community completely transformed respect of the original community. Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), introduced during the sixties of the XX century, is now one of the dominant species in this community, and it occupies mainly the littoral habitat of the lake. This species has been profusely studied in North America from several disciplines of biology and from several decades ago. So, now there is a big amount of published information about largemouth bass, although introduced populations in other continents have received little attention in spite of his wide expansion around the world.In this work some aspects of the species, till now not well-known for the lake Banyoles population and even for the rest of the Iberian populations and many of the European populations, have been approached with a descriptive focus. Concretely, condition, growth and demography have been analyzed, as well as its temporal variations. With this aim, it has been designed a survey with ten intensive campaigns and some other little additional campaigns. This survey began on July of 1997 and it lasted till November of 1999. Capture was made with a boat electrofishing system specially implemented for this study. This capture technique has proved to be very efficient despite the difficulties of this particular ecosystem. It has been developed a mark-recapture survey based on fin mutilation, and, in some cases, on the use of acrylic dyes for marking. Only in the the last campaign (November of 1999) an important part other capture was sacrificed, in order to extract otholits for age determination. A wide variety of methods and models have been applied for the data analysis, and for each of the aspects studied, in order to contrast the results and validate its reliability. In the case of the condition, the analysis has been conduced with ANCOVA and related methods, as well as regression and related analysis over length-weight data. In the study of growth, several models have been fit at length at age data and at observed length increments. Analysis of length frequencies and backcalculations has also been used. Finally, for the demography description, total abundance and survival have been derived from the mark-recapture models, and after that several continuous survival models have been fit over these previous estimates. Capturabilities related to the new capture technique have been obtained, too. On the other hand, a survey based on anglers interviews has been implemented in order to determinate the fishing mortality for this population. The results show a high interannual stability of all the studied aspects, explained by the ambient stability that is typical of this lake ecosystem. That reverts in a high observed longevity that equal the maximum longevity published for the species. At the same time, strong seasonal fluctuations have been described, in the condition, the growth and the demography. But, these fluctuations have different temporal position along the annual calendar, suggesting that there is a differentiation between their regulatory factors.

No description available.